Independent Pursuits: Bridge

Alan Hiron
Sunday 06 December 1998 19:02 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

IT WAS only an insignificant rubber bridge part score but, to listen to the East-West argument that ensued, you would have thought that they had been defending against a grand slam.

Nobody at the table spotted the bet solution to their problems.

South opened 1 No-trumps (15-17 points) and all passed. West led !10 to the jack and king, and declarer held off until the third round, throwing a spade from dummy. Then he led a low spade and West, after winning with 4Q, cashed !Q on which both dummy and declarer threw clubs.

At this point the defenders could have cashed four clubs but, from West's point of view, South could still hold 2Kx, so he tried #7. This went to the 10, jack and ace, and declarer played off the ace and another spade. West won, and East parted with #2. Now the contract could have gone three off but West's construction of the deal led him to believe that South had started with, say, 4Axxx !Axx #A 9 8 2Kxx. At any rate, he led a second diamond and South now had two spades, a heart and four diamonds.

How could East have helped? By throwing #9, not #2, on the third spade. For, if he still held #K9, he would have wanted a diamond, not a club. So the discard of #9 would surely deny possession of #K, and now West could hardly have gone wrong.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in