FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

SCENE FROM A MARRIAGE

“I know you won’t talk about your marriage,” I said to Cy the Cynic, “but at least tell me how long it lasted.”

“Twelve years,” Cy said tersely, “or 33 if you count the wind chill factor.”

The air was chilly after today’s deal. As declarer at six hearts, Cy groaned when he saw dummy. A doubleton K-Q reminds him of marriage, and he expects disaster. Cy led a trump to his queen at Trick Two, and West played low smoothly. The Cynic then led a club to dummy’s king and returned a second trump — and East showed out. Cy lost a trump and a diamond; he had no dummy re-entry for a diamond finesse. “Thanks, partner,” North said icily. Second Trump

After Cy’s queen of trumps wins, he can lead a club to dummy and next discard his ace of clubs on a high spade. Cy then leads a second trump to his ace and a third trump.

West has no winning return. If he leads, say, a club, Cy discards two diamonds on the queen of clubs and the last high spade and finesses in diamonds to make the slam. Daily Question You hold: Q A Q J 10 9 6 A 8 5 2 A 9.

♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ You open one heart, and your partner responds one spade. You jump to three hearts, and he rebids three spades. What do you say?

Answer: Partner’s three spades is forcing. Since your three hearts suggested a good six-card or sevencard suit, it would make little sense for him to “correct” to three spades with a weak hand. For you to bid 3NT now might be right. A sound option is a bid of four hearts or four diamonds. North dealer N-S vulnerable