C6 EZ RE THE WASHINGTON POST.TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 , 2022
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 JULES RIVERA
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
SUDOKUNORTH (D)
♠ Q J 9 3
♥ 5 3
♦ K Q 7
♣ K Q J 9
WEST
♠ 5
♥ K Q 10 7 2
♦ J 10 9 2
♣ A 8 4EAST
♠ 8 4
♥ A J 9 6 4
♦ A 8 3
♣ 6 3 2
SOUTH
♠ A K 10 7 6 2
♥ 8
♦ 6 5 4
♣ 10 7 5The bidding:“I
ron while the strike is
hot!” — rallying cry by
non-union laundry workers
during a labor dispute.
In today’s deal, West
leaped to four hearts after
East overcalled one heart.
If West had passed instead,
North would have raised to
two spades, but he let West’s
bid goad him into overbid-
ding his hand by two tricks.
Four hearts would have
failed, and four spades
should have failed also, but
after West led the king of
hearts, winning, he led a sec-
ond heart. South ruffed, drew
trumps and lost a club to the
ace. Later, he discarded a
diamond on a good club in
dummy and made his game.
West’s defense should
have been closed for altera-
tions. To prevail, the defense
needs either a trump trick —
unlikely — or two diamonds.
West knows that declarer
will ruff a second heart. West
must strike while the iron is
hot and shift to the jack of
diamonds at Trick Two, set-
ting up a second diamond
trick in time. If South has the
ace of diamonds, the con-
tract is probably cold.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold:
♠ 8 4 ♥ A J 9 6 4
♦ A 8 3 ♣ 6 3 2
Your partner opens one
spade, you respond 1NT
and he bids two hearts. The
opponents pass. What do
you say?
ANSWER: Your “nine-point
hand” has so much poten-
tial that you should commit
to game. Partner’s hand is
short in at least one of the
minor suits, and he can take
ruffs in his hand. He would
have a chance for 10 tricks if
he held A K 9 5 2, K 8 7 3, 5
4, 8 7: not even an opening
bid. Raise to four hearts.BOTH SIDES VULNERABLENORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
1 ♣ 1 ♥ 1 ♠ 4 ♥
4 ♠ All Pass
Opening lead — ♥ KBRIDGE©2022, TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.
— Frank Stewart