Daily Bridge Club

Counting the cost

I found Unlucky Louie in the club lounge, surveying his credit card bill.

“My wife’s philosophy,” Louie said sourly, “is that an item’s cost is less important than how much you save when you buy it.”

Louie’s philosophy as declarer seems to be that the important thing is to save time. Louie invariably plays in haste. Against today’s four hearts, West led a low trump, and after his usual split-second look at dummy, Louie played the deuce: seven from East, ace.

OVERRUFF

Louie then started a crossruff: ace of diamonds, diamond ruff, ace of spades, spade ruff, diamond ruff. He ruffed another spade with his five of trumps, but alas, West overruffed with the eight and led his last trump. Louie lost four more tricks.

Louie does better with more care at Trick One: He must win the first trump with dummy’s king. He can ruff two diamonds with dummy’s low trumps and one spade with his five of trumps, then crossruff for four more tricks with high trumps. He wins 10 tricks in all.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: 6 A Q 10 5 3 A Q 5 4 10 6 5. Your partner opens one spade, you bid two hearts and he rebids two spades. What do you say?

ANSWER: To continue with three diamonds looks indicated, but then to stop below game might be impossible. You have only 12 points and no fit for spades, and if your partner is apt to open light, shapely hands, you may have no game. I would try three diamonds only because the alternative, 2NT, is unattractive also.

North dealer

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