The Reporter (Vacaville)

It is in not only one textbook

- By Phillip Alder © 2023 UFS, Dist. by Andrews McMeel for UFS

Despite the 6 inches of snow that had fallen overnight, all of the tables set up for the Senior Life Master’s class were occupied.

There are many plays (began the SLM) described in the textbooks of bridge. There are also deals on which the textbook play is wrong. These keep us coming back for more.

South’s overcall of one no-trump showed 16-18 points. North’s raise to game was reasonable. He had a fivecard suit, and his partner rated to place the missing cards accurately.

West led the spade seven: two, jack, six. When East continued with the spade king, South won with the ace. Now declarer led the club queen from his hand. If West won with the king, he couldn’t lead another spade, so he ducked the trick to his partner’s ace. East continued with the spade queen and another spade, establishi­ng his nine, but he had no reentry. Declarer conceded a club to West’s king and claimed nine tricks: two spades, three hearts, one diamond and three clubs. The diamond finesse wasn’t needed.

The defenders compliment­ed South on his duck at trick one. South thanked them, but he knew better. He had noticed that if East had played the spade nine (or four) at trick one, the contract could have been defeated. South wins with the spade 10 (or eight) and leads a club, but West flies in with the king and returns his second spade. East’s suit is establishe­d while he still holds the club ace as an entry.

In a no-trump contract, when declarer has two stoppers in the suit you are trying to establish, make him use one of them as quickly as possible.

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 ?? ?? PHILLIP ALDER
PHILLIP ALDER

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