FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

CY’S IMPULSIVE PLAY

Cy the Cynic continues to struggle with his weight. The closest he comes to dieting is erasing his computer’s browser history with all the diets he has Googled.

“I hate myself,” Cy told me, “when I go to order a salad, and my mouth says, ‘I’ll have a triple cheeseburger with fries.’” Cy’s impulses also take over when is declarer. Against today’s four hearts, West led the jack of diamonds (not best), and Cy won, led a trump to his hand and returned a spade to dummy’s king. East took the ace and led a second trump. The Cynic won and led the queen and a third spade, but East won and led his last trump. Then Cy’s fourth spade was a loser, and he also lost a club. Down one.

Too Many

When Cy led a trump from dummy at Trick Two, he took one round of trumps too many. He must lead the king of spades.

East wins and leads a trump, but Cy wins, takes the queen of spades and loses a spade. He can win East’s trump return and ruff his last spade in dummy to assure the contract.

Daily Question

You hold: ♠ K Q 7 ♥ Q 9 4 ♦ AK72 ♣ 10 6 3. You open one diamond, your partner bids one spade, you try 1NT and he jumps to three hearts. What do you say?

Answer: You must show your three-card spade support; that is what your partner, with his two-suited hand, wants to hear. But since you have good spades, a heart honor and the top diamonds, jump to four spades to show strong support. If partner is interested in slam, he will be encouraged.

North dealer

Both sides vulnerable