Aces on Bridge — Daily Columns

The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, 11 July 2023


5 Comments

Jeff SerandosJuly 11th, 2023 at 1:40 pm

Hi Bobby,

I am feeling a little slow this morning. When West exits with a club at trick 3, can’t South just take the club on the board and then proceed with the four trumps and two more rounds of clubs, but end in his own hand? I am having a hard time seeing what I am missing.

As always, thank you for the column, it is always a bright spot in my day.

Iain ClimieJuly 11th, 2023 at 2:23 pm

Hi Jeff,

West throws a spade, then a diamond and finally another spade on the trump and club winners. South can now lead up to the DK, ruff a spade setting up the 10 but he can’t reach it and has to lead away from DQx in hand.

Regards,

Iain

bobbywolffJuly 11th, 2023 at 2:28 pm

Hi Jeff,

Yes, declarer can do as you suggest, but then he will be left with two losers, since when leading a diamond toward dummy West will certainly duck allowing EW to take two more tricks for down one.

I, of course, enjoy the fact that the bridge column serves its purpose of entertainment, especially with you. Keep in touch and the more questions, the better I like it.

Jeff SerandosJuly 11th, 2023 at 6:46 pm

All right, thanks, guys. I was just going off the comment in the column that South saw that he could lead four rounds of trump and follow with two rounds of clubs to squeeze West down to the ace-doubleton in diamonds, but would be in the wrong hand to benefit from it and wondered why he couldn’t be in whichever hand he wanted.

Full confession, in my haste this morning, I somehow had it down to a three-card ending, not a four-card ending. Don’t ask me what happened to the extra card; I suspect foul play.

bobbywolffJuly 11th, 2023 at 11:44 pm

Hi Jeff,

Nothing especially harmful with your logic or your explanations, but perhaps by osmosis
you, like many of your playing buddies, or ones who frequent bridge clubs, may begin to
learn the severe challenges which await those who think they can master this difficult game.

Not easily done, and that alone should carry the word that it will take years of experience to come anywhere close to decreasing the errors normally made on any one hand, let alone a whole bridge session.