FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

HELP FROM OPPONENTS

In an “end play” — which need not occur at the end of the play — you give an opponent the lead in a position where anything he leads will concede a trick.

In today’s deal, North-South brush aside East’s preempt and reach six hearts. They probably would have bid to slam without the interference, but East’s bid gives declarer helpful information. West leads the deuce of clubs, and South takes the ace, draws trumps and cashes three diamond tricks. When East follows, South has a complete count: East had seven clubs for his preempt (West’s lead of the deuce confirms this), one trump and at least three diamonds.

No Finesse

When South next takes the king of spades and leads a second spade, East follows low. South knows that a finesse in spades can’t be right. He takes the ace and exits with the jack.

West wins and is end-played. He must lead another spade or a diamond, and declarer discards dummy’s last club, ruffs in his hand and has the rest. This week: end plays.

Daily Question

You hold: ♠ AJ2 ♥ A J 9 3 ♦ K J 4 ♣ 10 9 3. Neither side vulnerable. The dealer, at your right, opens one club. What do you say?

Answer: To pass might be right; your hand is better for defense and may not make an attractive dummy if you double and oblige your partner to be declarer. Still, you have 14 points and no honors in clubs that might win tricks on defense, and passing might miss a game. Double. With J 5 2, A J 9 3, K J 4, K J 4, I would pass.

East dealer

N-S vulnerable