Bridge: March 9, 2024

The double by today’s North was “negative,” showing four spades. (With five or more, he would bid one spade.) South then branded himself as a notrump hog by jumping to 2NT. North raised.

West led a heart: deuce, queen, ace. Declarer next led the ace and a low diamond, and West won and got out with a club. South then led another diamond. He hoped for a 3-3 break, but East took the jack and queen and led a heart for West to cash the jack and king. Down one.

BIZARRE

The auction was merely bizarre. If South cue-bids two hearts at his second turn, North-South might reach a makeable six clubs. But South’s play at 3NT was wrong.

After winning the first trick, South takes the K-Q of clubs. When East-West follow, South unblocks his ace of spades, overtakes the jack of clubs with the ace and leads the queen of spades. West can win and lead the king of diamonds, but South wins and leads his deuce of clubs to dummy’s five. He has three spades, four clubs, a diamond and a heart.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S K 6 5 2 H K J 8 5 3 D K 2 C 9 6. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart and he bids one spade. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your hand is worth inviting game. Raise to three spades, which partner should treat as invitational. If your hand were AQ52,KJ853,K2,96, you would bid four spades yourself. With J652,KJ853,K2,96, you would raise to two spades as a chance-giving action since partner could have as many as 18 points.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S Q J 10 9

H 10 7 6 2

D 6

C A 5 4 3

WEST

S K 6 5 2

H K J 8 5 3

D K 2

C 9 6

EAST

S 8 7 4 3

H Q 4

D Q J 10 5

C 10 8 7

SOUTH

S A

H A 9

D A 9 8 7 4 3

C K Q J 2

South West North East
1 D 1 H Dbl Pass
2 NT(!) Pass 3 NT All Pass
Opening lead — H 5

©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.