Bridge - March 15

"I got a good deal at the bakery," Unlucky Louie beamed. "I bought one bread loaf for the price of two and got the second one free."

"You're a shrewd operator," I said.

As declarer at 3NT, Louie won the first heart with the queen and led the queen and then another club. West threw a spade, and East withheld his ace.

Dummy's clubs were dead, so Louie next led a diamond to his jack. West took the queen and shifted to a spade: four, nine, king. Louie then led the ace and ten of diamonds, but when East won and returned a heart, Louie won only two tricks in each suit.

EXTRA CHANCE

I couldn't expect Louie to spot a two-for-the-price-of-one play. He makes 3NT by giving himself an extra chance. At Trick Two he overtakes his queen of clubs with the king. He next leads a diamond to his jack.

West wins and shifts to a spade, and Louie wins and leads a club to dummy. East must duck again, and Louie takes another diamond finesse, winning three diamonds and nine tricks in all.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S J 10 9 5 H 9 7 4 D K 7 6 C A 7 6. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one spade, he bids two clubs and you return to two diamonds. Partner next bids two spades. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your preference bid of two diamonds showed fewer than 10 points; still, your partner bid a third time and showed game interest. Since you have three "working" honors, don't pass. Encourage partner by jumping to four diamonds. He may hold A Q 2, 5, A J 10 5 4, K Q 5 4.