FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

SECOND CHANCES

Cy the Cynic says that if at first you don’t succeed, you and he have a lot in common. Cy was today’s South. When North raised to four hearts, Cy boldly cuebid four spades to try for slam, and North was happy to cooperate. (In a style where North’s two diamonds was forcing to game, North could have raised two hearts to three, forcing. That style has advantages and drawbacks.) Against six hearts, West led a diamond. Cy took dummy’s ace and let the nine of trumps ride, but the finesse didn’t succeed. West took the king and led a second diamond for down one.

Discard

“Without that diamond lead,” the Cynic grumbled, “I’d have had time to finesse in clubs to try for a diamond discard when the trump finesse lost.”

Cy gave himself one chance when an extra chance was there. At Trick Two, he leads the queen of trumps ... to his ace. When the king falls, Cy is home. If instead East-West played low, Cy could try a club to dummy’s queen, hoping to pitch his diamond loser on the ace.

Daily Question

You hold: ♠ 9 7 ♥ 5 4 2 ♦ K Q 9 ♣ K 10 8 3 2. Your partner opens one diamond, and the next player overcalls one spade. What do you say?

Answer: This is an uncomfortable position, but I suspect that a majority of experts would raise to two diamonds. True, you would rather have four-card or better support to raise partner’s minor-suit opening, but unless you show your support, such as it is, and some strength now, you may not have another chance.

South dealer N-S vulnerable