Bridge can be a baffling game

Bridge can be such a perplexing game at times. Henry Carey had the right idea when he wrote, “Confound their politics, Frustrate their knavish tricks.” But sometimes the knavish cards leave the players frustrated. In today’s deal, you make seven spades but go down in six! How come? Read on. South opened with a textbook weak two-bid. North, who knew his partner’s style, didn’t stop to smell the flowers. West, a pupil of the Aggressive Leads Against Small Slams School, flashed the club six onto the table. Looking at the full deal, you can see that the heart finesse is winning.

However, without the advantage of a free peek, that isn’t the correct play in six spades. South exhibited excellent -- if unsuccessful -- technique. He knew that, having to find one red-suit queen, he should cash the ace-king in the suit with the greater number of cards. Then, if the queen hasn’t dropped, finesse in the other suit. Declarer ducked the first trick to open up his communications. He won the second trick with the club ace, drew trumps and cashed dummy’s heart ace-king. Next came the diamond ace, a club ruff to get back to hand and a finesse of the diamond jack. Unlucky -- down one. However, in seven spades the diamond finesse is probably not taken. Needing two discards, South must hope that the heart suit is generating five tricks. He wins trick one with the club ace, cashes the heart ace, draws trumps and finesses the heart jack. Lucky -- seven made. Bridge can be such a frustrating -- or easy -- game.