Bridge: Feb. 22, 2023

If you asked Cy the Cynic for his views on patience, he would say it’s a virtue — which means few people have it. Cy certainly has none: As declarer, he seizes on the first line of play he sees.

As today’s South, Cy appreciated the potential of his hand when he leaped to six spades. West led a high club, and Cy took the ace and promptly ruffed his ten in dummy. He next took the A-K of trumps.

When East discarded, the Cynic was doomed. He conceded a trump, ruffed West’s club return and cashed two more trumps. East-West discarded carefully, and Cy won only 11 tricks.

HEART RUFF

I would define patience as the art of concealing — and suppressing — your impatience. Cy should lead a heart to dummy’s ace at Trick Two, ruff a heart and take the K-A of trumps. He discards a diamond on the king of hearts and ruffs a heart.

Cy can then (only then) ruff a club in dummy. He takes the good fifth heart to discard another diamond. West’s high trump wins the defenders’ only trick.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S K 10 9 8 4 2 H 7 D A K 6 5 C A 10. You open one spade, your partner responds two hearts, you rebid two spades and he tries 2NT. What do you say?

ANSWER: You have a little extra high-card strength, a sixth spade and good spade intermediates. Your hand is too promising to stop below game. A bid of three diamonds now would suggest your 6-4 pattern but would suggest a minimum hand. Jump to four spades and hope to buy a reasonable dummy.

North dealer

E-W vulnerable

NORTH

S A 7 3

H A K 9 8 6

D 9 7 3 2

C 9

WEST

S Q J 6

H J 5 4

D J 8

C K Q J 5 4

EAST

S 5

H Q 10 3 2

D Q 10 4

C 8 7 6 3 2

SOUTH

S K 10 9 8 4 2

H 7

D A K 6 5

C A 10

North East South West
1 H Pass 1 S Pass
2 S Pass 6 S All Pass
Opening lead — C K

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