The Washington Post - 28.08.2019

C6 EZ RE THE WASHINGTON POST.WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28 , 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 (D)

 K Q J 8 6 3

 K J

 A K 3

 A K

WEST

 A 10 9 4

 7 4 3

 9 7 5 4

 10 6

EAST

 None

 Q 10 8 6 2

 J 8

 Q 8 7 5 3 2

SOUTH

 7 5 2

 A 9 5

 Q 10 6 2

 J 9 4

The bidding:

U

nlucky Louie says if his

ship ever comes in, the

dockworkers will be on strike

or the dock will have rotted.

Louie blames his bad results

on bad luck despite all the

evidence to the contrary.

Louie was declarer at

today’s 6NT, and West led a

diamond. Louie played low

from dummy, accepting the

free finesse, and captured

East’s jack. Louie next led

a spade to dummy’s king —

and the dock collapsed when

East discarded.

Louie’s slam was doomed.

He lacked the entries to his

hand to lead spades twice

more through West. Louie

had to lose a second spade

for down one.

When a contract looks

easy, as here, it must be

treated with care. Louie’s

only worry is finding West

with all four missing spades,

hence Louie must win the

first diamond in dummy and

lead the king of spades.

If West takes the ace (to

play low won’t help him) and

exits with a club, Louie can

reach his hand twice — with

the queen of diamonds and

ace of hearts — for spade

finesses, making the slam.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold:

 A 10 9 4  7 4 3

 9 7 5 4  10 6

The dealer, at your left,

opens one heart. Your part-

ner doubles, and the next

player redoubles. What do

you say?

ANSWER: You must sug-

gest a port in the storm.

Since partner surely has

support for the other major,

bid one spade. This bid does

not show strength, only that

you think spades will be your

best trump suit. Moreover,

you would like partner to

lead a spade if the oppo-

nents buy the contract.

N-S VULNERABLE

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

2  Pass 2  Pass

2  Pass 3 NT Pass

6 NT All Pass

Opening lead —  4

BRIDGE

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— Frank Stewart