Bridge

“If at first you don’t succeed,” said W.C. Fields, “try, try again. Then quit. There’s no use being a … fool about it.”

It may be better to quit if at first you do succeed. In today’s deal, South took the ace of spades, led a club to dummy and returned a trump to his queen. The finesse succeeded, but South didn’t know when to quit. He led a second club to dummy, returned a trump to his jack and drew trumps. South then had nine tricks – five trumps, one spade, two clubs and one ruff in dummy – but, alas, he had contracted for 12.

West could have made South’s task tougher by leading a high diamond. After a spade lead, South can lead a club to dummy at trick two, return a trump to his queen and cash the ace.

South next leads a second club to dummy, ruffs a club, ruffs a diamond and leads a good club. East can ruff with the king of trumps, but South discards his spade loser. He ruffs the spade return, ruffs a diamond in dummy and finishes the clubs.

Question: You hold {spade} J 10 9 3 {heart} 7 {diamond} A K J 10 8 3 {club} J 9. Your partner opens one heart, you bid two diamonds and he rebids two hearts. What do you say?

Answer: To pass might be a winning action, but your partner may have only five hearts, and an outside chance for game still exists. Bid three diamonds, suggesting long diamonds but minimum values for a response at the level of two. You can’t afford to try two spades instead: You would suggest more strength.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

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