SPINNING CARDS ONTO THE TABLE

When, if ever, will the Earth stop spinning? Any ideas?

If you watch bridge players, most properly place their cards onto the table without noticeable mannerisms. However, when something unwelcome has happened, a few play their cards with excessive emphasis. Also, there are those who like to spin the cards onto the table. In today’s deal, a spinner was sitting West.

Although his point-count was low, South jumped straight to game because he had only five losers (two hearts and three diamonds — you never count more than three losers in a single suit).

West spun out the spade queen: three, two (discouraging), ace. Now South led the diamond three.

It was clear to West that declarer was trying to engineer a diamond ruff or two in the dummy. If so, it would probably be beneficial for the defenders to lead trumps. Still, perhaps East didn’t have a heart holding that could be safely led away from. So, in an excellent effort to guarantee winning trick two, West spun the diamond jack onto the table. (If West plays a lower diamond, the contract makes.) After winning the trick, West switched to his singleton trump.

Whichever way South turned now, he was doomed to defeat. Actually, he finessed in hearts, so East won with the king and returned another trump. Then, when East regained the lead with the diamond queen, he led a third trump. South finished with only his nine top tricks.

The Earth will stop spinning in millions of years, after the sun has exploded. However, one wag suggested it would stop spinning “usually about five hours after one has stopped drinking.”