Bridge: Aug. 4, 2023

This week’s deals have treated declarer’s trump management: handling the trump suit astutely so he can (for example) keep control. Cover today’s East-West cards. At four spades, you win the first club with dummy’s ace.

How will you handle the trumps?

In real life, South led a trump to his ace, went back to a high diamond and led a second trump to his jack. The finesse won, but West discarded. South then took the king of trumps and started the diamonds. East ruffed the third diamond and led the queen of hearts, and the defense took three hearts. Down one.

AVOIDANCE

South has an “avoidance” issue. He doesn’t want East to get in for a heart shift. Dummy leads a trump at Trick Two, but when East follows with the three, South should play his four.

West takes the nine and leads another club, but South wins and leads a trump to his ace. He goes to the ace of diamonds, picks up East’s remaining trumps and runs the diamonds for a heart discard. He loses two hearts and one trump.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S A K J 7 4 H K 5 2 D K 6 5 C 4 2. You open one spade, your partner bids two hearts, you raise to three hearts and he tries four diamonds. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your raise to three hearts was desirable because partner’s response promised at least five hearts. If he wanted to play at four hearts, he would have bid it. His four diamonds is a try for slam. Since all your honors look good, you can cooperate. Bid four spades or five diamonds.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S 6 5 2

H 6 4 3

D A Q J 3

C A K 6

WEST

S 9

H A 9 8 7

D 10 8 7 2

C Q J 10 3

EAST

S Q 10 8 3

H Q J 10

D 9 4

C 9 8 7 5

SOUTH

S A K J 7 4

H K 5 2

D K 6 5

C 4 2

South West North East
1 S Pass 2 D Pass
2 S Pass 4 S All Pass
Opening lead — C Q

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