Bridge: Dec. 20, 2023

Cy the Cynic is by no means so cynical that he observes Christmas by acting like Ebenezer Scrooge. But Cy says if Dickens wrote “A Christmas Carol” today, the happy ending would be that Scrooge gets a tax break.

In a penny game, Cy was declarer at 3NT, and West led a low heart although Cy had shown four hearts in response to North’s Stayman inquiry. Cy won with the eight and promptly took the A-Q of diamonds.

When West discarded a club, the Cynic was in trouble. He had only eight tricks and couldn’t afford to concede a diamond to East, who would return his last heart. The contract was still makeable with best play, but Cy chose to finesse with dummy’s jack of spades. He went down when East produced the queen.

NINE TRICKS

Cy played like Scrooge: greedily. To assure nine tricks, he leads a club to dummy at Trick Two and lets the ten of diamonds ride. Even if West had the jack, Cy would be sure of four diamonds, and his heart holding would be safe from attack.

As the cards lie, Cy would be rewarded with an overtrick.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S K J 4 3 H 10 6 D K 10 9 8 3 C K 5. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade and he rebids two hearts. The opponents pass. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your partner has minimum opening values and six or maybe seven hearts. Your decision is close. To pass would be reasonable. If you judge to try for game, you can bid 2NT, but your lack of aces might be a drawback at a notrump contract. Raise to three hearts, especially if your side is vulnerable with more to gain by making a game.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S K J 4 3

H 10 6

D K 10 9 8 3

C K 5

WEST

S 9 5 2

H A K J 7 3

D 6

C Q 10 6 2

EAST

S Q 10 6

H 4 2

D J 7 4 2

C J 9 8 7

SOUTH

S A 8 7

H Q 9 8 5

D A Q 5

C A 4 3

South West North East
1 NT Pass 2 C Pass
2 H Pass 3 NT All Pass
Opening lead – H 7

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