I have come to believe that the keys to winning bridge are having sound fundamental skills and minimizing errors. Many avoidable errors are simply aberrations resulting from a loss of focus.

In today’s deal, West leads the king of spades against 3NT.

Suppose declarer takes dummy’s ace, seeing nine tricks: a spade, five diamonds, two hearts and a club. But when he takes the A-K of diamonds, West discards a heart. South wins the third diamond with dummy’s queen, but then he must win the fourth diamond in his hand. He never gets dummy’s fifth diamond and ends up a trick short.

It’s easy to lose focus when your contract seems to be a lock. To deal with the blockage in diamonds, South must have the presence of mind to refuse the first spade.

When West continues spades, dummy plays low again. Then if West, say, shifts to a heart, South wins and takes the A-K-Q of diamonds. He discards his last diamond on the ace of spades and can cash dummy’s last two diamonds.

Daily question: You hold: ? J 9 ? A K 6 ? A K 8 7 ? A 9 3 2. Neither side vulnerable. The dealer, at your right, opens three hearts. What do you say?

Answer : Your opponent’s preempt (blast him!) has cut away all your bidding room; you can’t look for your best contract at leisure. Bid 3NT. If your partner has nothing, you will go down, but to avoid being stolen from, you must assume that he will have the decency to hold his fair share of the missing points.

South dealer

E-W vulnerable

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