FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

HOUSE OF STRAW

Once upon a time there were Three Little Pigs, each playing at six diamonds in a duplicate game. West, a Big Bad Wolf, led a spade. (Every West in this game was a BBW.) East took the ace and returned a spade.

The first Little Pig discarded his heart loser and ran his winners. East kept his clubs and won the last trick, and West ate up the Little Pig out of sheer contempt for his dummy play.

Pig No. 2 threw a club on the king of spades. He drew trumps and took the A-K of clubs. When West discarded, South lacked the entries to use dummy’s fifth club. He lost a heart — and was eaten up. Good Club

The third Little Pig pitched a club on the king of spades, cashed two trumps and then led the A-K of clubs. When West couldn’t ruff, South led a trump to dummy, ruffed a club, led a heart to dummy and ruffed a club. He went to a high heart to throw his heart loser on the good club. West was so impressed that not only did he decline to eat declarer, he asked him for a date to play. Daily Question You hold: ♠ Q ♥ 85 3 ♦ A J 10 9 8 2 ♣ A K 4. Your partner opens one spade, you bid two diamonds, he rebids two spades and you try three clubs. Partner then bids three diamonds. What do you say?

Answer: If partner’s hand is A J 9 5 4, 7 6, K

Q 7, Q 5 3, you need to play at five diamonds. If he has A K 6 5 4, J 7 6, K 7 4, Q 5, the only makeable game may be 3NT. To re-raise to four diamonds would be reasonable. A few experts would try a devious “fourth-suit” bid of three hearts.

North dealer

N-S vulnerable