I think Unlucky Louie is spending too much time around Cy the Cynic. Louie is becoming as much a fatalist as Cy.

“Laugh, and the world laughs with you,” Louie told me. “Cry, and the world laughs louder.”

In a penny game, Louie declared at today’s slam. West led the jack of clubs, and Louie played low from dummy and took his ace. He drew trumps and led the K-A and a third diamond. A 3-3 break would have given him a 12th trick, but West won with the jack and led the queen.

Louie ruffed and tried a spade to dummy’s jack, but East had the queen. Down one. North certainly wasn’t laughing, and East-West were too polite to laugh. Louie, as usual, blamed his bad luck.

How would you play the slam?

Louie could get an extra chance. After he draws trumps, he takes the K-A of diamonds, then leads dummy’s queen of clubs. When East’s king covers, Louie discards his last diamond. East is end-played. Louie is safe unless East has four diamonds and the queen of spades.

Daily question >> You hold: ? A J 4 ? K 8 5 2 ? A 6 5 2 ? Q 5. Neither side vulnerable. The dealer, at your right, opens one spade. You double, and your partner bids (“advances”) two clubs. What do you say?

Answer >> A considerate partner would have bid hearts or diamonds, not clubs where your support isn’t what it should be. You risked a club bid by partner when you doubled, and you must bite the bullet and pass. If you bid on, you will show a stronger hand.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

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