Expert edges

“What’s the best part of an expert’s game?” I asked a class of intermediates.

“He knows what everybody at the table has,” was one response.

“An expert’s edge,” I said, “is that his grasp of basic technique is so sound that he never boots an easy deal.”

At four spades, South took the top hearts, ruffed his last heart in dummy, took the ace of trumps and finessed with his jack. West won and led another heart, and South ruffed but had to lose two diamonds and a club. Down one.

Did declarer goof?

FAULTY

South’s technique was faulty. He must try to set up dummy’s clubs. South wins the first heart in his hand and leads the king of clubs. Say East wins and leads a low diamond: deuce, six, ace.

South then comes to the queen of clubs, takes the K-A of trumps and ruffs a club. West can’t gain by overruffing, so South goes to the ace of hearts and ruffs a club. He ruffs his last heart and discards a diamond on the good club, losing a club, a trump and a diamond.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ A62 ♥ A6 ♦ A53 ♣ 8 7 5 3 2. The dealer, at your right, opens one diamond. After two passes, your partner bids one spade. The opening bidder passes. What do you say?

ANSWER: If partner had overcalled one spade in the direct position, you would try for game. But his “balancing” bid may be weakish, and you mustn’t punish him for not selling out cheaply. You can cue-bid two diamonds, but if partner rebids two spades, pass. South dealer N-S vulnerable