C4 EZ RE THE WASHINGTON POST.FRIDAY, APRIL 1 , 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
♠ Q 10 8 3
♥ A Q 5
♦ 7 4
♣ 9 8 5 3
WEST
♠ A 9 4
♥ 7 6
♦ K Q J
♣ K 10 7 4 2EAST
♠ 6 5 2
♥ J 8 4 3
♦ 10 9 8 6 2
♣ J
SOUTH (D)
♠ K J 7
♥ K 10 9 2
♦ A 5 3
♣ A Q 6The bidding:T
his week’s deals have
treated card-reading:
using clues from the bidding
and play to guide you. To test
yourself, cover the East-West
cards. Against your 3NT, West
leads the king of diamonds,
winning, and then the jack.
You duck.
West continues with the
queen, and you win and lead
the king of spades. When
West produces the ace, you
expect him to cash some
diamonds, but instead he
returns a spade. You take the
jack, queen and 10, pitching
a club. East discards a dia-
mond, West a club.
Next you cash the A-Q of
hearts, and East-West follow
low. It’s now Trick 10. Do you
try a club finesse with the
queen? Hope for four heart
tricks?
Lead a third heart. When
East follows low, finesse
with your 10 ... to assure the
contract.
As the cards lie, West
discards, and you have four
hearts, three spades, a club
and a diamond. But if West
took the jack of hearts, he
would have to return a club,
and you would win three
hearts, three spades, a dia-
mond and two clubs.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold:
♠ A 9 4 ♥ 7 6
♦ K Q J ♣ K 10 7 4 2
The dealer, at your left,
opens one club. Your partner
doubles, the next player
passes. What do you say?
ANSWER: To convert a
takeout double to penalty
at the one level, you need
a solid trump holding plus
a good hand. To pass with
broken clubs is dangerous;
declarer might win several
trump tricks. You might risk
a pass here if the opponents
are vulnerable and your side
is not. Otherwise, bid 3NT.N-S VULNERABLESOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1 NT Pass 2 ♣ Pass
2 ♥ Pass 2 NT Pass
3 NT All Pass
Opening lead — ♦ KBRIDGE©2022, TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.
— Frank Stewart