DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

Cy the Cynic says that it’s easy to lose your train of thought when the tracks don’t lead to the station.

Today’s North-South bid well to reach four hearts, but declarer lost his concentration and derailed. West led a spade, and East won with the jack and switched to a trump. South took the queen and conceded a spade, but East led a second trump.

South could draw trumps, but he had no way around a third spade loser as well as a diamond loser. Down one.

South lost sight of his destination. To avoid losing a third spade, he must set up dummy’s diamonds for a spade discard. But if South wins the first trump, draws trumps and starts the diamonds, East will cash two more spades when he wins a diamond trick.

At Trick Three, South must lead a low diamond from dummy. All East can do is cash a second spade and watch declarer take the rest.

Maintaining focus is at least 50 percent of the game. As declarer, form a plan of play before you touch the first card.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: partner opens one spade, you respond two diamonds and he bids two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER : You have two options, neither palatable.

!

your strength and pattern but suggesting a club stopper, which you lack. The other is to take a preference to two spades, suggesting three-card support, which you lack. I

" # $ % &'( strong feelings.

East dealer

Both sides vulnerable