DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

In the early ‘70s, a group of young New Yorkers playing the “Precision” system had a string of successes in major team events. Thomas McAdoo Smith, a mainstay of the team, was today’s declarer in a Vanderbilt match against the reigning world champion Aces.

Against four spades, West took the K-A of clubs and led a third club, and Smith guessed to play the ten from dummy. (East had echoed with the nine and three but might have done so deceptively with J-9-3.)

East ruffed and led the king of diamonds, and Smith took the ace and could make his game if he picked up the trumps. He led the ace and a low trump and ... finessed with the jack. He took the king, threw his diamond loser on the queen of clubs and claimed.

Smith drew an inference from the defense. If East had held Q-10-2 of trumps — a natural trick — he wouldn’t have signaled encouragement in clubs; he would have discouraged to get a diamond shift.

Tom Smith, a gentleman and a fine player, died in 2010. DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S A 9 8 4 H K Q 8 3 D A 7 C 8 4 2. You open one club. (You have a mandatory opening bid, but opening in a major suit would promise a fivecard suit.) Your partner raises to two clubs. What do you say?

Answer: Don’t panic. If partner is aware of your systemic constraints, he won’t have raised without five-card or strong fourcard support. Pass. Two clubs should be playable, but if you bid again, you may be overboard.