DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

In a close Spingold match at the Summer NABC, Bryan Howard of Nashville was declarer at today’s modest partscore. North’s bid of two clubs was the Drury convention, artificially asking whether South had opened a light hand in third position. Howard’s two-heart rebid admitted to that.

West led a diamond: queen, king, ace. Howard next led a spade to dummy’s jack, and East won, cashed the jack of diamonds and led another diamond, ruffed by Howard.

How should declarer play the trump suit?

East, who had passed in second chair, had shown the K-J of diamonds and king of spades, and Howard reasoned that East had a high club since West hadn’t led one. With the queen of hearts also (and maybe the jack of clubs), East might have opened the bidding. So Howard let the jack of trumps ride for a “backward finesse” through West. He then drew trumps and finished with eight tricks.

How close was the match? Howard’s team won by one IMP! If he fails at two hearts, they lose.

Daily question

You hold: ♠ J8 ♥ A72 ♦ Q93 ♣ Q 8 7 5 4. Your partner opens one spade, you respond 1NT, he bids two clubs and you raise to three clubs. Partner then bids three diamonds. What do you say?

Answer: Your partner is trying for game; he has a good hand with heart shortness. You have too many useful values to sign off at four clubs. To bid 3NT might work, but a heart opening lead might be fatal. Bid five clubs or stall with a stopper-showing bid of three hearts.

North dealer

E-W vulnerable