DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

If you kibitz a formal game you must be absolutely quiet: no comments, no questions, no nothing. If you speak up or react visibly to the play, you may be asked to leave.

You’re sitting Southwest, watching South play at today’s 3NT. He takes the king of spades, lets the nine of diamonds ride, runs the diamonds, then leads a club to his king. West wins and leads another spade.

“Making four,” South says, facing his hand. “Next deal.”

If you observe kibitzer’s etiquette, you say nothing. But there is no prohibition against thinking, so what do you think of South’s play?

If the diamond finesse lost, South would go down. He should lead a club at Trick Two. If West grabs his ace to continue spades, South has four clubs, two spades, two hearts and one diamond. If West plays low, the queen wins, and South attacks the diamonds for at least nine tricks.

If East held the ace of clubs, South would still make 3NT if West had the king of diamonds.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ J6 ♥ K84 ◆ AJ 1084 ♣ Q 5 3. The dealer, at your left, opens one club. Your partner doubles, and the next player passes. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner has opening values or more, and since you hold 11 points with a good five-card suit, game is probable. The nine-trick game is more likely, especially since you will know where most of the missing high cards lie, hence bid 2NT. An option would be a jump to 3NT.