FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

ROUTINE BAD BREAKS

If there were an Olympic event for pessimism, Cy the Cynic might enter — but he wouldn’t like his chances of winning. Cy expects the worst and is seldom disappointed.

Cy became declarer at today’s four spades doubled, and West took two high hearts and shifted to the jack of clubs. Cy won a finesse with dummy’s queen and saw that he could take the rest, for a glorious victory, with favorable breaks: K-A of trumps, ace of clubs, club ruff, and a trump to dummy to discard diamonds on the good clubs. Club Ruff

But since the Cynic routinely expects bad breaks, he led a LOW club from dummy at the fourth trick. West won and led a trump, and Cy won with dummy’s ten and ruffed a club. He drew trumps with the K-A and ran the clubs. Making four.

Cy goes down if he leads a trump to his hand at Trick Four and returns a club to dummy’s ace. East will ruff and lead a diamond. Cy can’t set up and cash the long clubs, so he must finesse with the queen. West’s king wins the setting trick. Daily Question You hold: Spades 5 Hearts A K 9 3 Diamonds K 10 7 4 Clubs K J 10 9. You are the dealer. What is your opening call?

Answer: Some players would open one diamond, intending to bid two clubs next if responder bids one spade or 1NT. That plan is risky. For one thing, responder might (correctly) return to two diamonds with A 8 7 4 3, J 8 5 2, Q 6, 5 4. I recommend opening one club and bidding 1NT over a onespade response. It’s not a perfect plan, but it will let you stay low. South dealer N-S vulnerable