Bridge Play

“Your honor,” the District Attorney intoned, “we will prove that South committed a felony. He lost a cold game.”

“Proceed,” the judge instructed, and the court kibitzed the evidence.

“At four spades,” the DA said, “South ruffed the second diamond (not best defense), drew trumps and led a heart: seven, king, nine. He next let the queen of clubs ride, and West won and returned a club. Declarer then led a second heart to dummy’s queen and lost two hearts. Down one.

“After South draws trumps, he must lead a low club toward the queen. West must take his king or lose it, and South later discards dummy’s low hearts on the A-J of clubs.”

OMNISCIENT

West dealer

Neither side vulnerable

“My client isn’t omniscient,” South’s counsel roared. “He couldn’t know how the cards lay.”

South was guilty. If he leads a club to dummy’s queen and finds East with the king, South can be sure that West has the ace of hearts for his opening bid, so South will be safe. He must cater to the ace of hearts with East and the king of clubs with West.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ J10953 ♥ 632 ♦ 7 ♣ A J 6 3. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one spade and he jumps to three clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner’s jump-shift is forcing to game, so you must bid again. To rebid three spades might work by keeping you below 3NT, which might be your best contract. Still, to suppress the club support would be questionable. Raise to four clubs. Your partner’s hand might be2,AK,AQ864,KQ1095.

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