What makes this more interesting is that East will encourage with both the H Queen or the H Ace. So, West has no reason to not continue hearts.

Hi Arun,

Absolutely yes, so chalk it up to a clever falsecard (legal ruse) by declarer and to the game itself for creating these psychological challenges within.

You may find interesting that in the early days of the Aces (the first professional bridge team, gathered in Dallas, Texas by Mr. Ira Corn in February 1968 and continued full time until the summer of 1972) they played 128 board bridge matches most every weekend (except when important, country and world tournaments, were being held) against the best competition available in the USA, flown in as opponents.

Then on the following Monday and Tuesday all boards were individually thoroughly critiqued where every player (plus our marvelous coach, the late and great retired Lt. Colonel Joe Musumeci), had a say on what he thought, before a few kudos and mostly charges were assigned.

They came in white (poor result but no one had a good reason to not do it, eg a difficult opening lead or a truly unlucky bidding choice), black (clear error, no-win and shameful) and gray (either by technique or by legal table feel, not including partner’s unethical body language or intonation) the bad result (possible on this hand a small hitch by declarer before playing the eight of hearts at trick one) could have been avoided, but wasn’t.

Today’s column defense would be gray, but with a white tint, not counted but noted. Perhaps some readers will think harsh, but in those days our team was not striving for mediocrity and excuses.

In ‘he Color of Money,’ Paul Newman as Fast Eddie tells Tom Cruise, “Money won is twice as good as money earned.”

We all love to swindle the opponents and long remember the results. One of mine is +1660 compared to -170 at the other table.

On BWTA, I must confess that it would never occur to me to bid four hearts.

I have little shape, no quick trick, and my KJs are in front of the opening bidder. Partner could easily hold something like:

Kx
AKQxxx
xx
xxx

Hi Bill,

Back when I was a kid, (probably around the year 1750), a very common expression was that “X” was a person who would rather earn a dishonest dollar than an honest 10 dollars and sometimes, especially in the bridge world, which applied often, right as rain (those who love to psyche or described as an euphemism, “tactical bid”). Later those bids grew to be called “fertilizer” or better still, which Edgar Kaplan described as “Particularly Unusual System” “PUS” (perfect name).

Belongs in Robert Ripley’s “Believe it or Not” column, popularly printed around the same time.

Hi Jim2,

I must confess to you that I agree with your quantitative judgment and only think that the responsive hand is worth a 3 heart raise instead of a jump to 4.

However, a thought for today, sometimes, often depending on the vulnerability a confident jump to game will illicit a “phantom sacrifice” from the opponents (in this case 4 spades), the “X” factor in decision making (especially when one is vulnerable and the other is not).

However, do not count your hatches before they are chickened since, by doing so you are waging a psychological war, not always won by the “good guys”.

And so it goes, but, no doubt you chance 3 only hearts since you, can concoct a hand where even 3 hearts goes set, while 2 spades would have also. TOCM tm.

Hi Bobby,

If east plays the H4 at T1 and south the 8, is there a slight rodent smell? South could clearly be false carding but would. East play the 4 from AQ5432? Something odd is going on although I’d have probably played another H without much thought.

Regards,

Iain

Hi Iain,

Yes, always possible, but not necessarily, however because of West’s minor suit holdings, in the absence of that almost exact heart holding there appears to be little to no damage to continue hearts, that is, until declarer springs the trap he craftily set.

Dame Fortune sometimes deals extraordinary “ruse” opportunities to those who covet, recognize and then execute them, in which this declarer benefited. An important factor, as it is so often, is total concentration by the declarer as dummy is putting down the dummy, in order to create the proper tempo (and card played from hand) in order to “set the trap” and even the poor mouse (West) will usually fall for it since we all seek “tasty cheese” and then learn to live with “hasty decisions”, not that this one can logically be figured out.

Following Iain’s thought (and assuming West takes his time to think) shouldn’t he be suspicious of declarer’s 8 when the 5 has not shown out? If partner’s highest card is the 4, presumably an encouraging signal, why isn’t declarer playing the 5?

Hi Mircea,

Good detective work. However sometimes holding the Q654 or Q543 defenders temper their enthusiasm by not giving the highest card they can afford, thinking that their partner will get a better idea of exactly what they hold.

Probably too optimistic a position because of the falsecard possibilities, but still often practiced by would be perfectionists.

Sherlock Holmes would delve deeply into what you say, but mere normal bridge players (if there is such a thing) may only hitch at that thought.

Keep on trucking and your love for the game will sustain your consistent improvement.