DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

“I’ve written you before about my hypochondriac husband,” a reader’s e-mail states. “If we visited the Dead Sea, he would ask what it had died of. His condition is better — he takes a placebo for it — but he still postmortems every deal.

“In a duplicate game, my husband was East. At four spades, South won the first diamond, drew trumps, took two more diamonds and led dummy’s seven of hearts: five, deuce, ace. I returned a heart: eight, jack, king. South then led a third heart to my husband’s queen.

“My hubby then led the six of clubs: four, jack, king. South led a club to his ten, making a valuable overtrick. My husband still wonders whether he erred.”

Demise: East caused the defenders’ demise. He could play an honor on the first heart lead. If South played the king, West could win and return a heart, and East could win and exit with a heart. Then South must break the clubs and lose a club.

On the actual play, East prevails by leading the NINE of clubs, not the six.

Daily Question

You hold :♠ Q 982♥ K 92 ♦Q 63♣ A 104. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one spade and he raises to two spades. What do you say?

Answer: To pass would be slightly timid; your hand is barely worth a try for game. Bid 2NT to give your partner options. If he likes your game chances, he can raise to 3NT or jump to four spades. If not, he can sign off at three spades or, with a hand such as K 104,876, AK J 542,3, at three diamonds.

North dealer

Neither side vulnerable