Daily Bridge Club

FRANK STEWART TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY

“Simple Saturday” columns are meant to help aspiring players improve technique and develop logical thinking.

Bridge has many “nursery rhymes”: adages that guide your play. Good players know when to ignore mere guidelines.

At today’s 3NT, declarer should play dummy’s ace on the first spade; he has no hurry to try winning a trick with the queen.

The old rhyme about “eight ever, nine never” tells South to take the A-K of clubs next instead of finessing for the queen, but South doesn’t want West to get in. Another spade lead may be fatal if East has the king. NINTH TRICK South should instead take the ace and let the jack ride. If East had the queen, he couldn’t lead another spade without giving South a ninth trick. If East exited with a heart, South would win and safely let the queen of diamonds ride. He would be sure of four clubs, two diamonds, two hearts and a spade. As the cards lie, South’s jack of clubs wins. He can then finesse in diamonds and end with an overtrick.

Questions and comments: Email Stewart at frs1016@centurylink.net