Bridge: Dec. 4, 2023

“I heard that the meteorologist who invented the wind-chill factor died,” Cy the Cynic told me.

“How old was he?”

“He was 82,” Cy said, “but felt like he was only 74.”

Cy was declarer at four hearts in a penny game, and his play got a chilly reception from his partner. When West led a diamond, Cy took the ace, unblocked his A-K of clubs and led the king of trumps: five, deuce, six.

East won the next trump and led the queen of spades. Cy took dummy’s ace and discarded a spade on the queen of clubs, but West ruffed, and the defense cashed two spades. Down one.

“You booted a cold game,” North said frostily.

SECOND TRUMP

After Cy takes his high clubs, he can play a low spade from both hands. Then if East leads the ace and a second trump, Cy can draw trumps, winning five trumps in his hand, a diamond, a spade and three clubs.

If instead East returns a spade, Cy takes the ace, ruffs a diamond and ruffs a spade in dummy. Nor can East prevail by leading a club.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S A 5 H 4 2 D A 9 8 5 C Q 8 7 5 3. Your side is vulnerable. The dealer, at your left, opens three spades. Your partner doubles. The next player passes. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner has a hand worth at least 17 points. You can surely beat three spades, but a vulnerable game will pay more. A contract of five clubs might succeed, but bid 3NT. If partner passes, and the opening lead is a spade, you can hope to hold up your ace effectively.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S A 5

H 4 2

D A 9 8 5

C Q 8 7 5 3

WEST

S K 10 8 2

H 8 7 5

D Q 10 6 2

C 6 4

EAST

S Q J 9

H A 6

D K J 7 4

C J 10 9 2

SOUTH

S 7 6 4 3

H K Q J 10 9 3

D 3

C A K

South West North East
1 H Pass 1 NT Pass
2 H Pass 2 NT Pass
4 H All Pass
Opening lead — D 2

©2023 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.