Bridge: Oct. 5, 2019

“Simple Saturday” columns are meant to help aspiring players improve technique and develop logical thinking.

Part of doing well at bridge is drawing inferences from the bidding and play. Some are subtle, some are clear.

In today’s auction, North’s two clubs conventionally asks South to bid a four-card major, then North’s 2NT invites game. South has a maximum 1NT opening and knows that since North doesn’t like spades, he has hearts. So South jumps to four hearts.

SINGLETON

West leads the ten of clubs, and declarer plays dummy’s king. If West has led a singleton, East must win and return a club. But if West led from a doubleton, East must encourage with the nine of clubs.

Can West have a singleton club? Then South would have four. But South has shown four cards in each major and wouldn’t have opened 1NT with 4-4-1-4 pattern. East should duck the first club.

When West takes the ace of trumps, he leads his last club to get a ruff, and the ace of diamonds scores for down one.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S A K 7 5 H K Q 7 3 D K 9 C Q 7 6. The dealer, at your right, opens one diamond. You double, and your partner responds one heart. What do you say?

ANSWER: You must not get carried away. Your double required partner to bid. With as many as 10 points, he would have jumped to two hearts. As it is, his hand and hearts may be poor. Raise to two hearts, showing about 17 points, to give your side a chance to reach game, but do no more.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S Q 8 2

H J 10 9 4

D Q 3

C K J 8 3

WEST

S 10 9 6 4

H A 8 2

D A J 8 4

C 10 2

EAST

S J 3

H 6 5

D 10 7 6 5 2

C A 9 5 4

SOUTH

S A K 7 5

H K Q 7 3

D K 9

C Q 7 6

South West North East

1 NT Pass 2 C Pass

2 S Pass 2 NT Pass

4 H All Pass

Opening lead — C 10

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