Unlucky Louie's beautiful next-to-youngest daughter Louisa has begun to date, something he viewed with pride mixed with trepidation.

"When my date picked me up last weekend," Louisa told me at Louie's house, "Dad sprinkled some powder on me and informed my date it was easier to detect fingerprints that way."

Louie would lose less if he were a bridge-table detective. When he was declarer at four spades, West took three clubs and led a trump. Louie drew trumps, took the ace of hearts and led another heart. West showed out, and East's queen scored for down one.

DIAMOND RUFF

Louie would succeed if he did some Sam Spadework before touching the hearts. After he draws three trumps with the A-K-Q, he cashes the top diamonds and ruffs dummy's last diamond.

Louie then knows West had six clubs, three diamonds and three trumps, so one heart at most. So Louie takes the king of hearts, and when West plays the ten, Louie can let the jack ride with assurance.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S J 10 2 H K J 9 5 D K 7 3 C 7 3 2. The dealer, at your left, opens one club. Your partner doubles, you respond one heart and he next bids one spade. What do you say?

ANSWER: If your partner had minimum values with long spades, his first action would have been an overcall of one spade. When he doubles before bidding a suit, he promises extra strength: 17 points or more. Since you have eight useful points, raise to at least three spades.