DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

My friend the English professor says that “Whatever you do, don’t panic” is the most panic-inducing phrase in the English language. A common fault on defense is to panic and grab winners when it’s best to sit back and let declarer struggle.

At today’s four hearts, South covered the opening spade lead with dummy’s king. East took the ace and returned a spade, which was what declarer was hoping for. He ruffed and (questionably) took the K-A of trumps.

When East-West followed, South ruffed a spade, led a club to dummy and ruffed the last spade. He got back to dummy with a high club to draw the missing trump with the 10, and when the jack of clubs fell, he had 10 tricks: three high trumps, three spade ruffs and four clubs.

East’s defense was panicky. If declarer had a second spade loser, he had no way to avoid it. By trying to cash another spade, East helped declarer manage a dummy reversal.

If East exits passively with a trump or a club at Trick Two, South must fail.

Daily question

You hold: ♠ K852 ♥ A105 ♦ Q42 ♣ A K 3. The dealer, at your right, opens one diamond. Suppose you overcall 1NT, and your partner bids two diamonds. The opponents pass. What do you say?

Answer: Your partner’s two diamonds — a cue bid in the opening bidder’s suit — cannot logically offer to play at diamonds. A cue bid here substitutes for the Stayman convention. If your partner had bid two clubs, he would have shown club length. Bid two spades. North dealer N-S vulnerable