Cape Times

FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

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DREADED PARTNERS

In my club’s penny game, today’s North was the dreaded Grapefruit. He sits on his partners like a numerator on a denominato­r, badgering them constantly.

Against 3NT, West led the six of clubs, and South played low from dummy and took the queen. He cashed three high diamonds, but West threw a club. South next tried a heart to dummy’s nine.

East took the ten, cashed his high diamond and led a spade: four, queen, deuce. Declarer won the spade return and led the jack of clubs: king, ace. When East discarded, the ten won South’s eighth and last trick. Leather

“Partner,” Grapefruit said, “if brains were leather, you wouldn’t have enough to saddle a fly.”

“You’re nuts,” South flung back. Grapefruit told the kibitzers that South was a few sandwiches short of a picnic basket. If West’s lead of the six was his fourth-highest club, he held K-9-8-6. (South could apply the “Rule of 11.”) If South correctly plays dummy’s seven on the first club, he gets his ninth trick. Daily Question You hold: J82 A J 9 654 A 10 7 2.

♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ The dealer, at your left, opens one diamond. Your partner doubles, and the next player passes. What do you say?

Answer: You have enough values to jump to three clubs to invite game. (You might bid two clubs with no points at all.) But most players would want a longer suit to jump in clubs; partner might try 3NT next, hoping your “long” clubs would provide some winners. Bid two clubs and hope for another chance. South dealer N-S vulnerable

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