DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

Unlucky Louie has been married to his wife, Esther, for 31 years. Their union has been prolific (they have nine kids) if not always peaceful.

“I’ll admit I’ve wondered about having an affair,” Louie said in the lounge.

“Would you have had it catered?” Cy the Cynic snorted.

In a penny game, Cy was declarer at today’s five hearts. He ruffed the first spade, led a trump to dummy’s king and returned a trump. When East discarded, Cy played the jack. West won and led another spade, and the Cynic ruffed and drew trumps, leaving him with none. He cashed four diamonds and lost the rest: down two.

Cy had to cater to a bad trump break. At Trick Two he leads low to dummy’s nine. He can then take the king, lead a club to his hand, take the ace of trumps and force out the ace of clubs. He keeps control and loses only a trump and a club.

If East had the queen of trumps, Cy would still be safe. East couldn’t effectively continue spades, and Cy would lose only two tricks in all.

Daily question

You hold: ♠ None ♥ AJ10873 ♦ AQJ8 ♣ K Q 7. You open one heart, and your partner bids one spade. The opponents pass. What do you say?

Answer: This is an uneasy problem in “Standard” methods. A jump to three diamonds would force to game, and partner might have only six points. A jump to three hearts would strongly invite him to bid again, but hearts might not be the best trump suit. Bid two diamonds, hoping the auction won’t expire. South dealer N-S vulnerable