Bridge: Nov. 15, 2023

“If one of your plants is feeling down, do you photosympathize?” — graffiti

At today’s 6NT, South took dummy’s queen of spades, cashed the A-K of hearts, then led a club: deuce, king, ace. South won the spade return in dummy and tried a diamond to his jack. The finesse worked, and he was home.

“I could duck the first club,” West said. “Then declarer must guess whether to finesse in diamonds or try for a second club trick. But for all I knew, he had the queen of diamonds, not the queen of clubs.”

Would you have sympathy for West?

ACE OF CLUBS

I wouldn’t. South surely had at least four diamonds. If his hand were K54,1076,KQ83,K97, he would test the hearts, then try the diamonds. That approach would lose only if East started with four diamonds and the ace of clubs.

An expert declarer might possibly lead a club to his king if he lacked the queen; West might duck, and even if he took the ace, he might not return a club. But that was too unlikely to cater to here.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S J 10 2 H 9 5 3 D Q 9 2 C 9 6 4 2. The dealer, at your left, opens one heart. Your partner doubles, you “advance” two clubs, and he jumps to three spades. What do you say?

ANSWER: If partner had bid two spades after doubling, he would show a hand worth at least 18 points. His actual sequence is stronger and urges you to bid game with any help at all. It’s close, but since you have spade support and a possibly useful queen, bid four spades.

North dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S A Q 3

H A K Q 8 4

D A 7 5

C 8 3

WEST

S 9 8 7 6

H J 2

D 10 6 4

C A J 10 5

EAST

S J 10 2

H 9 5 3

D Q 9 2

C 9 6 4 2

SOUTH

S K 5 4

H 10 7 6

D K J 8 3

C K Q 7

North East South West
1 H Pass 2 D Pass
2 S Pass 2 NT Pass
6 NT All Pass
Opening lead — S 9

©2023 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.