Daily Bridge Club
Simple Saturday
“Simple Saturday” columns focus on improving basic technique and developing logical thinking.
When a good declarer plans his play at a contract that looks easy, he asks, “What can go wrong?”
You’re declarer at today’s six hearts. It’s best to avoid slams that depend on a finesse. If the finesse fails, you lose a game bonus. But if dummy had A 8 5, 10 8 4, A 5 3, K 10 5 4, slam would be excellent.
West leads the jack and ten of spades. Plan your play. (What can go wrong?)
FINESSE
You will finesse in trumps, but in case East has K-x-x-x, ruff with your queen. Go to the ace of diamonds, let the eight of trumps ride and continue with the ten to pick up East’s trumps.
In real life, South ruffed the second spade with the three, went to dummy and led the ten of trumps and a trump to his queen.
When West discarded, declarer was sunk. He couldn’t lead a club to dummy for a third trump finesse without blocking the clubs. When both minors broke 4-2, he wound up losing a diamond.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: Q 8 5 10 8 4 A 5 3 K Q 5 4. Your partner opens one heart, you respond two clubs and he bids two diamonds. In today’s deal, North bid two hearts next. Do you agree?
ANSWER: I do. Supporting partner’s first suit is a bidding principle. An option would be 2NT, but to withhold the heart support would be questionable. In a style where your two-club response would force to game, the proper response would have been 1NT. South dealer Both sides vulnerable