DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

Unlucky Louie says if his ship ever comes in, it will dock a week late, and he’ll have given up and gone to the airport.

Louie’s timing was off in today’s deal from his penny game.

Against his four spades, West led the king of hearts, and Louie took the ace and led a diamond.

West followed with the five, and East let dummy’s king win.

Louie then drew trumps and led a second diamond to the queen. East took the ace and returned a heart, and West won and led another diamond.

Louie ruffed and tried a low club to dummy’s queen, but East won and led his last diamond. Louie had to ruff and was stuck in his hand. He lost a club to East’s jack for down one.

Louie’s best play in clubs was to lead to the queen, then finesse with the ten if the queen lost, but he needed a late entry to dummy. After Louie wins the first trick, he draws trumps and leads a club to the queen. Later, he reaches dummy with a high diamond to lead a club to his ten. He has only three losers. DAILY QUESTION You hold: S A K Q 10 9 H A 7 D 7 2 C A 10 4 3. Your partner opens one heart. The next player passes. What do you say?

ANSWER: This problem has no easy answer. Since seven hearts will be a fine contract if partner has a suitable minimum such as 5 4, K Q J 8 5 2, A 5, K 9 2, you might issue an immediate slam signal with a jump-shift to two spades. But a solid trump suit is not assured, and you may need room to investigate. Bid one spade and hope to catch up later.