“I’m supposed to know about the English language,” my friend the English professor said to me, “but it continually mystifies me. I’m a teacher, and I have taught; if I were a preacher, wouldn’t I have praught?”
The prof was today’s North in a penny game.
“My partner had to oversee the play at four hearts,” he said.
East took the king of spades and led the nine of diamonds: ten, jack, deuce. When West led a trump next, South drew trumps and led a second diamond to his queen. West produced the king and exited with a diamond. South lost a club finesse later and was down one.
WINNING PLAY
“My partner overlooked a winning play,” the prof said. “Odd how ‘overlook’ and ‘oversee’ have different meanings.”
After South draws trumps, he can finesse in clubs. West wins and returns a club. When East’s ten falls, South gets two diamond discards on the J-9 of clubs. (He could also succeed by end-playing West with the king of diamonds to lead a club from his king or yield a ruff-sluff.)
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S 10 9 8 6 4 H 5 D K J 8 C K 6 4 3. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade and he raises to three spades. What do you say?
ANSWER: Partner’s jump-raise promises a hand worth about 17 points with four-card support. Your singleton in his suit is not encouraging — you would rather he had opened one diamond — but you have a five-card suit and kings in the minor suits. Bid four spades, especially if your side is vulnerable.
South dealer
E-W vulnerable
NORTH
S Q
H Q 10 8 7 4
D 6 5 2
C J 9 7 2
WEST
S 10 9 8 6 4
H 5
D K J 8
C K 6 4 3
EAST
S A K J 5 2
H 6 2
D 9 4 3
C 10 8 5
SOUTH
S 7 3
H A K J 9 3
D A Q 10 7
C A Q
South West North East
1 H Pass 2 H Pass
4 H All Pass
Opening lead — S 10
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