DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

When I watched today’s deal in a penny game, Unlucky Louie was declarer at four hearts, and West led the queen of spades. Louie took dummy’s ace and let the 10 of trumps ride, losing. He ruffed the next spade and drew trumps.

Louie next led the queen of clubs to finesse. East won and led his last spade, and Louie ruffed with his last trump. He then led a club to dummy and returned the 10 of diamonds. West produced the king — and took two spades. Down two.

“I should have known that three finesses would lose,” Louie grumbled. “If the game were hockey, I would have scored a hat trick.”

“If your luck is that bad,” I said, “at least attack your side suits in the proper order.”

After Louie draws trumps, he should lead the ace and another diamond. West wins and leads a third spade, and Louie ruffs and then finesses in clubs. When East has the king, Louie is safe since East won’t have another spade. East must return a minor suit, and Louie wins the rest.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ 7 ♥ AQJ93 ◆ A J94 ♣ Q J 8. You open one heart, your partner responds one spade, you bid two diamonds and he rebids two spades. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner will typically have a six-card spade suit but at most nine high-card points. Pass. You should resist the urge to bid 2NT. Game is unlikely, and partner’s hand will produce a few tricks only if spades are trumps.