Daily Bridge Club

Millard’s killing lead

“Millard read your column yesterday,” Rose told me in the club lounge, “about leading the jack from J-9-4-2. I think he took it to heart.”

Millard Pringle is a quiet little man who tends to lose his way in the maze of defensive rules.

“I was South,” Rose said, displaying today’s deal. “When East opened one diamond, I just overcalled one heart, but when North scraped up a bid, I went to game.”

“Fair enough.”

“Millard was West,” Rose went on. “If he leads a low diamond, I’m safe. But Millard led the KING of diamonds.”

THIRD SPADE

“East signaled with the three, and Millard shifted obediently — to the jack of spades: king, ace. East continued with the queen and a third spade, and Millard was sure to score his ten of trumps. Down one.”

I’m not sure what Millard was thinking when he led the king of diamonds — maybe he thought the rule is to lead fourth-lowest — but his lead was astute. He could hope to win the first trick and then make an effective shift through dummy.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ K 10 6 5 2 ♥ J 4 ♦ 652 ♣ A 9 3. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade, he bids two clubs and you return to two hearts. Partner then bids two spades. What do you say?

ANSWER: With a minimum such as A J 3, A K 7 6 5, 4, J 7 6 5, your partner would have used his second bid to support your spades. His actual sequence suggests extra strength and maintains game interest even though your two-heart preference showed weakness. You should bid four spades.

East dealer

Both sides vulnerable