Bridge: Oct. 2, 2024

When I watched today’s deal at my club, East-West were a dentist and a manicurist we call “Tooth and Nail” because that’s how they argue. How their partnership survives is a mystery.

Against four hearts, Nail led her singleton diamond, and Tooth took the ace and returned the deuce. Nail ruffed and led a club. Declarer won in dummy and led a trump to his ten. Tooth won the next trump and shifted to a spade, but South took the ace, drew trumps and claimed 10 tricks, pitching his last spade on a good diamond in dummy.

ARGUMENT

Then came the inevitable argument:

Nail: “Lead a spade at Trick Two to set up our fourth winner. When you have the ace of trumps, giving me a ruff can wait.”

Tooth: “Sure. And what if you have the king of trumps, not the king of spades?”

I have some sympathy for Tooth. Nail was more likely to lead from shortness if she had a possible trump re-entry. What is certain is that the partnership could have conducted a more empathetic postmortem.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S K J 7 4 3 H 7 3 D 8 C Q 10 8 4 2. Neither side vulnerable. Your partner opens one spade. The next player doubles. What do you say?

ANSWER: Bid four spades. If everyone passes and partner has a suitable minimum such as AQ952,84,A765,K5, he will take 10 tricks. Whether he makes or goes down, chances are that the opponents have a makeable contract or good sacrifice they might have found if you had made a lower bid.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S Q 10

H Q J 6 2

D K 10 9 6 5

C K 3

WEST

S K J 7 4 3

H 7 3

D 8

C Q 10 8 4 2

EAST

S 9 6 5 2

H A 9 8

D A 7 3 2

C J 5

SOUTH

S A 8

H K 10 5 4

D Q J 4

C A 9 7 6

South West North East
1 C Pass 1 D Pass
1 H Pass 3 H Pass
4 H All Pass
Opening lead — D 8

©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.