Bridge: April 8, 2023

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

It may be well to put all your eggs in one basket, then keep an eye on the basket. But if yours tends to leak, you may need an extra basket.

Today’s North-South bid easily to 3NT. South’s jump to 2NT promised a balanced 18 to 20 points, and North had an easy raise. West led the deuce of spades. When East played low to prevent dummy’s king from becoming an entry, South’s queen won.

DOWN ONE

South next led the jack and a second diamond to dummy’s king. When no ace appeared, he gave up on the diamonds and led a club to finesse with his jack, losing. He won only two tricks in each suit: down one.

South’s play wasn’t eggsactly best. He should lead a diamond to dummy’s ten at Trick Two, then try a club to his eight. If West won with the nine or ten and, say, shifted to a heart, South could win and lead a diamond to dummy. He would be safe if a defender held A-x or if a club finesse with the queen won.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S K 7 6 H 9 6 5 D K Q 10 8 6 C 6 2. Your partner opens one heart, you raise to two hearts and he bids two spades. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner’s two spades will usually be a try for game. He asks you to judge a close case by looking at your holding in his second suit. You have a sound raise, but with weak trumps and possibly wasted diamond honors, I would not jump to four hearts. Bid three diamonds and let partner decide.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S K 7 6

H 9 6 5

D K Q 10 8 6

C 6 2

WEST

S 10 5 4 2

H Q 10 4 3

D 9 2

C Q 7 3

EAST

S A 9 8

H J 8 7

D A 7 3

C 10 9 5 4

SOUTH

S Q J 3

H A K 2

D J 5 4

C A K J 8

South West North East
1 C Pass 1 D Pass
2 NT Pass 3 NT All Pass
Opening lead — S 2

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