Daily Bridge Club

Expert errors

If you regard an “expert” as someone who never errs, today’s deal may change your view.

In the Vanderbilt Teams final at the Spring NABC, one North-South played peacefully at two diamonds, plus 150. In the replay, NorthSouth got to five. (Over West’s double, North’s three clubs was a conventional diamond raise.)

Declarer took the ace of spades and led a trump ... to dummy’s king. (At the other table, West had overcalled 1NT, so South guessed the trumps.) South ruffed a spade and led a trump, and West took the A-Q and led another spade. South ruffed, led a club — nine, ace — and cashed dummy’s last two trumps.

THIRD TRICK

South seemed sure to lose a third trick, but East pitched two hearts to save his flimsy clubs! Then West was squeezed in hearts and clubs, and when he threw a club, South led a club to his king at the end, making five.

Everybody makes errors. East’s defense couldn’t be right. Blame it on fatigue that is a factor at the end of a grueling event.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ A ♥ A 8 7 2 ♦ J7432 ♣ K J 5. You open one diamond, and your partner bids one spade. What do you say?

ANSWER: A rebid of two diamonds on a ragged five-card suit would be bizarre, and a bid of two hearts would be a “reverse,” promising much more strength. Bid 1NT. Your pattern isn’t balanced, but at least your singleton spade is the ace. If you held K, A 8 7 2, J 7 4 3 2, K J 5, you could decline to open to avoid such a rebid problem. South dealer

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