Bridge: June 26, 2024

“My focus isn’t what it used to be,” one of my club’s better players told me. “Toward the end of a session, I can feel myself slipping into screen-saver mode.”

He was declarer at today’s four hearts after West had overcalled in spades. He won the trump lead, drew trumps, led a diamond to the queen, cashed the ace and ruffed dummy’s last diamond.

“I next led the A-K and a low club,” South said. “East won and led the jack of spades, and I lost three spades and went down. I must have been semiconscious to play the hand that way.”

FIVE SPADES

West had three trumps and had followed to three diamond leads and to the A-K of clubs. If he had five spades for his overcall, South’s line of play had little chance. After South takes the A-K of clubs, he should lead the king of spades.

If West takes three spades, he will be end-played, forced to concede a ruff-sluff. If instead he takes the ace and leads a spade to East’s jack, East can cash a club, but then he will be end-played.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S K 6 3 H A Q J 7 4 D 7 4 C A K 6. You open one heart, the next player bids one spade and your partner raises to two hearts. The next player passes. South in today’s deal then bid four hearts with this hand. Do you agree with that call?

ANSWER: After the opponent’s spade overcall, the positional value of South’s king of spades was quite possibly nil. To pass would have been reasonable. If South was going to bid, he might have tried 2NT.

South dealer

Both sides vulnerable

NORTH

S 7 5 4

H K 5 3 2

D A Q 6

C 10 5 4

WEST

S A Q 10 9 2

H 10 9 8

D K 8 3

C 8 3

EAST

S J 8

H 6

D J 10 9 5 2

C Q J 9 7 2

SOUTH

S K 6 3

H A Q J 7 4

D 7 4

C A K 6

South
West
North
East
1 H
1 S
2 H
Pass
3 H
Pass
4 H
All Pass
Opening lead — H 10

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