A staggering number of people have had a personal experience with Alzheimer’s. A week from today, June 21, the longest day of the year, bridge clubs across North America will participate in “The Longest Day,” a dawn-to-midnight day of bridge staged by the American Contract Bridge League to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association and the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada. Last year’s effort raised more than a half million dollars.
In the 2013 event in Memphis, near ACBL headquarters, North-South got too high at four hearts. West led his singleton spade. East, Pat Rogoski, a high-ranking ACBL staffer, diagnosed the lead as a singleton. She took the queen and returned the nine!
CLUB SHIFT
West ruffed and had no trouble shifting to a club. Dummy played low, and Rogoski took the king and led a high spade. West was careful to ruff partner’s winner in order to cash the ace of diamonds. Down two.
For more about “The Longest Day” or to find a participating club in your area, see acbl.org.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S J 8 7 5 3 H K 3 2 D K Q C A J 5. You open one spade, your partner responds two hearts, you raise to three hearts and he bids four diamonds. The opponents pass. What do you say?
ANSWER: If your partner were content to play at game, he would have bid four hearts. His four diamonds is an ace-showing cue bid to try for slam. Your values are minimum, but you have two golden diamond honors plus a side ace. Cooperate with a cue bid of five clubs.
East dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S J 8 7 5 3
H K 3 2
D K Q
C A J 5
WEST
S 2
H 8 4
D A 10 9 4 2
C 10 9 6 4 3
EAST
S A K Q 9
H J 6
D J 8 6 3
C K 7 2
SOUTH
S 10 6 4
H A Q 10 9 7 5
D 7 5
C Q 8
East South West North
1 D 1 H 3 D 4 H
All Pass
Opening lead — S 2
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