Daily Bridge Club

Why worry?

By FRANK STEWART Tribune Content Agency

“You don’t seem to worry about anything.” I said to Cy the Cynic. “Doesn’t anything at all bug you?”

“I set aside a half hour per day for worry,” Cy replied, “and during that time, I take a nap.”

One thing that apparently doesn’t concern Cy is bad splits at bridge. As today’s declarer at four spades, he ruffed the second heart and led a trump to dummy’s queen. East gratefully took his singleton king and led the ace of hearts.

The Cynic ruffed again and led a trump to the ace, scowling when East discarded. He next led a club to his hand and returned a diamond toward dummy’s king. Since West held the ace, Cy went down only one.

THIRD TRICK

At Trick Three, Cy should lead a diamond, finding out whether he has one diamond loser or two. When dummy’s king wins, Cy should play as safe as he can in trumps by cashing the ace, intending to return to his hand to lead a trump toward the queen.

If East had the ace of diamonds, Cy would have to hope that West had K-x in trumps.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ K ♥ AQ985 ♦ Q 542 ♣ 5 4 2. Neither side vulnerable. The dealer, at your right, opens one spade. What do you say?

ANSWER: If the opening bid had been in a minor suit, I might overcall at the one level. Over the actual one spade, I might risk an overcall with 2, AQ 9 8 5, K Q 4 2, 5 4 2 because of its obstructive value. With the actual hand, pass. With a wasted king of spades, a suit full of holes and plenty of losers, the hand is not worth an overcall. North dealer Neither side vulnerable