A player came to me in the club lounge with a request.

“Give me one tip that will help me be a better declarer,” he said.

How would you have responded to that?

At today’s four hearts, South ruffed the third diamond and took the K-A of trumps. When West discarded, South cashed the queen of trumps and started the clubs. He would have been safe if the suit had split 3-2, but the 4-1 split ruined him. (East refused to ruff on a second club lead from dummy.) The result was down two.

South saves one trick by not taking the queen of trumps, but he can actually make his game. The most important principle of dummy play that I know: When a contract looks tough, and trump control may be an issue, attack your side suit early.

After South takes the king of trumps (or after ruffing the third diamond), he leads the king and a low club. East discards, and South wins and ruffs a low club in dummy. He can keep control and is almost sure to succeed however the cards lie.

Daily Question: You hold: ♠ A 8 7 6 3 ♥ K93 ♦ K32 ♣ K 7. You open one spade, and your partner bids two hearts. What do you say?

Answer: This is a textbook problem. To raise to three hearts is correct. Partner’s response promises at least five hearts. (Strictly speaking, he promises a suit with which he could accept a raise with three-card support.) If he had only four hearts, he would have an alternative response — even a temporizing response in a three-card minor.