FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

DEFENDING ON CRUTCHES Cy the Cynic slipped on a wet floor and sprained an ankle. He turned up at the club on crutches.

“I had to go to the ER,” Cy groaned.

“How long did it take you to be seen?” “I won’t say it was slow,” the Cynic said, “but a guy in the room with me was being treated for a musket wound.”

Cy isn’t one for slow play. He typically seizes on the first line of defense he sees. Cy was today’s East, and West led a club against 3NT. The Cynic won and fired back a club.

Second Heart South won and led a heart: four, king, three. He returned a spade to his hand and led another heart: jack, queen, ace. South won the next club and led a diamond to the king and ace. The defense cashed a club, but South had four hearts, a diamond, two clubs and two spades.

Cy’s brain was sprained. “Return partner’s lead” is a crutch, not a command. If East stops declarer from using the hearts, he may fail. At Trick Two Cy can lead the jack of diamonds, dislodging dummy’s entry.

Let South make 3NT then. Daily Question You hold: 6 A 8 7 3 A J 9 7 A 8 4 3.

♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ You are the dealer. What is your opening call?

Answer: Minimum opening bids with three four-card suits can be hard to handle. If your hand were weaker, you could solve the problem by not opening, but you can’t pass with three aces and a working jack. Open one club, leaving room for partner to bid a red suit. If he responds one spade, bid 1NT, keeping the bidding low despite the singleton spade. South dealer

Neither side vulnerable