DAILY BRIDGE CLUB South makes an impossible game

In a holiday-season cartoon, Frosty the Snowman has his hands in the air. He is being robbed by a masked snowman armed with — a hair dryer.

Today’s deal saw some highway robbery: South made an impossible game. Against four spades, West led the king of hearts. When East followed with the four, South falsecarded with his eight, trying to make East’s four look like an encouraging spot card. But West interpreted his partner’s play correctly and shifted to the jack of clubs.

Dummy played low, East contributed the five, and South ... played the deuce! Maybe West should have been suspicious, but he led another club. South produced the ace, drew trumps with the A-Q, threw his king of diamonds on the king of clubs and led the queen of diamonds for a ruffing finesse.

When East’s ace covered, South ruffed and got back to dummy with a trump to pitch two hearts on the J-10 of diamonds. Making four. I guess West was lucky that he didn’t get “iced” by his partner.

DAILY QUESTION:

You hold: 53 954

A963 Q765.Your partner opens one club, you respond one diamond and he bids 1NT. The opponents pass. What do you say?

ANSWER: Bid two clubs to play at your eight-card or longer trump fit. Partner did not bid a major or raise diamonds at his second turn, so he must have at least four clubs. True, your sequence may invite the opponents to “balance” their way into the auction, but you can’t assume that will happen.