"My partner was West," a club player said, citing today's deal, "and afterward he swore he was giving up the game. That was a week ago, and I've not seen him since."

"He'll be back," I said.

As a golfer as well as a bridge player, I know that all vows made on a golf course expire at sunset of the same day. I suspect it's the same at bridge -- few people have been known to give up either game.

In the deal that caused West's exodus, North-South bid recklessly to six diamonds. South captured West's jack of hearts with the queen and led the jack of spades for a fake finesse.

LAST SPADE

"My partner ducked," East told me. "South then drew trumps and took the A-K of hearts to discard his last spade. He lost a club to the ace and claimed, and my partner left for whereabouts unknown."

West's defense was wrong -in theory and in practice. If South had a trump loser, West needed to grab his ace of spades. If South had solid trumps and the ace of clubs, the slam was unbeatable.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S K 10 6 H A K 6 4 D A 6 C K Q 10 8. You open one club, your partner bids one spade, you jump to 2NT and he tries three hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: To raise to four hearts would be easy, but since your support is excellent and all your values are prime, you should offer a mild try for slam. Bid four diamonds. This bid logically can't suggest playing at diamonds; you show the ace of diamonds, strong hearts and slammish values.