Daily Bridge Club

Friday, January 29, 2021

Under his breath

Cy the Cynic has acquired the habit of muttering to himself while he is declarer.

“Why do you do that?” I asked. “To get an expert opinion on how I should play,” Cy said resolutely.

At today’s four spades, Cy won the first club in dummy, mumbled for a while and led a diamond: six, ten, queen. Cy won the next club and cashed the ace of diamonds. He next took the A-K of trumps. When East discarded, the Cynic lost a trump plus a club and a heart for down one and emitted an oath under his breath.

“Whoever you’re consulting is ineffective,” I said.

FIRST CLUB

Cy must go after dummy’s diamonds. He wins the first club with the ace, takes the ace of trumps and leads the A-10 of diamonds. West wins and leads another club, and Cy wins in dummy and leads the jack of diamonds, pitching his club loser.

West wins and leads a club, and Cy ruffs, leads a trump to dummy and discards his heart loser on the high nine of diamonds. He is almost sure to succeed however the cards lie.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ A J8765 ♥ A4 ♦ A 10 ♣ A 5 3. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade and he rebids two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner’s rebid promises six or more hearts, and you have good controls and a possible source of tricks in spades. Bid six hearts. You could mark time with a bid of three clubs to pursue a grand slam, but “bashing” — bidding what you think you can make — is still a viable approach to slam bidding. South dealer N-S vulnerable