DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

“How’d your stocks do this week?” I asked Unlucky Louie. He beats his head against Wall Street all the time.

“Not great,” Louie said. “My knife manufacturer’s stock was up sharply, but my tire company was flat.”

“What about that sports-equipment concern,” I asked, “the one that makes basketball hoops?”

“It was down two points,” Louie sighed.

Louie lost 1,530 points in today’s deal. At six hearts, he won the first spade, drew trumps, took the king of clubs and finessed with his jack. West won, and Louie couldn’t avoid another loser.

How would you play the slam? After Louie draws trumps, he takes three high diamonds to pitch a spade and leads dummy’s fourth diamond. When East shows out, Louie discards his last spade. West wins and must return a club, giving Louie a free finesse and a 12th trick.

If East followed to the fourth diamond, marking him with 6-2-4-1 pattern, Louie could ruff, lead a club to the king and duck the next club to end-play West.

Daily question

You hold: ♠ A87 ♥ AKQJ ♦ AQ53 ♣ K 3. You open two clubs (strong, artificial), your partner responds two diamonds (negative or waiting), you bid 2NT and he raises to 4NT. What do you say?

Answer: Your first two bids promised 23 or 24 points, balanced. Partner’s 4NT is a “quantitative” raise, not ace-asking. If your five of diamonds were the jack, you could accept his invitation and bid 6NT. As it is, be disciplined and pass. East dealer

Both sides vulnerable