Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Would you see this?

The International Bridge Press Association (IBPA) has a newsletter that has many interesting deals, such as this one:


East opened 1 and South overcalled 1. West raised to 2 and North ended the auction by bidding 4.

Because West had raised on three low, he led the 9. East won the ace and shifted to a low club, South winning the ace. How would you play the contract?

It's almost 100% that East had the A, so South played this way: He led a spade to the king, ruffed a heart, ruffed a club and ruffed a heart. He continued by ruffing his last club and leading a heart and discarding a low diamond.

Now East was endplayed. He could cash his A, setting up the king or he could present declarer with a ruff and discard -- either way declarer had 10 tricks and claimed his contract.

10 comments:

  1. What would happen to bridge if there were more positions, such as NE or SW? 8 players, like poker.

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  2. Greetings, MOJO! I wanted to tell you about the MOJO Grill and the Big Belly Deli before but I was afraid it would break your heart!

    All is not lost, however. The Mojo Grill & Catering has simply moved down a few blocks to what I assume is a better location.

    I'm sure you'll want to check it out the next time you come to Ocala!

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  3. @Lowell: With a name like Mojo, it must have good food!

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  4. Hey I actually figured it out before I read the rest of your post. I guess I haven't forgotten everything I learned about playing bridge, just most everything.

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  5. I once read a book called Improve Your Bridge With Oswald Jacoby, a collection of columns. Jacoby was absolutely in love with this sort of loser-on-loser endplay. So I think that I would have seen how to play this hand.

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  6. @neophyte and @David - thanks for the comments.

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  7. Unfortunately, the Mojo Grille is still in the old downtown area...I'm not quite sure where but will look for it the next time I'm down thataway.

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  8. Re your comment on the religious car...I noticed the lack of license plate also. Perhaps the owner believes him to be above such pedantic matters? I mean, obviously, god is on his side!

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