FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

SPECTACULAR PLAY

“I cut Minnie in the penny game today,” Cy the Cynic told me, “and for a change, I got the benefit of her glasses.”

Minnie Bottoms, our senior member, wears old bifocals that make her mix up kings and jacks, often to her opponents’ dismay. “Minnie played in a money game?” I asked.

“Her retirement check came,” Cy explained. “She said she felt lucky.” Against three spades, Minnie led her singleton club, and Cy took the ace and returned the nine — a suitpreference play to show strength in the high-ranking side suit. King Of Hearts “Minnie ruffed,” Cy said, “and led the KING of hearts.”

“She thought she had J-10-8-4,” I laughed. “She led the top card in her ‘sequence.’”

“I won the next heart and led another club,” Cy said, “and declarer had to lose a trump to Minnie’s queen. Down one.”

If Minnie leads the four of hearts at Trick Three, Cy can win and lead another club, but South succeeds by pitching his last heart. Minnie and her glasses found the winning defense. Daily Question

You hold: ♠ A K 10 8 4 ♥ Q3 ♦ AK Q7 ♣ 7 4. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade, he bids two clubs and you try two diamonds. Partner then bids 2NT. What do you say?

Answer: Slam is quite likely if your partner has a bit of extra highcard strength or trick-taking power. To consult him, raise to 4NT. Since no trump suit has been agreed, this is not a Blackwood ace-asking bid but a natural and “quantitative” try for slam. South dealer N-S vulnerable