DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

“My oldest boy locked me out of his bedroom yesterday,” Unlucky Louie told me in the club lounge. He has a houseful of kids and struggles to survive.

“That must have been stressful,” I sympathized.

“What was worse,” Louie said, “he showed me how I could pick the lock.”

Louie had entry problems as today’s declarer at four spades. East overtook West’s king of hearts and returned a heart. Louie ruffed the third heart, drew trumps and took the A-K of clubs. When East discarded, Louie was doomed; West got two clubs for down one.

“I had 10 tricks,” Louie sighed, “but couldn’t take them. I had no entry to the ace of diamonds.”

Four spades is cold, though the winning play takes foresight. Louie ruffs the third heart with the seven of trumps. He takes three high trumps and then the king of diamonds and A-K of clubs.

When East discards on the second club, Louie exits with his deuce of trumps to East’s 10. East must lead a diamond, conceding the contract.

Daily question

You hold: ♠ 10963 ♥ A3

♦ Q108542 ♣ 3. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade and he bids two clubs. What do you say?

Answer: The warning flags of a misfit are flying. You certainly cannot bid two diamonds; a new-suit bid would be forcing and would promise much more strength. Bid two hearts, getting back to your better trump suit and suggesting weakness. Swap the heart and club holdings, and I would be inclined to pass.

West dealer

Both sides vulnerable