


“My little daughter is buying me a Christmas gift with her own money,” Unlucky Louie told me. “She asked what she could get me but not to be specific; she wanted it to be a surprise. So I said I would be ambiguous.”
“Did that work out?”
“I’m not sure,” Louie sighed. “She said, ‘Dad, talking like a frog won’t help.’”
Louie played at four hearts and looked unambiguously sure to fail; he was off two clubs and the A-K of trumps. But West led a spade, and Louie won with the queen, took the Q-A of diamonds and led a third diamond from dummy. East ruffed low, and Louie overruffed, went to the king of spades and led another diamond. East ruffed with the nine, and Louie overruffed.
Louie next took the ace of spades, ruffed his last spade in dummy and led a fifth diamond. East discarded; if he ruffed king, Louie would pitch a club loser. Louie let go a club, and West ruffed and led the ace and a second club. Louie ruffed and led a trump, and the A-K fell together. Making four!
Well done, Louie. Hope you enjoy your gift.
Daily question: You hold: ? A Q 8 2 ? J 10 7 6 2 ? Q 2 ? 4 3. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart and he bids one spade. The opponents pass. What do you say?
Answer: This decision is close. A chance-giving raise to two spades might be enough and would be the choice of most players. Because you have good trumps and the queen of partner’s first suit, a case exists for an invitational raise to three spades. You might be aggressive if vulnerable. Partner might hold KJ73,5,AJ1054,A62.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
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