DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

“You’ve written that it’s better to play at 3NT, needing only nine tricks,” Cy the Cynic said to me, “than to try five of a minor. I think your antenna isn’t picking up all the channels.”

In today’s deal, Cy had played at 3NT. He ducked the first spade, won the next spade with his ace and finessed in diamonds. East took his king and returned his last spade, and the Cynic won and let the jack of clubs ride.

“West won and took two spades for down one,” Cy said. “We should have been at five clubs. We make it even with both minor-suit finesses losing.”

Five clubs would be a reasonable spot, assuming there were a way to get there, but Cy booted 3NT. After he wins Trick Two, he must lead the A-Q of clubs. West wins and continues spades, and Cy wins in dummy, gets to his hand and finesses in diamonds. East wins but has no more spades, and Cy is safe.

Pursue a minor-suit game instead of 3NT only if you have strikingly unbalanced pattern.

That was not so in this deal.

DAILY QUESTION You hold :S Q 9 8 4 2 H J 3 2 D 7 5 C K 7 2. Your partner opens one heart. The next player passes. What do you say?

ANSWER: In “Standard” methods, bid two hearts. You will confirm a fit and define your strength; a response of one spade would do neither. (You also prevent the next player from overcalling with two of a minor.) Some pairs treat a single raise as “constructive,” showing eight or nine points — a playable style but awkward with hands such as this.