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“Is it true that seven out of five people have trouble with fractions?” — graffiti.
I don’t know about that, but handling single suit combinations is a building block of good dummy play, and many people have trouble with it.
At today’s 3NT, South took the king of clubs, led a diamond to his hand and returned a low heart to dummy’s king, winning. Then came the play to Trick Four: three of hearts, seven, jack, ace. West next led the jack of clubs, and declarer won, came to his king of spades and led a third heart. He hoped for a 3-3 split, but East took the nine and led another spade. South won only seven tricks.
NEXT HEART
Declarer mismanaged the hearts. After the king wins, he must play low from his hand on the next heart.
If the suit breaks 3-3, South’s play is moot, but the correct play gains if West held A-x. South can win a spade shift and lead the jack of hearts to force out East’s queen, setting up three heart tricks, two spades, two diamonds and two clubs.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S A K H J 10 5 4 2 D A K 4 3 C 6 2. Your partner opens one spade, you bid two hearts, he rebids two spades and you try three diamonds. Partner next bids three hearts. What do you say?
ANSWER: Partner lacks good heart support. Your bid of two hearts suggested a five-card or longer suit, and he often would have raised directly with three-card support. Bid three spades to show a tolerance for that suit. He may have six cards in spades.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S 9 4 2
H K 3
D J 9 5
C A K 8 7 4
WEST
S Q 8 7 5
H A 8
D 6 2
C Q J 10 9 3
EAST
S J 10 6 3
H Q 9 7 6
D Q 10 8 7
C 5
SOUTH
S A K
H J 10 5 4 2
D A K 4 3
C 6 2
South West North East
1 H Pass 2 C Pass
2 D Pass 2 H Pass
3 NT All Pass
Opening lead — C Q
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