“I play bridge with my wife,” one fan writes, “when she can’t find anyone else. I told him that you often write about learning from your mistakes – and I do a lot of that.
My fan was declaring four hearts. West led two clubs.
“I took the ace,” my fan wrote, “and led a trump. East captured dummy’s queen and ruled a large club. I cut, but West overtook and led a dive. When East won, he was managing another club and I was stuck. No matter what I did, West would gain another trump card for a down.
THREE CLUBS
“My wife blamed me for not passing the three East clubs; it would double and we would break the contract. Then she blamed me for falling short of four hearts.
“I told my wife that you have to accept mistakes. She got up from the table and gave me a big hug.
I can’t blame South for bidding four hearts, but when East leads a high club to the Third Trick, South has to get rid of his spade queen. He cuts the next club, and although the West may outperform, the South has the rest.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: SKJ 5 2 HQDAKJC 10 7 5 4 3. Your partner opens a diamond, you respond two clubs, he raises two diamonds and you try two spades. The partner then offers three clubs. What do you say?
ANSWER: Partner’s bids are not encouraging, but you should have a game. Offer three diamonds. Since you have already made two strong offers, the partner should view this offer as forcing. He should bid five diamonds with a hand such as A7,765,Q109652,AQ.
East Dealer
BORN. vulnerable
NORTH
SKJ5 2
HQ
DAKJ
C 10 7 5 4 3
WEST
S 10 9 8 7 4
H 10 8 7 3
D 7 4 2
C2
EAST
SA 6 3
HA
D 8 5 3
CKQJ 9 8 6
SOUTH
S.Q.
HKJ9 6 5 4 2
QD 10 9 6
California
East South West North
1 C 1 H Pass 2 C
3 C 4 H Pass for all
Opening lead — C 2
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