Intellectual funk

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

My friend the English professor says the world is in an intellectual funk.

“A colleague of mine teaches a course in music appreciation,” the prof told me. “He cited some answers he got on tests: ‘PreMadonna’ was a 19th-century singer, ‘Rock Manenough’ was a famous composer, a notable fugue pitted the Hatfields against the McCoys, and a refrain is a part you’d better not sing.”

As more evidence, the prof told me about South’s play in today’s deal. SINGLETON

“I was dummy,” he said. “Against five clubs, West led his singleton diamond. My partner won and led a trump, and East took the ace and gave West a diamond ruff. West exited with a heart, and when the spade finesse lost later, my partner was down one. How much duller can you get?”

I fear the prof had a point. All South had to do was take dummy’s ace of hearts and ruff a heart before he led trumps. Then when West ruffed the second diamond, he would be end-played, forced to lead a spade from his king or yield a ruff-sluff. DAILY QUESTION You hold: J 5 K J 10 8 5 J 10 9 8 7 A. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart and he bids one spade. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your potential is hard to judge, but to stop below game would be timid. If partner has a minimum such as K Q 7 6, 4, A K 5 4 3, Q 6 5, you can make five diamonds. Jump to three diamonds if in your style a jump-preference in opener’s minor is forcing. If it’s invitational, try a forcing “fourthsuit” bid of two clubs. North dealer Both sides vulnerable

Opening lead — 5 ©2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC