DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

Unlucky Louie’s youngest daughter had started kindergarten.

“I asked her what she learned on the first day,” Louie told me. “She said, ‘Not much, I guess. We have to go back again tomorrow.’”

Part of proficiency at bridge is learning the many techniques of play. Against today’s 3NT, West leads the seven of spades: three, nine, king. South expects that West has the A-J, so South must set up nine tricks without letting East gain the lead.

The actual South knew about “avoidance” technique, so he finessed in diamonds through East: South led a heart to dummy and returned a diamond to his jack.

The finesse won, but when South took the ace next, West threw a heart. South could win only eight tricks — three diamonds, three hearts, a club and a spade — before East got in.

South should lead dummy’s ten of diamonds at Trick Three, planning to let it ride.

If East’s queen covers, South takes the ace, returns a heart to dummy and leads a second diamond to his eight.

DAILY QUESTION You hold: S 6 3 H K Q J D K 10 5 3 2 C A 6 4. You open one diamond, and your partner responds one heart. What do you say?

ANSWER: No call is ideal, but you must do something; your partner is an unpassed hand, and his response in a new suit is forcing. To bid 1NT with worthless spades or rebid the mangy diamonds is unattractive. Raise to two hearts. If your hand looks suitable, be willing to raise a major-suit response with decent three-card support.