DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

Today’s deal reminds me of the man who wrote a novel incorporating arithmetical themes, but his story didn’t add up.

South’s two-club overcall was risky, but he survived when North had a decent hand and a club fit. West led the king, ace and a third diamond, and East ruffed and led a heart. South took the ace and saw that if he could pick up the trumps, he could pitch a heart loser on the queen of diamonds and make his bid.

But South next took the K-A of trumps. When West showed out, South lost a heart and a trump for down one.

South knows that West had five diamonds and three hearts. Both defenders had four spades: West would not have opened one diamond with five spades; East would not have responded one heart with five spades.

So South can infer that East’s shape was 4-4-1-4. South leads a trump to the king, sees West follow low and finesses with the jack next.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ A95 ♥ 753 ◆ Q 952 ♣ K 6 2. Your partner opens one diamond, you raise to two diamonds and he bids two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner has tried for game, and since you have a maximum single raise, you must accept. Bid 3NT. If his hand is distributional, he can bid again. Incidentally, pairs who use “inverted” minor-suit raises would be in an awkward spot with this hand since it is neither a weak raise nor a strong raise.