FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

“Millard fixed me again,” Cy the Cynic fumed to me in the club lounge. Millard Pringle is a quiet little man — retired from the IRS — whose train of thought is apt to get derailed. “I was declarer at four spades,” Cy said, displaying today’s deal, “and Millard led a heart as West. East took the jack and ace and next led the queen. I followed suit, and Millard ... discarded a club!”

“He didn’t ruff with his queen?” I asked. Cy ruffed in dummy and led a trump to his jack, but then Millard took the queen, and East’s king had to score for down one.

Third Heart

“If Millard ruffs with his queen on the third heart,” the Cynic said, “I can pick up East’s king and get home.”

“Millard seems to have a screw loose,” I said. “Maybe he’s an expert in disguise.”

“Screw loose?” the Cynic snorted.

“His whole toolbox is empty. I don’t know why he didn’t ruff the third heart. He probably thought the contract was no-trump.”

East always beats four spades by leading a trump at Trick Two.

Daily Queston You hold:

♠ 8 3 ♥ 84 ♦ AK 10 6 3 ♣ AK 9 4. Your partner opens one spade, you bid two diamonds, he rebids two spades, you try three clubs and partner bids three hearts. What do you say?

Answer: Partner suggests six spades and four hearts with minimum values, but he may have a hand such as AK 10 7 5 4,A7 6, 5 4, Q5 and is reluctant to commit to notrump. Bid three spades. After you have made two strength-showing bids, he should treat three spades as forcing. North dealer

Neither side vulnerable