Solving a problem

UNLUCKY Louie has been spending time with his precocious 6-year-old granddaughter.

“We watch TV together,” Louie told me. “Not to brag, but those problems Dora the Explorer takes a half-hour to solve, I can do in 12 to 15 minutes.” “Quite impressive,” I admitted. Louie’s problem-solving skills at bridge are a bit suspect. As declarer at today’s four spades, he took the ace of diamonds, led a trump to dummy and discarded his losing heart on the king of diamonds. Alas, West ruffed and led his last trump, and Louie was stuck with three club losers. Down one.

COLD

Louie needed The Map or Backpack or help from somewhere; he went down at a cold game. To succeed, Louie simply takes the ace of clubs at Trick Two and concedes a club.

If East wins and shifts to a trump, Louie wins with the ace, ruffs a club in dummy and discards a heart on the king of diamonds. West ruffs, but Louie is sure of 10 tricks: seven trumps in his hand, a diamond, a club and a club ruff in dummy.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ 532

♥ AQ965 ♦4 ♣ Q J 8 4. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart and he bids one spade. What do you say?

ANSWER: This situation is awkward. A bid of two clubs would be forcing and would suggest more strength. A rebid of two hearts would show a six-card suit or at least a stronger five-carder. A raise to two spades would be possible with K Q2, A 7 6 5 4, 4, 9 8 5 4 but not with the actual hand. Bid 1NT as the least of evils.