Bridge: Jan. 3, 2024

“Most of your columns deal with play techniques,” a reader writes. “What about things like focus, table presence and partnership empathy?”

Point taken. Here’s a piece of non-technical advice: Never give up on a deal.

At four hearts, South won the first diamond with the king and led a trump. West won and led another diamond, and South took the ace and tried a spade to his queen. West won and cashed a diamond, and East got his ace of trumps. Down one.

South must win the first diamond in dummy and finesse in spades; he may get a fast discard for his diamond loser. He wins West’s diamond return and leads the A-J of spades.

FIFTH SPADE

West ruffs low, but South can’t give up. He overruffs in dummy, comes to the ace of clubs and ruffs a spade. He ruffs a club and leads his good fifth spade.

West can’t gain by ruffing with his king. If he discards, dummy unloads the losing diamond. East ruffs low, but when South gets back in, he leads a trump and the defenders’ A-K clash.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S A Q J 7 4 H Q J 10 9 D K 6 3 C A. You open one spade, and partner bids 1NT. South in today’s deal then bid three hearts with this hand. Do you agree with his call?

ANSWER: South’s jump-shift was game-forcing even if North had a minimum six-point response. Most experts would have been reluctant to force and would have bid two hearts. The problem illustrates a weakness in “Standard”: Opener’s non-jump change of suit has an unwieldy range.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S 6 2

H 8 6 5 4 3

D A 8 7

C Q 5 2

WEST

S K 5

H K 7

D Q J 10 9

C J 7 6 4 3

EAST

S 10 9 8 3

H A 2

D 5 4 2

C K 10 9 8

SOUTH

S A Q J 7 4

H Q J 10 9

D K 6 3

C A

South West North East
1 S Pass 1 NT Pass
3 H Pass 4 H All Pass
Opening lead — D Q

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