DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

In a game at my club, North-South were a dentistmanicurist pair we call Tooth and Nail because that’s how they argue. When Tooth opened one club, Nail bid one diamond and rebid three diamonds over Tooth’s 2NT.

Tooth persisted with 3NT, eliciting this from Nail: “I bid the fourth and final diamond.”

“Five diamonds,” growled Tooth.

Seething, Nail took the ace of spades and cashed the A-K of trumps. When West discarded, Nail lost a trump, a spade and a heart.

ARGUMENT

Came the inevitable argument:

Nail: “I signed off at four diamonds. Don’t be a genius.”

Tooth: “The queen of trumps might have fallen. Stop complaining.”

Nail can take the ace of clubs at Trick Two, ruff a club and concede a spade. If East returns a trump, declarer ruffs a club, leads a trump to dummy, ruffs a club, goes to a high heart and ruffs a spade. South then leads a heart to dummy for her 10th trick and returns the last spade. East can’t stop her from scoring the jack of trumps. DAILY QUESTION You hold: S K 8 7 H Q 10 7 D Q 10 4 C Q 9 8 3. Your partner opens one heart, you raise to two hearts and he bids three hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your raise promised six to nine points. Partner has invited game and suggests balanced pattern since he didn’t bid a second suit to help you evaluate the fit. You have maximum values and should accept the invitation. Bid 3NT. If partner passes, you should be at your best spot.