C8


BRIDGE BOTH SIDES VULNERABLE


NORTH ♠ A 8 3 ♥ 8 5 2 ♦ 6 5 3 2 ♣ K 9 2


WEST ♠ J 10 9 7 ♥ Q 10 7 3 ♦ A ♣ Q 10 7 3


EAST ♠ Q 5 4 ♥ K J 9 ♦ J 10 9 8 ♣ J 8 5


SOUTH (D) ♠ K 6 2 ♥ A 6 4 ♦ K Q 7 4 ♣ A 6 4


The bidding:


SOUTH WEST NORTH 1 NT Pass Pass


Opening Lead — ♠ J FRANK AND ERNEST M


y friend the English professor says English


is hard to pick up because it has so many idiomatic expressions. “The only way to learn


them,” the prof says, “is to learn them.” It’s the same in learn-


ing card combinations (my topic this week). At 1NT South won the first spade in dummy and led a diamond to his king. West took the ace and led another spade, and South won and cashed the queen of diamonds. When West discarded, South won only six tricks. “No use crying over spilled milk,” South sighed, employing an idiom that would baffle someone learning English. Only an intuitive player, or one who had studied suit combinations, would make 1NT. South should win the first spade in his hand and lead a low dia- mond, giving himself an extra chance for two dia- mond tricks. South is always safe if diamonds break 3-2 or if East has A-J-10-9 (since South can use his dummy entries to lead twice toward his hand). But South must guard against the bare ace with West. DAILY QUESTION You hold: ♠ J 10 9 7 ♥ Q 10 7 3 ♦ A ♣ Q 10 7 3 Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart, he bids two clubs and you raise to three clubs. Partner next bids three hearts. What do you say?


ANSWER: You might have tried 2NT at your second turn, but to raise the clubs was reasonable. Partner’s three hearts shows game interest, probably with 1-3-5-4 distribution. Since most of your honors look useful, jump to five clubs or try 3NT. He may hold 2, K 9 5, K Q J 8 7, A K 8 6.


— Frank Stewart © 2010, TRIBUNE MEDIA SYNDICATE


More laughs online washingtonpost.


BLONDIE


com/comics Feedback: 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071; comics@washpost.com; 202-334-4775


Plus, in Comic Riffs, Michael Cavna blogs about


all things funnies. SUDOKU SHERMAN’S LAGOON JIM TOOMEY DEAN YOUNG & JOHN MARSHALL SALLY FORTH FRANCESCO MARCIULIANO & CRAIG MACINTOSH CLASSIC PEANUTS CHARLES SCHULZ PICKLES BRIAN CRANE TOM THAVES GET FUZZY DARBY CONLEY


EAST Pass


MUTTS


R


KLMNO PATRICK MCDONNELL DILBERT


TUESDAY, JULY 13, 2010 SCOTT ADAMS


RED AND ROVER


BRIAN BASSET AGNES


TONY COCHRAN


RHYMES WITH ORANGE


HILARY PRICE MARK TRAIL


JACK ELROD


LIO


MARK TATULLI MOTHER GOOSE & GRIMM


MIKE PETERS


HAGAR THE HORRIBLE


CHRIS BROWNE BALDO


HECTOR CANTU & CARLOS CASTELLANOS


CURTIS


RAY BILLINGSLEY


BREWSTER ROCKIT: SPACE GUY!


TIM RICKARD

Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54