Bridge

Losing option

“You should be

ashamed of how you treat your partners,” I scolded Grapefruit, our acidtongued club member.

“I’m unrepentant,” Grapefruit sniffed, “and I’m not apologizing for it.”

Grapefruit’s badgering makes his partners miserable. Grapefruit led a club against today’s three diamonds, and South ruffed East’s third high club, drew trumps and led a spade: three, eight, nine. East next led a heart, and South took the ace and led a second spade to dummy’s king: He had no choice. He made his contract, and Grapefruit told East that he if ever spoke his mind, he couldn’t make a sound.

FIRST SPADE

East gives declarer a losing option by winning the first spade with the jack. Then declarer can lead low to the ten later.

If Grapefruit had been North, he would no doubt have blasted South’s play. After South ruffs the third club, he can take the A-K of hearts, ruff a heart, draw trumps and ruff dummy’s last heart. Then he leads a spade to dummy’s eight, and East is endplayed.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ K 10 8 ♥ K 5 4 2 ♦ Q 10 3 ♣ J 8 5. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart, he bids two clubs and you return to two diamonds. Partner next bids two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER:

Your two diamonds showed at most nine points, and partner would have passed if he saw no chance for game. His two hearts shows substantial extra strength. Bid 2NT, suggesting willingness to go to game. With a timid partner, bid 3NT yourself. South dealer

N-S vulnerable