Cy the Cynic says it’s one of life’s “Official Rules”: When you’re looking for something, you’ll find it in the last place you look.
When today’s South opened 2NT, North properly raised to 3NT, the cheaper game, hoping his clubs would provide tricks. If West had found a diamond lead, South would have been a worried man, but West chose the deuce of spades.
Declarer won with the jack and next cashed his high hearts. A 3-3 break would have given him nine tricks, but when West threw a spade, South had to locate the queen of clubs. He cashed the A-K — and sure enough, he found the queen in the last placed he looked. South could only take his A-K of spades for eight tricks and retire.
QUEEN OF CLUBS
Would you find the queen of clubs?
West’s lead of the deuce marked him with four spades, and he had two hearts. If West had five diamonds, his lead surely would have been a diamond, so South could give West 4-2-4-3 shape. South must cash his king of clubs and lead to dummy’s jack.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S 9 8 5 4 H J 8 5 2 D A K 9 3 C 5. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart, he bids two clubs and you go to two diamonds. Partner then bids two hearts. What do you say?
ANSWER: Your two diamonds showed at most 10 points, and if partner saw no chance of game, he would have passed. Since he bid again, he thinks game is possible, and you have good diamonds and no “wasted” spade honors opposite his shortness. Bid at least four diamonds.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S 10 3
H 9 7 6
D Q 10
C A J 10 9 6 3
WEST
S Q 7 6 2
H 10 3
D J 7 6 5
C Q 7 2
EAST
S 9 8 5 4
H J 8 5 2
D A K 9 3
C 5
SOUTH
S A K J
H A K Q 4
D 8 4 2
C K 8 4
South West North East
2 NT Pass 3 NT All Pass
Opening lead — S 2
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Originally published at Frank Stewart