Bridge: Feb. 20, 2024

“May your coffee be stronger than your teenage daughter’s attitude.” — graffiti

Among the types of defensive signals, “attitude” — suggesting whether you want a suit led or continued — takes precedence. Treat any signal as “attitude” if that interpretation is logical.

Today’s East-West had a disaster. First they sold out to four hearts — way too cheaply. Playing at spades, West could have won 12 tricks by picking off South’s king of clubs. Then against four hearts, West led his singleton diamond: king, eight, seven.

UNDERLEAD

Dummy led a trump next, and West took his ace and swiftly underled his A-Q of spades, hoping to give East the lead to get a diamond return. To his chagrin, South produced the king, drew trumps and made an overtrick.

West must not have been a fan of “attitude” since he gave his partner no chance to signal. West should duck the first trump and win the second. On that trick East signals with the nine of clubs, and West will know what to do.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S 10 5 4 3 2 H 5 D 10 9 8 C A J 9 8. The dealer, at your left, opens one heart, your partner bids one spade and the next player raises to two hearts. In today’s deal, East bid three spades (preemptive) with this hand. Do you agree with that action?

ANSWER: East didn’t do enough. With five cards in spades and a shapely hand, he should have bid four spades. (A call that might helpful to West would be four clubs, a “fit-showing jump.”)

South dealer

Both sides vulnerable

NORTH

S J 8

H Q 10 6 2

D K J 3

C 7 4 3 2

WEST

S A Q 9 7 6

H A 7 4

D 5

C Q 10 6 5

EAST

S 10 5 4 3 2

H 5

D 10 9 8

C A J 9 8

SOUTH

S K

H K J 9 8 3

D A Q 7 6 4 2

C K

South West North East
1 H 1 S 2 H 3 S
4 H All Pass(!)
Opening lead — D 5

©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.