“Money talks,” the saying goes, but Unlucky Louie doesn’t keep it long enough to hear what it has to say. Louie loses constantly in my club’s penny game — and blames his bad luck.

Louie was today’s South. North could have turned a profit by doubling West’s two hearts but preferred to bid a vulnerable game, maybe a bad idea when Louie would be declarer.

Sure enough, Louie won the first heart with the ten and ... let the nine of diamonds ride. East took the queen and returned his last heart, and West won and led a third heart. Then Louie could win only eight tricks — two hearts, four diamonds and two clubs — before West got in with the ace of spades to take his good hearts.

PLUS 300

“Next time I’ll double two hearts and settle for plus 300,” North sighed.

After Louie wins the first heart, he must lead a spade to force out West’s possible entry. If West wins and sets up his hearts, Louie finesses in diamonds. East wins but has no more hearts, so Louie’s game is safe.

Daily question: You hold: ? K Q 4 ? K 5 2 ? A K 10 5 4 ? A 2. You open one diamond, and your partner bids one heart. What do you say?

Answer: To describe this balanced hand with 18 to 20 points, open one of a suit and jump to 2NT next. This bid is not forcing, but partner will seldom pass it. Since the hand has a good five-card suit and mostly prime values, many players would upgrade and open 2NT. I avoid going out of my way to open 2NT, which is a space-consuming call.

North dealer

N-S vulnerable

Tribune Content Agency