Bridge

Here are answers to the first questions in my Christmas Competition.

1. South is in four spades. West leads the diamond jack: queen, ace, four. East shifts to the spade three: jack, six.

This is easier to work out when looking at all 52 cards. Most players would win trick two in hand and go down.

Declarer must take the second trick with dummy’s spade ace, ruff a diamond, ruff a heart, take the heart pitch if still available and trump another diamond, which establishes dummy’s last diamond as a winner.

South plays a club to the board and discards his club loser on the last diamond. He loses one diamond and two spades.

2. Propose an auction with West the dealer.

North would like better suit qualities for his Unusual Two No-Trump, showing at least 5-5 in the minors, but telling partner about your hand distribution has advantages.

Over two no-trump, East should bid four hearts, showing the values for a limit raise.

Over three hearts, South will presumably settle for three spades, but North might well raise. His hand could be a lot less suitable. South will buy a good dummy.