TUESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2010 BRIDGE BOTH SIDES VULNERABLE
NORTH (D) ♠ 4 2 ♥ A J 4 ♦ A 5 4 2 ♣ A Q 5 2
WEST ♠ A 8 6 ♥ 7 ♦ K Q 10 8 7 ♣ 10 8 7 3
EAST ♠ K Q 10 9 ♥ Q 9 8 ♦ J 9 ♣ J 9 6 4
SOUTH ♠ J 7 5 3 ♥ K 10 6 5 3 2 ♦ 6 3 ♣ K
The bidding: NORTH EAST
1 ♣ 2 ♥ 4 ♥
W
Pass Pass
All Pass Opening Lead — ♦ K
hen I’m asked which “rule” of play is
the silliest, I cite “eight ever, nine never”: In a suit missing the queen, always finesse with eight cards; with nine, take the A-K. “Eight ever, nine never” has a tenuous mathemati- cal basis, and no rule can replace good technique. Today’s declarer took the ace of diamonds, led a club to his king, returned a trump to dummy’s ace and threw his diamond loser on a high club. He next led a spade, and East won with the king and led a trump. Should South play his
king (“nine never”)? South followed the rule: He put up the king of trumps. When South then led another spade, East won and cashed the queen of trumps, and South lost two more spades. South must finesse on the second trump. When West discards, South is sure of six trump tricks, a diamond, two clubs and either a third club or a spade ruff in dummy. If instead West had the queen of trumps, South would get a spade ruff in dummy plus a third club for 10 tricks.
DAILY QUESTION You hold: ♠ 4 2 ♥ A J 4 ♦ A 5 4 2 ♣ A Q 5 2 North in today’s deal opened one club with this hand. Do you agree, or would you prefer a different action?
ANSWER: Players whose range for a 1NT opening is 15 to 17 points might choose that call. Players who would open in one of the minors would be divided between them. My preference is to start with one club with a 2-3-4-4 or 3-2-4-4 pattern unless the diamonds are strikingly strong.
FRANK AND ERNEST TOM THAVES GET FUZZY DARBY CONLEY
SOUTH 1 ♥ 3 ♥
WEST Pass Pass
MUTTS
KLMNO PATRICK MCDONNELL DILBERT
R
C7 SCOTT ADAMS
RED AND ROVER
BRIAN BASSET AGNES
TONY COCHRAN
CLASSIC PEANUTS
CHARLES SCHULZ
PICKLES
BRIAN CRANE
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
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