DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

Unlucky Louie, who has a houseful of kids, says nothing is wrong with teenagers that trying to reason with them won’t make worse. Cy the Cynic says the same is true for his partners.

At four hearts South drew trumps and let the jack of diamonds ride. East took the king and led the jack of spades, and West took two spades. South ruffed the third spade, but though he threw one club on a high diamond in dummy, he still had a club loser. Down one.

“Cold if the ace of spades or king of diamonds is right,” declarer shrugged.

The Cynic had been dummy. “Cold, period,” he growled. “Lead a diamond toward your jack.” “You’re nuts,” said South. “Some people you can’t reason with,” Cy muttered.

If East has the king of diamonds, he must take it. Then South loses two spades but gets two club discards on dummy’s high diamonds. If West had the king of diamonds, he couldn’t attack spades, and South could discard a spade on the diamonds, losing only three tricks. DAILY QUESTION You hold: opens one heart. The next player passes. What do you say?

ANSWER: A raise to three hearts is treated as invitational to game ( or, in a few partnerships, preemptive). Since this hand is strong enough to force, you need a way to tell partner. Many partnerships artificial forcing raise, also showing balanced pattern. Other partnerships use a dif ! North dealer Both sides vulnerable