Daily Bridge Club

Sound the alarm!

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Cy the Cynic seldom gets to the club before noon.

“You should arise early and meet the day,” I told Cy. “Don’t you have an alarm clock gathering dust somewhere?”

“My bed and I are just right for each other,” Cy said. “An alarm clock would break us up.”

Cy could use some type of warning signal at the bridge table — to stop him from playing impulsively. When Cy was today’s East, West led the nine of diamonds against three hearts. South won with the ace and led the queen of trumps, and the Cynic hastily took his king and returned a diamond.

THIRD DIAMOND

South’s queen won, and he led the jack of trumps. Cy won, took his A-Q of spades and led a third diamond, but South ruffed high, drew Cy’s last trump and claimed, making three.

“I hoped your diamond lead was a singleton,” Cy told West.

Cy needed an alarm bell at Trick Two. If he lets the queen of trumps win, South has no winning play. If South leads a second trump, Cy takes the A-K, and the defense cashes three spades.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ 6 5 2 ♥ Q J 10 6 2 ♦ AQ ♣ A K 10. Your partner opens one spade, you respond two hearts and he raises to three hearts. The opponents pass. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your partner may have no extra strength; still, if he has no more than A K Q 7 4, K 9 7 5, 3 2, 3 2, you will be a favorite to make six hearts. Cue-bid four clubs. Even if partner signs off at four hearts, you can try once more by cuebidding five diamonds.

North dealer

E-W vulnerable