“He finally got what was coming to him,” Unlucky Louie told me jubilantly in the club lounge.

Harlow the Halo is the luckiest man in six states: His finesses always win, his key suits break well and his errors never cost.

“If Harlow owned a rooster,” Louie says, “it would not only lay eggs, they’d be golden.”

In a team match, Louie and Harlow both played at an optimistic six spades, and West led a trump. Harlow took the A-Q, then cashed his three top clubs. He was (luckily) able to ruff his fourth club in dummy but lost two hearts at the end.

“I made the slam,” Louie said. “At Trick Two I ducked a heart. I won the trump return, took the K-A of clubs and led a third club to my ten. I had to assume that East had four clubs and the missing trump. Then I threw a heart from dummy on the queen of clubs, took the ace of hearts and ruffed my last heart with dummy’s last trump.”

“Well done” I said. “Harlow’s luck was bound to run out.”

“At least until tomorrow,” Louie said grimly.

Daily question: You hold: ? K 8 5 ? J 9 4 ? A 10 5 3 ? A 6 5. Neither side vulnerable. Your partner opens one club, the next player overcalls one heart and you bid two diamonds. The player at your left jumps to three hearts, preemptive, and two passes follow. What do you say?

Answer: Double. Partner won”expect you to have 100 honors in hearts on this auction, just a good hand. If he bids, fine. If he passes, lead a trump. You should collect a decent penalty.

North dealer

N-S vulnerable

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