DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

“My partner plays in a state of denial,” a player told me in the club lounge.

“And denial, as they say, is not a river in Egypt,” Cy the Cynic observed.

“He can see what’s about to happen,” my friend said, ignoring Cy, “but he won’t do anything about it.

“West led the nine of spades against my partner’s four hearts. That lead was a possible singleton, but partner took the ace and led a trump. East won and returned a spade, and West ruffed, cashed his king of trumps and led a club. Declarer won and finessed in diamonds, but West’s king won. Down one.”

There’s no denying that South misplayed. He can’t stop West’s ruff but can try to eliminate West’s safe exit after he ruffs. After South wins Trick One, he takes the K-A of clubs and ruffs dummy’s last club. He then leads a trump.

If East wins and gives West a ruff, West can take his king of trumps, but then he must lead a diamond from his king or concede a ruff-sluff. Either way, South takes the rest. DAILY QUESTION

You hold: SAK6HJ 10 9 3 D A 10 9 5 C K 3. South in today’s deal opened 1NT with this hand. Do you agree with that action?

Answer: I agree. The hand contains 15 high-card points, but even if your partnership uses a 1NT range of 16 to 18 points, the hand is worth an upgrade. Most of the honors are primary, and the hand has two tens and two nines in combination. They may contribute to its trick-taking power, especially for play at notrump.