“It seems to work well for Minnie,” Ed, my club’s expert, said to me. “I thought I would give it a try.”

Minnie Bottoms, our senior member, wears old bifocals that make her mix up kings and jacks, often to her opponents’ dismay. Ed told me he had been South in today’s deal in a team match.

“The contract was 1NT at both tables,” Ed said. “West led the five of hearts, and East covered dummy’s nine with the ten. At the other table, South took the jack, led a diamond to dummy’s king and passed the nine of clubs.”

“When West won, he knew South held the king of hearts and had at least seven winners. So West shifted to the deuce of spades, and the defense took four spades, four hearts and a club.”

When Ed was declarer, he pulled a Minnie by winning the first heart with the king. When he lost a club finesse, West naturally placed East with the jack of hearts and led a second low heart (in case East had started with J-10-4). Ed produced the jack and made an overtrick.

Daily question: You hold: ? K 8 5 2 ? A Q 6 5 3 ? 9 3 ? K 3. The dealer, at your right, opens one club. What do you say?

Answer: Expert opinion would vary. A double would find a fit in either major, but if partner “advanced” one diamond, you would be stuck: If you then bid one heart, you would show a much better hand. Overcall one heart. You will find spades if partner can bid the suit. If the next player raises to two clubs and two passes follow, you might risk a double.

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