DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

“My wife is upset with me,” Unlucky Louie told me in the club lounge. “She says I spend money on ridiculous items.”

“She told me you bought a tuxedo for your dog,” I sighed. “That sounds bizarre to me.”

“He’s getting married,” Louie said solemnly.

Louie’s wife might be more tolerant if he didn’t lose so much in his Chicago games. When Louie was declarer at today’s six hearts, he took dummy’s ace of diamonds and led a trump to his jack. West played low. Louie then took the K-Aof spades and ruffed a low spade in dummy in case of a 4-2 break.

Last spade: When East discarded, Louie led another trump. Alas, West won and led his last spade, and East ruffed for down one.

Louie chucked 1,530 points, worth enough to buy a case of dog treats for the reception. After he wins the first trick, he takes the K-A of spades, ruffs a spade and leads a trump. If West plays low, Louie ruffs another spade in dummy, leads a club to his king and forces out the ace of trumps. The slam is safe. (A crossruff also works.)

Daily question

You hold: ♠ A Q 6 5 2 ♥ K J 10 9 7 ♦ 7 ♣ K 6. You open one spade, your partner responds two clubs, you bid two hearts and he tries 2NT. What do you say?

Answer: Partner’s sequence invites game, and your hand is promising, especially since his response in clubs makes your club holding look useful. Jump to four hearts. A bid of three hearts would suggest at least five cards in each major but minimum values; it would ask partner to pass. North dealer

N-S vulnerable