"I know it's Christmas," Unlucky Louie told me after another losing day in his penny game. "With my luck, I could corner the market on mistletoe and poinsettias, and Christmas would be cancelled."

Louie was declarer at today's five diamonds. I might have opened two clubs with his hand, but he habitually underbids due to his "bad luck" in the play.

When West led the jack of spades, Louie covered with dummy's queen, ruffed East's king and next took the A-K of trumps. When East discarded, Louie tried to unblock his A-K-Q of clubs. West ruffed the third club and led a heart, and East took the queen and ace. Down one.

BREAK

"I can't get a favorable break even at Christmas," Louie sighed.

How would you play five diamonds?

Louie did well to play dummy's queen on the first spade, but when East covers, Louie must pitch a club. He ruffs the next spade and takes the A-K of trumps and two high clubs. He can then reach dummy with a trump to run the clubs for 11 tricks.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S A K 8 7 6 4 H A Q 8 D 7 C 5 4 3. Your partner opens one heart, you bid one spade and he rebids two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: This hand has too much slam potential to settle for game. If partner has Q 2, K J 10 6 5 4, Q 5 3, A 2 (barely an opening bid), six hearts should make. Your best call is a "splinter" bid of four diamonds to show diamond shortness, heart support and slam interest. A bid of three diamonds would be natural; a jump to four can be a gadget.