DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

In a team match, one EastWest sacrificed at five clubs after North-South bid four spades.

North-South doubled, and North led a spade. West took the ace and exited with a spade. South won, and the defense cashed the A-K of hearts and led a third heart. Stuck in dummy, West led the A-Q of trumps, losing to North. He guessed right in diamonds but was down three.

"Minus 500," West sighed when his team compared scores. "We took a phantom save. We would have beaten four spades."

"Gotcha covered," his teammate said. "We were plus 620 at four spades."

West had led the jack of clubs: king, ace. When East led another club (not best), South ruffed, lost a trump to the ace and won the trump return in his hand. He knew East had the missing high cards for his 1NT opening, and since East had only two trumps, he held at least three diamonds.

So South led the four of diamonds: six, eight, ten. Later, he led the queen from dummy, pinning West's jack to land the game. DAILY QUESTION You hold: S K Q J 10 7 4 H A 8 4 D A 9 4 C 8. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one spade and he bids two clubs. The opponents pass. What do you say?

ANSWER: You have a game or slam. Quite possibly you belong at four spades, but who knows? Your partner's hand is not well defined. In most partnerships, a jump to three spades would be invitational, not forcing. Bid two hearts, the "fourth suit," to get more information from partner.