FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

Who gets the blame?

In a penny game at my club, North- South were Wendy, our feminist, and Cy the Cynic, a shameless chauvinist. The two are adversaries even when they cut as partners. Cy was declarer at six spades after both he and Wendy bid boldly. West led a heart, and the Cynic scowled when he saw dummy. He took the ace, drew trumps, led a diamond to the ace and returned a diamond. East showed out, and Cy conceded a diamond and a heart. “Why did you bid slam?” Cy demanded. “Your hand was a minimum 1NT opener.”

The Law

“So you embrace Mrs. Murphy’s Law,” Wendy growled. “If something can go wrong, it will. And a woman will always get the blame.” Cy should cash the king of trumps at Trick Two, then take the ace of clubs and ruff a club. He draws trumps with the ace, discards a heart on the king of clubs and ruffs another club. When East-West follow suit, Cy can place East with 2-6-1-4 pattern. So Cy takes the king of diamonds and exits with a heart. The defender who wins will be end-played. Daily Question You hold: ♠ KQJ53 ♥ A52 ♦ KJ93 ♣ 4. You open one spade, your partner bids two clubs, you try two diamonds and he rebids three clubs. What do you say? Answer: Partner has long clubs but minimum values for a two-level response. (Even in a style where two clubs forces to game, many pairs treat this three-club rebid as not forcing.) Game chances are poor; at 3NT, partner would be unlikely to set up his clubs and get back to cash them. Pass. North dealer Neither side vulnerable