FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

WADING INTO TROUBLE

As declarer, don’t dwell on percentages. Recall the statistician who drowned trying to wade a creek with an average depth of 3 feet. In today’s deal, North’s threediamond cue bid merely showed a good hand with a heart fit. At four hearts, South ruffed the third diamond (East threw a spade), led a trump to the ace and returned a trump ... to his ten. West won, and East got a club trick. Down one.

“I took the percentage play,” South said. “With West holding six diamonds and East two, the odds shifted in favor of a trump finesse against East.”

“Don’t wade any creeks,” North growled.

Last Spade

After South ruffs the third diamond, he can cash the A-K of clubs, then take the top spades and ruff his last spade in dummy. When West follows, South knows that West, who had 13 cards, held two hearts at most. So South takes the ace and leads to his ten. When the finesse loses, South doesn’t care. West must lead a diamond, and South ruffs in dummy and pitches his club loser.

Daily Question

You hold: ♠ A6 ♥ AJ43 ♦ 85 4 ♣ K 6 5 4. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart and he bids one spade. What do you say?

Answer: Since you have 12 high-card points, to commit to game is tempting. But this hand lacks body: It has no intermediate spot cards and no helping honor in the first suit partner bid. Bid 2NT, invitational to game. To take a conservative view is surely better if your partner’s style is to open lightish hands. South dealer N-S vulnerable