DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

“How can she bid that way?” Cy the Cynic asked me in disgust.

“She opened two clubs with a borderline gameforcing hand,” Cy told me after a match with Minnie’s team, “then leaped to slam.”

“She thought her jack of diamonds was the king,” I suggested.

At six spades, Minnie took the ace of hearts and led ... the JACK of diamonds.

“West won,” Cy said, “but then Minnie led the ace of diamonds!”

“She thought she was unblocking the A-K,” I laughed.

“We set her straight,” the Cynic said. “When West led another heart, Minnie ruffed, took the K-Q of trumps and ace of diamonds, led a trump to dummy’s ace and ran the diamonds, making six.”

Minnie goes down if she leads the A-J of diamonds before drawing trumps. West can win and lead a third diamond to let East ruff one of dummy’s winners, and South is a trick short.

DAILY QUESTION:

You hold: ♠ 5 ♥ KQJ104

◆ K863 ♣ K J 9. You open one heart, your partner responds one spade, you bid two diamonds and he raises to three diamonds. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner has invited game. He has about 10 points with four-card or better diamond support. Your values are minimum, and though you might get lucky and make 3NT, the odds are against it. Your lack of aces and lack of help for partner’s spades are bad signs. Pass.