FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

NERVOUS ANXIETY

“My wife agrees with me once in a while,” a club player told me, “I think just so she can see the look of confusion and nervous anxiety on my face.”

My friend said he was today’s North, and his wife became declarer at four spades after a Stayman sequence. West led the jack of hearts: queen, king, ace.

“My wife next led a trump to dummy’s jack,” North said. “East took the queen and returned a heart, and West won and forced dummy to ruff a third heart with the king. Then East got his ten of trumps and ace of clubs for down one.”

Easier

“I told my wife that we should switch to ‘transfer’ responses to 1NT. Making four spades would be much easier if I’m declarer. She actually agreed with me.”

All expert partnerships use transfers in many situations; they are generally beneficial. That doesn’t excuse South’s play at four spades. She should take the A-K of trumps, avoiding the finesse, then start the diamonds. The defense can get only one trump, one heart and one club.

Daily Question

You hold: ♠ Q 10 4 ♥ K 8 6 3 ♦ 8 3 ♣ A J 4 3. The dealer, at your left, opens one club. Your partner doubles, and the next player passes. What do you say?

Answer: You have traps to avoid. One is to pass for penalty. You would need solid clubs as well as a good hand. Another is to bid notrump. A third is to “advance” only one heart: Partner has opening values or more with support for the unbid suits, and game is possible. Jump to two hearts to invite.

North dealer

N-S vulnerable