Lest we forget

“If only I had known then what I know now — and keep forgetting.” — graffiti

It’s remarkable how players can forget the significance of an auction from two minutes earlier. Today’s South played at four spades after West had opened the bidding. When West led the king of hearts, South won and drew trumps. He next led a diamond to the ace and returned a club to his queen.

West took the king, cashed two hearts and led the king of diamonds. South ruffed, but when he tried a club to dummy’s ten, East produced the jack for down one.

South must have forgotten the bidding, which marked West with the king of clubs. Could you do better?

LAST DIAMOND

South can take the ace of diamonds at Trick Two, ruff a diamond, draw trumps and ruff dummy’s last diamond. He then exits with a heart.

West can take two hearts and lead a fourth heart, but South discards a club from dummy instead of ruffing: a loser on a loser. West must lead a club from the king or concede a ruffsluff.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ A K 10 7 4 ♥ A732 ♦ J ♣ Q 5 2. Your partner opens one club, you bid one spade and he raises to two spades. What do you say?

ANSWER: This hand has great slam potential: good trumps, controls in both red suits and an honor in partner’s first suit. If he has Q 9 5 3, K 4, 8 7, A K J 8 4, six spades will be cold. Bid three hearts. If partner shows enthusiasm by bidding four spades, risk a jump to six spades or cue-bid five diamonds. West dealer N-S vulnerable