FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

SPECTACULAR DEFENSE

“She did it to me again,” Cy the Cynic fumed. “Someday I’m going to pluck those glasses off her nose and stomp on them.”

Minnie Bottoms, my club’s senior member, wears old bifocals that make her mix up kings and jacks, often to her opponents’ dismay. Cy has been Minnie’s chief victim.

“I played at 3NT,” Cy said, showing me today’s deal, “and West led the seven of hearts. Minnie was East and played the ten — thinking her king was the jack, of course. Would you have played low with my hand?”

“With Minnie as East,” I laughed, “I might have.”

Four Hearts

“I took the queen,” the Cynic said. “For all I knew, West had only four hearts. When I led a club next, Minnie won and led the king of hearts, and West overtook and ran the hearts for down one. West complimented Minnie’s defense, and she said she knew enough to play the bottom card of two equals in third seat.”

If Minnie plays the king of hearts and returns the ten, Cy will play low, losing only three hearts and a club.

Daily Question

You hold: ♠ 10 7 6 3 K 10 ♦ Q 10 7 4 3 ♣ A 8. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade, he bids two clubs and you return to two hearts. Partner then bids two spades. What do you say?

Answer: Your partner’s bidding suggests extra strength. Your twoheart preference showed at most nine points, and he would have stopped there if he saw no chance for game. Since you have maximum values and good diamonds, bid 3NT. Partner may hold A K 5, A Q 9 6 5, 9, K 10 6 5.

South dealer

Both sides vulnerable