LIFE & CULTURE

Unlucky Louie observes that whoever said there’s no point in crying over spilt milk hasn’t seen the price of a gallon these days.

Louie is always moaning about “bad luck.” When he was declarer at today’s four spades, he took the ace of hearts and cashed the king of trumps ... and East discarded.

“My luck,” Louie groaned. He took the A-Q of trumps and led a diamond, ducking in dummy since the bidding marked East with the ace. East took the jack and led a high heart. Louie ruffed and ducked another diamond, but when East won with the queen, Louie lost a club plus a trump. Down one.

I’ll spill the beans. Instead of capitulating to bad luck, Louie can overcome it. He can lead a diamond from dummy at Trick Two. Say East wins and shifts to a club. Louie takes the ace and ducks a diamond.

If East leads another club, Louie wins in dummy and ruffs a diamond. He takes the A-K of trumps and discards his last club on a good diamond, losing one trump and two diamonds.

You hold: K5 A7 4 ( K7643 $ K 6 3. You open one diamond, your partner responds one spade, you bid 1NT and he tries two hearts. What do you say?

Answer: Partner’s second bid is not forcing or encouraging. The only question is which major suit should be trumps? Since partner’s bidding promises longer spades, bid two spades. He will often do better at a 5-2 fit. Nevertheless, on some occasions, to pass two hearts would be the winning action.

by Dana Summers