FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

ASSESS THE BLAME

You’re serving on a coroner’s jury, determining the cause of death of today’s four-spade contract. South’s bid of three diamonds showed game interest, and North liked his diamond holding and bid game. South ruffed the second club and took the A-K of trumps. When East-West followed, South cashed four diamonds, as East refused to ruff. Declarer next led a heart to dummy’s queen, but when East took the ace, he cashed his high trump. South was left with a second heart loser and went down.

Third Club

If declarer leads a heart to the queen at Trick Three, East can win and lead a third club, and the defenders get two trump tricks.

How say you? Was down one inevitable? Put the blame on declarer. After he cashes two high trumps, he should lead the deuce of hearts from dummy. East must play low, and South’s king wins. South then reaches dummy twice with high diamonds, ruffs dummy’s last two clubs and continues diamonds. Whatever East does, South loses only three tricks in all.

Daily Question

You hold: ♠ A 6 5 3 2 ♥ K 6 4 ♦ A K J 4 ♣ 10. Your partner opens one heart, you bid one spade and he rebids two hearts. What do you say?

Answer: Your partner has at least six cards in hearts. If he held five, he would have had a more descriptive second bid. Slam is likely if he has the ace of clubs. (The K-Q would be “wasted” opposite your singleton.) Bid three diamonds. If partner bids 3NT next, bid four hearts, suggesting slam with club shortness. Let him decide.

South dealer

Both sides vulnerable