Bridge

For a holiday gift, you might try "A Great Deal of Bridge Problems" by prolific author Julian Pottage. This huge book of play problems offers hours of entertainment.

In today's deal, West leads the queen of clubs against 3NT, and declarer wins and counts eight tricks. If he goes after the diamonds, the defenders may set up West's clubs first, so South instead leads the A-K and a low spade. Alas, West discards on the third spade, and South is sure to fail.

CLUB LENGTH

Pottage notes that South's play in spades was questionable. Since West has length in clubs, his hand is likely to be short in spades. A singleton or doubleton ten or nine is a likely holding, so South should lead the jack from dummy at Trick Two.

East's queen covers, and South takes the A-K. When West's nine falls, South forces out East's ten to set up dummy's eight.

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DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S Q 10 5 4 H 10 9 8 4 2 D K Q C 7 4. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart and he bids one spade. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your partner did not jump at his second turn, hence he has fewer than 19 points and may have only 12. Nevertheless, game remains possible, especially since you have two honors in partner's first suit. Raise to two spades. If he tries again with three spades, you'll play the optimist and go on to game.

West dealer

N-S vulnerable