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Consult, v. — “To seek another’s approval for a course of action already decided upon.” — Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”.
| Dlr: West | ♠ 7 5 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Vul: None | ♥ Q 9 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ♦ Q 6 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ♣ 7 5 4 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ♠ Q 10 9 6 2 | ♠ K 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ♥ 10 6 3 | ♥ J 8 5 4 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ♦ 10 9 7 | ♦ K 5 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ♣ 9 6 | ♣ 10 8 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ♠ A J 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ♥ A K | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ♦ A J 8 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ♣ A K Q J | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Opening lead — ♠10
Players often ask me to settle arguments. Against today’s 3NT, West had led the ♠10: four, king, ace. Declarer then tried to sneak through the ♦J. That ploy worked none too well when East took the king and led his last spade. West ran the spades for down one.
“Declarer should duck two spades and win the third,” the player who had been dummy contended. “Then he can lead the ♦J. East has no more spades, so declarer is safe.”
Cold Game
“Sure,” sneered the South player. “And if West has the ♦K, I go down at a cold game.”
Who was right?
As you might expect, nobody. South should win the second spade, cash four clubs and the ♥A K, and exit with the ♠J. After West takes three spades, he must lead a heart to dummy’s queen or a diamond to South’s A-J, conceding the ninth trick.
Daily Question
You hold:
♠K 8
♥J 8 5 4 2
♦K 5 2
♣10 8 2
Your partner opens 1♠, you respond 1NT and he bids 2♦. What do you say?