DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

Eddie Kantar surely holds the record for journalistic longevity in bridge. Eddie has contributed quality articles to bridge publications for more than 65 years.

Kantar’s specialty is “test your play” features. A favorite theme — he has published books about it — is combining chances.

In today’s Kantar deal, North-South have a good natural auction to a grand slam. After South ruffs West’s club opening lead, how should he play?

After South draws trumps, he can combine his chances in the major suits. First he takes the A-K of hearts. If the queen fell, South could claim the rest.

When instead East-West play low, South finesses with dummy’s 10 of spades.

He cashes the ace, ruffs a club, discards dummy’s last two hearts on the K-Q of spades and ruffs his jack of hearts in dummy. The recommended play may cost an extra undertrick on an unlucky day, but South should be willing to invest 50 points to get the best chance for 13 tricks.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ A10 ♥ 5432 ◆ K J65 ♣ J 7 3. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart, he bids one spade and you return to two diamonds. Partner then bids two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your partner has a good hand. He remains interested in game though your preference bid of two diamonds showed at most nine points. Since your hand is as strong as can be, bid four diamonds. Partner may hold K 8 6 4, A K6,AQ932,4.