Procrastination Pays

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frs1016@centurylink.net
Unlucky Louie is a busy man: He has a big family, business interests and hobbies aside from bridge. Yet he shows up at my club on most days.
“I don’t see how you cram it all into one life,” I said.
“The only thing I can seem to find time for,” Louie admitted, “is procrastination.”
Louie would do well to procrastinate as declarer. He plays first and thinks later. Against today’s 4♥, West led the K-A and a low diamond, and Louie ruffed East’s 10 and promptly took the A-K of trumps. When West discarded, Louie was doomed: He lost a trump to East’s queen plus a spade.
How would you handle the contract?

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

Opening lead — ♦K

Club Ruff

South makes 4♥ if he procrastinates in trumps. After he ruffs the third diamond, he can take the ♣A K and ♠K A, ruff his last club and ruff dummy’s last diamond. At the 10th trick, South exits with a spade.
Both dummy and declarer are left with three trumps, and with a defender to lead, declarer is sure to win the rest.

Daily Question

You hold:
♠ K 10 6
♥ K J 7 6
♦ 9 5 4 2
♣ A K
You open 1♦, your partner responds1♠, you bid 1NT and he tries 2♥. What do you say?

ANSWER
In “Standard” methods, partner’s two hearts is not forcing or encouraging, but since you have so many working cards, game is possible. He may have
♠ A J 7 5 4
♥ A 10 5 4
♦ 3
♣ 8 7 6
Bid 3♥. Most experienced partnerships have bidding methods that better handle situations such as this.