The Washington Post - 21.03.2020

SATURDAy, MARCH 21 , 2020. THE WASHINGTON POST EZ RE C5

BREWSTER ROCKIT: SPACE GUY! TIM RICKARD

CURTIS RAY BILLINGSLEY

SHERMAN’S LAGOON JIM TOOMEY

RED AND ROVER BRIAN BASSET

FRANK AND ERNEST TOM THAVES

RHYMES WITH ORANGE HILARY PRICE

LIO MARK TATULLI

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE CHRIS BROWNE

BLONDIE DEAN YOUNG & JOHN MARSHALL

MIKE DU JOUR MIKE LESTER

AGNES TONY COCHRAN

WUMO MIKAEL WULFF & ANDERS MORGENTHALER

MARK TRAIL JAMES ALLEN

MOTHER GOOSE & GRIMM MIKE PETERS

BALDO HECTOR CANTU & CARLOS CASTELLANOS

SALLY FORTH FRANCESCO MARCIULIANO & JIM KEEFE

CLASSIC PEANUTS CHARLES SCHULZ

CLASSIC DOONESBURY GARRY TRUDEAU PICKLES BRIAN CRANE

SUDOKU

NORTH

♠ 8

♥ K J 5

♦ 10 8 7 4

! Q 9 6 3 2

WEST

♠ Q 7 2

♥ 8 7 6

♦ 9 6 2

! K 7 5 4

EAST

♠ A 10 6 4

♥ 4 2

♦ Q J 5 3

! A 10 8

SOUTH (D)

♠ K J 9 5 3

♥ A Q 10 9 3

♦ A K

! J

The bidding:

“S

imple Saturday” col-

umns are meant to

help aspiring players improve

technique and develop logical

thinking.

This week’s deals have

focused on defenders’ sec-

ond-hand play. Beginners are

taught to play “second hand

low,” a tendency with a logi-

cal basis.

Today’s South plays at

four hearts after showing a

strong hand with a second-

round jump-shift. West finds

the good opening lead of

a trump. Declarer wins in

dummy and leads the single-

ton spade. How should East

defend?

This may seem like a time

to ignore “second hand low,”

but East should play low.

East won’t lose his ace if

he ducks: South can ruff at

most two spades in dummy

and will still have a spade to

lose.

If East plays low, South

will probably finesse with the

jack. West wins and leads

another trump, and East will

eventually get two spade

tricks and a club. If East

grabs the first spade, South

can set up his spades with

one ruff and score game.

Consider with care wheth-

er to play “second hand low.”

DAILY QUESTION

You hold:

♠ A 10 6 4 ♥ 4 2

♦ Q J 5 3! A 10 8

Your partner opens one

heart, you bid one spade, he

rebids two hearts and you try

2NT. Partner then bids three

diamonds. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner’s bid-

ding suggests six hearts,

four diamonds and minimum

opening values. Your hand

has become quite strong.

Your diamond honors are

“working,” and your aces

will cover some of partner’s

black-suit losers. Make sure

of game. Bid four hearts or

five diamonds.

BOTH SIDES VULNERABLE

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1 ♠ Pass 1 NT Pass

3 ♥ Pass 4 ♥ All Pass

Opening lead — ♥ 8

BRIDGE

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