FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

TANGLED WEBB

Today’s North was Grapefruit, my club’s sourpuss member, whose gruff exterior conceals a gruffer interior. He berates his partners without mercy. The unlucky South happened to be Tom Webb — known as “Tangle” because of all the blocked suits and entry woes he encounters. Against 3NT, West led the king of hearts. Declarer played low from dummy, but when West continued with the queen, Tangle took the ace.

“I have nine tricks,” he said, facing his hand. “Play it out,” East demurred.

Fifth Club

Tangle took the A-Q of clubs, but West discarded. Tangle then led to the king but had to win the next club in his hand. He never got dummy’s fifth club and went down, and Grapefruit said that if South were any denser, light would bend around him.

Tangle must duck the second heart as well as the first. Then, if West shifts to a spade, South wins, takes the ace, queen and king of clubs, throws his last club on the ace of hearts, and scores dummy’s last two clubs to make his game.

Daily Question

You hold: J 3 A7 5 4 J 8 K 6 5 3 2. Your

♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ partner opens one club. The next player bids one spade. What do you say?

Answer: To raise the clubs might work, but if you have a game, it may be at hearts. To raise that possibility (perhaps before the opponents bid more spades and crowd the auction), your best action is a negative double, showing heart length but the wrong type of hand to bid two hearts. You also suggest either diamonds or club support. South dealer E-W vulnerable