The quote today is reminiscent of an old logic puzzle. At a junction in the road you can head left or right, one way being very safe and the other likely danger. A local person is there who you can ask one question but you can’t tell whether he is someone who always lies or always tells the truth; it is assumed he belongs to one of two groups. So what do you ask to get an answer you can use to stay safe?
On the hand, though, the HJ can hardly cost but how many of us would play it at thd table?
Regards
Iain
bobbywolffSeptember 8th, 2020 at 2:17 pm
Hi Iain,
An easy but logical answer:
In the next life our senses will improve, likely by osmosis, so that we will instinctivly “feel” our LHO, when we are declarer, is in the midst of selling us the Brooklyn bridge.
And since the object of our purchase, exactly, in name, matches the game we all love, presto, magico, at least for our clever opponents, the jig is up. We DO NOT do either, buy the bridge, nor try vainly to reach dummy.
No untruths for me, not when playing against
being a column hand, and superior opponents.
Besides, and at the postmortem, would be my chance to forever have mental mastery over that special opponent when I feigned considering the bridge buy, so instead led him on, before declining
And to answer, who killed Cock Robin?, “NOT I”, said the sparrow”!
Jeff SSeptember 8th, 2020 at 2:31 pm
I love logic puzzles like Iain’s. I’d ask “Would someone from the other group tell me to take the left fork?” If they say yes, take the right fork, if no, the left fork is the safe one.
Iain ClimieSeptember 8th, 2020 at 2:39 pm
HI Jeff S,
Yes, although the answer I’ve heard is “If I asked someone from the other group which way to go, what would they tell me?” Then do the opposite. Your answer is more concise.
Regards
Iain
A V Ramana RaoSeptember 8th, 2020 at 2:51 pm
Hi lain & Dear Mr Wolff
I too like logic puzzles very much and today’s West conjured up an additional defensive trick setting the contract by his logical reasoning. Sure he must have won a brilliancy prize and perhaps our host could mention his name
Regards
bobbywolffSeptember 8th, 2020 at 5:03 pm
Hi AVRR,
I would if I could, but I can’t (don’t know), so I won’t.
No doubt contrived and likely originating in a brilliant but devious mind, who thrives in bridge puzzles.
Very early in Contract Bridge history circa 1930, many leading bridge magazines, including the New Yorker, embraced the sophisticated partnership game we all love, with much fanfare, usually through cartoons with wealthy middle aged adults, dressed to the hilt, playing bridge as if they were already expert, and by commenting to partner ways to improve their games.
IOW, the fashion of that day and age, but from there our game has somewhat slowly taken off to become worldwide very sophisticated, but, of course, with many stumbling blocks on that rocky road.
Here is hoping that a combination of a difficult virus (Pandemic) and some “cheating” scandals, (always a horrible realization) will not combine to eliminate face to face bridge, instead of virtual or ever being forced to eliminate its cozy society of four players together at a single table.
Time will tell, but since I, for one, have always considered bridge (as we know and respect it)
to be the greatest mind game ever, I am close to praying for its full fledged return to its revered status (and soon).
Other people, though not yet born, should never be deprived of experiencing the mental ups and downs to which high-level bridge represents and to the unmitigated joy (and sadly, sometimes despair) it often provides.
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HI Bobby,
The quote today is reminiscent of an old logic puzzle. At a junction in the road you can head left or right, one way being very safe and the other likely danger. A local person is there who you can ask one question but you can’t tell whether he is someone who always lies or always tells the truth; it is assumed he belongs to one of two groups. So what do you ask to get an answer you can use to stay safe?
On the hand, though, the HJ can hardly cost but how many of us would play it at thd table?
Regards
Iain
Hi Iain,
An easy but logical answer:
In the next life our senses will improve, likely by osmosis, so that we will instinctivly “feel” our LHO, when we are declarer, is in the midst of selling us the Brooklyn bridge.
And since the object of our purchase, exactly, in name, matches the game we all love, presto, magico, at least for our clever opponents, the jig is up. We DO NOT do either, buy the bridge, nor try vainly to reach dummy.
No untruths for me, not when playing against
being a column hand, and superior opponents.
Besides, and at the postmortem, would be my chance to forever have mental mastery over that special opponent when I feigned considering the bridge buy, so instead led him on, before declining
And to answer, who killed Cock Robin?, “NOT I”, said the sparrow”!
I love logic puzzles like Iain’s. I’d ask “Would someone from the other group tell me to take the left fork?” If they say yes, take the right fork, if no, the left fork is the safe one.
HI Jeff S,
Yes, although the answer I’ve heard is “If I asked someone from the other group which way to go, what would they tell me?” Then do the opposite. Your answer is more concise.
Regards
Iain
Hi lain & Dear Mr Wolff
I too like logic puzzles very much and today’s West conjured up an additional defensive trick setting the contract by his logical reasoning. Sure he must have won a brilliancy prize and perhaps our host could mention his name
Regards
Hi AVRR,
I would if I could, but I can’t (don’t know), so I won’t.
No doubt contrived and likely originating in a brilliant but devious mind, who thrives in bridge puzzles.
Very early in Contract Bridge history circa 1930, many leading bridge magazines, including the New Yorker, embraced the sophisticated partnership game we all love, with much fanfare, usually through cartoons with wealthy middle aged adults, dressed to the hilt, playing bridge as if they were already expert, and by commenting to partner ways to improve their games.
IOW, the fashion of that day and age, but from there our game has somewhat slowly taken off to become worldwide very sophisticated, but, of course, with many stumbling blocks on that rocky road.
Here is hoping that a combination of a difficult virus (Pandemic) and some “cheating” scandals, (always a horrible realization) will not combine to eliminate face to face bridge, instead of virtual or ever being forced to eliminate its cozy society of four players together at a single table.
Time will tell, but since I, for one, have always considered bridge (as we know and respect it)
to be the greatest mind game ever, I am close to praying for its full fledged return to its revered status (and soon).
Other people, though not yet born, should never be deprived of experiencing the mental ups and downs to which high-level bridge represents and to the unmitigated joy (and sadly, sometimes despair) it often provides.