DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

Cul de Sac will end publication Sept. 23

“I’ve played bridge with my wife for years,” a club player told me, “and I’ve learned this: If at first you don’t succeed, try doing it the way she told you to.”

My friend was declarer at six clubs. “I took dummy’s ace of diamonds,” he said, “drew trumps and led the A-K and a third heart. If hearts broke 3-3, I’d have had a spade discard from dummy, but as it was, I went down.

“My wife was unhappy. She said I could arrange to ruff three diamonds in my hand — a ‘dummy reversal’ — and next duck a heart to East. I could win his spade return and take dummy’s remaining trumps. West would be squeezed in hearts and spades. That was too complex for me.”

South should ruff a diamond at Trick Two; East might have K-Qx. After that, a simple play — and a winning play — is to draw trumps and lead a heart to dummy’s ten. South can win East’s spade return, finesse with the nine of hearts, cash the king, ruff a diamond and pitch a spade from dummy on the ace of hearts. DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S J 10 7 6 4 H Q 7 D K Q 6 5 C 7 3. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade and he bids two clubs.

Answer: At least three misbids are available. A rebid of two spades would suggest a six-card or strong five-card suit. A bid of 2NT would show about 11 points and would invite game. A bid of two diamonds, a new suit, would be forcing and would promise more strength. Your correct move is a return to two hearts.