Taking the credit

UNLUCKY Louie was in the market for a new car and hoped to finance the purchase at low interest. “How is your credit rating?” I asked. “I don’t know what my credit score is,” Louie sighed, “but I’m pretty sure I’m losing.”

I suspect that if Louie held down his losses in his money games, he could pay cash for a vehicle. As today’s South, he reached a precarious contract of 3NT. West led a spade, and though Louie won with the ten, one of dummy’s entries was gone.

FIFTH HEART

Louie next led a diamond to his jack. West played low, of course, so Louie tried the king of hearts. East took the ace and returned a spade. Louie won and set up his fifth heart, but the defence had two hearts, two spades and the ace of diamonds.

Louie could take the credit if he found the winning play for nine tricks. He can lead a club to his king at Trick Two and return the jack of diamonds. When West plays low, Louie overtakes with dummy’s queen and returns a low diamond as his only chance.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ Q 10

♥5 ♦ KQ 7 6 5 4 3 ♣ A 6 2. You open one diamond, your partner responds one spade, you rebid two diamonds and he tries 2NT. You rebid three diamonds, and partner bids 3NT. What do you say?

ANSWER: You could favor partner with some comments about bidding over your sign-off. His 3NT was a breach of discipline. Pass. You might bid “the fourth and final diamond,” but a partner who would bid 3NT over three diamonds might bid 4NT over four diamonds.