DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

Cy the Cynic says that the best time to procrastinate is right away. Whatever other faults Cy may have, he knows the benefits of waiting to draw trumps as declarer.

In a team match, both Souths played at four hearts, and West led the king of diamonds, won by dummy's ace. At one table, South cashed the ace of trumps next -- and was in trouble when East discarded. If South drew all the trumps, he would have only nine winners.

South ruffed a diamond, led a trump to dummy, ruffed a diamond and cashed the king of trumps, but he couldn't return to draw West's last trump. South led the A-K and a third club, but East won and led the king of spades. When West ruffed the ace, South lost two more spades.

There's no time like the future, and when the Cynic was South at the other table, he took the precaution of waiting to draw trumps. He ruffed a diamond at Trick Two, led a trump to dummy, ruffed a diamond, drew trumps and claimed 10 tricks. DAILY QUESTION You hold: S A 9 5 4 H K Q 7 6 2 D 2 C A K 3. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart, he bids two clubs and you try two spades. Partner then bids three diamonds. What do you say?

ANSWER: To bid 3NT and be done with it is tempting, but partner's sequence shows extra strength. If he held a minimum hand such as Q 6, 3, A K J 7 6 3, Q 6 4 2, he would have rebid two diamonds. Bid four clubs. You may reach six diamonds when partner has 3, A 3, A K Q 8 6 4, Q 6 4 2.