DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

“My partner expects way too much of me on defense,” a fan writes. “If I were drowning 50 feet offshore, he would throw me a 30-foot rope — and contend that he’d met me more than halfway.”

My fan say she was West in today’s deal and led his singleton heart against South’s five diamonds.

“My partner diagnosed my lead. He took the ace and returned the 10 for me to ruff. But then I led a spade. Partner’s 10 of hearts — a high heart — looked like a suit-preference signal showing interest in the high-ranking suit. And after all, he had bid spades.”

South produced the ace of spades, drew trumps and threw his club losers on dummy’s hearts, making five.

It’s a partnership game, and East was oblivious to his partner’s problems. A careful East cashes the ace of clubs at Trick Two, then leads a second heart. West will ruff and take his king of clubs for down two.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ K752 ♥ 2 ◆ 108 6 ♣ K 10 8 6 3. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade and he bids two clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: Though partner may have as many as 18 points for a nonjump change of suit as opener, a raise to three clubs would show more values than you possess. If you raise, partner may go on to a hopeless game. Pass. If the next player balances with, say, two diamonds and two passes follow, you can compete to three clubs.