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“I’ve got as much chance as a wooden-legged man playing wide receiver,” Unlucky Louie sighed. “No, I’ve got as much chance as a wooden-legged man in a forest fire.”
In a penny game, Louie held today’s sterling North hand. Luckily for him, South’s hand was as strong as a giant; South bid game with no encouragement from Louie.
| Dlr: South |
♠ 5 3 2 |
|
| Vul: E-W |
♥ 6 5 4 3 2 |
|
|
♦ 6 2 |
|
|
♣ 5 4 2 |
|
| ♠ 7 |
|
♠ K 10 6 |
| ♥ A 10 7 |
|
♥ K J 9 8 |
| ♦ J 10 9 8 4 |
|
♦ 7 5 |
| ♣ K J 10 6 |
|
♣ 9 8 7 3 |
|
♠ A Q J 9 8 4 |
|
|
♥ Q |
|
|
♦ A K Q 3 |
|
|
♣ A Q |
|
|
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| 2♣ |
Pass |
2♦ |
Pass |
| 2♠ |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
| 3♦ |
Pass |
3♠ |
Pass |
| 4♠ |
All Pass |
|
|
Opening lead — ♦J
Actually, Louie was doubly lucky since South was Ed, the club expert. West led the ♦J and Ed took the ace, king and queen and threw a club from dummy.
Last Club
East ruffed and led a club, and Ed rose with the ace, led his low diamond … and discarded dummy’s last club. He ruffed West’s club return in dummy, led a trump to his queen, drew East’s king with the ace and claimed.
“I don’t know why you were complaining,” I told Louie. “Your hand won a trick.”
I doubt I would have done as well as Ed. I might have tried to ruff my low diamond in dummy or started by leading the A-Q of trumps. Ed played as if he could see all 52 cards.
Daily Question
You hold:
♠ 7
♥ A 10 7
♦ J 10 9 8 4
♣ K J 10 6
Your partner opens 1♠, you respond 1NT, he bids 2♣ and you raise to 3♣ Partner bids 3♥. What do you say?
ANSWER Your partner doesn’t have four hearts; he would have bid 2♥ at his second turn. He is trying for game and may have 5-3-1-4 or 5-3-0-5 pattern. Since your hand is suitable — you have little waste in diamonds — bid 5♣.
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