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“I know you won’t talk about your former job,” I said to Cy the Cynic, “but I’ll bet your colleagues were smart people.”
“They were like Christmas lights,” Cy sniffed. “Half weren’t too bright, and the other half didn’t work at all.”
Cy regards bridge partners the same way. Cy was today’s North, and at 6NT South took the queen of diamonds and started the hearts. When West won the third heart and led a second diamond to dummy, South had a problem: Should he pitch a club or the jack of spades on the third high diamond? Since a winning finesse was more likely than a 3-3 club break, South threw a club and then led a spade to his jack. Down he went, and Cy was irate.
HIGH CLUBS
“Take your high clubs before you attack the hearts,” the Cynic grumbled. “When clubs break 3-3, you’ll know you won’t need the spade finesse.”
“What if a defender has the ace of hearts and four clubs?” South retorted.
I can empathize with South, but I like the play Cy proposed. (South could start with two rounds of hearts in case the ace fell.)
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S 9 8 5 H K J 6 D A K 7 2 C 5 3 2. The dealer, at your left, opens one spade. Your partner doubles, and the next player passes. What do you say?
ANSWER: You must not settle for a response of two diamonds when you have 11 good points. Game is possible. Jump to three diamonds. You would prefer longer diamonds — partner may bid 3NT next, hoping you have a better source of winners — but you have no option.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S 9 8 5
H K J 6
D A K 7 2
C 5 3 2
WEST
S Q 7 4
H A 7 4
D J 10 9 8
C 10 8 4
EAST
S 10 6 3 2
H 5 3 2
D 6 5 3
C J 9 7
SOUTH
S A K J
H Q 10 9 8
D Q 4
C A K Q 6
South West North East
2 NT Pass 6 NT All Pass
Opening lead — D J
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BC-stewart-bridge 12/21 TCA
