BRIDGE

Simple Saturday columns focus on improving basic technique and logical thinking.

When dummy comes down, declarer plans his play. The defenders should have a plan also — and since they get to lead to the first trick, they can often implement it before they see dummy.

When today’s NorthSouth bid boldly to four hearts, West led the king of diamonds and next the queen. South ruffed and led the queen of spades, and West took his ace and led a third diamond.

South ruffed, cashed the king of spades, ruffed a spade in dummy, ruffed a diamond and ruffed a spade.

He led a trump to his hand, ruffed a spade, took the ace of clubs for his ninth trick and still had a high trump.

West’s defense lacked a plan. South will want to ruff spades in dummy; West knows that South won’t take a great many tricks with high cards. West can even imagine from the bidding how South may conduct the play. A trump opening lead beats four hearts. (A Trick Two shift is too late.)

You hold: ♠ AJ95 ♥ 762♦ AKQ ♣ K 9 5. You open 1NT, your partner responds two clubs (Stayman), you bid two spades and he bids three clubs. What do you say?

Answer: It depends on your partnership agreements. If partner’s sequence says he wants to play at three clubs — he has a weak hand with long clubs — pass.

If his sequence invites game, as many pairs agree, bid three diamonds to show strength in diamonds and probe for a contract of 3NT. South dealer Both sides vulnerable