Come check out a local bridge tournament

The American Contract Bridge League and I cordially invite my readers, especially those who live in the Philadelphia area, to attend the Spring North American Championships in Philadelphia, March 8-18. It is one of three annual 10-day ACBL “Nationals.”

If you think bridge tournaments are strictly for experts, you’ve never experienced an NABC. There will be events for players at all levels, including a program for beginners/intermediates with expert lectures.

Some events are teamof-four matches with scoring somewhat like party bridge. Say you are declarer at today’s four hearts, and West leads the queen of diamonds. Count losers. You may have one in each suit, but perhaps you can set up a second spade winner to discard a diamond from dummy. You can’t afford to start the trumps early; if you win the first diamond in dummy and lose a trump finesse, West will continue diamonds, setting up a trick for the defense there.

Take the ace of diamonds and lead a spade toward dummy. West wins and leads another diamond, and you win, unblock the queen of spades, come to your ace of trumps and pitch dummy’s last diamond on the ace of spades. Your contract is safe.

Your opponents at the other table should also get to four hearts, but if South is less careful than you, he will go down, and your team will earn a “swing.”

For more about the Philadelphia NABC and other tournaments, including ACBL club games in your area, see acbl.org. If you’re new to tournament play, start by trying a game at a local club. You’ll be welcomed.