DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

Even an inexperienced player can be a sneaky defender. Take the West cards and defend against South’s 3NT.

Suppose you choose the textbook opening lead: the five of hearts, your fourthhighest. East produces the queen and returns a heart to dummy’s ace. South comes to his hand with a high club and lets the queen of diamonds ride. He winds up with four diamonds, four clubs and a heart.

Could you have done anything about that?

West has 11 high-card points, so East will play little part in the defense. To lead an informative fourthhighest heart makes no sense when East can never use the information the lead conveys.

Say instead that West leads the deuce of hearts, pretending he has only a four-card suit. Then when South takes the ace of hearts, he will force out the ace of spades to set up nine tricks. He will think that if he takes a losing diamond finesse, the defense will also get three hearts and a spade.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ J1092 ♥ A9 ◆ A 1096 ♣ J 10 2. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade, he bids two clubs and you try 2NT. Partner then rebids three hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner suggests six hearts, four clubs and extra values. With a high-card minimum, he would rebid two hearts to limit his strength. Since you have solid stoppers in spades and diamonds, a bid of 3NT would be reasonable, as would a raise to four hearts. Do not pass.