DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

Unlucky Louie had suffered through another losing session in his penny game.

“They say money talks,” Louie groaned, “but mine doesn’t stay around long enough to even introduce itself.”

Louie’s problem, which bedevils him over and over, is haste. When he was today’s declarer, West led the deuce of spades, and Louie promptly called for dummy’s queen.

East took the king and shifted to the queen of clubs. Louie ducked, won the next club (as West unblocked his king), drew trumps, took the ace of spades and exited with a club. East won and led a diamond, and Louie had to lose a diamond.

Louie lost his game at Trick One. He must take the ace of spades and lead the ace and a second diamond. West takes the king and leads another spade, and East wins and shifts to clubs.

Louie takes the ace, leads a trump to dummy, ruffs a diamond, leads a trump to dummy and ruffs a diamond. He can return to dummy with a trump and pitch a club loser on the good fifth diamond.

Daily question

You hold: ♠ 83 ♥ AK9862

♦ Q3 ♣ A 6 4. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart and he bids one spade. What do you say?

Answer: As most partnerships play, a jump to three hearts would be invitational, not forcing, and you have too many values to stop below game. A jump to four hearts or 3NT is possible but might land you at the wrong contract. Bid two clubs, a “fourthsuit” call that doesn’t promise clubs and asks partner to bid again. South dealer

N-S vulnerable