YOUR HOROSCOPE

BIRTHDAYSTAR: Actress Rena Sofer was born in Arcadia, California, on this day in 1968. This birthday star has portrayed Quinn Fuller Forrester on the soap “The Bold and the Beautiful” since 2013. She's also appeared on episodes of “Chicago P.D.,” “Once Upon a Time” and “NCIS.” On the big screen, Sofer's film work includes performances in “Rock Slyde,” “Traffic” and “Keeping the Faith.” Sofer married producer Sanford Bookstaver for the second time in 2019. Aries(march21-april19): Root for your team and show your support for those in your inner circle. When you prove your sincerity by getting a job done, people can admire your enthusiasm and honest efforts. Don't let phantom doubts get a foothold. Taurus(april20-may20): Stay in your lane and uphold the current status quo. You may have several incredibly good ideas but could find that someone else is giving push-back. Delays or entanglements in a contract or deal may make you impatient. Gemini(may21-june20): Seek out other options. It may be wise to ask for a second opinion from a trusted professional before you execute a new business or financial plan. The stars are advising you stop, reassess, and start over.

Cancer(june21-july22):being

receptive to new paradigms and the latest technologies should save you money in the long run. You don't need any kind of formal setting to gather knowledge.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): Rely on your own talents and strengths rather than outside input. Your ticket to fame and fortune could be your ability to adapt to the latest trends and think outside the box. Avoid a battle over leadership.

Virgo(aug.23-sept.22):something fascinating might have more to it than meets the eye. Your thinking processes are enhanced when you are exposed to a wider range of subjects. There may be upcoming changes that require your attention.

Libra(sept.23-oct.22): You can enjoy originality even if some people fear anything new or different. Remain sensitive to any undercurrents and determine the best response. Your reaction to change is what counts. Trust a loved one to do the right thing.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): If you choose to act on impulse make it worth the extra time and complications. Avoid arguments and aggravations by focusing on being positive and remaining organized.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):You

could be in the right place at the right time to receive publicity or personal recognition. Focus on engaging in a wide range of pleasurable activities within the safety of a group of likeminded individuals.

Capricorn(dec.22-jan.19):family

dynamics are not always improved by avoiding confrontation. You might deceive yourself or be unrealistic about something which needs to be addressed. Welcome altruistic ideas and let them develop. Aquarius(jan.20-feb.18):pointed remarks may land, and you can learn from them without taking them personally. Avoid engaging in ugliness by being polite and kind even in the face of hostility. Focus on accomplishing your tasks.

Aspire to be the best and you can achieve your higher purpose. Reevaluate your priorities so they lead to greater contentment. Small sacrifices may be made

Pisces(feb.19-march20):

to build up and extend your social and business connections. ifdecember2isyourbirthday:during the next four to six weeks, you may be forced to juggle business and a job with numerous social obligations. An important new friendship or group could be a positive influence. Put business and finances on the back burner in January and February when you may be able to take a little time to enjoy the fruits of your labors. In February you might feel that the whole world is your oyster. Since your best traits are likely more obvious to everyone you could land the job of your dreams or find a soulmate. This is the best time to meet new contacts, make key commitments, or launch plans. If you aren't sidetracked by poor financial ideas in March, you can pursue a passing fancy in April and have a few of your dreams come true.

In today's deal, South gambles on North holding a singleton spade and takes the plunge in what turns out to be a delicate four spades.

Declarer wins the diamond lead in hand and naturally plays a trump. The appearance of the spade 10 does not bode well for declarer, but it is not yet clear that the suit is splitting 4-1. East returns a diamond to dummy's king, and South should ruff a diamond to begin reducing his trumps. East's diamond nine return is inconsistent with an original five-card holding, and it would not hurt for East to ruff in ahead of declarer.

The second round of trumps confirms the 4-1 break. Now South must take two more ruffs in his hand and return to dummy to lead a plain card through East. Say East shifts to a heart. Declarer overtakes his king with dummy's ace for a heart ruff, and then finesses the club 10 and ruffs another heart. When the finesse of the club jack stands up, declarer advances the diamond queen. If East ruffs, declarer overruffs. If East pitches, so does South, to score the spade queen in the ending. If declarer had failed to overtake the heart king, West could defeat the game by inserting the club king when declarer led a club toward dummy, to limit the entries to dummy. Similarly, West would duck South's club queen. However, East would have done better to return a heart, not a diamond, at trick three. Bringing home the game now would require South to overtake — far from obvious.

ANSWER: I'd open one diamond, planning to rebid two clubs. It seems wrong to me to open one no-trump even if it is legal. That call does convey your strength, but one should avoid this distortion whenever possible. Another option would be to reverse into hearts, but that almost guarantees at least a 5-4 distribution. With this shape and 15 high-card points, I tend to down-value the hand to 12-14. With 17, I might upgrade to a reversing sequence. No solution is completely satisfactory, though.