Mad bridge party

At the Mad Hatter’s game, the Queen of Hearts, a kibitzer, was irate if her card was part of a lost trick.

“I’m the most potent card in Wonderland,” the Queen blustered. “No ace or king dares capture me.”

When Alice was declarer at four spades, West, the Dormouse, led a trump. Alice counted 10 tricks if she scored dummy’s ace of clubs. She considered leading a low heart to dummy’s jack, but if East took the king and led another trump, the contract might fail.

“Apologies, your majesty,” Alice told the Queen of Hearts after due thought, “but this is the best play.” And she led the queen of hearts.

STUCK

The Hatter, East, was stuck. If he won and led his last trump, the Queen of Hearts would be homicidal, and Alice would get to dummy with the jack of hearts to take the ace of clubs.

“Better to lose an overtrick than my head,” the Hatter mumbled, and he played low. Alice then took the ace, ruffed a heart in dummy and threw a loser on the ace of clubs. Making five!

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: AKQJ65 AQ64 A 10 4 None. The dealer, at your right, opens one heart. What do you say?

ANSWER: Sixty years ago, this promising hand might have called for a cue bid of two hearts: “Partner, I have a game-forcing hand despite the opponent’s opening bid.” But that type of hand occurred so rarely that modern players define a direct cue bid differently: as some type of two-suiter. Double, planning to bid strongly later.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

WEST 10 9 8 8 5 2 KJ5 Q 6 3 2

NORTH

4 3

J 3

9 7 6 2 AJ875

SOUTH

A K Q J 6 5 A Q 6 4

A 10 4 None

Opening lead —

EAST

7 2

K 10 9 7 Q83 K 10 9 4

10