FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

RELYING ON THE LAW Many players use the “law of total tricks” to judge competitive auctions: The total trumps both sides have in their best suit equals the number of tricks available. North-South have 10 hearts, East-West have 10 clubs. At hearts and clubs, 20 tricks should be won. Or so sayeth the law. Maybe South was applying the law when he bid five hearts. If his side had 11 hearts (as they might have) and East-West had 10 clubs, five clubs would succeed if five hearts failed.

Two Down South had a chance at five hearts. He took the ace of clubs and A-Q of spades, ruffed a club in dummy and threw a diamond on the king of spades.

But dummy next led the king of trumps, and East won and led a diamond. West won and led his last spade, and East’s jack of trumps scored. Five clubs would have been two down.

The law often breaks down at high levels, and deals are played at the table, not in theory. South makes his bid if he leads dummy’s last spade at Trick Six and ruffs or pitches his last diamond.

Daily Questioin You hold: A Q 10 9 6 4 3 2 Q 4

♠ ♥ ♦ ♣

A 7 3. Your partner opens one diamond, you bid one heart and he raises to three hearts. What do you say?

Answer: Your partner has a hand worth about 17 points in support of hearts. Slam is likely, and a grand slam is possible. he might hold J 7 6, A K 7 5, A K 7 3 2, 6. You have options. You can leap straight to six hearts or go slowly with a cue bid of four clubs, planning to cue-bid your ace of spades next.

South dealer N-S vulnerable