FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

MINNIE’S CHRISTMAS GIFT

“I heard you gave Minnie something to put under her tree,” I said to Cy the Cynic. “A certificate for a free eye exam,” Cy growled.

Minnie Bottoms wears old bifocals that make her mix up kings and jacks, often to her opponents’ chagrin. Cy has been Minnie’s chief victim.

“Look what she did to me in this deal,” Cy said. “I played at four spades after Minnie, West, overcalled in hearts. She led the ace of hearts: three, four, eight. Guess what came next.”

“I suspect I know,” I said.

“Right,” the Cynic said. “She hit me with ... the king of diamonds!”

“Thinking she had J-10-6-2,” I laughed.

No Answer

Cy had no answer to this. If Minnie leads a low diamond, Cy can play dummy’s nine, losing to the queen, but whatever East returns, the Cynic can avoid four losers. If Minnie shifts to, say, a trump, Cy draws trumps and sets up dummy’s clubs for 10 tricks.

“She should fill my stocking,” Cy grumbled, “after all the money and matchpoints she and her glasses have cost me.”

Daily Question You hold:

♠ 9 ♥ A K 10 7 2 ♦ K 10 6 2 ♣

K 8 4. You open one heart, your partner responds one spade, you bid two diamonds and he jumps to three spades. What do you say?

Answer: Partner’s jump-rebid in his suit is invitational, not forcing. If he were sure of game, he could have bid four spades or improvised a forcing bid. Your decision is close. You have prime honors but no spade tolerance. Pass, though you might bid four spades if vulnerable.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable