Bridge Play

North dealer N-S vulnerable

“We strip to make ends meet.”

— sign at an electrician’s shop.

Society’s biggest problems, I’ve heard, are making ends meet and making meetings end. Today’s declarer failed to make ends meet — and had to attend a meeting after the play.

At four hearts, South ruffed the third spade and cashed the A-K of trumps.

He next took the A-K of diamonds and led a third diamond to his queen. West ruffed, and East got his ace of clubs. Down one.

Commenced the meeting, with North presiding.

“You blew it,” North stated.

“I’m safe,” South protested, “if diamonds break 3-3 or if the defender with four diamonds has the missing trump.”

CLUB RUFF

South can reverse the dummy. He leads a club at Trick Four. Say East captures dummy’s king and returns the jack to dummy. South then ruffs a club and takes the K-A of trumps.

When East-West follow, South ruffs dummy’s last club. He leads a diamond to dummy, draws the missing trump and wins the last two tricks with the A-Q of diamonds.

DAILY QUESTION

NORTH

♠ K52

♥ AJ3

♦ K73

♣ KQ82

WEST

♠ QJ109

♥ 654

♦ 84

♣ 9653

SOUTH 64

EAST A873 87 J1096 A J 10

♠ ♥ KQ1092 ♦ AQ52

♣ 74

East South West Pass 3 ♥ Pass All Pass

You hold: ♠ A873 ♥ 87 ♦ J1096 ♣ A J 10. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one spade and he bids two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your partner has “reversed” and promises extra strength — in some styles, enough strength for game. If he has 2, A K 5 2, A K Q 7 2, 7 6 5, he will be a favorite at six diamonds, and not many players would deem that hand worth a reverse. Jump to four diamonds to alert partner to your slam possibilities.