Playing with Grapefruit, my club's obstreperous member, is like sitting across from a hollow tree with something lurking inside it. Grapefruit's badgering makes his partners miserable.

Grapefruit was North in a penny game. When South jumped to three hearts, Grapefruit raised to game, no doubt annoyed that he didn't get a crack at East's two clubs. West led a club, and South took the ace and led a trump to dummy's king. East won and led the king of clubs, and South ruffed with the nine of trumps.

West overruffed with the ten and led a spade, and East won and led another club. Whatever South did, West's remaining 8-7 of trumps would produce the setting trick, and Grapefruit told declarer that if he were any dumber, he would need to be watered twice a week.

When East leads a high club at Trick Three, South must pitch his spade loser instead of ruffing. He ruffs the next club with the nine. West can overruff, but South wins any return, draws trumps and claims.

Daily question: You hold: ? K Q 10 2 ? K ? 10 9 6 ? J 8 7 6 4. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade, he bids two clubs and you raise to three clubs. Partner then bids three spades. What do you say?

Answer: Partner has a strong hand: If he saw no chance for game, he would have stopped at three clubs; if he had A93,AQ864,4,K932, he would have raised your one spade directly to two. Since all of your honors are working, bid four spades or five clubs.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

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