The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

- BY FRANK STEWART

If you’re looking for a holiday gift for a bridge player, try a subscripti­on to Vu-Bridge, an online service that offers actual play combined with expert commentary. Subscriber­s are emailed deals to play or defend interactiv­ely.

Cover today’s North and East cards and defend 3NT as West. When you lead the queen of hearts, declarer wins with dummy’s king and leads the four of spades: deuce, jack, king. How do you continue?

The Vu-Bridge commentary directs your thoughts. To continue hearts is compelling, but South has the ace of diamonds and the ace of spades (else for him to attack spades would have been too risky).

Moreover, South now has nine winners: two hearts, two spades and five diamonds. West must shift to the ace and four of clubs as the only chance to beat 3NT.

Vu-Bridge, well done and inexpensiv­e, offers instructio­n at all levels, plus other features. For informatio­n, see baronbarcl­ay.com.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ Q 7 4 ♥ K3 ◆ KQ 10 6 5 ♣ J 7 6. Your partner opens one heart, you bid two diamonds, he rebids two hearts and you try 2NT. Partner then bids three clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner suggests six hearts, four clubs and minimum values. If he held K 5, A J 9 6 4, 3 2, K Q 4 3, he would have stopped at 2NT. With K 5, A Q 7 6 4 2, 3, A K 5 4, he would have bid three hearts or two clubs at his second turn. Your correct action now is a return to three hearts.

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