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Cy the Cynic says that life is like riding a 10-speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use.
Against today’s four spades, West led the queen of hearts and continued with the jack. (A club shift, hard to find, might have been best.) South ruffed and led a trump to dummy’s ace, groaning when East discarded. South then took the K-Q of trumps and led the jack of diamonds for a finesse.
East produced the queen and shifted to a club. Declarer took the ace and tried to discard his losing club on a high diamond, but West ruffed the third diamond and cashed a club. Down one.
FINESSE
South was stuck in first gear: He simply relied on winning a finesse. After South takes the ace of trumps, he gains time by cashing the ace of diamonds and two more high trumps, then leading the king and a third diamond, disdaining a finesse.
When East wins and leads a club, South can take the ace and pitch his last club on dummy’s high diamond. He loses a heart, a diamond and a trump.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: None A 9 8 5 2 Q 6 4 2 Q 10 8 3. Your partner opens one heart. The next player passes. What do you say?
ANSWER: Bidding has two goals: to find a good contract and to deter the opponents from finding one. Bid four hearts to show a shapely hand with a big heart fit but limited strength. If everyone passes, partner may take 10 tricks. If he doesn’t, maybe the opponents could have made four spades if you had made it easier for them to bid.
North dealer
Both sides vulnerable
NORTH
A 4
K 7 6 4
A K 8 7
A 9 2
WEST
J 9 6 3
Q J 10
5 3
K J 6 5
EAST
None
A 9 8 5 2
Q 6 4 2
Q 10 8 3
SOUTH
K Q 10 8 7 5 2
3
J 10 9
7 4
North East South West
1 Pass 1 Pass
2 NT Pass 4 All Pass
Opening lead — Q AMX-2015-10-13T10:30:00-04:00
