Bridge: May 15, 2024

Cy the Cynic’s former job, if ever he had one, is a mystery at my club.

“I think Cy was a project manager at some company,” Rose told me. “We were partners in a penny game, and after this deal, I heard him mutter, ‘Nothing gets a project started like an underestimate.'”

As West, Rose led the six of diamonds against 3NT. Declarer played dummy’s queen, and Cy took the king and did well to shift to a low spade: jack, king, deuce.

“I returned the ten,” Rose said, “and we forced out declarer’s ace. He had only eight tricks, and when he finessed in hearts, Cy won and cashed spades. Down two.”

DANGER

Cy’s post-deal remark was apt; South underestimated the danger of finessing in diamonds at Trick One. He must grab the ace, lead a club to his hand and finesse in hearts. The Cynic wins, but the defense can get only three diamonds besides.

South can’t lose by taking the ace of diamonds. No matter how the suit lies, East-West can’t win enough diamond tricks to beat 3NT.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S 6 2 H A Q 7 4 D A Q C A Q J 6 5. You open one club, your partner responds heart, you raise to four hearts and he then bids four spades. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your raise to game promised a hand worth about 20 points in support of hearts with four-card support. Your bid was not a “shutout;” your partner could (and did) bid again with slam interest. Since you have good trumps, aces and a source of tricks in clubs, bid six hearts.

North dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S 6 2

H A Q 7 4

D A Q

C A Q J 6 5

WEST

S K 10 8

H 10 8 5 2

D J 9 8 6

C 9 4

EAST

S Q 9 7 5 3

H K 9

D K 3 2

C 8 7 2

SOUTH

S A J 4

H J 6 3

D 10 7 5 4

C K 10 3

North East South West
1 C Pass 1 NT Pass
3 NT All Pass
Opening lead — D 6

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