Incompleteness theory

An “incomplete strip” may sound like an exotic dancer leaving an audience wanting more (or, more accurately, less). But the term denotes a useful dummy-play technique.

At four spades, South took the ace of hearts, drew trumps and led dummy’s deuce of diamonds: four, ten, queen. West cashed his queen of hearts and led the ten.

Declarer ruffed and led the ace and a third diamond, but East won with the nine and led the king. South ruffed, led to the ace of clubs and returned a club. East showed out, and South had to go down.

EXITS

South succeeds in several ways; his best approach is to impersonate Gypsy Rose Lee. After South takes the ace of hearts, he cashes only the K-Q of trumps (the “partial” strip), then exits with a heart.

When West wins, any lead gives South a 10th trick. If West leads a club, South gets a free finesse. If a heart, South ruffs in dummy and discards from his hand. If West leads a diamond, South plays low from dummy and loses only one diamond.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: A 5 2 9 6 J 6 5 2 A 7 3 2. Your partner opens one heart, you bid 1NT and he jumps to three hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner’s jump in his own suit invites game. You certainly should bid again; your hand is a maximum for a 1NT response, and you have two aces. Bid 3NT, which will be best if partner has K 3, A K J 7 5 3, Q 3, K 6 4. I would not criticize a raise to four hearts, but partner can return to four hearts over 3NT if he wishes.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable