“I’ve learned never to laugh at the choices my wife makes,” a club player told me. “After all, I was one of them. But I thought her play in this deal was wrong.”

Against four spades, West had started with the K-A and a third trump. Declarer won and led a diamond to dummy’s king, and East took the ace and returned a diamond to the queen.

“My wife next took the A-K of hearts and led a third heart from dummy. When East followed with the nine, my wife huddled ... and chose to play the ten. West produced the jack for down one. I didn’t say anything, much less laugh, but wasn’t putting up the queen of hearts the percentage play?”

Declarer might have done well to cash all her trumps, forcing the defenders to discard a few times, before attacking hearts. But playing the queen on the third heart was surely correct.

Suppose West had two low hearts and A-K-x in trumps. His marked defense would be to lead a heart and try for a third-round ruff. Since that didn’t happen, South should have played West for J-x-x.

Daily question: You hold: ? A K 6 ? J 6 4 ? J 9 6 2 ? J 8 7. Your partner opens one heart, and the next player passes. What do you say?

Answer: A single raise of a major-suit opening promises six to nine points with three-card or better support. This hand may fall slightly above that range, but judgment is allowed. Your pattern is flat, and three of your points consist of isolated jacks, which are overvalued on the 4-3-2-1 scale. Raise to two hearts. Nothing is wrong with having just a bit extra on occasion.

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