Bridge: June 4, 2019

Here’s another deal from my monthly game in Birmingham with old friends. We always have interesting deals.

When an expert declarer faces a guess, such as what to play with a K-J holding, he looks for clues from the auction and play. Sometimes he must rely on subtle inferences.

North’s bid of four spades was correct since East could have made 3NT. West led a diamond, and East took the ace and returned a diamond, ruffed in dummy. Declarer led a trump, and East took the ace and returned the queen.

DOWN ONE

Declarer won, got to dummy with a trump and led a heart to his … king. He lost two hearts and only escaped for down one when a club finesse won later.

South had a tough guess in hearts but might have gone right. He had to assume that East had the queen of clubs. Would East have bid 2NT or passed four spades with A Q, A x x x, A x x x, Q x x? Would West open two diamonds at equal vulnerability with x, Q x x, K J 10 x x x, x x x? Neither inference was certain. I’m glad I wasn’t sitting in South’s seat.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S A Q H Q 10 7 4 D A 9 4 3 C Q 8 4. You open one diamond, your partner responds one spade, you bid 1NT and he tries two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: In “Standard” methods, partner’s two hearts is weak and discouraging. Pass, though a raise to three hearts could be right; he could hold K 9 5 4 3, A J 9 3, J 10 2, 3. Many pairs use a conventional method such as “new minor forcing” and could bid two clubs to show a hand with game chances.

West dealer

Neither side vulnerable

NORTH

S 10 9 8 7 3

H 9 8 6 5

D 2

C 10 9 7

WEST

S 6

H A 3 2

D K J 10 7 6 5

C 6 5 2

EAST

S A Q

H Q 10 7 4

D A 9 4 3

C Q 8 4

SOUTH

S K J 5 4 2

H K J

D Q 8

C A K J 3

West North East South

2 D Pass 2 NT 3 S

Pass Pass 3 NT Pass

Pass 4 S All Pass

Opening lead — D J

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