Bridge

Cy the Cynic says he’s going to take a course in time management – as soon as he can work it into his busy schedule.

Cy, today’s declarer, mistimed his play at four spades. When West led a diamond, East took the ace and slipped by returning a diamond. (A trump shift, ducked by West, would let the defense prevail.) But having gotten a reprieve, Cy took the king of diamonds and led a trump.

West played low, won the next trump and shifted to a low heart. The defense forced out dummy’s ace, and Cy had to lose another heart and go down.

Proper timing requires South to lead a heart at trick three and play low from dummy. Defenders are in a dilemma: If they lead a second heart to the ace, South takes the A-K of clubs, ruffs a club, ruffs his last heart in dummy and loses only a trump to the ace.

If instead the defenders clear dummy’s trumps, South takes the top clubs, ruffs a club, draws trumps and returns with the ace of hearts to discard on the good clubs.

Question: You hold {spade} 6 4 {heart} Q 10 4 2 {diamond} A 10 6 2 {club} Q 10 9. Your partner opens one club, and the next player bids one spade. What do you say?

Answer: If your opponent had passed, you’d have had an easy response of one heart, but neither your hand nor your heart suit merits a bid of two hearts. If you play “negative doubles,” you can double, showing hearts plus either diamonds or club support. Otherwise, pass or risk two clubs.

North dealer

Both sides vulnerable

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