If you’re like many people, the stuff you put off doing until tomorrow got the same treatment yesterday. But it may be best to wait to draw trumps.
Today’s North-South bid well to five clubs. When North bid two spades, he couldn’t have spades; he showed club support and a hand much improved by South’s second bid.
West led a trump, and South promptly drew trumps. He took the A-K of hearts and ruffed a heart — and was in trouble when East showed out.
FIFTH HEART
Declarer returned a third trump to his hand and ruffed another heart to set up his fifth heart. He led a fourth trump to his hand and pitched dummy’s spade loser on the good heart, but then he lost three diamonds.
South succeeds if he starts the hearts at Trick Two: A-K, heart ruff with the queen of trumps, trump to his hand, heart ruff. He could return with a trump, discard dummy’s spade loser on his good fifth heart and lead a diamond. South would still have a trump in his hand to ruff dummy’s third diamond.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S 9 5 H A K J 5 2 D 10 6 C A K J 10. You open one heart, your partner responds two diamonds, you bid three clubs and he rebids three diamonds. What do you say?
ANSWER: Your three clubs was a “high reverse” and promised extra strength. Partner may have long diamonds but minimum values for a two-level response, but he might have a better hand. Raise to four diamonds. If partner cue-bids four spades next, you can bid six diamonds.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S A J
H 8 3
D J 7 2
C Q 6 5 4 3 2
WEST
S K 8 7 2
H Q 9 6 4
D A 9 5
C 9 8
EAST
S Q 10 6 4 3
H 10 7
D K Q 8 4 3
C 7
SOUTH
S 9 5
H A K J 5 2
D 10 6
C A K J 10
South West North East
1 H Pass 1 NT Pass
2 C Pass 2 S Pass
3 H Pass 5 C All Pass
Opening lead — C 9
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