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Dummy play involves counting sure winners (or, at a high-level suit contract, maybe possible losers), then developing additional winners.

Today’s North-South might have reached five diamonds but, reasonably enough, land at the cheaper notrump game. West leads the queen of spades, and South wins and has plenty of winners: two spades, two hearts, four clubs and three diamonds.

But if South attacks the diamonds, he will fail. The defense will win, force out South’s second high spade and cash at least three spades when they take their other high diamond.

NINTH TRICK

South can’t succeed with the diamonds. He must look to hearts. A winning finesse with dummy’s jack will provide a ninth trick, but two finesses are better than one. At Trick Two South gets an extra chance by leading the nine and letting it ride if West plays low.

If the nine lost to the ten, South would win the spade return and try a heart to the jack. If both finesses lost, he would be entitled to grumble.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: A K 9 8 Q10962 KQ107.Youopen one diamond, your partner responds one heart, you bid two clubs and he rebids two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner probably has a six-card heart suit (rarely, he will have a seven-carder or strong fivecarder) but at most 10 points. With 87,AQ10652,J5,A63,hewould jump to three hearts, invitational. Pass. Game is unlikely, and his hand may win tricks only if hearts are trumps. South dealer N-S vulnerable