Daily Bridge Club

Lest we forget

By FRANK STEWART Tribune Content Agency

“How good a memory do you have?” Cy the Cynic asked me.

“Good for remembering bridge hands from 30 years ago,” I said, “but not look-at-a-phone-numberand-remember-it-long-enough-topress-seven-buttons good.”

“My partners can’t recall an auction from two minutes ago,” Cy grumbled.

Today’s South played dangerously high at three spades. Since his “balancing” bid of one spade could have been light, North should have passed it. When West led the jack of diamonds, South took the ace, led a trump to the king and returned a trump to ... his jack. West won, and the defense also got three hearts and a club. Down one. HIGH SPADE

South forgot the auction. East must have a high heart — probably the king — or else West’s opening lead would have been a high heart. The opening lead also marks East with the queen of diamonds, but he couldn’t respond to West’s opening bid.

West will therefore have the queen of trumps. South must reject a finesse and instead take the ace and king. DAILY QUESTION You hold: A J 7 5 2 J 8 3 A 2 K Q 2. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one spade and he bids two clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your partner’s hand is not well defined, and your best contract is unknown. He could hold K 3, Q 4, K Q 10 7 6, A 8 7 6 (you need to rest at 3NT) or 3, A 4, K Q J 9 4, A J 9 6 4 (you would be a favorite at three different slams). Bid two hearts, a forcing “fourth-suit” action that merely asks him to keep describing his hand. West dealer Both sides vulnerable ©2020 Tribune Content Agency, LLC