My friend the English professor told me that a colleague in the chemistry department had retired.

“Old chemists never die,” the prof said. “They just fail to react.”

The prof was North in a penny game, and West led the jack of clubs against 3NT. Declarer won in dummy and led the four of diamonds to his jack. The finesse worked, but when he took the ace next, East-West played low. East won the third diamond with the king and led the deuce of hearts, and the defense took four heart tricks for down one.

“The danger was obvious,” the prof grumbled, “but my partner didn’t react.”

Since a heart shift by East may be fatal, South must try to set up the diamonds without letting East get in. At Trick Two, South can lead dummy’s queen: king, ace, deuce.

South then leads a club to dummy and returns a second diamond. When East follows with the six, declarer plays the eight. He loses to West but can win any return and take two spades, four diamonds and three clubs.

Daily question >> You hold: ? Q 6 2 ? A Q 6 ? 9 2 ? J 10 9 8 4. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond 1NT and he next bids two clubs. What do you say?

Answer >> Since your partner could have as many as 18 points, game chances still exists. Your 1NT response limited your strength, so you can raise to three clubs. An option is to bid two hearts, suggesting heart strength and club support. I would choose that call with a better hand such as 62,A K 6, 9 2,J 10 8 6 4 2.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

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