“Simple Saturday” columns focus on basic technique and logical thinking.
Bridge is not an easy game; even top experts make plenty of mistakes. Mistakes are acceptable if you learn from them, but some people don’t study hard enough for the test.
At today’s four spades, South ruffed the third heart; he was unlucky to find West with a natural heart lead and East with the ace. South led a diamond to dummy’s king and returned a trump. When East played low, South pondered and played the jack. He lost to West’s queen and East’s ace and went down.
CLEAN GUESS
One aspect of dummy play is studying how to handle individual suit combinations correctly. If trumps are breaking 2-2, South has a guess whether to play the king or the jack. If East has Q-9-5, South can’t gain even if he finesses with the jack. He can’t get back to dummy, and East will still get the queen.
But if East has A-9-5 and West has the bare queen, South gains by putting up his king. So that is his percentage play.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S A 9 5 H A 9 6 3 D 10 9 C 10 5 4 3. Your partner opens one heart, you raise to two hearts and he next bids two spades. The opponents pass. What do you say?
ANSWER: Partner’s two spades is a try for game. He wants you to bid game with any sound single raise or even with a fair raise with help for spades. If you have a fit in two suits, you may make game with fewer than the usual 26 points. Your hand is well worth a jump to four hearts.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S 6 4 3
H K 7 2
D K 6 2
C K 8 7 6
WEST
S Q
H Q J 10 5
D 8 7 5 4
C Q J 9 2
EAST
S A 9 5
H A 9 6 3
D 10 9
C 10 5 4 3
SOUTH
S K J 10 8 7 2
H 8 4
D A Q J 3
C A
South West North East
1 S Pass 2 S Pass
4 S All Pass
Opening lead — H Q
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Originally published at Frank Stewart