Bridge in the sukka

Every year at this time, I offer advice for those who want to play bridge in the sukka. For one thing, you should have a square table and try to keep the food off the table. On this hand, food might have been on the table, as East made a great play, perhaps by accident. Perhaps he had a le’haim or two as well.

Opening lead: 3 of spades

South opened one diamond in fourth chair and jump shifted to three clubs after North scraped up a light one-spade response. North should have bid three notrump but he bid three diamonds instead, and South bid three notrump. Perhaps everyone was a little distracted by the venue.

West led a low spade instead of a heart, so declarer won the first trick in dummy with the jack. He led a diamond toward his hand, intending to finesse, but East played the queen (or it fell out of his hand) and South won the trick and started to think. Always dangerous. It looked like East held the singleton queen.

South switched tact by playing ace, king and a club. East won the queen and returned a spade to the ace. Declarer now had eight sure tricks: two spades, three diamonds and three clubs. Where would he get his ninth trick? He was still stuck with the idea that diamonds were not breaking. So he led a heart to the king instead. East practically fell off his seat! He tabled his cards, claiming down one, and West said, “Down three! I still get two spade tricks.” “My fault,” said North, “I bid too much.” South quickly shuffled the cards for a new deal.