QUICK CROSSWORD

Bob Hope cracked, "' Virus' is a Latin word used by doctors to mean, ' Your guess is as good as mine.'"

We hate being faced with a guess at the bridge table, but we love it when we make an opponent guess. Describe your hand as quickly as possible and jump as high as possible immediately. Do not two- step.

In this deal, at one table, West passed over four diamonds, hoping that North would also pass. But, no surprise, that did not happen. North doubled, and South bid four hearts. Now West raised to five diamonds, giving his opponents a fielder's choice. North doubled, and the contract went down three, minus 500, more than the value of the North- South game -- if four hearts had made.

At this table, West immediately raised to five diamonds, putting it to his opponents. North, with four potential defensive tricks, doubled. Then South was not sure what to do. Eventually, he bid five hearts.

West led the club king: ace, two, eight. What happened next?

With nine trumps missing the queen -- nine never -- the textbooks advise cashing the ace and king. However, when East is known to have eight diamonds and West only two, the odds swing strongly in favor of finessing on the second round through West.

If South does that here, East wins with his heart queen, then must lead a low diamond. West takes the trick and cashes two clubs.

However, it is probably better to play off the two top hearts. If the queen drops, great; if not, South plays on spades to try to discard his club losers before West can ruff in.