The Washington Post - 26.08.2019

C6 EZ RE THE WASHINGTON POST.MONDAY, AUGUST 26 , 2019

BREWSTER ROCKIT: SPACE GUY! TIM RICKARD

CURTIS RAY BILLINGSLEY

SHERMAN’S LAGOON JIM TOOMEY

RED AND ROVER BRIAN BASSET

FRANK AND ERNEST TOM THAVES

RHYMES WITH ORANGE HILARY PRICE

LIO MARK TATULLI

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE CHRIS BROWNE

BLONDIE DEAN YOUNG & JOHN MARSHALL

MIKE DU JOUR MIKE LESTER

AGNES TONY COCHRAN

WUMO MIKAEL WULFF & ANDERS MORGENTHALER

MARK TRAIL JAMES ALLEN

MOTHER GOOSE & GRIMM MIKE PETERS

BALDO HECTOR CANTU & CARLOS CASTELLANOS

SALLY FORTH FRANCESCO MARCIULIANO & JIM KEEFE

CLASSIC PEANUTS CHARLES SCHULZ

CLASSIC DOONESBURY GARRY TRUDEAU PICKLES BRIAN CRANE

SUDOKU

NORTH 10 5 A Q 8 4 A K 8 4 3 7 2 WEST A 9 7 2 9 5 10 6 Q 9 6 5 4

EAST K J 4 J 10 7 6 J 7 5 2 J 8 SOUTH (D) Q 8 6 3 K 3 2 Q 9 A K 10 3

The bidding:

C

y the Cynic says that maybe nice guys finish last, but they don’t mind los- ing. Sometimes they don’t even know they’ve lost. In today’s deal, West led the nine of hearts against 3 NT, and South won with the queen and next took the queen, king and ace of diamonds. Then, judging from the opening lead that hearts would not break 3-3, he con- ceded the fourth diamond to East. South then had nine winners, but East shifted to the jack of spades. When South’s queen covered, West won and returned a spade to East’s king, and the third spade went through declarer’s 8-6 to West’s 9-7. Down one. South was a nice guy about it all; he complimented East-West’s defense. He never realized that 3NT was cold. No matter how the spades lie, South can lose four spade tricks only if the first spade lead comes from East. So at Trick Two, South should lead a diamond from dummy to his nine. West wins, but South has set up four diamond winners and is at risk of at most four losers. DAILY QUESTION You hold: 10 5 A Q 8 4 A K 8 4 3 7 2 You open one diamond, and your partner responds one spade. What do you say? ANSWER: You had a mandatory opening bid but face an awkward choice of second bids. Some players would rebid two diamonds, but that call would suggest longer diamonds. I would try 1 NT despite the weak club holding. That bid will let you reach a heart contract if partner has A 7 6 4 2, K J 6 5, 5 2, 8 5, but he would pass two diamonds with that hand.

N-S VULNERABLE

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST 1 Pass 1 Pass 1 Pass 2 Pass 2 NT Pass 3 NT All Pass Opening lead — 9

BRIDGE

— Frank Stewart