Bridge Reading the cards

Pairs at the Spring NABC, Mark Itabashi was declarer at four diamonds. West led the king and ace of spades, and Itabashi ruffed and led a trump. West took his ace and returned a trump.

South next led a club to his queen. He took the ace, ruffed a club and led dummy’s ten of spades. East followed low, and Itabashi ruffed and had to judge how to play the hearts.

West was marked with 4-42-3 pattern; his heart length suggested a finesse for the queen against him. But Itabashi also counted West’s points. SPADE HONOR West had the K-A of spades and surely another high spade since East had not covered dummy’s ten. West also had the ace of diamonds and jack of clubs. With the queen of hearts, he would have had a balanced 15 or 16 points and would have opened 1NT.

So Itabashi took the A-K of hearts. When East’s queen fell, declarer claimed for plus 150 and a fine result. True, North-South could have done even better by doubling three spades; at double dummy they could be plus 300. DAILY QUESTION You hold :♠7♥ A 83♦ Q J 985♣ A Q 108. You open one diamond, your partner bids one heart and the next player overcalls one spade. What do you say? ANSWER: Some pairs would handle the problem with a conventional “support double,” promising, by agreement, threecard heart support. Lacking that method, bid two hearts. Since your left-hand opponent may raise the spades, show your heart support while it’s convenient. West dealer Neither side vulnerable