BRIDGE
“I know why God created Adam first,” Cy the Cynic told me in the club lounge. “So the man could have a moment to himself before saying the wrong thing to a woman.”
“You and Wendy are still having problems,” I sighed.
Cy, a chauvinist, and Wendy, our feminist, are always at odds. They were today’s East-West, and Wendy led a club against 3NT. Cy took the king and returned the eight. South played the five and six, concealing his four, and Wendy let dummy’s queen win.
That defense came to grief. Declarer took the A-K of diamonds, lost a diamond to the Cynic’s queen, and had nine tricks.
CLUB LENGTH
“I asked Wendy why she’d led a club when South’s 1NT had implied club length. The right thing to say was nothing. Wendy called me an idiot.”
At Trick Two, Cy should lead the deuce of spades. If Wendy’s clubs are ready to run, Cy will have another chance at the clubs later. When Cy takes the queen of diamonds, he leads a club, and Wendy can win and return a spade for down two.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: ♠ AQ92 ♡ 10 8 5 2 ♢ Q43 ♣ K 8. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart and he bids two clubs. What do you say?
ANSWER: You have gameinvitational strength with balanced pattern. Bid 2NT. To bid two spades would be forcing, showing more strength, and your partner doesn’t have four cards in spades anyway. To respond one spade, not one heart, would have been an interesting idea. Your best spot might be four spades on a 4-3 fit.
North dealer
N-S vulnerable