Count and read, deduce, play

BRIDGE

How does bridge vary today from, say, 60 years ago?

The main differences are in the auction. Even if we ignore the large increase in artificiality, the meanings of many natural sequences are better defined. Players know which bids are nonforcing, invitational or forcing. In the early days of the game, they were less sure.

Declarer-play has progressed, but not so noticeably. New techniques have been published, but the basic skills of counting and card-reading haven’t changed.

Look at this deal from decades gone by. Today, I think a few more experts would overcall one heart than double. South’s two-spade jump advance showed 9-11 points. Over three diamonds, though, North should have introduced his heart suit. Then South would have bid three no-trump, which would have been cast-iron.

Against four spades, the killing defense is the diamond ace, a diamond ruffed by East, a heart to the ace and a second diamond ruff. However, not being blessed with X-ray vision, West led his higher club.

Declarer won on the board, played a spade to the king and led his heart. West put up the ace and continued with his second club. South discarded a diamond on the heart king and ruffed a heart. When the queen appeared, declarer was confident that West had begun with 2=3=6=2 distribution. A low spade to the ace removed West’s last trump, and declarer cashed the heart jack, pitching another diamond. South cashed dummy’s club ace before leading the heart five. After East ruffed, declarer overruffed and trumped the club nine in the dummy for his 10th trick. Nicely done!