I have written that winning bridge is a product of study and practice. (Most people can only be as successful as they are determined to be.) Read dummy play and defense quiz books to improve your card game. The one thing I would tell you not to practice is… honing.
At today’s five diamonds, South hits West’s second high spade and leads a trump. East takes the ace and switches to a low heart. The actual declarer honed and West’s king won the setup trick.
How do you play as declarer?
THREE LOSER
South took what is known as a “practice finesse”. It was not certain to win even if it did win. Even if East has the king of hearts, South still needs to pick up the clubs – presumably by finessing East – to avoid three losers.
But if East has the Queen of Clubs, South can count on throwing two hearts on dummy’s long clubs. South should take the ace of hearts, cash the ace of clubs, lead a trump to dummy and try a club to his ten.
Avoid these “practice tricks.”
DAILY QUESTION
You have: S 6 HA 10 5 DQJ 8 6 5 3 CAK 10. You open a diamond, your partner offers a heart and the player to your right hits a spade. What are you saying?
ANSWER: In some partnerships, the correct view would be a “support” double to show three cards of hearts. (A bid of two hearts would show four.) In the absence of such agreement, bid two hearts. If the next player bids two spades and two suits follow, you can try three squares.
Southern Dealer
Neither side is vulnerable
NORTH
SQ 7
HQJ
DK 10 9 4
CJ 8 7 4 2
WEST
ITEM 8 4
HK 8 7 4 3
D 7
C 9 5
EAST
S 10 9 5 3 2
H 9 6 2
DA 2
CQ 6 3
SOUTH
S 6
HAVE 10 5
DJ 8 6 5 3
CAK 10
South West North East
1 D 1 S 2 D 3 S
5D All Pass
Opening line — SK
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