Daily Bridge Club

Cy’s selection process

Cy the Cynic denies that he’s lazy. He says he believes in “selective participation.” But when Cy is declarer, he habitually “selects” the first line of play he sees.

When Cy played today’s six spades, he won the first club in dummy and swiftly let the jack of trumps ride. West took the king and led another club to Cy’s ace.

Cy then led a heart to the ace, ruffed a heart, returned to the nine of trumps and ruffed a heart. When West discarded, the Cynic had no chance as the cards lay; he had to lose a diamond.

INFERIOR

Cy picked an inferior line of play. He staked the slam on a 50-50 finesse. Cy should win the first club in his hand, take the ace of hearts, ruff a heart and lead a low trump. Say West plays low and dummy wins. The Cynic next ruffs a heart, takes the ace of trumps, leads a club to dummy and ruffs a fourth heart.

Cy can then lead a diamond to dummy and pitch a diamond on an established heart. This play wins if hearts break no worse than 4-2 or the trump finesse wins: about 92 percent.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: J 9 A J 8 6 5 3 K 3 2 K J. Your partner opens one club, you respond one heart and he bids one spade. What do you say?

ANSWER: You have enough strength for game, but your best game in unclear. A jump to three hearts would be fine if forcing, but most partnerships treat it as invitational. You must create a force. Bid two diamonds, “a fourth suit” bid that doesn’t promise diamonds but asks partner to continue describing his hand.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable