Aces on Bridge — Daily Columns

The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, May 10th, 2020


2 Comments

Iain ClimieMay 24th, 2020 at 7:34 pm

HI Bobby,

In reply to Gerber’s Gambit can I recommend Byzantine Blackwood, which I played in the late 70s, at least for serious partnerships. It took some serious effort to remember though!

Regards

Iain

bobbywolffMay 24th, 2020 at 8:53 pm

Hi Iain,

Continuing the discussion of ace asking bids, perhaps you but definitely I, strongly prefer less serious ways of having to remember, perhaps rarely important, but sadly, not often used adjuncts.

Therefore complicated methods do not appeal to me, so the simpler the better and anyone who is virtually sure the king of trumps is as valuable as the ace (or more often than not, any ace), much less often the trump queen, will likely get into a losing argument with me.

Obviously there are practical excuses (both ways), most all of them resulting in the fewer the possible overall number possible, the more valuable the non-usage.

Add to that the usage tax, like anyone’s total bill, merely camouflaging the real cost and at least, we begin to spy the real unvarnished truth.

Since the word Byzantine somehow reminds me of the complications we both mention, I need to claim that the positive fluidity of a less occupied mind tends to attract fewer gross errors.

With that as my shield, I heartily agree with the byproduct memory you mention, and respectfully decline to make further comment, except to accent my advice to contrary views: “Dream on”.