DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

Near the end of the Spingold Knockout Teams final at the Summer NABC, the multinational team led by Richard Schwartz held a 4- IMP lead — like an extra point in football — over favored “Team Monaco.”

At both tables in today’s deal, North’s two clubs artificially showed a spade fit. At one table, South for SCHWARTZ jumped straight to four spades.

West led the ten of clubs: deuce, six, ace. South led a trump to dummy and a heart to his queen. West won but failed to find a diamond shift, so South made the game.

In the replay, the auction ( shown) was more revealing. West for SCHWARTZ led the ten of clubs: queen, king, ace. South drew trumps and started the hearts, but the defense shifted to diamonds in time to set up four tricks. SCHWARTZ won 10 IMPs.

Thousands of spectators watched the match online, and a commentator faulted South for not making use of dummy’s club spots. He said South could set up a second club trick for a diamond discard and make his game. That was not true. DAILY QUESTION You hold: ♠K Q 10 53 ♥Q J 82 ♦ A10 ♣ A5. You open one spade, your partner responds 1NT, you bid two hearts and he returns to two spades. What do you say?

ANSWER: This case is close. To pass and take a plus score would be reasonable. Partner has at most 10 high- card points, and his bid of two spades suggests only a doubleton; if he had threecard support, he would have raised directly. If you prefer to try aggressively for game, bid 2NT. North dealer Neither side vulnerable