Bridge

“You can’t blame her glasses this time,” I told Cy the Cynic. “The king and jack were in dummy.”

Minnie Bottoms, my club’s senior member, wears old bifocals that make her mix up kings and jacks, often to her opponents’ dismay. Cy has been Minnie’s chief victim. In a team match, both Cy and Minnie were declarer at 3NT. West led a spade.

“I played the jack from dummy,” the Cynic said. “East took the queen and returned a spade, and West won and led a third spade. I finessed in diamonds, and when West took the king, he ran the spades.”

When Minnie was declarer, she called for the king of spades at Trick One. She next asked for the king of diamonds!

“I don’t have it,” North sighed. Thus apprised, Minnie let the jack ride. West won, but with the spades blocked, Minnie took nine tricks.

Cy’s play was wrong. Minnie’s was correct. Declarer’s play matters only when East has Q-x of spades. Then declarer blocks the suit by putting up the king on the first spade.

You hold: 1063 A 85 AQ62 A K 4. Neither side vulnerable. The dealer, at your right, opens one spade. What do you say?

Answer: I wouldn’t enjoy doubling for takeout with perfectly flat distribution and values better suited for defense, but to pass with a hand this strong might result in a missed game or partscore. Double. At least you have no “wasted” spade honors.With1063,985,AQ62,AK4 orQ103,A86,A962,A54,Iwould certainly pass.