Expiration dates

“I HEARD you and Charlotte are renewing your wedding vows tomorrow,” Cy the Cynic said to me.

I nodded. “It’s the 42nd anniversary of our first date.”

“If it were up to me,” Cy said, “that sort of thing would be more than ceremonial. Marriage licenses should expire like driver’s licenses.”

Cy is no fan of matrimony. As today’s declarer, he blanched when he saw dummy’s trumps. A doubleton K-Q reminds him of marriage, and he always misplays. Cy took the ace of diamonds, drew trumps and led a heart to dummy’s jack. East won and returned a diamond. The Cynic won, took the ace of hearts and ruffed a heart. When the queen didn’t fall, he tried a club to the queen, and the slam expired.

SURE THING

Cy had an almost sure thing. He must take the A-K of diamonds, ruff a diamond high, cash the K-Q of trumps and ruff the last diamond high. He draws trumps and leads a heart to the jack.

East wins but must return a heart or a club, and Cy gets a free finesse and his 12th trick.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: 5 K 862 QJ42 K J 9 6. The dealer, at your left, opens one spade. Your partner and the next player pass. What do you say?

ANSWER: You wouldn’t come in over an opening bid at your right (I wouldn’t, at least), but actions in the “balancing” seat may be shaded. Your partner has some values, else the opponents would still be bidding, and you must not sell out cheaply. Double. Partner must realize that you may have acted with lightish values.

South dealer Both sides vulnerable

NORTH ARREST, ARRESTER, ASTER, AUSTERE, EAST, EASTER, EATER, EATS, ERST, ESTER, RASTER, RATE, RESAT, RESEAT, RESET, REST, RESTER, RETUSE, RUST, SATE, SAUTE, SEAT, SEATER, SERRATE, SETA, SETAE, STAR, STARE, STEER, STERE, SUET, SURAT, SUTRA, TARE, TEAR, TEASE, TEASER, TERRA, TERSE, TREASURE, TREASURER, TREE, TRUE, URETER