When I watched today’s deal at my club, East-West were a dentist and a manicurist we call “Tooth and Nail” because that’s how they argue. How their partnership survives is a mystery.
Against four hearts, Nail led her singleton diamond, and Tooth took the ace and returned the deuce. Nail ruffed and led a club. Declarer won in dummy and led a trump to his ten. Tooth won the next trump and shifted to a spade, but South took the ace, drew trumps and claimed 10 tricks, pitching his last spade on a good diamond in dummy.
ARGUMENT
Then came the inevitable argument:
Nail: “Lead a spade at Trick Two to set up our fourth winner. When you have the ace of trumps, giving me a ruff can wait.”
Tooth: “Sure. And what if you have the king of trumps, not the king of spades?”
I have some sympathy for Tooth. Nail was more likely to lead from shortness if she had a possible trump re-entry. What is certain is that the partnership could have conducted a more empathetic postmortem.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S K J 7 4 3 H 7 3 D 8 C Q 10 8 4 2. Neither side vulnerable. Your partner opens one spade. The next player doubles. What do you say?
ANSWER: Bid four spades. If everyone passes and partner has a suitable minimum such as AQ952,84,A765,K5, he will take 10 tricks. Whether he makes or goes down, chances are that the opponents have a makeable contract or good sacrifice they might have found if you had made a lower bid.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S Q 10
H Q J 6 2
D K 10 9 6 5
C K 3
WEST
S K J 7 4 3
H 7 3
D 8
C Q 10 8 4 2
EAST
S 9 6 5 2
H A 9 8
D A 7 3 2
C J 5
SOUTH
S A 8
H K 10 5 4
D Q J 4
C A 9 7 6
South West North East
1 C Pass 1 D Pass
1 H Pass 3 H Pass
4 H All Pass
Opening lead — D 8
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