“My husband and I play,” a club member told me, “and he tries to be understanding when I goof. He says he’s willing to listen to reason, just not the same one over and over.”

She was today’s East, and her husband led the king of hearts against four spades. Declarer took dummy’s ace and led a club.

“I played low,” my friend said, “and my husband took South’s queen, cashed his queen of hearts and led a trump. Declarer won and led another club. I won and led a diamond, but he took the ace, led a trump to dummy and ruffed a club. When the suit broke 3-3, he drew trumps and threw diamonds on the good clubs.”

“My husband said we beat it if I grab the first club with my king and lead a diamond. I said I’d just played ‘second hand low.’ He said he’d heard that before.”

West surely has something in clubs (and if South has A-Q, East’s play is moot). If West has the king of diamonds, East needs to win an early club trick and lead a diamond before South sets up the clubs.

Daily question >> You hold: ? K J 7 ? A J ? Q 10 5 ? 10 9 8 4 2. The dealer, at your left, opens one spade. Your partner doubles, and the next player passes. What do you say?

Answer >> Game is likely. Partner has opening values or more with support for the unbid suits. A jump to 2NT, invitational, would be reasonable. If vulnerable, with more to gain by making game, you might bid 3NT. You will know where the missing cards lie, so the play will be easier.

South dealer

Both sides vulnerable

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