AN ERROR ON THE PLAY FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

Major League Baseball keeps careful records. Players have their errors noted every day. (If I were making $12 million a year, I could stand that much scrutiny.) But most bridge-table errors go unrecorded.

At six spades, South took the ace of diamonds, drew trumps and led a club to finesse with his jack. West took the king and led another diamond to dummy. Declarer then cashed the A-Q of clubs. When West discarded, South ruffed his last club in dummy and tried a heart to his queen. Alas, down one. If you were the official scorer, would you give South an error?

Extra Chance

South missed an extra chance. He can take the A-K of diamonds, ruff dummy’s last diamond and cash the ace of clubs. He draws trumps and leads a club from dummy to his jack. When West wins, he is end-played; he must concede a ruffsluff or lead a heart from his king.

If East had the king of clubs, South would still be safe. He could lead a third club toward his queen, setting up a heart discard in dummy.

Daily Question

You hold: ♠ 7 ♥ J 87 3 2 ♦ Q 7 5 ♣ 10 9 8 7. Both sides vulnerable. The dealer, at your left, opens one club, your partner bids one heart and the next player passes. What do you say?

Answer: Bid three hearts. A jumpraise of a simple overcall is weak and preemptive. With game interest, you could cue-bid two clubs. At favorable vulnerability, you might jump to four hearts, but adverse vulnerability suggests discretion.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable