DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

“I hate to say so,” Wendy, my club’s feminist, told us in the lounge, “but I’m approaching 40.”

“From which direction?” Cy the Cynic asked.

“If I have any gray hairs,” Wendy said sourly, “it’s from defending with you.”

When Cy and Wendy were East-West in a penny game, she led the three of spades against 3NT. South took the king and tried a diamond to dummy’s queen, and Cy won and returned a spade. South won, led a diamond to the ace and gave up a diamond. Wendy cashed two spades, but South took the rest, making his game.

“Wonderful defense, partner,” Wendy growled at the Cynic.

Cy knows from Wendy’s lead of the three of spades that the defense may win only two spade tricks. Cy must focus on depriving declarer of his tricks. At Trick Three, Cy shifts to the king of clubs, attacking dummy’s entry.

If South wins, he gets three clubs but only one diamond and only eight tricks in all.

If instead South lets the king of clubs win, Cy shifts back to spades effectively.

DAILY QUESTION You hold: S A K 8 H A

K 7 6 3 D 9 4 C Q J 3. Your partner opens one diamond, you bid one heart, he rebids two diamonds and you try two spades. Partner then bid 2NT. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your partner has suggested minimum values, but slam is still possible. Bid 4NT. Since no trump suit is agreed, this bid is a “quantitative” try for slam, not ace-asking. Let partner use his judgment. With a sound hand such as 5 4, Q 2, A K Q 10 7 6, K 9 6, he will bid slam.