Unfamiliar Terms

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“I heard you joined a gym,” I said to Cy the Cynic, who is still battling his weight. “Are you going?”
“The gym and I never got to be on familiar terms,” Cy growled. “I had to call it ‘James’ or ‘Mr. Nasium.'”

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

Opening lead — ♦K
Cy is too lazy to work out — or to plan as declarer. Against Cy’s 4♠, West led the ♦K, and the Cynic took the ace and returned a diamond. West led a third diamond, forcing dummy to ruff.
Cy next took the A-K of trumps, cashed the ♥A K and ruffed a heart. When West discarded, Cy led a club to the ace and a club to his queen. He lost two clubs, a trump and a diamond.

First Diamond

Cy’s play was lazy. He must duck the first diamond, win the second and cash the top trumps. Cy next takes the ♥A K, ruffs a heart, ruffs his last diamond in dummy and ruffs a heart. (If West could overruff, it wouldn’t help him.)
Cy can then lead a club to the ace and pitch a club on the good, fifth heart. He loses only one club and makes game.

Daily Question

You hold: ♠10 9 6 ♥A K 9 5 3 ♦J 10   ♣A 4 2.
You open 1♥, your partner responds 1♠, you raise to 2♠ and he next bids 3♦. What do you say?

ANSWER
Partner’s 3♦ will usually be a try for game. Since your hand is a minimum, you can’t cooperate. Bid 3♥ to deny four-card spade support and game interest. Some players would have bid 1NT over 1♠, but to raise with this hand was defensible.