DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

When Oedipus arrived in Thebes, the Sphinx, a winged monster, was accosting travelers with problems in dummy play. If they went down, they were devoured. Oedipus went in search of the beast and was soon confronted with today’s North- South cards.

“How do you play 6NT?” asked the Sphinx, “when West leads the ten of clubs?”

“Isn’t 6NT a tad aggressive,” Oedipus grumbled, “with only 31 points?”

“Maybe so,” the Sphinx shrugged, “but if the problem were to make game, I’d never get a decent meal.”

Oedipus saw the answer. He took the jack of clubs and, to keep his entries fluid, led to the ace of hearts to return a diamond to his king. He went to the queen of hearts to lead a second diamond and was safe. The Sphinx, enraged, did herself in.

South fails if he leads a club to the king at Trick Two to return a diamond to his king, then a heart to dummy for a second diamond lead. East can take the ace and lead a second heart to kill dummy’s entry to the diamonds. DAILY QUESTION You hold: partner opens one heart, you respond 1NT, he bids two clubs and you return to two hearts. Partner then bids three clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your partner is trying for game. If not interested, he would have stopped at two hearts. Bid four hearts. His hand may be Incidentally, your two- heart preference was conservative; with three useful honors, some players would have bid more. South dealer N- S vulnerable