Daily Bridge Club

Taxing deal

Cy the Cynic had been absent from the club. When he showed up for the penny game, he looked washed out. “Where have you been?” I asked. “Working on my taxes,” the Cynic said wearily. “You can’t deal with the IRS in any way, shape or form. And if there were a form, you’d have to pay someone to fill it out for you.”

I’ll blame fatigue for Cy’s performance in today’s deal. As South, he overruled North’s suggestion to play at 3NT. (North would have made an overtrick there.) Against four spades, West led a diamond: king, ace, ruff by the Cynic.

TROUBLE

Cy next led trumps, but East discarded on the second trump. Cy cashed all his trumps and started the hearts; no other play would have helped him. West ruffed the third heart and led another diamond, and the Cynic took dummy’s queen and lost the rest. Down two.

Cy’s mind was still on his taxes. To guard against a 5-1 trump break, he must pitch a club at Trick One instead of ruffing. He maintains trump control and has 10 winners.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: 6 10 9 7 3 A J 10 6 5 A Q J. Your partner opens one heart. The next player passes. What do you say?

ANSWER: You have options. One is to respond two diamonds, bid clubs and then support hearts to show slam interest with spade shortness. Many players would try three spades, a “splinter” bid to show a heart fit and spade shortness. Avoid a conventional 2NT response as a forcing raise, which would suggest balanced pattern. East dealer N-S vulnerable