FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

HARLOW THE HALO

“It was an odds-against slam for anyone else,” Unlucky Louie told me. “For him, it was all but a sure thing.”

Louie meant the player we call Harlow the Halo. While unending bad luck assails Louie, good luck follows Harlow around like a large, friendly dog. His key suits always break well, and his finesses never lose.

Harlow was today’s South in my club’s penny game, and when he opened four hearts, North raised to six, adding two playing tricks for Harlow’s luck. Louie, West, led the queen of clubs.

Ruffs

“The Halo won with the king,” Louie said, “and led his deuce of trumps to dummy’s seven! He ruffed a spade, went to the ace of trumps, ruffed a spade and drew trumps. He led to the ace of clubs and ace of diamonds to ruff two more spades, got back with the king of diamonds and took the good fifth spade. Making six.”

“He needed a 4-4 spade break and a finesse in trumps,” I said. “His chances were 14 percent.”

Hang in, Louie. One day Harlow’s luck will expire.

Daily Question

You hold: ♠ J5432 ♥ A7 ♦ A K 2 ♣A 4 2. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one spade and he bids two clubs. What do you say?

Answer: You can bid three diamonds if in your partnership that bid would be forcing. But if a jump-preference in opener’s minor suit would be only invitational — and many pairs treat it that way — you must bid two hearts, a “fourth-suit” bid that doesn’t promise great hearts but merely asks partner to keep describing his hand.

South dealer

Neither side vulnerable