Bridge: April 14, 2021
“My wife and I have been married so long,” a club player told me, “that she finishes my sentences. Actually, she starts some and often furnishes the middle parts.” I watched him defend as today’s West. Against 3NT he led a club. South let East’s jack win, won the next club with the king and led a diamond: four, queen. West took his ace and led a third club. South won and led diamond to dummy’s ten, and my friend’s wife took the jack and led a heart. South had three spades, two hearts, two diamonds and two clubs. “I should have …” West began. “… ducked the first diamond,” his wife finished for him. LONG SUIT A defensive principle: When you hope to set up a long suit against notrump, cling to your entry. West must let the queen of diamonds win and play low again if South (perhaps questionably) leads another diamond. If South plays the ten from dummy, as most would, East wins and returns her last club, and West’s suit is set up while he still has the ace of diamonds.…