LIFE & CULTURE

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

Today’s West leads the jack of diamonds against four spades. (South’s leap to game shows a long, strong suit but no interest in slam.) Declarer plays dummy’s queen, East covers and declarer plays low. East then shifts to the deuce of clubs, and South follows with the eight. How should West defend? To avoid playing on impulse is a sign of maturity. West must consider before doing anything. South has the ace of diamonds; if East had it, he would have taken it at Trick Two. It seems South ducked the first trick, preparing a diamond ruff in dummy — after which he may discard on the high hearts.

The defenders’ only chance lies with the clubs, but if West takes the queen and ace, South has the rest. West must win the first club with the ace and return the queen. East will understand, overtake with the king and lead a third club for West to ruff.

You hold: 42 AK J82 ( Q7 $ J 9 5 4. Your partner opens one spade, you bid two hearts, he rebids two spades and you try 2NT. Partner next bids three diamonds. What do you say?

Answer: Partner suggests six spades, four diamonds (maybe five spades and five diamonds) and minimum values. If his pattern were 5-2-4-2, he would have no reason to shy away from notrump. You mustn’t bid 3NT, which would amount to showing the same values twice. Bid three spades. by Dana Summers