DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

One regular at my club is a retired high school football coach who approaches a hand of bridge as if he’s afraid of being penalized for delay of the game.

When my friend was declarer at five clubs — a good contract to reach — he won the first spade and started a hasty crossruff: ace of hearts, heart ruff, ace of diamonds, diamond ruff. He then ruffed another heart with the eight of trumps.

Alas, West overruffed with the nine and led a trump. That left South with three diamond losers and dummy with two trumps, so South lost a diamond plus a spade.

South played as if the clock were about to run out. He should ruff the third heart with a high trump and next ruff two more diamonds and hearts high. With three tricks to go — declarer having won the first 10 — dummy has the seven of trumps and South has the eight. Then South ruffs a diamond and is sure of one more trick.

Be deliberate as declarer. Nobody should mind if you take your time on a demanding deal.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ A9 ♥ 10 ◆ AJ74 3 ♣ K Q J 8 3. Your partner opens one spade, you bid two diamonds, he rebids two spades and you try three clubs. Partner then rebids three spades. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner has minimum high-card values, but slam is possible. To consult him, bid four hearts. He should treat that as a cue bid in support of spades. If you had hearts, you would bid 3NT or four spades.