Daily Bridge Club

Who was naughty?

“It’s all fun and games until Santa checks his naughty list.” — graffiti

“I’m quite good at being naughty,” Cy the Cynic told me in the club lounge. “So which list am I on?”

I’ll admit that Cy found a good defense as today’s West. (Cover the South/East cards to see if you can do as well.) When South opened one diamond, Cy overcalled one spade, and North tried two clubs. After East leaped preemptively to four hearts and two passes followed, North shut his eyes and tried five diamonds, passed out.

THIRD TRUMP

Cy led the king of hearts, and South won and cashed the A-K of trumps. When East discarded, South conceded the third trump. How should Cy continue?

South is safe if the Cynic leads a club or a low spade. But he led the king of spades, killing dummy’s entry to the clubs, and South had to lose two more tricks one way or another.

South was naughty enough to give Cy a nice present. After South takes the top trumps, he succeeds by leading the ace and ten of clubs.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: Q 10 4 3 A K 10 8 7 5 3 A 10. Your partner opens one heart, you bid two diamonds, he rebids two hearts and you try two spades. Partner then rebids three hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner has extra heart length — probably a sevencard suit — but minimum strength. You can try 3NT, but it may be a poor contract if partner lacks a club honor. Raise to four hearts, which will surely have a chance. He may hold K 2, K J 10 7 6 5 3, A,876. South dealer N-S vulnerable