DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

“I read your column yesterday,” a club player said, “about setting up A-K-x-x-x in dummy opposite a singleton by ruffing low cards without cashing both the A-K. You led me down the garden path.”

He was declarer at today’s six hearts.

“I won the first club and cashed the A-K of trumps. Then I started the spades and followed your advice: I took the ace and ruffed a spade without cashing the king. I led a diamond to dummy, ruffed a spade, got back with a diamond and led the king of spades.

“The fifth spade was good, but I never got to use it because East ruffed the king. I threw a club but still lost a club. What have you to say for yourself ?”

In this deal, South has a trump loser and must pitch both his clubs before a defender ruffs. He takes both top spades to throw a club, ruffs a spade, leads a diamond to dummy and returns a fourth spade. East can’t gain by ruffing, so South ruffs, leads a diamond to dummy and discards his last club on the good spade. DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S A K 7 4 3 H 5 D A K 3 C 9 7 3 2. You open one spade, your partner responds two hearts, you rebid two spades and he tries 2NT. What do you say?

Answer: This seems to me to be a time for a conservative view. You have a sound minimum opening bid, but you have no tricks that are readily establishable and no help for partner’s hearts. Pass. If you held a 14-point hand such as K Q J 10 3, 5, A K 3, J 10 3 2, to bid 3NT would be indicated.