Today’s deal recalls the player who heard his opponents bid a slam. He had two aces but didn’t double and didn’t lead an ace. The slam was made, and his partner roasted him. In his defense, he maintained that criticizing him on both counts was wrong: If he didn’t intend to lead an ace, he shouldn’t double.

Against today’s four spades, West led the queen of clubs. South won with the ace, forced out the ace of trumps, won the next club, ruffed his low club in dummy, drew trumps and ran the hearts. Making five.

West might have doubled four spades, but not if he was going to misdefend. On the bidding, East surely had a singleton heart, so West should have led a heart. He could expect to get back in with his aces to give East two heart ruffs.

North-South survived a questionable auction. Once South found a heart fit, he had little to gain by branching out into spades, giving the defenders a clue to his distribution. A four-heart contract would have been unbeatable.

Daily question>> You hold: ? A ? 7 6 5 2 ? A 10 4 2 ? Q J 10 5. Your partner opens one spade, you bid two clubs, he rebids two spades and you try 2NT. Partner then bids three hearts. What do you say?

Answer>> Partner suggests six spades, four hearts and minimum values. With a better hand such as KQ10764, AK94,7, K7, he would have bid two hearts at his second turn, planning to rebid the spades next. Pass. If partner holds KJ9653, A943, 87, A, you will be high enough.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

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