FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

CY JUMPS THE GUN

Cy the Cynic is still battling his weight — and his weight seems to be winning.

“You need to exercise,” I told him.

Cy is so out of shape that the only thing he can jump to is a conclusion. He was today’s West, defending against four spades, and led the queen of hearts. South took dummy’s ace and led the king of trumps, and Cy won and tried to cash a heart.

South ruffed, drew trumps and next let dummy’s queen of diamonds ride. Cy took his king and saw that the diamonds would provide declarer with discards. So the Cynic laid down his ace of clubs, and the conclusion was unsatisfactory for him: South claimed, making four.

Two Clubs

Cy could avoid jumping to a false conclusion if he counted declarer’s tricks. He knows declarer has four trump tricks, one heart and only four diamonds. So after declarer runs the diamonds, he will still have two clubs in his hand.

After Cy takes the king of diamonds, he must exit with a diamond. South will lose two clubs to go down one.

Daily Question

You hold: ♠ J 10 7 5 2 ♥ 2 ♦ A3 ♣ K 8 6 3 2. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade, he bids two clubs and you raise to three clubs. Partner next bids three diamonds. What do you say?

Answer: Partner is interested in game or slam, and your hand is ideal. You have a fifth trump, a side ace and no wasted strength in spades opposite his shortness. Bid five clubs or four diamonds. If he has as little as None, A J 7 6 4, K 4 2, A Q 10 7 4, six clubs may come home.

West dealer E-W vulnerable