Cynic Cy likes to sleep late, but Unlucky Louie is up early.
I asked Louie what the best time of day is, and his answer was, “6:30, definitely.”
The best time to plan as declarer is on the first trick, but Louie loses cold contracts by playing too fast. He was declarer at today’s slam, and West led the eight hearts. Louie immediately honed with the queen, and East took the king and returned the jack to the dummy’s ace.
Louie then needed a pitch for his diamond loser. He took the KA of clubs and hit a club high, but when West folded, Louie missed the dummy contributions to make and redeem the fifth club. He dropped a diamond at the end.
FIRST trick
Louie tricked Trick One. He must play a low heart from dummy.
East wins with a ten and switches to a diamond, but Louie takes the ace, takes the top clubs, hits a club high, takes the AQ of trump, and hits a club. He can go back to dummy with the ace of hearts to take the good club for his 12th trick.
DAILY QUESTION
You have: SQ 2 HAQ 6 2 D 7 5 CA 7 5 4 2. The dealer, to your left, opens a diamond. Your partner doubles, and the next player bids three diamonds. What are you saying?
ANSWER: Partner’s double promises opening values or more and suggests support for the unbid suits. If your right opponent had passed, you could have bid two squares to look around, but after his preemptive raise, you have to make a battlefield decision. Invite four hearts.
Southern Dealer
NS vulnerable
NORTH
SQ 2
HAQ 6 2
D 7 5
CA 7 5 4 2
WEST
S 9 5
H 8 7 3
DK 9 8 6 3 2
CJ 6
EAST
S 8 7
HKJ 10 5
DQ 10 4
CQ 10 9 8
SOUTH
ITEM 10 6 4 3
H 9 4
DAY
CK 3
Southwest Northeast
1 S Pass 2 C Pass
3 S Pass 4 S Pass
6 S All Pass
Opening line — H 8
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