DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

I've heard an expert defined as someone brought in at the last minute to share the blame. Players at my club often come to me when something goes wrong, not to share the blame but to apportion it.

Against two hearts, West led a bold king of spades. East signaled with the jack, won the next spade with the ten, and led the ace and a fourth spade. West ruffed in with the ten of trumps, but dummy shed a club. South also lost to the ace of trumps; making two.

"If partner plays the three on the first spade," West told me, "a trump shift stops declarer from ruffing his fourth spade in dummy. He loses four spades, a club and a trump."

"If I play the three of spades," East contended, "partner may shift."

I sided with West. With dummy so weak, it's unlikely East would want to demand a shift at Trick One. Moreover, East shouldn't be compelled to make a losing play. If he plays the three of spades, West should still defend correctly in case East couldn't spare a higher spade. DAILY QUESTION You hold: S K 7 H 10 3 D K 10 6 3 2 C J 9 6 3. Your partner opens one spade, you respond 1NT, he bids two hearts and you return to two spades. Partner next bids three diamonds. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner's third bid improved your hand. He remains interested in game despite your discouraging bidding, and you have a fifth diamond and two key honors. Bid five diamonds. If he goes to slam with a hand such as A J 6 5 2, A K 8 7, A J 9 4, None, his chances will be excellent.