Bridge Magazine, which began in May 1926, is edited in England by Mark Horton. The large-page monthly is written for tournament players, but it labels all articles as intermediate, advanced or general interest.
This deal is from a prize quiz by Patrick Jourdain. You are South, in four spades. West leads the club jack. How would you plan the play, given that trumps are not 4-0?
South’s jump to four spades promises five-plus spades. If North had, for example, a minimum opening bid with 3-4-5-1 distribution, he still would have raised one spade to two spades.
So if South had only four spades, he should find a different rebid, probably three no-trump.
If North has four-card spade support, he will put the partnership into four spades.
You might lose one heart and three diamonds. Initially, you will think that if the heart finesse is working, you will be all right; but if it is losing, you could well fail if the diamond ace and king are split. Then, with further analysis, hopefully you see that the contract is assured.
Win with dummy’s club king (the honor from the shorter side first), draw trumps, and take your two club tricks, discarding the heart two from dummy.
Then play a heart to the ace and continue with the heart queen. Whoever wins the trick is endplayed, forced either to open up diamonds, giving you a trick in the suit, or to return a heart or a club, which you would ruff on the board while discarding a diamond from your hand.
Full details are available at www.bridgeshop.com.
This deal is from a prize quiz by Patrick Jourdain. You are South, in four spades. West leads the club jack. How would you plan the play, given that trumps are not 4-0?
South’s jump to four spades promises five-plus spades. If North had, for example, a minimum opening bid with 3-4-5-1 distribution, he still would have raised one spade to two spades.
So if South had only four spades, he should find a different rebid, probably three no-trump.
If North has four-card spade support, he will put the partnership into four spades.
You might lose one heart and three diamonds. Initially, you will think that if the heart finesse is working, you will be all right; but if it is losing, you could well fail if the diamond ace and king are split. Then, with further analysis, hopefully you see that the contract is assured.
Win with dummy’s club king (the honor from the shorter side first), draw trumps, and take your two club tricks, discarding the heart two from dummy.
Then play a heart to the ace and continue with the heart queen. Whoever wins the trick is endplayed, forced either to open up diamonds, giving you a trick in the suit, or to return a heart or a club, which you would ruff on the board while discarding a diamond from your hand.
Full details are available at www.bridgeshop.com.