BRIDGE

In bridge, one minute you’re bleeding. The next minute you’re hemorrhaging. The next minute you’re painting the Mona Lisa. — paraphrasing golf commentator David Feherty’s observation about that game.

Today, the defense began with two high spades and a spade ruff. East then led a trump. South had to assume that West had the king of clubs. If West had K-x-x, South could finesse, take the ace and ruff a club to drop the king. But if West had four clubs, South’s only chance was to squeeze him in the minors. And since West hadn’t opened the bidding, he couldn’t hold both minorsuit kings.

South won East’s trump shift in dummy and led the queen of diamonds: king, ace. That play transferred the defenders’ guard in diamonds to West. South ran his trumps; the last trump executed the squeeze.

East had his chance to be an artist. If he shifts to a club at Trick Three (a hard play but possible), he removes the entry for the squeeze.

Question: You hold: ♠ A K987 ♥ 4 ♦ J97 ♣ K 7 5 2. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade and he rebids two hearts. What do you say?

Answer: You lack the streng th to force to game, especially since you have no help for partner’s suit. Hence you cannot bid three clubs, forcing. Bid 2NT. If partner rebids three hearts, raises to 3NT or bids three clubs, pass. If he bids three spades, go to four. If he bids three diamonds, pass or return to three hearts.