FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

CHERISH YOUR PARTNER

Cy the Cynic defines a friend as someone who knows all about you but doesn’t report you to the proper authorities. Bridge players can forget that they have a friend at the table. They must help him do the right thing. Today’s North competed to three hearts since he had four-card support. That decision was wrong in theory. (The Law of Total Tricks was off the mark in this deal.)

West led the K-A of spades and next the ten. East ruffed and shifted to clubs up to dummy’s weakness, but South finessed with the queen. He drew trumps and led a diamond. West’s ace won, but South threw a club on the queen of spades and made his contract. Signal If East trusted his partner, the defense could prevail. West’s ten of spades was a suit-preference signal — his higher spade to ask for the return of the highranking side suit.

If East leads a diamond at Trick Four, West wins and leads his last spade. When East ruffs dummy’s queen, South’s discard disappears, and he loses a club. Daily Question

You hold: ♠ A K 10 2 ♥ 96 ♦ A J 6 4 ♣J 7 5. The dealer, at your left, opens one heart. After two passes, you double, and your partner bids two spades. What do you say?

Answer: If you had doubled one heart in the direct position, your values would have been a minimum, and you would pass partner’s invitational two spades. In the “balancing” position, you might have doubled with less strength. Since you have a sound double, raise to three spades. South dealer N-S vulnerable