Bridge: March 4, 2024
When I watched today’s deal in my club’s penny game, Cy the Cynic was about 2000 points in the hole. He blasted into six diamonds, hoping to get back to even. West led a trump, and Cy drew trumps and cashed five hearts, pitching his low clubs. At the eighth trick, he led a club from dummy, and East played low.
Cy grimaced, consulted the ceiling … and played the jack. West took the queen and returned a club for down one.
“Just a guess,” Cy shrugged.
TRICK TWO
“Lead dummy’s king of spades at Trick Two,” I advised. “When East doesn’t cover, you can place the ace with West — and the ace of clubs with East. West would not have led a trump with two aces.”
“Baloney,” the Cynic growled.
“You wouldn’t lead an ace against a slam if you had two of them?” I persisted.
“Not if I thought one would be ruffed, which is a lock on the bidding.”
Cy was being his cynical self. Declarer has nothing to lose by executing a “discovery” play to try to place the missing aces.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S K J H A K J 5 2 D K 10 9 8 C 6 3. You open one heart, your partner responds 1NT, you bid two diamonds and he bids two spades. The opponents pass. What do you say?
ANSWER: If partner had spades, he would have responded one spade. His bid suggests a big diamond fit and spade strength — a hand too strong for a chance-giving raise to three diamonds. Bid five diamonds. A typical hand for partner is A74,3,A76542,J52.
North dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S K J
H A K J 5 2
D K 10 9 8
C 6 3
WEST
S A 9 7 4 2
H 10 6 4 3
D 3 2
C Q 10
EAST
S Q 10 8 6 5 3
H 9 8
D 6
C A 7 5 4
SOUTH
S None
H Q 7
D A Q J 7 5 4
C K J 9 8 2
North East South West
1 H Pass 2 D Pass
3 D Pass 6 D All Pass
Opening lead — D 2
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