DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

“My husband and I bought our baby grandson a crib at Ikea for Christmas,” a player at my club told me, “and tried to assemble it. And tried. Finally, I called the toll-free number, and there was a list of options. I wondered which one I could select to speak with a marriage counselor.”

My friend says she usually gets frustrated with her husband only when they play bridge and wind up on defense. In today’s deal, North-South bid to seven hearts. North usually would have held a five-card or longer suit for his positive response of two spades, but he was reluctant to bid two diamonds (negative) with such a good hand.

“My husband led the jack of diamonds as West,” my friend said, “and declarer took the ace and began to run his trumps. On the second trump, my husband discarded the nine of clubs!”

South was willing to take that discard at face value. Instead of trying a club finesse for his 13th trick, South cashed the ace, then finished the trumps. At the end, West had to save all four spades, so he threw the king of clubs, hoping East had the queen. Making seven.

“If we’d had assembly directions as clear as the ones my husband gave declarer,” East grumbled, “we would have had no trouble with the crib. If my husband discards clubs, starting with his lowest and baring his king at the end, South must guess whether to finesse or play for a squeeze.”

It’s a defensive principle: Signal when your partner needs help. Don’t signal to help declarer.