BRIDGE

If 666 is the number of ultimate evil, is 25.8069 the root of all evil?

You don’t need to calculate square roots to play the dummy well, but a basic knowledge of percentages helps. Against four spades, West led the K-A and a low heart (not best). South ruffed and took the A-K of trumps.

When West discarded, South tried dummy’s top diamonds, but on the third diamond East discarded a club. (If he ruffed, he would end-play himself.) South threw a club but had to ruff the fourth diamond. He lost a club plus a trump.

After South ruffs the third heart, his percentage play is to take the ace of trumps, lead a diamond to dummy and return a second trump. When East follows low, South plays the jack.

As the cards lie, South is home, but if West had the queen, South would still succeed. He could win a club shift and cash dummy’s high diamonds. When the suit broke 4-2, South could ruff a diamond and return with a trump to discard his last club on the good diamond.

DAILY QUESTION:

You hold: ♠ 2 ♥ AK64 ◆ J962 ♣ 9 7 5 2. Your partner opens one spade, you respond 1NT and he bids two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: This is a close case. Partner could have as many as 18 points, and four hearts might be a decent contract. Still, I believe that a raise to three hearts would be too encouraging. The singleton spade is not an asset, and the jack of diamonds may be a wasted point. Pass. If you miss a game, blame your bidding system.