Bridge Play

“I don’t see how you could have known, Holmes.”

“You fail to reason logically, Watson.”

Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes were reviewing a match against Professor Moriarty. In today’s deal, Watson had overcalled in spades; nevertheless, Holmes as West had led a heart against Moriarty’s 3NT.

“The professor put up dummy’s king,” Watson recounted, “and I took the ace and returned a heart to your queen. Had I been in your place, I would have led a third heart to set up my long suit with the ace of diamonds as an entry.”

REVEALING

“That is why you are a card-pusher, Watson. Declarer’s play was revealing. Why would he play dummy’s king of hearts when to play low was much more attractive? Clearly, he was desperate to win the first trick, and only because he feared a shift to some other suit. That could only be diamonds.”

When Holmes took the queen of hearts, he led a low diamond, and the defense took four diamonds for down two.

“Quite amazing, Holmes.”

“Elementary.”