DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

Test your defense in today's deal (reported by Barry Rigal) from the ACBL Fall Championships. Cover the South and West cards.

Against four hearts, West leads the ace of clubs, and dummy tables a minimum hand (I would say subminimum) for the three-spade overcall. West continues with the three: jack, ruff by you. West's lowest club is "suit preference" to show strength in diamonds, the lowranking side suit. If West had a spade void, he would have led a high club at Trick Two.

South is likely to have diamond length; his pattern may be 1-6-4-2 or 1-5-5-2. In either case, to cash the ace of spades may gain and won't cost: South will get two discards on the K-Q of spades, but unless he has the A-K of diamonds, he will still have a diamond loser.

At the table East shifted to a diamond. South took the ace, picked up the trumps, threw his spade loser on the king of clubs and conceded a diamond, making four.

DAILY QUESTION You hold:

S K Q 10 7 6 H A J 5 D 10 2 C K J 4. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade and he bids two clubs. The opponents pass. What do you say?

ANSWER: You certainly must commit to game. A jumppreference to three hearts would be invitational, not forcing. You would choose that action if your king of clubs were a low club. With your actual hand, bid four hearts. If partner has extra strength and wants to try for slam, fine.