DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

Today’s declarer reminds me of a philosopher who refused to cry over spilled milk, consoling himself with the thought that the milk was four-fifths water.

Against four spades, West led the deuce of diamonds: six, king, ace. South next drew trumps and led another diamond. West took his queen and knew South had the 10 and maybe the nine.

Seeing the need for fast heart tricks, West shifted boldly to the jack. East took three hearts for down one.

South was philosophical; he made the time-honored remark about spilled milk. But the spillage was his own fault: South must refuse the first diamond.

If East shifts to a trump, South draws trumps, takes the ace of diamonds and leads the 10, planning to pitch a heart from dummy if West plays low. If instead West covers, South ruffs in dummy and later discards a heart from dummy on the nine of diamonds. He can lose no more than two hearts and a diamond.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ AQ52 ♥ K73

◆ J6 ♣ A 9 6 2. Your partner opens one spade, you respond 2NT and he bids three hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Most partnerships agree that after responder’s 2NT, opener’s bid of a new suit shows a singleton there. The idea is to help responder judge whether he has useful cards. Since your king of hearts is a “duplicated” value opposite partner’s singleton, sign off at four spades.