The right questions

Cy the Cynic says that when we pass middle age, many of us start to hear two voices: One asking “why not?,” the other asking “why bother?”

When I watched today’s deal in a penny game at my club, Cy was declarer at four spades. If West had led his singleton diamond, Cy might have made an easy overtrick, losing to the A-K of hearts; but West started with the king of hearts. ♥

East ♦signaled with the eight, and West continued with the ace. On the third heart, East ruffed with his six of trumps, and the Cynic overruffed with the ten (perhaps asking himself “why not?” in the process).

DOWN ONE

Cy next led the jack of trumps, but West’s king covered. Then West’s 9-8 were worth a trick, and Cy also lost a club. Down one.

Cy asked himself the wrong question. On the third heart, he should have said “why bother?” to overruff when he could instead have pitched his club loser. Cy can win East’s club return, pick up the trumps with finesses against West’s king and claim the rest.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ A 7 5 ♥ Q J 6 ♦ A 8 4 3 ♣9 5 4. Both sides vulnerable. The dealer, at your left, opens one diamond. Your partner overcalls one heart, and the next player passes. What do you say?

ANSWER: Knowing your partner’s tendencies would help, but most players will have a decent or better hand to insert a non-space-consuming overcall, vulnerable. Game is possible. Cue-bid two diamonds to show a good hand with heart support and game interest.

West dealer

E-W vulnerable

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