DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

The Spingold final, GAWRYS vs. ROSENTHAL, was close in the fourth quarter, but ROSENTHAL hit a bad patch, losing big swings on three deals in a row.

In today’s deal, the twodiamond opening bid by East for GAWRYS artificially showed a weak two-bid in a major.

When East-West stopped at two hearts, ROSENTHAL’s South balanced with two spades, doubled hungrily by West.

North-South then had a mix-up about the meaning of North’s redouble. North felt he was asking South to bid something else. Maybe he thought South’s delayed two spades implied a two-suited hand. South had nowhere to run.

East-West’s defense slipped and beat the contract only by one, plus 400.

In the replay, East for ROSENTHAL opened two hearts, an action that gives me indigestion. East-West got to five clubs and had a chance to recover the 400 points lost. But South led a diamond, and the game could be made only with double-dummy play. East went down, and GAWRYS gained 10 IMPs and went on to win. DAILY QUESTION You hold: S A K 10 6 2 H 3 D A J 6 C A 10 4 2. You open one spade, your partner responds 1NT, you bid two clubs and he tries two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner suggests a six-card suit and fewer than 10 high-card points. To pass might be best. If he has a maximum hand such as 4, K Q J 9 7 4, K 7 5 4, 5 3, he will be a favorite to make four hearts, so you can reasonably bid 2NT or three diamonds to try for game, especially if vulnerable.