DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

“The man is in need of professional help,” a player at my club told me with a heavy sigh.

He was talking about Joe Overberry, who thinks it’s nobler to go down in pursuit of an overtrick than to make what he bid. That costs him tons of points.

Joe was declarer at today’s four hearts, and West led the queen of spades. Joe took his ace and hurriedly played off three high diamonds to pitch his spade loser. Alas, West ruffed and led another spade.

Joe ruffed, forced out the ace of trumps, ruffed the next spade and drew West’s last trump. He then led a club to dummy’s king. East took the ace and returned a club: 10, jack. Down one.

“He’s fixated or delusional or who knows what,” North growled.

To protect his contract, Joe leads a trump at Trick Two. When West wins, the defense cashes a spade, but South ruffs the third spade and draws trumps. Then he can discard a club on the third diamond, losing only three tricks in all.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ A 5 ♥ KJ10842◆ K 3 ♣ Q 10 2. Your partner opens one club, you bid one heart and he raises to three hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your partner has a hand worth about 17 points in support of hearts with four-card support. Since you have good trumps, help for his clubs and controls in the unbid suits, to take over with a Blackwood bid of 4NT is fine. If he shows two aces, bid six hearts. He may hold J4,AQ93,76,AKJ76.