Bridge: April 17, 2024

“My husband’s passions are bridge and fishing,” a club player told me. “It’s a mystery how he can sit in a boat for hours waiting for a bite, but when we play bridge he has no patience at all.”

She was today’s East, and her husband led a heart against six spades. Declarer took the ace and led a trump to his king, and West took the ace and led another heart: jack, queen, ruff.

“South cashed one high trump,” East said, “then took the top diamonds, ruffed a diamond, led a club to his jack and ruffed a diamond. He returned a club to his king, drew the missing trump and won the last two tricks with good diamonds. I think my hubby should stick to fishing.”

FIRST TRUMP

West swallowed the bait when he won the first trump. He must let South’s king win.

If South leads a second trump. West wins and leads a third trump. South can ruff only one diamond in dummy and loses a diamond. If South tries to set up the diamonds without leading a second trump, East scores her nine of trumps.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S 8 7 6 4 H A J 10 3 2 D 10 C A Q 10. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart and he bids two clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: This problem is difficult; you have enough values to invite game but no good invitational call. Some experts might try 2NT despite the lack of a spade stopper; others might stretch to bid two spades, forcing to game. I would choose a raise to three clubs, pretending I have four-card support.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S 8 7 6 4

H A J 10 3 2

D 10

C A Q 10

WEST

S A 3 2

H 7 6 5

D Q 9 8 4

C 9 5 2

EAST

S 9 5

H K Q 9 8

D 7 3

C 8 7 6 4 3

SOUTH

S K Q J 10

H 4

D A K J 6 5 2

C K J

South West North East
1 D Pass 1 H Pass
1 S Pass 3 S Pass
4 NT Pass 5 H Pass
6 S All Pass
Opening lead — H 7

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