"I know why it's called the 'mother tongue,'" a club player grumbled. "A father seldom gets to use it - in my case, when I play bridge with my wife."

MY FRIEND WAS TODAY'S EAST.

"My wife led the deuce of clubs," he said, "and dummy won and led a heart: four, ten, ace. South won the next club and led another heart. I won and led a diamond, but South took the ace and threw dummy's queen on his queen of hearts. He lost a trump to the ace and claimed, making four.

FIRST HEART

"My wife insisted - loud and long - that I must put up my king on the first heart to lead a diamond. I tried to say that such a play was beyond me, but I couldn't get in a word."

East needs four tricks. South must have a high diamond since West would have led a diamond with the A-K. The opening lead also suggests that South has no club loser, and South has at most one trump loser.

East must assume West has the ace of hearts. East must play the king on the first heart for a diamond shift.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S K 10 3 2 H J 3 D Q 4 C A K 10 6 5. You open one club, your partner responds one heart, you bid one spade and he jumps to three hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner's second-round jump in his own suit is invitational to game, not forcing. Your decision is close, but you have heart tolerance, prime values and a possible ruffing trick. Raise to four hearts, especially if vulnerable. Partner may hold Q 4, K Q 10 9 7 6, K 10 6, 4 3.