Another message on a sign standing guard beside a church in my town: “Adultery is a sin. You can’t have your Kate and Edith too.”
A good declarer doesn’t put his faith in a single chance for the contract if two or more are available. At today’s slam, South discarded a club on dummy’s king of spades and led a diamond to his king. West did well to play low smoothly.
South then drew trumps with the ace and queen, threw another club on the ace of spades, and led a second diamond from dummy. He lost two diamonds to West’s A-J and went down.
EXTRA CHANCE
South’s play was poor. He gets an extra chance by pitching two clubs on the A-K of spades, taking the ace of clubs and ruffing a club. He returns a trump to dummy and ruffs a club.
When East-West follow, South draws the last trump in dummy and discards the ten of diamonds on the good 13th club. He loses one diamond. If the clubs didn’t break 3-3, South could reach dummy with trumps to lead twice toward his K-Q-10 of diamonds.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S Q J 10 8 5 2 H 3 D A J 4 C Q 10 4. Your partner opens 1NT. The next player passes. What do you say?
ANSWER: Almost every practiced partnership uses “transfers” in many situations. Bid four hearts, asking partner to bid four spades, which you will pass. It will often be better for the opening lead to come up to, not through, his strength. With a better hand, transfer at the two level, then bid game — a sequence that invites slam.
North dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S A K 6
H Q 9 7
D 7 5 2
C A 7 6 3
WEST
S Q J 10 8 5 2
H 3
D A J 4
C Q 10 4
EAST
S 9 7 4 3
H 5 2
D 9 8 6 3
C K J 9
SOUTH
S None
H A K J 10 8 6 4
D K Q 10
C 8 5 2
North East South West
1 C Pass 1 H 1 S
1 NT Pass 6 H All Pass
Opening lead — S Q
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