frs1016@centurylink.net
Unlucky Louie is a busy man: He has a big family, business interests and hobbies aside from bridge. Yet he shows up at my club on most days.
“I don’t see how you cram it all into one life,” I said.
“The only thing I can seem to find time for,” Louie admitted, “is procrastination.”
Louie would do well to procrastinate as declarer. He plays first and thinks later. Against today’s 4♥, West led the K-A and a low diamond, and Louie ruffed East’s 10 and promptly took the A-K of trumps. When West discarded, Louie was doomed: He lost a trump to East’s queen plus a spade.
How would you handle the contract?
| Dlr: North | ♠ K 10 6 | |||||||||||||
| Vul: Both | ♥ K J 7 6 | |||||||||||||
| ♦ 9 5 4 2 | ||||||||||||||
| ♣ A K | ||||||||||||||
| ♠ Q J 9 3 | ♠ 7 5 2 | |||||||||||||
| ♥ 4 | ♥ Q 3 2 | |||||||||||||
| ♦ A K J 6 | ♦ 10 7 3 | |||||||||||||
| ♣ 7 6 4 3 | ♣ Q 9 8 2 | |||||||||||||
| ♠ A 8 4 | ||||||||||||||
| ♥ A 10 9 8 5 | ||||||||||||||
| ♦ Q 8 | ||||||||||||||
| ♣ J 10 5 | ||||||||||||||
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Opening lead — ♦K
Club Ruff
South makes 4♥ if he procrastinates in trumps. After he ruffs the third diamond, he can take the ♣A K and ♠K A, ruff his last club and ruff dummy’s last diamond. At the 10th trick, South exits with a spade.
Both dummy and declarer are left with three trumps, and with a defender to lead, declarer is sure to win the rest.
Daily Question
You hold:
♠ K 10 6
♥ K J 7 6
♦ 9 5 4 2
♣ A K
You open 1♦, your partner responds1♠, you bid 1NT and he tries 2♥. What do you say?
