Daily Bridge Club

Thursday, September 19, 2019 If at first ...

Cy the Cynic says that if at first you don’t succeed, there’s always next year. When you are declarer at a slam, give yourself every chance to succeed.

Against today’s six spades, West led the queen of trumps, and when declarer took the A-K, one of his chances vanished when East discarded a heart. South next led the king and a low club. West threw a heart — another chance gone — and dummy won.

South had 11 tricks and could get another with a winning red-suit finesse. He went for a parlay by taking the K-A of diamonds. When East-West played low, South led a heart to the queen. Down two!

Did South play to best advantage?

UNLUCKY

Declarer was unlucky to fail but overlooked his best chance. At Trick Five he should lead the queen of clubs and discard his eight of hearts. South then exits with a trump.

When West wins, he can lead a heart, but South can finesse at no cost. When East’s king covers, South ruffs and falls back on finding East with the queen of diamonds.

DAILY QUESTION

Youhold: A98732 8 A J 5 2 K 4. Your partner opens one club, you bid one spade and he raises to three spades. What do you say?

ANSWER: An average threespade raise for partner such as K 10 5 4, A J 6, 3, A Q J 9 3 will give a contract of seven spades a 78 percent chance, so you can’t settle for less than a small slam. To jump to six spades would be reasonable. If you judge to look for a grand slam, as I would, start by cue-bidding four diamonds. North dealer N-S vulnerable