DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

“I couldn’t have done it without Felix Milan.” — Joe Torre, St. Louis Cardinals catcher, on hitting into a record four double plays in one game after Milan reached first base.

The defenders can’t see declarer’s hand, and accurate defense is hard if they don’t help each other. In today’s deal, South’s leap to four hearts bought the contract. West led a trump: four, queen, ace. South then led his singleton club.

West rose with the ace and would have had a problem without East’s help: a club continuation, another trump lead or a shift to diamonds or spades.

But West had a partner at the table. On the first club, East played the jack as a suit-preference signal — a strikingly high club to suggest strength in spades, the high-ranking side suit. So West led the ace and a low spade. East won and led a diamond, and West’s ace won the setting trick.

If West doesn’t find the spade shift, South will pitch a spade on dummy’s king of clubs and steal a game.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ AQJ4 ♥ 86 ◆ A 1085 ♣ A Q 10. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade and he bids two clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner’s hand is not well defined. He could hold a minimum hand with five hearts and five clubs or an 18-point hand. You need more information, hence bid two diamonds, forcing. If partner next bids 2NT, you will have a close decision but might raise to 4NT, inviting 6NT if partner has any extra strength.