FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

THE WRONG TIME

“My partner is really not a poor player,” a fan’s email states. “He’s just poor at the worst times. He was East in the enclosed deal.”

After South’s strength-showing redouble, North’s bid of two hearts showed a minimum hand with long hearts. South then had a go at 3NT. West led the five of clubs: ten, king, ace. Declarer led a heart to dummy and returned the ten of diamonds.

“My partner picked the wrong time to play low,” my fan says. “South’s king won, and he claimed six more tricks.” Heart Tricks

East knows that South has six heart tricks, and South also has the queen of clubs. With only the ace, he would have refused the first trick. With A-J-6, he would not have played dummy’s ten on the opening club lead.

If South has a guess in diamonds — if he has K-J-9-4 — he won’t misguess after East’s double. And if South held K 7 4 3, J 4, Q J 9 4, A Q 6, he would force out East’s ace of spades for nine tricks. East’s only chance is to rise with his ace of diamonds and lead a low spade. Daily Question

You hold: ♠ A J 9 2 ♥ 76 3 ♦ A 8 2 ♣K 9 3. Only the opponents are vulnerable. The dealer, at your right, opens one heart. East in today’s deal doubled with this hand. Do you agree with his action? Answer: I don’t. I would double with more attractive distribution (A J 9 2, 7, A 8 3 2, K 9 3 2) or with more high cards (A Q 9 2, 7 6 3, A Q 2, K 9 3), but with a hand “doubly flawed,” I would pass. The hand has a bunch of losers and is better oriented to defending.

North dealer

N-S vulnerable