Daily Bridge Club

Game of perversity

Ed, the club expert, was telling me what a perverse exercise bridge can be.

“You think you play well,” Ed said, “but the cards demur.”

As today’s West, Ed led a trump against four spades. South won, lost a club, won East’s trump return and led a second club.

“I took my ace,” Ed said, “and led a third trump. Declarer lost a third club and a heart. He couldn’t use dummy’s diamonds.”

“Good lead.”

FIFTH DIAMOND

“So I thought,” Ed said. “But at Trick Two, South can play a low diamond from both hands. Later he draws trumps, takes the top diamonds, ruffs a diamond and goes to the ace of hearts for the good fifth diamond.”

The killing lead was a heart, threatening dummy’s late entry to the good diamond. South concedes a club, wins the next heart and concedes a club. East cashes a heart and leads the 13th heart. South must ruff high in his hand, and West throws his last club. When South tries to ruff his last club, West ruffs high in front of dummy.

Hard game, bridge!

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: A K 5 4 3

♠ 542 A5 3 ♣ Q 10. Your partner opens one club, you bid one diamond and he jumps to three clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your partner’s jump in his own suit shows a good sixcard or seven-card suit with about 16 high-card points. If he has a minimum hand such as A 3, K 6 4, 7 2, A K J 9 5 3, six clubs will be a fine contract, and you might bid it directly. If you prefer to investigate, bid three hearts and support the clubs next.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

WEST

♠ 8 7 6 Q87 J 9 8 7 ♣ A98

South 1

2

NORTH

♠ 5 4 2 A53

A K 5 4 3 ♣ Q 10

EAST

♠ 10 3

J 10 9 4 Q 10

♣ K J 7 3 2

SOUTH

♠ A K Q J 9 K62

6 2

♣ 6 5 4

West Pass Pass

North 2

4

Opening lead — ♠ 8

East Pass All Pass