DAILY BRIDGE CLUB Magazine chronicles development

The Bridge World magazine is a treasure. It has published continuously since October 1929, only four years after contract bridge’s birth, and has chronicled the game’s development, earning a reputation for excellence. It offers features for learning players and experts.

Today’s deal comes from an “Improve Your Defense” feature. Cover the West and South cards and defend as East. At six hearts, declarer ruffs the diamond opening lead and goes to dummy twice with trumps to ruff two more diamonds. (West is void in trumps.)

South next leads a club: six, queen, king. What should East do?

East should return a club. Declarer will have seven heart tricks, three clubs and a spade, but he must lose a spade to East’s king. Neither a spade return (South might have the queen) nor a diamond return (conceding a possibly fatal ruff-sluff) would be safe.

The Bridge World is a must for aspiring players. For subscription information and interesting features, see bridgeworld. com.

DAILY QUESTION:

You hold: A5 AJ83

764 A Q 10 9. Both sides vulnerable. The dealer, at your right, opens one diamond. What do you say?

ANSWER: To act with your 15 good points is tempting, but you have no appropriate action. You cannot double for takeout lacking better spade support, or overcall 1NT with no diamond strength, and you have no long suit to bid. Pass. If the auction continues one spade, pass, two spades, you can comfortably double for takeout.