DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

If the only way to charge our cellphones were to hook them up to a stationary bicycle, we might be the fittest society ever. Some bridge players think the way to succeed as declarer is to try lots of finesses.

Against today’s four spades, West led a low club: four, jack, ace. South led a trump to the ace and finessed with his jack, losing. He would have survived if West had continued with the queen and a third club, but West shifted to a heart.

Declarer took dummy’s ace and let the queen of diamonds ride. That finesse won, but he still lost a club, two hearts and a trump.

I would have to question South’s fitness as declarer.

Finesses might have let him avoid trump and diamond losers, but he needed 10 winners. After South wins the first trick, he should take the K-A of trumps.

South next leads the A-K of diamonds, overtaking with the jack. East wins, and the defense cashes a club, but South can win a heart shift and pitch two hearts on dummy’s high diamonds.

DAILY QUESTION You hold: S 7 2 H K J 9

3 D K 7 5 3 C K J 3. Your partner opens one spade, you respond two diamonds, he bids two hearts and you raise to three hearts. Partner then bids four clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner’s four clubs is an ace-showing cue bid to suggest slam. If you held 7 2, K 10 9 3, A 7 5 3, K J 3, you would cue-bid four diamonds in reply. As it is, your king of diamonds may be wasted opposite partner’s singleton. Sign off at four hearts.