LIFE & CULTURE

Today’s South played at two spades. Many players would have opened two spades ( a weak two- bid) with his hand and landed at the same spot.

West led the 10 of hearts, and East took the queen and ace and led a trump. Declarer finessed, andWest won and led ... a low club.

South pondered that, but he finally played the jack from dummy. East took the queen and returned a club to the ace, and when the diamond finesse lost, South was down one.

“Another unlucky misguess,” South sighed. “Just once, I wish I could playmy normal game.”

South sounded like a golfer finishing another mediocre round. His “guess” in clubs was no guess. Do you see why?

South should assume that East has the king of diamonds since the contract is safe ifWest has it. But East didn’t open the bidding and has shown the A- Q of hearts. So South should play the king of clubs from dummy. If East had the ace, South would still make his contract since West would have the king of diamonds.

Daily Question: You hold: & 7 4 hAQ 7 ( K 10 8 $ Q 10 8 4 3. Your partner opens one spade, you respond two clubs, he bids two hearts and you try 2NT. Partner next bids three clubs. What do you say?

Answer: If partner had rebid two spades at his second turn, suggesting a minimum hand, his three clubswould be discouraging. Since he actually bid an unlimited two hearts, three clubs is forcing. You shouldn’t persist to 3NT with only one diamond stopper. Bid three hearts.