Darkest Before Dawn
“I’ve got as much chance as a wooden-legged man playing wide receiver,” Unlucky Louie sighed. “No, I’ve got as much chance as a wooden-legged man in a forest fire.”
In a penny game, Louie held today’s sterling North hand. Luckily for him, South’s hand was as strong as a giant; South bid game with no encouragement from Louie.
| Dlr: South | ♠ 5 3 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Vul: E-W | ♥ 6 5 4 3 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ♦ 6 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ♣ 5 4 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ♠ 7 | ♠ K 10 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ♥ A 10 7 | ♥ K J 9 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ♦ J 10 9 8 4 | ♦ 7 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ♣ K J 10 6 | ♣ 9 8 7 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ♠ A Q J 9 8 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ♥ Q | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ♦ A K Q 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ♣ A Q | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Opening lead — ♦J Actually, Louie was doubly lucky since South was Ed, the club expert. West led the ♦J and Ed took the ace, king and queen and threw a club from dummy. Last ClubEast ruffed and led a club, and Ed rose with the ace, led his low diamond … and discarded dummy’s last club. He ruffed West’s club return in dummy, led a trump to his queen, drew East’s king with the ace and claimed. “I don’t know why you were complaining,” I told Louie. “Your hand won a trick.” I doubt I would have done as well as Ed. I might have tried to ruff my low diamond in dummy or started by leading the A-Q of trumps. Ed played as if he could see all 52 cards. Daily Question
You hold: Your partner opens 1♠, you respond 1NT, he bids 2♣ and you raise to 3♣ Partner bids 3♥. What do you say?
ANSWER
Your partner doesn’t have four hearts; he would have bid 2♥ at his second turn. He is trying for game and may have 5-3-1-4 or 5-3-0-5 pattern. Since your hand is suitable — you have little waste in diamonds — bid 5♣.
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