Bridge: June 25, 2024

“Do you like poetry?” a club player asked me.

“Emily Dickinson,” I said, “or maybe Heinrich Heine, whose poems Schubert set to music.”

“Robert Frost?”

“Sure.”

“Well, my husband should have taken the road less traveled by in this deal. He still insists he knew where he was going.”

At 3NT, my friend’s husband took the king of spades and started down a familiar road when he led the queen of clubs.

“East played low,” I heard, “and my husband led a club to dummy’s ten. When East’s jack won, my husband couldn’t set up and cash dummy’s clubs. He took only eight tricks.”

OVERTAKES

I can understand why South’s play got a frosty reception. At Trick Two, South should lead his deuce of clubs to dummy’s ten. If East takes the jack, South wins any return and overtakes his queen of clubs with the king to set up the clubs. The ace of spades is an entry.

If East ducks the ten of clubs, dummy leads a low club next. South is sure of two clubs and nine tricks in all.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S Q 5 H Q 10 4 D Q J 9 8 3 C A J 5. Your partner opens one spade, you respond two diamonds, he bids two hearts and you try 2NT. Partner then bids three spades. The opponents pass. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner’s auction suggests six spades, four hearts and extra strength. With a minimum 6-4 hand, most players would have rebid two spades to limit the strength. I would treat his three spades as forcing. Bid 3NT or four spades.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S A 4 2

H 9 5

D 10 5

C K 10 9 8 6 3

WEST

S 10 9 8 7 6

H J 8 7 6

D 7 6

C 7 4

EAST

S Q 5

H Q 10 4

D Q J 9 8 3

C A J 5

SOUTH

S K J 3

H A K 3 2

D A K 4 2

C Q 2

South West North East
2 NT Pass 3 NT All Pass
South West North East

2 NT Pass 3 NT All Pass

Opening lead — S 10

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