Bridge Play

When I watched today’s deal in a penny game, East was John Underwood, known as “the undertaker” because he aspires to beat opposing contracts by three tricks — and may not beat them at all.

Against four spades, West led the K-A and a third heart. John took the queen and saw no need to cash his ace of clubs — for down one: He had dummy’s diamonds well stopped, so declarer couldn’t get rid of a club loser. So John led a trump.

South won in dummy and led the jack of clubs, faking a finesse — and John still saw no urgency to take his ace. When South’s queen won, he ran his trumps.

INFERENCE

With two tricks left, dummy had the A-Q of diamonds, and South had a diamond and the king of clubs. John had to save his ace of clubs and bare his king of diamonds. South inferred that John would have taken his ace if he didn’t have the king of diamonds, so South led a diamond to the ace. Making four!

Do you think the undertaker may take his ace of clubs next time? I doubt it.

DAILY QUESTION

West dealer N-S vulnerable

NORTH AQ2 1092 AQ865 J3

WEST

None AK54 1073 1087542

SOUTH KJ98543 J76 4 KQ

You hold: ♠ AQ2 ♥ 1092 ♦ AQ865 ♣ J 3. Your partner opens one club, you respond one diamond and he next bids one heart. What do you say?

ANSWER: At responder’s second turn, he can often place the contract or make a bid that limits his strength and suggests a contract. Since you have balanced pattern, opening values and the unbid suit well stopped, bid 3NT. If your queen of diamonds were a low diamond, you would bid 2NT, invitational.