Bridge Can Be In The Friendly Skies

In the mid-1970s, Richard J. Ferris, the former president of United Airlines, said, “It is now possible for a flight attendant to get a pilot pregnant.” And why not?

Many years ago, in-flight magazines contained several puzzle pages, which always included a bridge column. Nowadays, though, a crossword and a sudoku are usually the only challenges to a passenger’s analytical mind -- if the airline has restarted its magazine following COVID.

Several years ago, I flew with Turkish Airlines and was pleasantly surprised to find that the in-flight magazine contained an interesting chess problem and today’s bridge deal. The reader was shown all 52 cards and asked -- I think -- to analyze the play in three no-trump. Well, how do you think it should go?

North’s bid of three no-trump is aggressive, but he has a good five-card suit and excellent controls. Aces are worth more than the 4 points we normally assign to them.

You start with six top tricks. The other three winners can come from the heart suit. However, while playing that suit, the lead must be lost twice. If the opponents can establish and cash three diamond tricks to go with their two heart winners, you will fall to defeat.

The danger is a 5-2 diamond split. If that is the situation, you must try to cut the defenders’ communication in the suit. The key play is to duck the first trick completely.

Win trick two in the dummy and lead a heart toward your 10. West may win and establish his diamonds, but he has no entry remaining. Also, if East wins this heart trick, he has no diamond left to play.

If the opponents are trying to establish a suit, always consider a ducking play.