DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

“So what did you get for Christmas?” I asked Cy the Cynic and Unlucky Louie in the club lounge. I got the answers I expected. “Fatter,” Cy replied. “Deeper in debt,” Louie shrugged.

Cy will contend with his weight for another year, and Louie will keep losing in his penny game. When Louie was East in today’s deal, West led the eight of spades against 3NT. Louie hastily covered dummy’s queen ... and declarer played low. When Louie continued with the jack, South ducked again. He won the next spade with his nine and led a diamond.

West won but had no more spades. When he led a club, South won, forced out Louie’s ace of diamonds and claimed. Making three.

Louie played too fast. South’s spades are almost surely A-9-x-x, so Louie must let the queen win, preventing South’s hold-up play and keeping communication. When South starts the diamonds next, West wins to lead his last spade, and Louie sets up his long spades with the ace of diamonds as an entry.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠Q ♥ A K 10 ◆ QJ 9532 ♣ A 10 7. Your partner opens one heart, you bid two diamonds and he rebids two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Slam is possible if your partner has useful cards such as the ace of spades, a diamond honor and the king of clubs. Bid three clubs. If partner next bids three diamonds or 3NT, you will bid four hearts to show slam interest and shortness in spades.