CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Composer John Kander (“Chicago”) is 97. Actor Brad Dourif is 74. Jazz guitarist Bill Frisell is 73. Keyboardist Karen Grotberg of
The Jayhawks is 65. Actor Geoffrey Owens (“The Cosby Show”) is 63. Actor Thomas
Ian Griffith (“Cobra Kai,” “The Karate Kid Part 3”) is 62. TV personality Mike Rowe
(“Dirty Jobs”) is 62. Singer-actor Vanessa Williams is 61. Keyboardist Scott Saunders
of Sons of the Desert is 60. Actor David Cubitt (“Medium”) is 59. Guitarist Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains is 58. Actor Michael Bergin (“Baywatch”) is 55. Rapper-actor Queen Latifah is 54. Comedian Dane Cook is 52. Singer Philip Sweet of Little Big Town is 50. Singers Evan and Jaron Lowenstein of Evan and Jaron are 50. Actor Sutton Foster is 49. Singer Adam Levine of Maroon 5 is 45. Drummer Daren Taylor of Airborne Toxic Event is 44. Actor Adam Pally (“The Mindy Project”) is 42. Actor Cornelius Smith Jr. (“Scandal”) is 42. Actor Duane Henry (“NCIS”) is 39. Actor Lily Collins is 35. Actor Julia Goldani Telles is 29. Actor Ciara Bravo (“Big Time Rush”) is 27. Actor Blake Garrett Rosenthal is 20.
Queen Latifah is 54.
“Result players” are a bane of bridge. Resulters are more impressed by a poor play that works than by a good play that doesn’t.
“Is it possible to judge by results?” a club player asked me.
“Certainly in the long run,” I said. “Maybe even on a given deal.”
In my club’s penny game, South won the first heart with the king, led a diamond to dummy’s king and let the eight of trumps ride.
He picked up the trumps, took the ace of diamonds and ruffed a diamond. When West discarded, South forced out the ace of clubs and claimed an overtrick.
Results aside, what do you think of declarer’s play?
HIGH HEART
South deserved to go down. If West had held the king of trumps, he could lead a second high heart.
East would ruff dummy’s ace and lead a club, and West would win and cash a heart.
South should win the first heart in dummy and lead the ace and a second trump.
If West won and led another heart, East might ruff, but South saves his king and loses only three tricks in all.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: A Q 10 9 7 K 7 3 82 K Q 7. You deal and open one spade, your partner responds two hearts, you raise to three hearts, and he next bids four clubs. What do you say?
ANSWER: Partner’s bid of two hearts showed five or more, so your raise was correct. His four clubs shows a control – usually the ace – and slam interest. Since you have club honors, a high heart and the ace of spades, you can cooperate. Bid four spades or five clubs.
North dealer
N-S vulnerable
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