Dr. Ed’s day off

DR. Ed Fitch, the ophthalmologist who presides over my club, was playing in the day’s penny game.

“On his birthday, a man can take a day off,” Ed announced.

“He’s entitled,” said Cy the Cynic. “When a woman has a birthday, she takes a year off.”

“Is that so?” growled Wendy, our feminist. “Any woman could count a hand better than you just did.”

The Cynic had gone down at today’s six hearts. He took the ace of clubs, ruffed a club, drew trumps with the A-K and lost a diamond finesse to East’s king. Cy won the diamond return, took the ace of spades and let the jack ride. Down one.

DIAMOND RUFF

Cy succeeds by counting the EastWest hands. He leads a trump to dummy at Trick Three, ruffs a club and draws trumps. He finesses in diamonds, wins the diamond return, ruffs a club and ruffs a diamond.

Cy then knows if he counts to 13 that East had two diamonds, four clubs and two trumps, hence five spades. The odds favor a spade finesse against East. DAILY QUESTION: You hold: Q76 43 53 K 10 K 6 5 2. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade, he bids two diamonds and you return to two hearts. Partner then bids two spades. What do you say? ANSWER: Partner has a strong hand and is trying for game despite your weak preference. If you had an eight-point hand such as Q 7 6 4 3, Q 5, A 10, 7 6 5 2, you would cooperate. As it is, your king of clubs is probably wasted opposite partner’s singleton, Pass. North dealer Both sides vulnerable

NORTH