Bridge: Feb. 20, 2023
“I think you must be a slow learner, child,” the Queen of Diamonds told Alice as the players at the Mad Hatter’s took a tea break. “You should know by now that losing a trick can be better than winning one.”
“I was not so taught, your majesty,” Alice said wearily.
“You’re as bad as my cousin the Queen of Hearts, who can’t abide being captured. Deal the cards.”
Alice dealt and played at six spades. Her jump to five spades asked North to go on if he had a control in diamonds, the unbid suit. West led the deuce of diamonds, and when dummy played low, East took the king.
UNBLOCK
Alice was about to follow mechanically with the four when she felt the Queen of Diamonds’ gaze. So Alice unblocked her queen. She won East’s heart shift, led a diamond to dummy’s ten and threw her ace of clubs on the ace of diamonds. Alice then pitched two hearts on the K-Q of clubs, picked up the trumps with a finesse and claimed.
Unless declarer gets rid of her queen of diamonds, she fails.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S J 6 3 H 9 4 2 D A 10 6 C K Q J 5. The dealer, at your left, opens one heart. Your partner doubles. The next player passes. What do you say?
ANSWER: Game is likely; partner has opening values or more with support for the unbid suits (or maybe a strong hand with a suit he plans to bid). Jump to three clubs. You would prefer a longer suit since partner will often try 3NT next, but you would bid two clubs with no points at all.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S J 6 3
H 9 4 2
D A 10 6
C K Q J 5
WEST
S 4
H Q 10 6 5
D J 9 5 2
C 10 8 6 3
EAST
S K 8 7
H 8 7
D K 8 7 3
C 9 7 4 2
SOUTH
S A Q 10 9 5 2
H A K J 3
D Q 4
C A
South West North East
1 S Pass 2 C Pass
2 H Pass 2 S Pass
5 S Pass 6 S All Pass
Opening lead — D 2
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