Bridge: Sept. 18, 2023

Cy the Cynic allows that it’s better to give than to receive. Then you don’t have to bother with exchanging the gifts you got.

In today’s deal, South’s leap to four spades bought the contract, and West led his singleton ace of clubs. East diagnosed the lead and followed with the deuce, his lowest club as a suit-preference signal to show a possible entry in diamonds, the low-ranking side suit.

West duly shifted to a diamond. South took dummy’s ace and led a trump to his ace, declining a finesse since West had opened the bidding. But West won the next trump, led a diamond to East and ruffed the club return. Down one.

CLUB RUFF

The danger of a club ruff was clear, so South couldn’t let East win a trick before all the trumps were drawn. South should have exchanged one loser for another.

At Trick Three South must lead dummy’s king of hearts and discard his last diamond — a loser on a loser. East can never get in, and South loses only one more trick to West’s high trump.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S K 9 3 H A 9 7 3 2 D Q 8 5 3 C A. You open one heart, and your partner bids one spade. What do you say?

ANSWER: You have a minimum opening bid, worth only one more constructive move. Use it to support partner: Raise to two spades. Say you bid two diamonds instead, and he returns to two hearts or bids 2NT. You must pass, never having shown spade tolerance. True, partner’s spades may be poor, but then no good contract may be available.

West dealer

Both sides vulnerable

NORTH

S 8 6

H K 10 8 5 4

D A 10 4

C 10 7 4

WEST

S K 9 3

H A 9 7 3 2

D Q 8 5 3

C A

EAST

S 5

H Q J 6

D K 9 7 6

C 9 6 5 3 2

SOUTH

S A Q J 10 7 4 2

H None

D J 2

C K Q J 8

West North East South
1 H Pass 2 H 4 S
All Pass
Opening lead — C A

©2023 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.