Bridge Play

Cy the Cynic says that a "good memory" is what tells a man that his wife’s birthday was yesterday. Cy’s memory isn’t the greatest. When I watched today’s deal, Cy let declarer make a vulnerable game by forgetting a basic principle of notrump defense.

Against 3NT, West led the six of spades, and declarer won with dummy’s ace and led a low diamond. Cy played ... "second hand low," and South’s king won.

South next led a heart, and West had to play low, else South would take two hearts, two spades, four clubs and a diamond. When dummy’s king won, South led a second diamond and was sure of nine tricks.

Here’s a defensive principle: When your partner leads a long suit against a notrump contract, hasten to get in quickly to return his lead. Preserve his entry to his long cards.

If Cy rises with his ace on the first diamond to return a spade, South wins but has only eight tricks. He must lead a heart eventually, and West wins and runs the spades for down one. DAILY QUESTIONYou hold: ♠ Q10 8 2 ♥ 10 4 ♦ A10 9 6 ♣ 8 7 3. Your partner opens one spade, the next player bids two clubs, you raise to two spades and left-hand opponent competes to three clubs. Twopasses follow. What do you say? ANSWER Though you had a minimum raise, bid three spades. The key is your fourth trump. Possession of a nine-card fit suggests competing at the three level. If three spades fails, the opponents probably could have made three clubs.