Bridge Play

“I played my partner to hold perfect cards,” Cy the Cynic told me after a losing session in his penny game. “That was unwise enough, but he was playing me for perfect cards at the same time.”

Cy, today’s South, took a flyer and bid 6NT at his third turn.

“I hoped my partner had a hand such as Q J 7 5 2, Q J 4 3, 7 2, 6 3,” Cy said. “He reasoned that I’d bid slam all by myself. His bidding had promised nothing. He had a king and queen, so he kicked the extra point.”

CLUB TRICK

The Cynic won the first diamond with the king, led a club to dummy’s king and returned a club to his jack. The finesse won, but when West discarded, East was sure to get a club trick.

I didn’t tell Cy that he should have made his grand slam. Even if he wins five club tricks, he needs four spades — so a 3-3 break. After Cy wins the first diamond, he cashes the A-K of hearts. When West follows, Cy must assume that West has 3-2-7-1 pattern: Cy leads a club to the

king and returns a club ... to his nine.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ 1086 ♥ 86

♦ QJ109863 ♣ 7. You deal and open three diamonds, and your partner bids three spades. The opponents pass. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner’s response to your preempt is forcing. If he had a long suit but a poor hand, he would pass and play at your long suit. Raise to four spades. Your high-card count is miserable, but you have three-card spade support and a side singleton.