Bridge: July 31, 2024

“We have a pair of animals, male and female, of every kind on board,” Noah’s wife reportedly said to him on the Ark. “Why do we have two pairs of gnus?”

“We needed two,” Noah explained. “They’re the good gnus and the bad gnus.”

At today’s 6NT, East took the ace of spades and led a heart, and declarer won in his hand and led the queen of clubs. The good news: West’s king covered, and when South took dummy’s ace and returned a club to his nine, the finesse won. The bad news: West discarded on the second club, and East was sure of a club trick.

DISTRIBUTION

Before committing himself in clubs, South must try to count the defenders’ distribution. He takes his tricks in the other suits, ending in his hand. South will find that West had six spades, three hearts and three diamonds, hence only one club.

South has one chance: He must hope West has the singleton king of clubs. So South leads a low club at the 10th trick, and the sight of West’s king will be exceedingly good news.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S Q 5 4 H K Q 6 D K 9 3 C A 6 4 2. Your partner opens one spade, and the next player passes. What do you say?

ANSWER: A natural and forcing 2NT response would be quite descriptive, but many pairs treat that bid as a conventional forcing raise. They would have to respond two clubs (or perhaps a super-heavy forcing 1NT, as per their system). Some experts have come to believe that the natural 2NT response is too valuable a bid to give up.

North dealer

Neither side vulnerable

NORTH

S Q 5 4

H K Q 6

D K 9 3

C A 6 4 2

WEST

S 10 9 8 7 6 2

H 10 8 4

D 8 6 2

C K

EAST

S A

H 9 7 5 2

D 10 7 5 4

C 10 8 7 5

SOUTH

S K J 3

H A J 3

D A Q J

C Q J 9 3

North East South West
1 C Pass 2 NT Pass
3 NT Pass 6 NT All Pass
Opening lead — S 10

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