Bridge: Nov. 30, 2023

Cy the Cynic constantly battles his weight. We urge him to go to a gym or at least jog, but he is resistant.

“I’m in a `Fitness Protection Program’” Cy shrugs.

Cy won’t even exercise caution. In my club’s penny game, Cy played at today’s six spades. He won the first club with the ace and saw that with normal breaks in the majors, he could make an overtrick. Cy took the ace of trumps, then led the A-K of hearts. If East-West followed, Cy would ruff a third heart with dummy’s queen of trumps, draw trumps and claim.

DOWN ONE

Alas, East ruffed the king of hearts and returned a trump. The Cynic won … and West discarded. Cy ruffed a heart with the queen of trumps and drew trumps, but he had to lose a heart to West.

After Cy takes the ace of hearts, he should cautiously lead a low heart. West wins and leads, say, a diamond. Cy takes dummy’s ace, leads a trump to his hand, ruffs a heart with the queen of trumps and draws trumps. Then he can run the hearts for 12 tricks.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S Q 7 6 2 H 10 2 D A J 10 6 3 C A K. Your partner opens one spade, and you respond 2NT, an artificial forcing raise. Partner then bids three diamonds. What do you say?

ANSWER: In conjunction with your 2NT, partner’s bid of a new

suit shows a singleton there. The idea is to help you judge whether you have useful honors. Since your ace of diamonds is “working” (the K-Q would be “wasted”), you can encourage slam. Cue-bid four clubs.

South dealer

E-W vulnerable

NORTH

S Q 7 6 2

H 10 2

D A J 10 6 3

C A K

WEST

S 4

H Q J 8 7

D 9 7 2

C Q J 10 7 3

EAST

S 9 8 5 3

H 4

D K Q 8 5

C 9 6 5 2

SOUTH

S A K J 10

H A K 9 6 5 3

D 4

C 8 4

South West North East
1 H Pass 2 D Pass
2 S Pass 3 S Pass
4 S Pass 6 S All Pass
Opening lead — C Q

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