Bridge: Oct. 9, 2024

In an early-round Spingold Teams match at the ACBL Summer Championships, Drew Cavalier was today’s declarer. North’s raise to three spades was pushy, and Cavalier, who had little to spare for his two-spade overcall, dismissed any thought of bidding game.

West led a diamond, and East might have done well to conceal her holding by winning with the ace. Instead she took the king and shifted to the jack of hearts, covered by the king. West took two heart tricks and led another diamond: ten, ace, ruff.

Declarer was sure that West had the queen of trumps; East had shown up with eight high-card points. So Cavalier took the A-K with a favorable result, but he still had to play the clubs for one loser.

MAKING THREE

After arranging to win the third trump in his hand, South led the ten of clubs. When West played low smoothly, declarer judged to take dummy’s king and return a club to his nine. Making three.

If West had held a strong five-card suit plus 14 points, he conceivably might have opened 1NT. It was a slender inference but better than none.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S Q 5 H A Q 10 9 5 D J 9 6 3 C A 4. You open one heart, your partner responds two clubs, you bid two diamonds and he rebids three clubs. The opponents pass. What do you say?

ANSWER: In a “two-over-one” style where partner’s sequence is forcing, you can’t pass. Risk 3NT or weasel with a “fourth-suit” bid of three spades. Even for many two-over-one partnerships, this sequence is not game-forcing. If that is your style, pass, although conceivably you might miss a decent game contract.

West dealer

Neither side vulnerable

NORTH

S J 7 6

H 8 3

D Q 10 8 2

C K 7 6 3

WEST

S Q 5

H A Q 10 9 5

D J 9 6 3

C A 4

EAST

S 8 3 2

H J 7 2

D A K 7 4

C J 8 2

SOUTH

S A K 10 9 4

H K 6 4

D 5

C Q 10 9 5

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

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