COLORADO STYLE

Two weeks into the month, Unlucky Louie had told me he was actually ahead in his penny game.

“Maybe I’ll be able to set aside something for a rainy day,” he said.

Alas, Louie lost heavily that very afternoon, thanks in part to today’s deal. At six spades, Louie took the king of clubs and drew trumps. He next tried a heart to dummy’s queen.

East won and shifted to a diamond, and Louie had to guess whether to finesse or take the ace and rely on a 3-3 heart break. As the cards lay, he had no way home.

“I’m hoping to save for a rainy day,” Louie grumbled to me two weeks later, “and the rainy season sets in.”

After Louie draws trumps, he can take the ace of clubs, ruff dummy’s last club, and lead the ace and a low heart. When East’s king appears, Louie has 12 tricks. If instead West captured Louie’s jack, his only safe return would be a heart (if he had one), and Louie could learn whether hearts were breaking 3-3. If not, he could finesse in diamonds.

Daily Question: You hold: & Q9843 h AQ4 ( J6 $ A 4 2. Your partner opens one diamond, you bid one spade and he rebids two diamonds. What do you say?

Answer: This is partly a matter of temperament. Some players would jump to 3NT. That might be the best spot, and the opening leader would get no more help. Others would bid three clubs, hoping to get to four spades after partner supported the spades. I would bid 3NT but have no strong feelings.

by Dana Summers