Simple Saturday columns focus on basic technique and logical thinking.

Bridge is a game of problem-solving and drawing inferences. If an opponent does something that defies logic, don’t assume that he’s lost his mind; look for an explanation.

Against today’s 3NT, West leads the deuce of hearts. Declarer ponders and plays the king from dummy, and East takes the ace and returns the ten: jack, queen, three.

What should West lead next?

South’s play in hearts seems to make no sense. If he held J-9 or J-9-5, he could have assured a heart trick by playing low from dummy at Trick One. What is going on?

The logical explanation: Declarer put up the king of hearts because he was desperate to win the first trick. He must be afraid of a switch to some other suit. That almost surely is spades, so West should switch to the ace and queen of spades. The defense will take four spades for down two. But if West fails to draw the inference, South makes his contract.

Daily question >> You hold: ? K 8 6 5 ? A 10 6 ? 10 7 6 3 ? 8 2. Your partner opens one heart. The next player passes. What do you say?

Answer >> Bid two hearts to limit your strength and confirm a trump fit promptly; a one-spade response would do neither. If you respond one spade and partner next bids, say, two clubs, a return to two hearts would show a tolerance, not real support. Yes, if opener has four spades, a spade contract might be better, but there is no way to discern that.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

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