“I read,” Cy the Cynic told me, “that when one sense is impaired, another may be heightened. A blind person may have an acute sense of hearing.”
I nodded.
“That may explain,” the Cynic growled, “why my partners with an inflated sense of self-esteem have lousy card sense.”
Cy was today’s North in a penny game. When he leaped to four spades, South bid six.
“West led the king of diamonds,” Cy said, “and my partner took the ace and started a crossruff. He won the first 10 tricks — he ruffed two clubs with high trumps — but with West left with the J-7-6 of trumps, partner ended a trick short.”
MAKEABLE?
“I think the slam is makeable,” Cy said, “but not on a crossruff. Partner’s card sense was lacking.”
South can take the ace of trumps at Trick Two, lead a club to the ace, ruff a club with the king and lead a low trump. West wins and leads a diamond. South ruffs in dummy and ruffs a club with the queen of trumps. He draws trumps with dummy’s ten and runs the clubs.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S A K Q 4 2 H A Q 8 5 D A 8 3 C 5. You open one spade, your partner responds 1NT, you jump-shift to three hearts and he bids four clubs. What do you say?
ANSWER: It’s possible that partner has a long string of clubs in a weak hand. More likely, his bid is an “advance cue bid” in support of hearts. He may hold 5,K10763,76,AQ76. Bid four diamonds. If he next goes to four hearts, you can reasonably try for or bid a slam at hearts.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S 10 9 8 3
H 3
D 6
C A J 7 6 4 3 2
WEST
S J 7 6
H K 9 6 2
D K Q 10 5
C K 8
EAST
S 5
H J 10 7 4
D J 9 7 4 2
C Q 10 9
SOUTH
S A K Q 4 2
H A Q 8 5
D A 8 3
C 5
South West North East
1 S Pass 4 S Pass
6 S All Pass
Opening lead — D K
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Originally published at Frank Stewart