Bridge: April 13, 2024

Procrastination is like having a credit card: It’s convenient and painless — until you get your monthly statement. Still, some things are worth putting off, such as drawing trumps.

Today’s North-South drove boldly to a slam. The busy East-West bidding helped out by telling South that his partner’s hand was short in hearts.

When West led the king of hearts, South ruffed in dummy and took the K-A of trumps. When West showed out, South continued with the A-K-Q of diamonds, but East refused to ruff.

LAST TRUMP

South then ruffed a heart with dummy’s last trump and led the jack of diamonds. He got rid of his last heart as East ruffed but still had a club loser.

South was too quick to lead trumps. He can take the king but should then lead his high diamonds. If East doesn’t ruff, South takes the ace of trumps next and leads dummy’s high diamonds, and the defense gets only East’s high trump. Nor does it help East to ruff the third diamond and lead a club or another heart.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S K 10 9 4 3 H 8 7 3 D A K Q C A 7. Your partner opens one club, you bid one spade and he raises to three spades. What do you say?

ANSWER: You may have a grand slam. Partner’s jump-raise shows a hand worth about 17 points in support of spades with four-card support. It’s hard to imagine a hand for him without something good in hearts. Cue-bid four clubs to show the ace and slam interest. You will cue-bid in diamonds next.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S A 7 6 2

H None

D J 10 6 5 2

C 9 5 4 3

WEST

S 5

H A K J 10 6 2

D 8 7 4

C K 10 6

EAST

S Q J 8

H Q 9 5 4

D 9 3

C Q J 8 2

SOUTH

S K 10 9 4 3

H 8 7 3

D A K Q

C A 7

South West North East
1 S 2 H 4 S 5 H
6 S All Pass
Opening lead — H K

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