FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

Unlucky Louie has a cousin who works as an exotic dancer.

“Does she have benefits?” I asked. “Health insurance?”

“People in her profession typically have little or no coverage,” Louie said blandly. As much ill fortune as Louie meets, you would think he might play safe to cater to bad breaks. When he was declarer at today’s four hearts, West led a spade, and East took the ace and returned a spade. West won and led a diamond.

( A third spade might have been best.) Louie took the ace and cashed the A- K of trumps.

Overtrick

When East discarded, Louie tried the K- A of clubs. He would have made an overtrick if the queen fell, but when West ruffed and led a diamond, Louie was sunk. He went down two.

Louie can take out insurance against a bad club break. After he takes the king, he leads the jack. East wins and leads a high diamond, and Louie ruffs and leads good clubs. When West ruffs, Louie can overruff in dummy, draw West’s last trump with the jack and finish the clubs. Daily Question

You hold: ♠ A 9 5 4 ♥ 8 ♦ K Q 10 3 ♣ Q 8 7 2. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade, he rebids two hearts and you try 2NT. Partner then bids three diamonds. What do you say?

Answer: Partner’s auction suggests six hearts, four diamonds and minimum opening values. If he had more strength, his second bid would have been three hearts or two diamonds. Since you have excellent diamond support and a side ace, raise to four diamonds.

South dealer

E- W vulnerable