12 Chicago Tribune | Section 1 | Saturday, April 4, 2020
Today’s birthday (April 4): Take your
career to new levels this year. Disciplined
collaboration is your key to success. Travel
and study kinks next summer motivate a
domestic nesting phase. Make professional
adjustments. Resolution of communication
challenges next winter leads to a delightful adventure.
Aries (March 21-April 19): Today is a 9. Disciplined efforts bear
fruit. You may not want to do what’s needed. Doing it anyway
provides satisfying results. The hard-won prize means more.
Taurus (April 20-May 20): 7. Romance can blossom. It may
take focus, persistence and patience. Don’t try to force anything.
Take advantage of a lucky opportunity to have fun together.
Gemini (May 21-June 20): 7. Clean domestic messes. Home
improvement projects can grow beyond the original plans.
Sort and de-clutter. File and organize.
Cancer (June 21-July 22): 8. Study options, Sketch out your
ideas. Invent and express your view. Avoid controversy or
stirring up jealousies. Edit your work thoroughly before
presenting.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): 9. Money follows disciplined efforts.
Provide excellence and reap bountiful reward. Avoid spend-
ing frivolously. Budget for practical expenses to maintain a
positive balance.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): 9. Take charge for your commit-
ments. Dress the part. If at first you don’t succeed, patiently
persist. Slow and steady wins. Discover an unexpected bonus.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): 7. Relax in peaceful surroundings.
Feel free to hide out. Avoid crowds or noise and find a quiet
spot for reflection. Imagine the possibilities.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): 8. Social connections provide valu-
able resources and potential. Strengthen bonds and friend-
ships. Make professional alliances, participate with commu-
nity projects and collaborate with talented colleagues.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): 8. Work takes priority. Dis-
ciplined efforts produce necessary results, for less stress
overall. Aim to get things finished early to leave time for
last-minute changes.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): 8. Get out and explore. Stretch
your wings a little. You don’t need to go far. Abandon expec-
tations and stay flexible with changes.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): 8. Pull together for common gain.
Changes could necessitate budget revisions. Balance accounts
carefully. Bring in the resources to replenish shared accounts.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): 9. Invest love and energy into
your partnership. Share interesting and fun experiences.
Listen to a situation from another view.— Nancy Black, Tribune Content AgencyDilbert By Scott AdamsBaby Blues By Rick Kirkman and Jerry ScottZits By Jerry Scott and Jim BorgmanMr. Boffo By Joe MartinFrazz By Jef MallettHoroscopes
The Argyle Sweater By Scott HilburnBridge
Bliss By Harry Bliss Classic Peanuts By Charles SchulzPickles By Brian CraneDick Tracy By Joe Staton and Mike CurtisAnimal Crackers By Mike OsbunPrickly City By Scott StantisNorth-South vulnerable. West deals
North
♠K
♥ 2
♦AKQ
♣ 876
West East
♠J8 ♠10 5 2
♥QJ10975 ♥ 84
♦ 2 ♦J
♣AQJ9 ♣10 5 3 2
South
♠AQ
♥AK
♦ 84
♣K
South won the opening heart lead with his ace and saw
that there would be 13 easy tricks if the missing spades and
diamonds both split 3-2. He turned his attention to possible
4-1 splits. Some 4-1 spade splits could be handled. Should
West have a singleton jack or ten, the ace of spade followed
by a low spade to the
king would reveal that,
and a finesse could be
taken through East.
He would then need
a 3-2 diamond split. A
4-1 split in diamonds
was more difficult as
it would require a ruff
before drawing all the
trumps and then a
return to dummy with
the king of spades.
South combined his chances. He cashed the ace of
spades, and when no jack or 10 appeared, he continued with
the queen of spades. He then led a diamond to the ace and
cashed the king of diamonds. Had both opponents followed,
South would have drawn the last trump and claimed the
rest. When West showed out on the second diamond, South
ruffed a diamond and returned to dummy with the king of
spades to cash the rest of the diamonds. Making six.
Declarer played the hand well, but what if West had false
carded with the jack of spades under the ace at trick two?
Would South have fallen for this and led a spade to the king
next? He could no longer make the contract if he did. We’ll
never know.— Bob Jones
[email protected]The bidding:
West North East South
1 ♥ 2 ♦ Pass 2 ♠
Pass 4 ♥* Pass 4NT
Pass 5 ♦ Pass 6 ♠
All pass
*Splinter bid — spade raise with
shortness in hearts
Opening lead: Queen of ♥