“Have you written a book on defense?” Wendy, my club’s feminist, asked me.
“Three, actually,” I said, “but they’re out of print. Look on eBay.”
“I want one for Cy,” Wendy growled. “Playing with him is like having three opponents.”
Cy the Cynic and Wendy were today’s East-West in a duplicate game, and she led a diamond against 3NT. Declarer won in dummy and passed the queen of clubs. He next chose to lead a spade to his king and back to dummy’s jack. Cy won and led a low heart. South played low, and Wendy’s jack won, but she shifted back to diamonds. South won nine tricks.
OVERTRICK
“The Cynic was irate,” Wendy told me. “He said we beat 3NT if I return a low heart. But if declarer had the king instead of the queen, I give him an unnecessary overtrick.
“Cy is a few cards short of a full deck,” Wendy went on. “He defends like he has a grudge against me.”
Cy failed to protect his partner. When Cy takes the queen of spades, he should lead the king of hearts, then a second heart.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S Q 8 4 H K 9 5 D 9 4 2 C K 9 8 7. Your partner opens one spade, you raise to two spades and he next bids three hearts. What do you say?
ANSWER: Partner’s three hearts is a try for game; he asks you to resolve a close case depending on whether you have help for his second suit. Your decision is borderline. Your king of hearts is a good card, but the value of the king of clubs is uncertain. Bid four spades if you’re vulnerable, with more to gain.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S A J 10 6
H 10 6 4
D Q J 10
C Q J 2
WEST
S 9 7 3
H A J 7 3
D 8 7 6 5
C 6 4
EAST
S Q 8 4
H K 9 5
D 9 4 2
C K 9 8 7
SOUTH
S K 5 2
H Q 8 2
D A K 3
C A 10 5 3
South West North East
1 NT Pass 3 NT All Pass
Opening lead — D 8
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