BOGGLE BRAINBUSTERS

2024-03-30 - | SANCTUARY | the space to spontaneously follow your whims. NORTH ♠ 3 6 A Q 10 9 8 4 ♣ J8652 Opening lead — K EAST ♠ AK96 97532 762 ♣ K SOUTH ♠ QJ7 A 8 KJ ♣ A 10 9 7 4 3 By David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

Aries (March 21-April 19). The day gets started on the right foot. Feeling optimistic for the future? Envision a brand new world for yourself.

Taurus (April 20-May 20). You wake up eager for change. The Sagittarius moon prompts this bold shift.

Gemini (May 21-June 21). Revved up and raring to go? Activity is a must. Buckle up for an adventure.

Cancer (June 22-July 22). Your fire is ignited! Impatient to get going on a goal? Put that passion into action .

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22). Your love of thrill-seeking is aroused today! The Sagittarius moon encourages you to get out and get your blood pumping.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Take the initiative on the home front. Exploring a new vision for the space? Let change be the motivating factor.

Libra (Sept.23-Oct. 23). Prepare to be on the go today. The Sagittarius moon fills your plate with pressing chores.

Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 21).

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Getting the job done? A burst of productivity has you focused on tasks that are meaningful to your future.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Your creativity is on fire today! Find an outlet for self-expression under the Sagittarius moon. Put your inspiration into action.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). A solo adventure is in your cards. Allow yourself

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). New attraction in the neighborhood? Grab some friends to check it out. The Sagittarius moon has good times in store.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20). Put yourself out there today! Ready to confidently show your talents to the world? The right people may be watching.

The ACBL’s efforts to attract players from a younger generation are paying off. The number of young players discovering the challenge of bridge, and the tournament competitions especially for youth, have soared.

Junior players are known for ebullient bidding. In a secondary team event at the Fall NABC, Nathan Gong of Sammamish, Wash. was South. North was Stefan Skorchev, one of many foreign players at the “Nationals.” When Gong opened 1NT, West’s two clubs showed length in both majors. Skorchev had a shot at the nine-trick notrump game.

Chance

When East competed to four hearts, Gong figured he would have a chance at five clubs and couldn’t beat four hearts badly if at all. Then Skorchev placed his partner with aces to bid an 11-trick contract; he boldly raised to six clubs.

East doubled, presumably asking West to lead a non-heart, but when West led a heart anyway, Hong won and tabled the ace of clubs. The missing honors fell, and Gong took the rest for the rare score of plus 1740. Gong-Skorchev and their teammates won the event.

Daily question

You hold: ♠ 10 8 5 4 2 ♥ K Q J 10 4 ♦ 53 ♣ Q. Neither side vulnerable. Your partner deals and opens one heart. The next player bids one spade. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your left-hand opponent doesn’t have many hearts and probably not many spades. If he has a fistful of clubs and diamonds, the opponents may have a good sacrifice, or even a make, at a high-level minor-suit contract. Bid four hearts. If your partner plays there, he may make it. If he goes down, chances are the opponents could have made something.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

INSTRUCTIONS: Find as many words as you can by linking letters up, down, side-to-side and diagonally, writing words on a blank sheet of paper. You may only use each letter box once within a single word. Play with a friend and compare word finds, crossing out common words.