“My husband’s passions are bridge and fishing,” a club player told me. “It’s a mystery how he can sit in a boat for hours waiting for a bite, but when we play bridge he has no patience at all.”
She was today’s East, and her husband led a heart against six spades. Declarer took the ace and led a trump to his king, and West took the ace and led another heart: jack, queen, ruff.
“South cashed one high trump,” East said, “then took the top diamonds, ruffed a diamond, led a club to his jack and ruffed a diamond. He returned a club to his king, drew the missing trump and won the last two tricks with good diamonds. I think my hubby should stick to fishing.”
FIRST TRUMP
West swallowed the bait when he won the first trump. He must let South’s king win.
If South leads a second trump. West wins and leads a third trump. South can ruff only one diamond in dummy and loses a diamond. If South tries to set up the diamonds without leading a second trump, East scores her nine of trumps.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S 8 7 6 4 H A J 10 3 2 D 10 C A Q 10. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart and he bids two clubs. What do you say?
ANSWER: This problem is difficult; you have enough values to invite game but no good invitational call. Some experts might try 2NT despite the lack of a spade stopper; others might stretch to bid two spades, forcing to game. I would choose a raise to three clubs, pretending I have four-card support.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S 8 7 6 4
H A J 10 3 2
D 10
C A Q 10
WEST
S A 3 2
H 7 6 5
D Q 9 8 4
C 9 5 2
EAST
S 9 5
H K Q 9 8
D 7 3
C 8 7 6 4 3
SOUTH
S K Q J 10
H 4
D A K J 6 5 2
C K J
South West North East
1 D Pass 1 H Pass
1 S Pass 3 S Pass
4 NT Pass 5 H Pass
6 S All Pass
Opening lead — H 7
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