DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

“Oh no, not another learning experience.” — bumper sticker

I continue a series on waiting to draw trumps. Many players learn, often from experience, that there are reasons to delay.

At four spades, South took the ace of diamonds and led a trump to his ace — and West discarded. South next led a heart to dummy’s queen, winning, and a second heart, letting East’s nine win.

East then defended well: He led the queen of trumps, and South was sunk. If South ruffed a heart with dummy’s jack, East’s nine would be high, and the defense would also get a club and West’s ace of hearts. If instead South drew East’s last trump, he would lose two more hearts.

South succeeds by waiting to draw trumps. He ruffs a diamond at Trick Two, then leads a heart to the queen and a second heart, ducking East’s nine.

South ruffs the diamond return and ruffs a heart with dummy’s 10. He leads a trump to his ace and ruffs his last heart. The defense gets a heart, a club and a trump.

Daily question

You hold: ♠ None ♥ A1082

♦ Q109632 ♣ 8 6 4. You are the dealer, neither side vulnerable. What is your opening call?

Answer: I know players — they were absent when discipline was passed out — who would open two diamonds, weak. They might survive, but the hand is a long way from a textbook weak two-bid. It contains a side void as well as four-card support for hearts. I would pass. To open two diamonds may induce your partner to misjudge.

South dealer

Both sides vulnerable