Bridge

By Frank Stewart
Thursday, November 27, 2008

"We were overwhelming underdogs." -- Yogi Berra, after his New York Mets were swept by the mighty Dodgers. Today's South landed at a game that looked like more than a mere underdog, and South soon confirmed that the contract was indeed hopeless. East led the queen of diamonds at the second trick, and South won, led a spade to his hand and returned a trump to dummy's queen. East took the ace, and the defense got another trump and another club.

Do you see any hope for 10 tricks?

GOOD LUCK

With a little luck, South can make East's second trump trick vanish. At Trick Three South concedes a club. He wins East's diamond return, ruffs a club, leads a spade to dummy, ruffs a diamond, leads a spade to dummy and returns a diamond. East discards -- to ruff won't help -- and South ruffs and leads a third spade to dummy.

With three tricks left, South has K-9-8 of trumps, and dummy has Q-5 of trumps and a club. Dummy leads the club, and the defenders can get only one more trick!

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S A K J H Q 5 D A K 8 5 C 8 7 5 4. Your partner opens one heart, and the next player jumps to three clubs (preemptive). You try three diamonds, and partner rebids three hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: This is a tough problem. Your hand has too much slam potential to settle for a raise to four hearts, and that might not even be your best game contract anyhow. Bid three spades, hoping to make a better decision after you hear partner bid once more.

East dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S A K J

H Q 5

D A K 8 5

C 8 7 5 4

WEST

S 8 7 2

H 10 7

D 9 6 4 2

C 10 9 3 2

EAST

S 10 9 6 3

H A J 6

D Q J 10

C A K J

SOUTH

S Q 5 4

H K 9 8 4 3 2

D 7 3

C Q 6

East South West North

1 NT Pass Pass Dbl

Pass 3 H Pass 4 H

All Pass

Opening lead -- C 2

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