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Bridge 11/28
A problem a day for a year
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The 14th and final edition of the Daily Bridge Calendar is now available. There are eight contributors (six individuals and one married couple) providing daily problems on all aspects of the game. The calendar sits on a plastic stand, with the problems on the front of each tear-off sheet and the answers on the back. You also receive information about bidding conventions and tournaments.
    Here is one of my problems from this year's calendar, which would catch out the careless. How would you, sitting South, plan the play in three no-trump after West leads the diamond seven to the two, queen and king?
    Even if you open one no-trump with 16-18 points, that South hand, with its respectable five-card suit, is too strong.
    You have only eight top tricks: three spades, one diamond and four clubs. Many players would assume they had five club tricks, immediately cashing the club ace and playing another round. Then, after going down one, they would complain about their bad luck that the clubs broke 5-1 and the spades were not 3-3.
    If you have only four club tricks coming, you need four spades. That is fine if they are splitting 3-3, but if not, perhaps someone has a singleton or doubleton jack. After winning with your diamond king, cash the ace and queen of spades. Here the jack drops, so you take the spade 10 and club ace, then play your second club, ending with nine tricks when the club split is bad.
    The 2007 calendar is $19.00 postpaid. Call (888) 615-9446 to order. In Canada, the cost is C$23.99 plus tax; call (800) 749-3292.
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