Procrastination Pays


frs1016@centurylink.net
Cy the Cynic is a confirmed procrastinator. When I asked Cy to write down his top-10 list of reasons for procrastinating, he produced this:
10.

Dlr: South ♠ K 10 5
Vul: N-S 8 5 3
A 5 4
♣ A K 7 2
♠ 8 7 2 ♠ 9 6
A J 9 4 10 6
K Q 10 9 8 6 3 2
♣ J 9 5 ♣ Q 10 6 4
♠ A Q J 4 3
K Q 7 2
J 7
♣ 8 3
South West North East
1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass
2 Pass 3♠ Pass
4♠ All Pass

Opening lead — K
Cy’s tendency to delay often pays off when he is declarer at a suit contract and must decide when to draw trumps. When the Cynic played today’s 4♠ in a team match, West led the K. Cy took the ace and correctly did not draw any trumps: He led a heart to his king at Trick Two.
West took the ace, cashed the Q and led the 10. The Cynic ruffed, led a club to dummy, returned a second heart to his queen and conceded the third heart.

Heart Return

East showed out, but Cy ruffed West’s heart return with dummy’s king of trumps and took the rest. Making four.
At the other table, South did less well at the same contract. He took the A, but next he drew trumps and led a heart to his king. As the cards lay, he had to lose three hearts and a diamond.

Daily Question

You hold: ♠K 10 5  8 5 3 A 5 4    ♣A K 7 2.
The dealer, at your right, opens 1. What do you say?

ANSWER
This is a matter of personal style. The hand is good for defense, not so good for offense because the pattern is flat. Some experts would pass. But with no wasted heart honors (better for defense), others would double. If the opening bid had been 1♠, I would pass. Over 1, I can accept either a pass or a double.