Phillip Alder Bridge

Friday, August 3, 2007

After yesterday, today is easier

North

	Q J 10 9
	J 9 6
	A K 4 3
	10 5

West

	4
	A K Q 7 4 2
	8 5 2
	A Q 6

East

	6 3 2
	3
	J 10 9
	J 9 8 7 4 2

South

	A K 8 7 5
	10 8 5
	Q 7 6
	K 3

Dealer: South
Vulnerable: East-West

South	West	North	East
1	2	3	Pass
3	Pass	Pass	Pass

Opening lead:

     Tryon Edwards, who died in 1894, was an American theologian best known for compiling the New Dictionary of Thoughts, a book of quotations. He claimed: “The secret of a good memory is attention, and attention to a subject depends upon our interest in it. We rarely forget that which has made a deep impression on our minds.”
     How true!
     At the bridge table, the greater your interest, the better you will remember the auction and the closer you will watch the cards.
     In this deal, you are West, defending against three spades. You lead the heart ace: six, three, five. You cash the heart king: nine, club two, heart eight. What would you do next?
     North's three-heart cue-bid showed three-plus spades and at least game-invitational strength — a so-called cue-bid raise. South settled for three spades because he had a minimum opening.
     I usually write these columns a week at a time. So I can easily remember the themes of the deals. The key play in this one is the same as in yesterday's. If you can remember it, you really do take a close interest in bridge.
     You need five tricks. When partner discards the club two on your heart king, you know there are three heart tricks, but where are the other two?
     If only partner could get on lead for a club shift ...
     Right! At trick three, lead ®MDNM¯your heart two. After partner ruffs the trick, it should be easy for him to switch to a club, netting your side two hearts, one heart ruff and two clubs.