FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

AXIOMS OF PLAY

“I believe in rules. Sure I do. If there weren’t any rules, how could you break them?” — Baseball manager Leo Durocher

Bridge has many “rules” of play that should be viewed as tendencies. Learning players are taught to observe “second hand low,” “third hand high,” “lead through strength and up to weakness” and so on.

In today’s deal, West leads the jack of spades against South’s 3NT, dummy plays low and East takes the king. Do you see East’s correct defense? No Points

“Return your partner’s lead” is supposed to be an inviolable rule, but East can see that West has no points. A spade return will be safe but not productive. Instead, East should take note of the diamond spots and shift to the king of diamonds “up to strength.”

Declarer can take the ace and lead the queen of clubs, but East takes the king and leads the jack of diamonds. South has only eight tricks and must lead another club, and when East wins, he cashes the ten and four of diamonds for down one.

Daily Question

You hold: A52 A Q 8 7 A Q 3 2 Q 10.

♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ You open one diamond, your partner bids one heart, you raise to three hearts and he tries four clubs. What do you say?

Answer: Partner’s four clubs is an ace-showing cue bid to suggest slam. He will typically have the ace of clubs and club length. Cuebid four diamonds in reply. Even if partner signs off at four hearts, I would be willing to make another effort by cue-bidding four spades. West dealer N-S vulnerable