Bridge: Aug. 24, 2024

Simple Saturday columns focus on basic technique and logical thinking.

Borrowing a page from Orwell’s “Animal Farm,” all finesses are equal but some are more equal than others: They may have more to gain or lose.

In today’s deal, North’s bid of 2NT was a conventional forcing heart raise. Since South’s hand was close to a minimum, he signed off at game. West led the ten of spades, and declarer finessed with dummy’s queen. The finesse lost, and East switched to the queen of diamonds.

DOWN ONE

South took the ace, drew trumps with the A-Q and let the queen of clubs ride. East won, and the defense cashed two diamonds. Down one.

The black-suit finesses were unequal; the club finesse had something to gain even if it lost. South must grab the first spade, draw trumps and pass the queen of clubs. East can win, cash his king of spades and shift to diamonds, but South wins, unblocks his jack of clubs and reaches dummy with a trump to pitch a diamond on the ace of clubs.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S A Q H K 6 4 3 D 5 4 2 C A 9 6 3. Your partner opens one heart, and you respond 2NT, a forcing raise as in today’s deal. Partner then bids three diamonds. What do you say?

ANSWER: The way the 2NT response works, opener’s second bid in a new suit shows a singleton there. The idea is to let you see whether you have a useful holding opposite the singleton. Since you have no “wasted” diamond honors, you should be encouraged. Cue-bid three spades.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S A Q

H K 6 4 3

D 5 4 2

C A 9 6 3

WEST

S 10 9 8 7 2

H 10 2

D K 6 3

C 5 4 2

EAST

S K J 5 3

H 5

D Q J 10 9

C K 10 8 7

SOUTH

S 6 4

H A Q J 9 8 7

D A 8 7

C Q J

South West North East
1 H Pass 2 NT Pass
4 H All Pass
Opening lead — S 10

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