Daily Bridge Club

Supplementary issues

I looked up “lazy” in the dictionary, and a picture of Cy the Cynic was there. As declarer, he seizes upon the first line of play he sees.

“You would do better if you weren’t so lazy,” I told Cy.

“There may be a supplement I could take for that,” the Cynic said. “Look into it for me, will you?”

Against today’s four spades, West took the K-A of clubs and led the jack of hearts. Cy won in dummy and ran all his trumps. East kept three hearts, and Cy lost a diamond and a heart. Down one.

“Hearts might have split 3-3,” Cy shrugged.

SECOND HEART

South must win the first heart in his hand and concede a diamond. He wins the next heart in dummy, ruffs a diamond and takes the A-K of trumps. If trumps broke 4-1, South would have to guess how to proceed, but when trumps break 3-2, he ruffs another diamond.

When diamonds break 3-3, South draws trumps, leads a heart to dummy and discards a heart on the good diamond. If diamonds broke 4-2, South would succeed if hearts broke 3-3.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: 6 5 4 J 10 K 8 3 A K 10 7 3. Your partner opens one heart, you respond two

clubs and he rebids two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: This situation is a bit awkward. You have enough strength for one more forward-going bid, inviting game, but have no attractive call. To bid 2NT with such weak spades doesn’t appeal. Raise to three hearts. You would prefer to have three-card support, but the doubleton J-10 will have to do. North dealer Both sides vulnerable