DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

“I’m giving up preempts,” Cy the Cynic grumbled.

“They goad my opponents into bidding with all the more resolve, reach unlikely contracts — and then make them.”

Cy was today’s West, and when South opened one spade, Cy leaped to four hearts.

“North was nowhere near worth four spades,” the Cynic told me, “but he figured South didn’t have many hearts, so he bid it anyway.”

South was Ed, my club’s best player. When Cy led two high hearts, Ed ruffed with the 10 of trumps, led the nine to dummy’s ace and returned a trump: king, eight, five. East led the queen of clubs. Ed ducked, won the next club, ruffed his last club in dummy and ruffed the last heart with the queen.

“Ed had a count,” Cy said. “He knew I’d had seven hearts, two spades and three clubs, so one diamond. He led a diamond to the ace and returned a diamond. East played the jack, but Ed won and got to dummy with the seven of trumps to pick up the diamonds.”

Preempts are indeed twoedged swords.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: KJ 53 J1083

Q J 10 7 4. Your partner opens one spade, you respond 1NT, he bids two hearts and you return to two spades. Partner then bids 2NT. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner is still trying for game. He has about 17 points and may have 5-42-2 pattern. Your decision is close, but to go on to game is reasonable, especially if you’re vulnerable. Partner may have a useful club honor. It’s hard to see what suit the defenders will use to beat 3NT.