FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

HOW TO SAVE TIME “My partner is quite impossible to argue with,” a club player complained to me. “He says he has his faults but being wrong isn’t one of them.”

My friend showed me today’s deal. As West, he led a spade against 3NT, and dummy’s queen won. Declarer next led a club to his king.

“I took the ace,” West said, “and led the king of spades. Declarer played low, won the next spade and led a second club: five from me, nine, jack. My partner then led a heart, but declarer had three clubs, two spades, three diamonds and a heart.”

Protest “My partner insisted that I’d misdefended,” West told me.

“I began to protest, and he said, ‘Save time; just see it my way.’”

Did West do anything terrible? When South leads a club to his king at Trick Two, West must play low smoothly, retaining his entry. Then if South leads a second club and ducks in dummy, hoping East had A-8, East can win and return a spade, setting up West’s suit while West still has the ace of clubs. South will go down. Daily Question You hold: ♠ K J 7 5 2 ♥ K92 ♦ 85 ♣ A 10 5. Both sides vulnerable. The dealer, at your right, opens one heart. What do you say?

Answer: Many successful experts would routinely bid one spade. They do well with an aggressive competitive style. But to overcall is risky; the bid has no preemptive value, and the hand is full of losers. If the next player has some spades and some points, you might suffer a large penalty. I would pass but would not criticize anyone who bid. South dealer N-S vulnerable