Bridge: July 13, 2022

Cy the Cynic was filling out some sort of application (not for a job, to be sure), and one question was, “Have you ever been in jail?”

Cy answered no. The next question was “Why?”

And the Cynic wrote, “Never been caught.”

Cy got caught in today’s deal from a penny game. He was South and played at four spades after a “transfer” auction. West led the queen of clubs, and Cy took the ace and let the jack of trumps ride.

EXPERT

Alas for Cy, East was Ed, our club expert. He won with the ACE of trumps and led the ace and five of diamonds. Fearing a ruff if he played low — and seeing 10 easy tricks — Cy took his king and led a second trump to dummy’s ten. He was aghast when Ed produced the queen … and the queen of diamonds.

If Ed wins the first trump with the queen, Cy will surely make game. If Ed switches to the ace and a low diamond, Cy can succeed by finessing, or by taking the king and finessing with the jack of hearts to get a pitch for dummy’s third diamond.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S A Q 6 H Q 9 7 5 D A Q 5 C 10 3 2. Your partner deals and opens one club, you bid one heart and he raises to two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your partner has minimum opening values and will often have four-card heart support, but he may have raised with three-card support and a hand that looks good for suit play. Bid 3NT. If partner has four cards in hearts and unbalanced pattern, he can insist on playing at hearts.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S K 10 9 8 7 5

H 8 4

D J 10 8

C K 4

WEST

S 3 2

H 10 6 2

D 7 3 2

C Q J 9 8 7

EAST

S A Q 6

H Q 9 7 5

D A Q 5

C 10 3 2

SOUTH

S J 4

H A K J 3

D K 9 6 4

C A 6 5

South West North East
1NT Pass 2H Pass
2S Pass 3S Pass
4S All Pass
Opening lead — C Q

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