"My partner is too much of an optimist," a fan writes. "If she got treed by a lion, she'd enjoy the view. I wish she were more discreet as declarer."

My fan's partner was declarer at 3NT. She won the first spade and led a club to dummy's king. East took the ace and returned a spade: ten, jack.

"My partner won the next spade and led a club to the nine, and East took the jack and led her last spade. Down two."

NO WAY OUT

I've heard an optimist defined as someone who is sure that the fly buzzing around her kitchen is looking for a way out - and South had no way out after she led a club at Trick Two. She should lead a diamond to dummy and return the deuce of hearts. If East grabs the ace, South has two hearts, two spades and five diamonds. If instead East ducks, South takes the king and shifts to clubs for her ninth trick.

If (on a different layout) West captured South's king, he couldn't lead another spade effectively. South would then have time to set up a club trick.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S 6 H Q 2 D A K 10 8 4 C K Q 9 8 2. Your partner opens one spade, you bid two diamonds, he rebids two spades and you try three clubs. Partner next bids three diamonds. What do you say?

ANSWER: Even if partner has A Q 9 7 5 3, J 4, Q 7 3, A 4, you may not make game. Still, you have too many values to pass. A bid of four clubs or four diamonds may work well. Many experts would try three hearts, a "fourth-suit" bid showing only a desire for partner to bid again.