Bridge: July 3, 2023

As I began to write this set of columns, a garden spider set up shop outside my office window and waited with grim patience for a bug to be caught in her web.

As declarer, regard the spider’s patience. Don’t stake your contract on one line of play when others are available. Try to combine your chances.

In today’s deal, West led a diamond against six spades. Declarer took the ace, drew trumps and tried a heart to dummy’s queen. East won and returned a heart. South then tried for his 12th trick by finessing with the jack of diamonds, but East produced the queen.

Did South play to best advantage?

CLUB RUFF

After South draws trumps, he can finesse in diamonds. East wins and returns a diamond, and South takes the king, pitching a club. He cashes the A-K of clubs and ruffs a club, and when the suit breaks 3-3, dummy’s fourth club is good for the 12th trick.

If the clubs fail to break, South has one chance left: He can finesse in hearts.

This week: which finesse?

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S A Q J 8 7 4 H J 10 D 9 4 C A 6 4. You open one spade, your partner bids two hearts, you rebid two spades and he tries three clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: You could rebid three spades; your two spades (as most pairs agree) did not promise a six-card suit. I like a bid of three hearts. You would have raised hearts directly on many hands with three-card support, and your J-10 doubleton is good support under the circumstances.

North dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S K 10 9 5

H A Q

D A K J

C K 5 3 2

WEST

S 6

H 9 6 5 3 2

D 10 7 5 2

C J 9 8

EAST

S 3 2

H K 8 7 4

D Q 8 6 3

C Q 10 7

SOUTH

S A Q J 8 7 4

H J 10

D 9 4

C A 6 4

North East South West
1 C Pass 1 S Pass
4 S Pass 6 S All Pass
Opening lead — D 2

©2023 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.