“My partner runs meetings at his company,” a club player told me. “If he starts a postmortem with ‘First of all,’ I want to run for my life. He has research data and a PowerPoint presentation ready to unleash on me.”
My friend had played at four spades. West led a heart: deuce, queen, ace.
“I led a trump to dummy,” South said, “and a diamond to my queen, losing. The defense took two hearts and led a club, forcing out dummy’s ace, and I lost a club.”
UNLUCKY
“I thought I was unlucky, but partner didn’t. He said ‘First of all’ … and produced a mathematical analysis on a handy legal pad. Luckily for me, PowerPoint wasn’t available.”
South’s 50-50 diamond finesse wasn’t best. He must take the ace at Trick Two, then lead the queen. West wins, and the defenders cash two hearts and lead a club to dummy’s ace. South ruffs a diamond, leads a trump to dummy’s ten and ruffs a diamond. He can draw trumps with the A-K and take the good fifth diamond. His chances exceed 80 percent.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S K 10 3 H 8 3 2 D 8 7 5 4 2 C A 3. The dealer, at your left, opens one heart. Your partner doubles, and you bid two diamonds. The opening bidder rebids two hearts, and your partner tries two spades. What do you say?
ANSWER: If your partner had a merely good hand with spade length, he would have overcalled one spade at his first turn. By doubling before bidding a suit, he promises at least 17 points. If you trust him, bid four spades.
West dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S K 10 3
H 8 3 2
D 8 7 5 4 2
C A 3
WEST
S 6 5 4
H J 9 7 4
D K 10
C K 8 7 6
EAST
S 2
H K Q 10
D J 9 6 3
C Q 10 9 4 2
SOUTH
S A Q J 9 8 7
H A 6 5
D A Q
C J 5
West North East South
Pass Pass Pass 1 S
Pass 2 S Pass 4 S
All Pass
Opening lead — H 4
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