The Washington Post - 09.11.2019

SATURDAy, NOVEMbER 9 , 2019. 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

NO RTH

♠ A Q 7

♥ 7 5

♦ A J 6 4 2

! 8 5 2

WEST

♠ 6

♥ K Q 10 9 4 3 2

♦ Q 3

! K 10 7

EAST

♠ 8 5 4

♥ 8 6

♦ K 10 9 7

! Q 6 4 3

SOUTH (D)

♠ K J 10 9 3 2

♥ A J

♦ 8 5

! A J 9

The bidding:

“S

imple Saturday” col-

umns are meant to

help improve technique and

develop logical thinking.

The best part of any

expert’s game is a sound

grasp of fundamentals. He

never, and I mean never,

makes elementary errors.

At today’s four spades,

South takes the ace of

hearts and counts four

possible losers: a heart, a

diamond and two clubs. He

could try for a second club

winner (leading low from

dummy to his nine would be

the best chance), but setting

up the diamonds with ruffs —

a basic skill — is better.

In case of a 4-2 diamond

break, South needs three

dummy entries: two to ruff

diamonds, one to cash the

good diamond. To preserve

his entries, South doesn’t

draw trumps; he ducks a

diamond at Tr ick Two. South

wins East’s club shift and

proceeds thus: diamond to

the ace, diamond ruff high,

K-A of trumps, diamond ruff,

draw trumps with the queen,

good diamond to pitch a

club.

A capable declarer will

make four spades in less

time than it takes me to tell

you about it.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold:

♠ A Q 7 ♥ 7 5

♦ A J 6 4 2! 8 5 2

Your partner opens one

heart, you respond two dia-

monds, he rebids two hearts

and you try 2NT. Partner then

bids three diamonds. What

do you say?

ANSWER: Your partner’s

bidding suggests minimum

opening values and no

desire to play at notrump

with unbalanced distribu-

tion. Pass. If he has a hand

such as 4, A Q 8 6 4, Q 9 5,

A 7 6 3, any higher contract

will be at risk, and even nine

tricks at diamonds will not be

certain.

BOTH SIDES VULNERABLE

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1 ♠ 2 ♥ 3 ♠ Pass

4 ♠ All Pass

Opening lead — ♥ K

BRIDGE

©2019, TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.

— Frank Stewart