DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

Unlucky Louie can blame himself for most of his troubles, but I'll admit he is unlucky in one respect: He always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

As declarer at four spades, Louie won the first heart with the king and led the queen of trumps for a finesse. He might have survived an inferior line of play against most defenders, but East happened to be Ed, the club expert. When he took the king of trumps, he pondered and shifted to a low diamond: nine, ten, queen.

Louie then drew trumps and led a club, but when West won, he led another diamond. Ed took the ace and jack for down one.

"Nice shift," Louie said grudgingly.

Louie's misplays are invariably punished, and so it was here. At Trick Two Louie must start the clubs. Say West wins the second club and leads a diamond: king, ace.

If East returns a diamond to the queen, Louie can reach his hand with the ace of hearts to pitch dummy's last diamond on the high club, assuring the contract. DAILY QUESTION You hold: S A 7 4 3 H 7 6 4 2 D K Q 5 C J 8. Your partner opens 1NT (16 to 18 points). The next player bids two diamonds. What do you say?

ANSWER: If the opponents are vulnerable or if neither side is vulnerable, you can accept a profit by doubling for penalty. If only your side is vulnerable (and especially at matchpoint scoring), go for your game. Cue-bid three diamonds as a substitute for the Stayman convention or bid 3NT.