Aces on Bridge — Daily Columns

The Aces on Bridge: Friday, 4 August 2023


6 Comments

Iain ClimieAugust 4th, 2023 at 10:57 am

Hi Bobby,

You said declarer can almost ensure his contract this way. What is the sting in the tail (i.e. what am I missing), please? Even if D were 5-0, the pips mean there shouldn’t be a problem surely.

Regards,

Iain

bobbywolffAugust 4th, 2023 at 1:48 pm

Hi Iain,

Almost is clearly a conservative word to use, but what if, after the club jack lead, East, not West turned out to have both the AKx of diamonds (ducking
the first diamond, the queen of hearts and any of the four clubs left for EW.

Even with Jim2 declaring it is no better than 50-50 that West would pick out a club to lead, but perhaps by chance he (or she) was one of the card shufflers who filled the duplicated boards.

To think that my best pal Iain, questioned my veracity. Shame! Oh well, I will forgive you, but finally finding a hand in which even the great Jim2 might have been fortunate enough to not face the 100% lead of a club from three, but alas no such luck. No rest for the cursed!

I just solved the above conundrum when I found that Jim2 was playing, but
fortunately it was not only Jim2’s BD, but West, his partner knew it and was too tight to buy him a present, but not too tight to remember him, since, he too, benefited.

bobbywolffAugust 4th, 2023 at 1:54 pm

Hi again Iain,

Again curses, Jim 2 was the declarer, not his RHO. I intentionally screwed it up just to see if I could get it past you and if you believe that, I’ll ask you to lend me money and I’ll pay you back.

bobbywolffAugust 4th, 2023 at 2:11 pm

Hi again still Iain,

OK West’s club lead was from a doubleton or perhaps instead it wasn’t but the game was matchpoints and declarer made only nine tricks instead of everyone else, who made, at least ten.

And yes I’ll take back my comment of veracity, since he was obviously correct.

Iain ClimieAugust 4th, 2023 at 2:47 pm

Hi Bobby,

No worries, I was just being picky! One of my many annoying habits tbf – if you’ve ever seen The Big Bang Theory, I’m annoyingly like Sheldon at times.

Have a great weekend, both you and Judy.

Regards,

Iain

bobbywolffAugust 4th, 2023 at 6:01 pm

Hi Iain,

Let me assure you that your comments are never picky, but rather almost
(that word again) always on target, without which we would be running an advertising program, not an advanced home for experienced bridge players.

Please don’t change a hair fir me, not if you care for me and please continue to fire your best pitch over the plate at 100 mph. One day, I promise you, I will at least try to publish a guide, allowing bridge players to casually make remarks, and then if I interrupt, I’ll improve my average, for a change, of being right. I know it has yet to happen, but never say never and in my.dreams it eventually will, at least hopefully before I reach my three digit goal.