Sir Francis Bacon, who served as both Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England and died in 1626, said, “By far the best proof is experience.”

Especially at the bridge table, experience certainly helps, and you hope to use it to find the best play or defense.

In today’s deal, what do you think of the auction? How should South play in three hearts? West cashes his three top diamonds, then leads the spade eight (top of nothing) to South’s ace.

Textbooks tell you to open one diamond with 4-4 in the minors, but one can understand North’s preference for one club. Then, after South responds one heart, North should raise to two hearts. To rebid one no-trump with no pointed-suit stoppers cannot be right. If three no-trump is the best contract, it surely should be played by South. Then, South might pass out two hearts, but a vulnerable game bonus is a strong lure, so he invites game. (Yes, South might rebid three diamonds, a help-suit game-try.) North is understandably not interested.

South has lost three tricks, so can afford only one trump loser. This requires finding an opponent with exactly ace-doubleton — but is it East or West?

There are times when a pass is as informative as a bid. Here, West passed as dealer, but has produced nine points in diamonds. He cannot have the heart ace. Declarer should play a club to the dummy, lead a heart to his king, and play a low heart from both hands on the next round of the suit. When the ace comes fluttering down, the contract makes.