Bridge: March 22, 2024

Look at today’s deal and pick your poison: Would you rather try to make South’s contract of three diamonds or try to beat it? (East would have been down one at two spades doubled, but South felt constrained to bid his long suit.)

Here’s what actually happened: West led the ace and a second spade, and East won and shifted to his singleton heart. Declarer won in dummy and led the ace and nine of trumps.

East rose with the king and led a high spade, but West ruffed his partner’s winner to return a heart, and East ruffed. Down one.

Play or defend?

LAST SPADE

East-West defended well. But after South takes the ace of trumps, he can lead the A-K and then the ten of clubs. When East covers, South discards his last spade. Then West can’t gain the lead, and South loses only one more trick to East’s high trump.

Did you spot the possible “scissors coup” and elect to be declarer? After West takes the ace of spades, he beats three diamonds by leading a heart at Trick Two.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S 7 6 4 H A K J 9 D A 9 C A K 10 9. You open one club, your partner responds one heart, you raise to four hearts and he then bids four spades. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner’s four spades is an ace-showing cue bid to try for slam. Your decision is close — the three low spades are a danger sign — but you have strong trumps, strong clubs and the ace and a possible ruffing feature in diamonds. To bid six hearts would be reasonable.

North dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S 7 6 4

H A K J 9

D A 9

C A K 10 9

WEST

S A 2

H 10 8 7 5 4

D 5 3 2

C 7 3 2

EAST

S K Q J 10 3

H 3

D K 8 7

C Q J 6 5

SOUTH

S 9 8 5

H Q 6 2

D Q J 10 6 4

C 8 4

North East South West
1 C 1 S Pass Pass
Dbl 2 S Pass Pass
Dbl Pass 3 D All Pass
Opening lead — S A

©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.