If you aspire to get better, you need to be a student of the game: Read books on play to improve your technique. Any student might make today’s contract, but it would help if he were an exchange student.

Against four spades doubled, West led the ace of clubs and then the king, indicating that he’d held A-K doubleton. Declarer ruffed and expected West to have the king of trumps for his double; so declarer disdained a finesse and instead led the ace and queen.

South was right about the location of the king of trumps, but West won and led a heart, and when East won and led another club, South was doomed. Whether he ruffed with the jack or ruffed low, West’s ten of trumps would win the setting trick.

South succeeds by exchanging one loser for another. Instead of ruffing the second club, he pitches a heart. He ruffs a heart shift and leads the A-Q of trumps. West wins, but since East can no longer get in to lead a third club for the trump promotion, South is safe.

Daily question: You hold: ? K 10 6 ? J 9 8 7 3 ? 9 7 6 ? A K. Your partner opens one club, you respond one heart and he bids one spade. What do you say?

Answer: This problem is awkward. If partner’s opening bid had been one diamond, you could jump to 2NT, inviting game; but you can’t bid notrump with three low diamonds. “fourth-suit” bid of two diamonds might work unless it forced to game. My uncomfortable choice would be a raise to two spades.

East dealer

Both sides vulnerable

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