Daily Bridge Club

My friend the English professor’s niece had given birth.

“’Twas no easy labor,” the prof told me. “She was shouting ‘can’t’ and ‘couldn’t’ and ‘mustn’t’ the whole time.” “What was that about?”

“She was having contractions,” the prof said blandly.

Today’s South contracted (or compressed) 10 tricks into eight at 3NT. He won the first spade with the ace, unblocked his king of diamonds, went to the king of spades and led the ace of diamonds. Alas, West threw a club. South then took the queen of diamonds (a fatal error) and led a club to his jack. West won, and the defense took three spades and East’s jack of diamonds.

DIAMOND

South’s delivery was labored. He must overtake his king of diamonds with the ace at Trick Two, then cash the queen. If East-west follow, South concedes a diamond and has six diamonds, two spades, a club and a heart.

When diamonds break 4-1, South leads a club to his jack. When East’s king falls under the ace later, South wins five club tricks and 10 in all.

Questions and comments: Email Stewart at frs1016@centurylink.net