Very good quote. I wonder if the author uses the who has the car key rule, too.

Hi Bill,

Ah yes! Especially at bridge and with good partnerships, when there is judgment involved and the wrong opening lead is chosen it is necessary, not just preferred, for his or her partner, to pretend not to notice, although everyone at the table, and later one’s teammates and what may seem like the whole bridge world, will learn.

That is the time to be compassionate, since sooner or later you will be victimized by likely doing the same thing. Opening leads being blind (but not deaf) sometimes require fortune tellers and honest players, as good as they may be, never have anywhere near perfect records since by all that is written and felt, is by some distance, the most difficult part of the expert game.

Recognizing that plight sometimes takes time, but until one does, he is still in the elevator, hopefully going up, but opening one’s mouth, especially immediately after it happens should be mentioned by Ms. Manners as certainly a no no even in intended social conversations, but ALWAYS in high-level bridge.

Last night I watched a top player miscount a hand as declarer in the Spingold. He was playing a Moysian diamond partial which makes on taking a first round finesse of the jack. I really expected him to get right. He had known long spades and three hearts on his right.

Maybe I will be easier on my own errors. I truly miss reading Miss Manners column and her thoughts that getting married does not equal extortion of friends.

Hi Bill,

Yes, the above column hand and your kibitzing experience of last night makes for difficulty in understanding what really constitutes a top player.

At least to me, no really very good player would ever go down on this column hand, leading to the conclusion that there are more wannabes out there than the real thing.

And what about someone or probably better said, an aspiring partnership, trying to develop and then maintain an undeserved “better than they actually are” reputation with professional bridge money beckoning them on and one begins to understand this proliferation of cheating and why it occurred.

Sometimes, compared to real life when so many wars have developed because of nations then people within, becoming dissatisfied (and jealous) of other nation’s success, and bam, bam, bam.

Real, yes, life, no doubt, bridge, suspected, all likely sadly true, but perhaps beginning to understand.

At least to me, it is not difficult to see and thus determine which bridge partnerships are already world class and by the same token how many have a great distance to go, likely never to get there.

If only human nature would not drive those few to criminal means in order to attempt to be something they are not. Success in life becomes a game of sticking to what one does well and not trying to overstep ones talent.

Good for talking about, but sheer hell trying to do something about.