Daily Bridge Club

The tree process

I read an instructional guide — 15 steps — for getting a Christmas tree, loading it onto the car, lugging into the house and setting it up so it won’t topple over. Every even-numbered step was “Curse.”

The cue bid of two diamonds by today’s West showed length in both majors. At six diamonds, South took the ace of spades and led a trump ... and West showed out. South cursed and took the K-A. He cashed the ace of hearts and then, knowing he had a heart loser, tried a club to dummy’s jack.

East won and cashed his high trump. Curses! Down one.

THREE SPADES

South can save himself some curses. East probably has only three spades — with four, he might have bid two spades over North’s double — so after South takes the king of trumps, he can ruff a spade, cash the ace of trumps, lead a heart to dummy and ruff the last spade.

South then takes the king of clubs and exits with a trump. As he hopes, East has only clubs left and must lead to dummy’s A-J, conceding the 12th trick.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: 876 K874 K53 A J 5. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart and he bids two clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: You have enough strength to invite game but not to force. If a jump-preference to three diamonds would invite, fine. If it would be forcing, you are stuck. You can’t bid 2NT with poor spades. Underbid with two diamonds or (if your system allows) try a “fourthsuit” bid of two spades. South dealer Both sides vulnerable