A measure of success, I believe, is not how you look at a problem, but whether you look at the same kind of problem the same way as a year ago.
My columns this week focused on resolving guesses — for instance, a two-way guess for a missing queen — by drawing inferences from the bidding or play. A beginning declarer is unable to organize his thought-processes well enough to draw inferences; he has other worries, such as whether to draw trumps. But most “card-reading” is simple in principle. It takes focus and practice, but anyone can do it.
Today’s South plays at four spades after North has opened one club in fourth position. West leads the jack of hearts, and declarer takes the king and sees a possible loser in each suit. If West has both black kings, South may make an overtrick; but if East has both, the defense will have time to set up and cash a heart trick.
At Trick Two, South correctly leads a diamond. He hopes to set up a diamond trick in dummy for a heart discard. West follows low.
Should South play the king or the jack from dummy? If it’s a guess, does he have anything to indicate the winning guess?
South should assume the worst: both black kings are wrong. But East, who didn’t open the bidding, is marked with the queen of hearts, so South should not assume that he has the ace of diamonds. South should put up the king. If East has the ace, South will still succeed since at least one black-suit finesse will win.
Problem-solving is the essence of the game.
East dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S A J 9 5
H 7 5 3
D K J 5
C A J 6
WEST
S 4 2
H J 10 9 6
D A 10 8 6
C 8 4 2
EAST
S K 7
H Q 8 4
D Q 9 7 3 2
C K 9 5
SOUTH
S Q 10 8 6 3
H A K 2
D 4
C Q 10 7 3
East South West North
Pass Pass Pass 1 C
Pass 1 S Pass 2 S
Pass 4 S All Pass
Opening lead — H J
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