You’ve been summoned to serve on a grand jury, investigating the play in today’s deal. Hear the evidence and decide whether to return any indictments.
Against four spades, West led the K-A and a third club to South’s queen. Declarer cashed the ace of trumps, then led a diamond to dummy’s ace and returned the nine of trumps: ten, jack.
South next led a heart. West grabbed his ace and led a diamond. South won, but since he couldn’t get back to dummy, he lost a trump to East for down one.
What say you?
HEART LEAD
Indict South. After his jack of trumps wins, he must cash the K-Q of diamonds before leading a heart. When West takes the ace, he must give dummy the lead, letting declarer pick up East’s queen of trumps.
You must also issue a true bill for West. He could beat four spades by cashing the ace of hearts at the third trick. At double-dummy, South could have succeeded anyway by unblocking his queen of clubs at Trick Two; that wasn’t a chargeable offense.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S A K J 7 2 H 2 D K Q 7 5 C Q 10 4. Your partner opens one club, you bid one spade, he rebids two clubs and you try two diamonds. Partner next bids 2NT. What do you say?
ANSWER: If partner holds 6 5, A J 6, 8 6, A K J 9 6 3, you can make six clubs. If he has 6 5, K Q 6, 8 6, A K J 9 6 3, 3NT is best. Bid three clubs, forcing, showing heart shortness and a good hand; you wouldn’t bid three times with average values. Let partner look at his heart holding and decide.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S 9 8 5 4
H K J 3
D A 6 2
C J 8 5
WEST
S None
H A Q 10 9 6 5 4
D 8 4 3
C A K 7
EAST
S Q 10 6 3
H 8 7
D J 10 9
C 9 6 3 2
SOUTH
S A K J 7 2
H 2
D K Q 7 5
C Q 10 4
South West North East
1 S 2 H 2 S Pass
3 D 3 H 4 S All Pass
Opening lead — C K
