Bridge Play

To start the week, test your defense. Cover the West and South cards, and try to beat four spades as East. West leads the deuce of clubs, dummy plays low and your jack wins. What next?

When I watched the deal, East continued with the ace of clubs. South ruffed and led the king of trumps, and East won and exited passively with his last trump. Declarer won in dummy and led a heart: eight,

jack, queen. When West shifted to a diamond, South won in dummy and led a second heart. East’s king appeared, and declarer claimed.

BEST CHANCE

South should have been defeated. East can’t hope for a second club trick, and the defense is

unlikely to get a diamond. (If West had the K-Q, his opening lead might have been a high diamond.) East must shift to the king of hearts at Trick Two; a low heart won’t do.

If South takes the ace, East leads a second heart when he takes the ace of trumps and gets a heart ruff. Nor can South succeed by ducking the king of hearts.

Did you beat four spades?

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ A7 ♥ K8 ♦ 874 ♣ A J 10 9 8 3. You open one club, your partner bids one diamond and the next player overcalls one heart. What do you say?

ANSWER: The idea that a “free bid” shows significant extra strength has been abandoned by most experts. Though you have only 12 high-card points — a minimum — rebid two clubs. It’s important to show your long suit. It may be a vehicle for competition if the auction indeed turns competitive.