Bridge Play

“Some people can’t count to ten,” Unlucky Louie grumbled to me, “and they’re always ahead of me in the express checkout line at Wal-Mart.”

“You’re lucky,” Cy the Cynic told him. “Some of my partners can’t count to six.”

As today’s West, Cy had led his singleton heart against South’s two spades.

“My partner took the K-A and led a third heart,” Cy said. “I ruffed and shifted to a club, and partner took the ace and returned a club. South won, lost to the ace of trumps and took the rest when the diamond finesse worked for him. We got five tricks because my partner couldn’t count to six.”

TRUMP TRICK

A defender must count his tricks. East can see two hearts, a heart ruff and two aces. If West holds the king of clubs, East has no worries; otherwise, the defense will need an extra trump trick.

After East takes the top hearts, he must lead the ace and a low club. West’s heart ruff can wait. When East is in with the ace of trumps, he gives West a heart ruff and gets a club ruff.

DAILY QUESTION

East dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH QJ7 Q84 AQ53 QJ3

WEST 862

3

K982 97542

EAST

A4 AK10976 1076

A8

SOUTH K10953 J52

J4

K106

You hold: A4 AK10976 10 7 6 A 8. Your partner opens one spade, you respond two hearts and he raises to three hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Slam is likely. If your partner has K Q J 9 3, Q 8 4, A 4, 7 6 5 — barely an opening bid — you can make 7NT. Cue-bid four clubs to show the ace and suggest slam. If partner signs off at four hearts, you will have to judge whether to pass or continue with a further cue bid of four spades.