“As if I didn’t have enough bad luck already,” Unlucky Louie told us in the club lounge, “I broke a mirror today. That’s seven years of bad luck coming up.”

“Contact a good lawyer,” Cy the Cynic advised. “Maybe he can get you off with three to five.”

When Louie played at today’s five diamonds, West led a trump. Louie drew trumps and led a spade, hoping dummy’s king would provide a discard for his queen of hearts, but East took the ace and led a heart. Louie’s queen lost to West, and East got a club trick later. Down one.

“The seven years has begun,” Louie sighed.

After Louie draws trumps, he gets an extra chance by leading the deuce of clubs from dummy. If East plays the king, Louie takes the ace and leads the three to East’s queen.

Then if East leads a heart, Louie takes the ace and discards dummy’s spades on his high J-9 of clubs; if instead East cashes his ace of spades, Louie discards his queen of hearts on the king of spades. Making five either way.

Daily question: You hold: ? A J 8 5 4 ? 10 9 8 3 ? None ? K Q 8 6. Your partner opens one heart, and the next player passes. What do you say?

Answer: Your hand has too much slam potential — first-round control in two side suits — for a preemptive jump to four hearts. Many players would jump to four diamonds as a “splinter” bid, showing good heart support, diamond shortness and slam interest. Partner will be encouraged if he has a hand such as 2, A K Q 7 2, J 6 5 3, A J 5.

South dealer

E-W vulnerable

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