Hold-up variation

READERS often send me interesting deals. (Be aware: Not every deal is suitable for the newspaper, and I rarely use a deal without a play point.)

Today’s deal, illustrating a variation of the “hold-up” play, came from Mark Jones of Birmingham, Alabama. In a team event at a Florida tournament, Jones played at 3NT. North could have shot it out at two clubs redoubled that was the contract at the other table, making but he thought his team led in the match and declined to risk a disaster.

MAKING THREE

Against 3NT, West led a club, and East won and led the seven of diamonds. Jones diagnosed the shift and played low. West won the next diamond, but East’s ace of clubs won the defenders’ last trick. Making three.

If South plays an honour on the first diamond, he goes down. West signals with the jack, and when East gets in with a high club, he leads his last diamond.

The “Daily Bridge Club” email is frs 1016 @ centurylink. net. Readers are welcome to send deals, questions and comments. DAILY QUESTION: You hold: AQ3 2 KQ4 8653 4 2. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade and he bids two clubs. The opponents pass. What do you say? ANSWER: You had to temporize with a one-spade response because no direct heart raise was correct. (A “limit” jump-raise to three hearts would have promised four-card support.) Bid three hearts now, inviting game. If your hand were A Q 3 2, K Q 4, 8 6 5 3, Q 2, you would bid four hearts yourself. South dealer N-S vulnerable

NORTH ARMY, ARTY, ATOMY, DORY, DRAY, MARRY, MARTYR, MARTYRDOM, MATY, MAYOR, MORAY, OARY, OTARY, RORTY, ROTARY, RYOT, TAMMY, TARDY, TARRY, TOADY, TODAY, TODY, TOMMY, TORY, TRAY, TROY, TYRO, YARD