“Simple Saturday” columns focus on basic technique and logical thinking.
If you want to procrastinate, there is no time like the present. Drawing all the missing trumps is often a priority for declarer, but many reasons exist to wait — maybe indefinitely.
At today’s five clubs, South ruffed West’s second high heart and took the A-K of trumps, hoping to draw all four missing trumps. West failed to cooperate by pitching a diamond, so South shrugged and conceded a trump to East.
TOP SPADES
South won the diamond return and took his A-K-Q of spades, but East discarded. South ruffed a spade with dummy’s last trump, but his fifth spade was a loser. Down one.
When a defender remains with a sole outstanding high trump, declarer usually tends to his other business, ignoring that missing trump. After South takes the A-K, he must abandon trumps. He cashes the top spades, ruffs a spade, leads a diamond to his hand and ruffs his last spade. The defense gets one trump and one heart.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S 10 9 8 4 2 H A K 8 3 D 8 6 3 C 10. The dealer, at your left, opens two hearts, a weak two-bid. Your partner doubles, you respond two spades and your partner raises to three spades. What do you say?
ANSWER: Partner has a powerful hand. He is willing to undertake a nine-trick contract, and he can’t know that you have any strength at all. Since you have a fair five-card spade suit, a side A-K and a singleton, bid four spades.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S 6
H J 6 4 2
D 9 7 5 4
C A 7 5 3
WEST
S 10 9 8 4 2
H A K 8 3
D 8 6 3
C 10
EAST
S J 5
H Q 10 9 7
D Q J 10 2
C Q J 9
SOUTH
S A K Q 7 3
H 5
D A K
C K 8 6 4 2
South West North East
1 S Pass 1 NT Pass
3 C Pass 4 C Pass
4 S Pass 5 C All Pass
Opening lead — H K
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Originally published at Frank Stewart