Bridge Play

South dealer N-S vulnerable

Test your defensive skill in today’s deal. Cover the

West and South cards. Try to NORTH beat four hearts as East. ♠ 653

South’s jump to three ♥ 92

♦ KJ984 hearts suggests a good ♣ KQ8 six-card suit and about 16 points. West leads the nine WEST

98742 of spades, and you take the Q75 ace. South follows with the 732 jack, wins your spade return 62 with the queen and leads the queen of diamonds. West signals with the deuce.

How do you defend?

At the table, East took the

West North East

ace and led the jack of clubs. ♥

Pass 1NT Pass Declarer won in dummy, ♥ Pass 4 ♥ All Pass

pitched his king of spades on a high diamond and next let the nine of trumps ride.

West took the queen and led another club. South won in dummy and took the rest.

SPADE RUFF SOUTH KQJ AJ10864 Q A53

♠ ♥ ♦ ♣

Opening lead — ♠ 9

EAST

A 10

K3 A1065 J10974

South’s bidding marks him with the ace of clubs, so the defenders need to win two trump tricks. If at Trick Four East leads the three of trumps, declarer is stuck: If he plays low, West wins and gives East a spade ruff; if declarer puts up the ace, he loses two trump tricks.

North-South would have done well to find a route to 3NT. DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ A10 ♥ K3 ♦ A1065 ♣ J 10 9 7 4. Your partner opens 2NT, promising 20 or 21 points. The next player passes. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your hand is worth at least 13 points, adding a point for the fifth club, and you have two aces and a king. Bid 6NT, though you would prefer stronger clubs. It’s possible you belong at six of a minor suit, and an experienced partnership might have the methods to locate a fit in a minor.