FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

LIBRARY CARDS

“My partner and I pushed our opponents to five hearts in a team match,” a club player told me, “but we slopped up the defense. We weren’t on the same page. We weren’t even in the same library.

“I led my singleton king of clubs,” my friend said. “North had bid clubs, so I didn’t expect to score my king, and since I had the ace of trumps as a re-entry, I hoped to get a ruff. Declarer took dummy’s ace, and my partner played the deuce.”

Diamond Loser

“Dummy led a trump next, and I won and led a spade. We’d bid and raised spades, after all. South won, drew trumps and lost a diamond at the end. I thought partner’s deuce of clubs discouraged clubs and therefore encouraged the suit we had bid. He says I lost my mind.” When West has clearly led a singleton and is seeking a ruff, East’s play should be “suit preference,” telling West what to lead if he gets back in. The deuce of clubs, East’s lowest, asked for a shift to the low-ranking side suit. West must lead a diamond at Trick Three.

Daily Question

You hold: ♠ Q 6 3 ♥ K J 7 2 ♦ 6 ♣ A Q J 7 4. You open one club. Your partner bids one spade. What do you say?

Answer: A rebid of two clubs would suggest a six-card suit, and a bid of two hearts would be a strength-showing “reverse,” so you must reject both of those calls. Bid two spades. To raise a major-suit response with three-card support in an otherwise suitable hand is desirable. Partner may have five spades; he did not respond in a red suit.

North dealer

N-S vulnerable