Daily Bridge Club

Glutton for punishment

Cy the Cynic continues to struggle with his weight.

“I joined Overeaters Anonymous,” Cy told me. “They have a local chapter?” “They designated me as a chapter,” the Cynic shrugged.

Cy is a glutton for punishment in the money games at my club. He was declarer at four spades after West opened one heart. When West led the king of diamonds, Cy ducked, won the next diamond and drew trumps. He ruffed his last diamond in dummy and led a heart to his queen.

West won and returned a heart, and Cy ... finessed with the ten. East took the jack and led a club, and West’s A-Q scored. Down two.

HEART JACK

“West rated to have the jack of hearts,” Cy growled.

Cy succeeds with an end play (my topic this week). He leads a trump to his hand at Trick Three, ruffs a diamond in dummy, draws trumps and leads the deuce of hearts.

West must play low, and Cy takes dummy’s king and returns a heart. When East’s jack appears, Cy is safe, but if West had held A-J-9-6-4, he would be end-played.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ A Q 6 2 ♥ K 10 5 3 ♦ A 4 ♣ 7 6 2. You are the dealer, neither side vulnerable. What is your opening call?

ANSWER: This hand has three Quick Tricks and is a mandatory opening bid. In the modern style that embraces “five-card majors,” neither major suit is biddable, and opening one diamond with only two cards is madness. Hold your nose and open one club. If you absolutely refuse to open in a non-suit, try one heart and hope to survive. West dealer N-S vulnerable