Bridge: July 10, 2023

“My husband’s an attractive man,” a club player told me, “but I didn’t marry him for his looks — especially the ones he’s been giving me at the bridge table.”

She had been today’s West.

“My husband was East. Against four hearts I cashed the K-A of spades. My hubby played the deuce and then the ten. His ten looked like a suit-preference signal, showing diamond strength, so I led the jack of diamonds next.”

HIGH RUFFS

“South took the ace, led a club to the ace and ruffed a club high. He got to dummy with the seven and eight of trumps to ruff two more clubs high and went to the jack of trumps to pitch a diamond on the good fifth club. Making four. My husband gave me a look that could have put out a fire.”

West missed her best play. The defense will always get any diamond tricks they have coming — unless South sets up dummy’s long club for a discard. At Trick Three, West must lead a trump, removing a vital entry to dummy before South starts the clubs. South will fail.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S 10 7 5 4 2 H 4 D K Q 9 8 C Q J 3. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade and he next bids two diamonds. The opponents pass. What do you say?

ANSWER: This case is close. A raise to three diamonds would suggest a hand worth about 10 points with at least four-card support. I would choose that action with 87542,4,KQ98,A32. As it is, the club honors may not be too useful to partner. Pass and blame your system if you miss game.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S Q 8

H J 8 7

D 6 4 3

C A 7 6 5 2

WEST

S A K 9 3

H 5 2

D J 10 5

C K 10 9 8

EAST

S 10 7 5 4 2

H 4

D K Q 9 8

C Q J 3

SOUTH

S J 6

H A K Q 10 9 6 3

D A 7 2

C 4

South West North East
1 H Pass 2 H Pass
4 H All Pass
Opening lead — S K

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