DAILY BRIDGE CLUB Players face all kinds of temptation
I’ve heard temptation defined as an irresistible force on a moveable body. Bridge players face temptations of all kinds and will do well to resist many of them.
Today’s West led a spade against 3NT. After dummy’s king won, South led a diamond, attacking his longest suit. East took his ace to return a spade: jack, queen.
South won the third spade and ran the diamonds, but West correctly threw two clubs and two hearts. When South then tried for his ninth trick by finessing with the jack of clubs, West won and took two spades. Down one.
South yielded to the temptation of setting up the diamonds, his best source of tricks. He must instead lead a club to his jack at Trick Two. If the jack won, South would start the diamonds, winning four diamonds, two spades, two clubs and a heart.
When West takes the king of clubs, South is still safe since West can’t continue spades effectively. If West exits with a club, South wins and succeeds by setting up the diamonds.
DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ K ♥ J53 ◆ KQ9 84 ♣ Q 4 3 2. Your partner opens one spade, you respond two diamonds, he bids two hearts and you try 2NT. Partner rebids three hearts. What do you say?
ANSWER: Your partner has a minimum, shapely hand and has judged to sign off. With a stronger hand, he could have jumped to four hearts or maybe raised to 3NT. Pass. Your minor-suit honors will be worthless at a heart contract, and to insist on 3NT would be a breach of discipline.