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Cy the Cynic has gone through dozens of partners but is never happy. He’s like the lonely pyromaniac: always looking for the perfect match.
As today’s West, Cy led his singleton heart against 4♠. East took the ace and, diagnosing the lead as a singleton, returned a heart. Cy ruffed and led a diamond, but declarer won and led a trump. East’s ace won the defenders’ last trick. South won the diamond return, drew trumps and threw two clubs on dummy’s good hearts.
“Time for a new partner,” Cy growled.
| Dlr: North | ♠ K 10 7 5 | |||||||||||||||||
| Vul: N-S | ♥ J 10 6 4 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| ♦ A Q | ||||||||||||||||||
| ♣ A 10 | ||||||||||||||||||
| ♠ 8 6 | ♠ A 9 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| ♥ 5 | ♥ A 9 8 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| ♦ 10 6 5 4 3 | ♦ J 9 7 | |||||||||||||||||
| ♣ K J 7 5 4 | ♣ 9 8 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| ♠ Q J 4 3 | ||||||||||||||||||
| ♥ K Q 7 | ||||||||||||||||||
| ♦ K 8 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
| ♣ Q 6 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Opening lead — ♥5
Club Trick
Perfect partners don’t exist. I know Cy’s partners have never had one. But East erred. East can see a heart ruff plus his two aces, but the defense will also need a club trick — and must establish it before South can draw trumps and discard on the hearts.
East must assume that Cy has the ♣K J and lead a club at trick two. Since East has the ace of trumps, and the bidding suggests that South has only a four-card spade suit, Cy’s ruff can wait.
Daily Question
You hold:
♠ K 10 7 5
♥ J 10 6 4 2
♦ A Q
♣ A 10
Your partner opens 1♦, you respond 1♥, he bids 2♣ and you try ♠. Partner next bids 3♦. What do you say?