Daily Bridge Club

FRANK STEWART TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY

“It ain’t like football. You can’t make up no trick plays.” — the late Yogi Berra on baseball strategy

Bridge has nothing like the old hidden-ball trick, but it does have misdirection plays. In today’s deal from a team match, both Souths played at six spades.

At one table West led a club, and declarer won and saw he only had to worry about two trump losers. In case East had all three missing trumps, South played safe by leading the jack and letting it ride when East played the four. West showed out, and South congratulated himself and claimed 12 tricks. BEST PLAY At the second table, West’s opening lead was the ten of hearts. South also spotted the best play in trumps, but when he took the ace of hearts, East followed with the queen! Now South was afraid to adopt his safety play. If he let the jack ride, losing, West might give East a heart ruff. So South led a trump to his ace at Trick Two — and found himself misdirected. He lost two trump tricks and went down.

Questions and comments: Email Stewart at frs1016@centurylink.net