Bridge: May 13, 2019

“People may insist that it’s never too late,” Cy the Cynic said to me, “but sometimes it is — and you may have to wait a few days before it isn’t.”

Cy’s fatalistic attitude derives from deals such as today’s, where he became declarer at 3NT. West led the queen of spades, and Cy promptly won with the king, unblocked dummy’s A-K-J of diamonds and led a heart to his jack. West played low.

The Cynic cashed his queen of diamonds and led another heart, but West played low again. He won the third heart and led another spade, and Cy couldn’t score dummy’s high heart and took only eight tricks.

FIRST TRICK

Maybe it’s never too late, but it was in this deal after Cy played hastily to the first trick. He must win with the ace of spades in his hand.

Cy then takes dummy’s high diamonds and leads a heart to his jack. West can duck, but Cy cashes the queen of diamonds and forces out the ace of hearts. He can win the next spade in dummy and take the good heart for his ninth trick.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S K 4 H K Q 5 3 D A K J C Q J 7 3. The dealer, at your right, opens one spade. You double, and your partner bids two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: You have 19 points, and your king of spades and jack of diamonds, located behind the opening bidder, may be winners. Still, your partner had to respond to your double and may have zilch. Raise to three hearts, a strong bid in this sequence. If he has a few values, he should bid game.

West dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S K 4

H K Q 5 3

D A K J

C Q J 7 3

WEST

S Q J 10 8 7

H A 6 4

D 9 6

C A K 5

EAST

S 6 5 2

H 9 8 7

D 10 8 7 3

C 9 8 2

SOUTH

S A 9 3

H J 10 2

D Q 5 4 2

C 10 6 4

West North East South

1 S Dbl Pass 1 NT

Pass 3 NT All Pass

Opening lead — S Q

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