Bridge: Sept. 24, 2022

“Simple Saturday” columns focus on improving basic technique and logical thinking.

I’ve heard experience defined as what we get when we don’t get what we want. Today’s declarer wanted 10 tricks at his four-heart contract but didn’t get them. When West led the jack of diamonds, South took dummy’s ace and swiftly embarked on a crossruff: He won the next six tricks, sandwiching three diamond ruffs in his hand around three spade ruffs in dummy.

Meanwhile, East discarded both his clubs. When dummy led a fourth diamond, East ruffed with his ace of trumps and led a trump, and the defense won the last four tricks with East’s remaining trumps and West’s ace of spades. Down two.

FIRST TRICK

Before crossruffing, cash your side-suit winners. After South wins the first trick, he must take the K-A of clubs. Then he crossruffs and wins 10 tricks no matter how East defends.

Experience is also what you have until you get more of it. Let’s hope South learned something from the experience.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S A 9 8 3 2 H None D J 10 9 6 4 C J 10 7. Your partner opens one spade. The next player bids two clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: Bidding has two purposes: to reach a good contract and to prevent your opponents from reaching one. Bid four spades. Your partner will usually have a chance to make that contract, and if he goes down, it’s likely your opponents could have made a high-level contract if you had made it easier for them to contest the auction.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S None

H Q 9 8 6

D A 8 7 3 2

C K 9 6 3

WEST

S A 9 8 3 2

H None

D J 10 9 6 4

C J 10 7

EAST

S Q J 6 5

H A 5 4 3 2

D K 5

C Q 8

SOUTH

S K 10 7 4

H K J 10 7

D Q

C A 5 4 2

South West North East
1 C Pass 1 D Pass
1 H Pass 4 H All Pass
Opening lead — D J

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