Bridge: May 1, 2019

I’ve heard maturity defined as having your second thoughts first. In bridge terms … don’t touch a card until you consider your play.

Today’s West led a diamond against 3NT, and South betrayed a lack of maturity when he promptly finessed with the queen. East won and shifted to the ten of spades, a “surrounding play” that trapped dummy’s nine.

South’s jack covered, and West won and returned a spade. The defense forced out South’s ace, and when he tried for a ninth trick by finessing in hearts, East took the king and three more spades.

SPADE SHIFT

South should have had second thoughts. No matter how the East-West diamonds lay, he could lose no more than three diamonds if he took the ace. But if East had the king, the danger of a spade shift was clear.

South must grab the first diamond, lead a club to his hand and return a heart to dummy’s queen. East wins, cashes the king of diamonds and leads a third diamond for West to take the nine and jack, but South has the rest.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S 9 2 H A Q 7 4 D A Q C A Q J 6 5. You open one club, your partner responds one spade, you bid two hearts and he returns to three clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your two hearts was a “reverse” that promised substantial extra strength. (How much strength depends on your partnership style.) Your partner expects you to bid again; he may have a good hand and plans to bid a lot more. But in case a game contract is your limit, bid 3NT.

North dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S 9 2

H A Q 7 4

D A Q

C A Q J 6 5

WEST

S K 7 6

H 10 8 5 2

D J 9 8 6

C 9 4

EAST

S Q 10 8 5 3

H K 9

D K 3 2

C 8 7 2

SOUTH

S A J 4

H J 6 3

D 10 7 5 4

C K 10 3

North East South West

1 C Pass 1 NT Pass

3 NT All Pass

Opening lead — D 6

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