“Simple Saturday” columns focus on basic technique and logical thinking.
Combine two hydrogen buffaloes with one oxygen buffalo, and it’s clear what you get: one water buffalo. But the technique of combining chances as declarer eludes some players.
Against today’s six spades (reached with a “transfer” bidding sequence), West leads the jack of hearts, threatening declarer with a heart loser. If he wins and leads a trump to finesse with dummy’s jack, East wins and cashes a heart.
BEST CHANCE
The finesse is South’s best percentage play in the trump suit, but his best chance to make the slam is to combine chances: He takes the A-K of trumps. If the queen fell, South would be home (with an overtrick).
When instead East-West play low, South is still alive. He runs the clubs. When East, with the high queen of trumps, must follow to three rounds, dummy’s heart goes away on the fourth round, and South loses one trump trick. In this and many deals, two chances are better than one.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S Q 8 3 H K Q 8 7 D J 9 8 C 10 3 2. Your partner opens one club, you respond one heart and he jumps to 2NT. What do you say?
ANSWER: Get out your abacus; this is a simple problem in addition. Partner has about 19 points with balanced distribution. (He could have 18 or 20 points, depending on how your partnership treats 1NT and 2NT opening bids.) Since you have eight points, and your distribution is also balanced, raise to 3NT.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S A K J 5 4
H 9 2
D K Q 2
C Q 9 4
WEST
S 10 7
H J 10 6 3
D 10 5 4 3
C 8 7 6
EAST
S Q 8 3
H K Q 8 7
D J 9 8
C 10 3 2
SOUTH
S 9 6 2
H A 5 4
D A 7 6
C A K J 5
South West North East
1 NT Pass 2 H Pass
2 S Pass 5 S Pass
6 S All Pass
Opening lead — H J
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Originally published at Frank Stewart