Bridge: a game for all ages

Press, 17 June 1986, Page 12

Bridge: a game for all ages

CONTRACT BRIDGE

J.R. Wignail

It was, I think,. Somerset Maugham who said that bridge was a great comfort in old age, and also that it helped one get there more quickly. There is no doubt, however, that not only does it have a strong appeal to the competitive instincts of the young, it can be enjoyed by players of all ages. Although it is still early in the year, my own choice for the hand of 1986 is already this deal played by an octogenerian. Joel Tarlo, an English lawyer, moved to Spain to spend his retirement, having been a top British player for some years and a World Champion in 1954. Now in his eighty-first, he was competing in the Barclays Bank Teams of Four at the Marbella Club Festival when this deal appeared. South was the dealer, with both sides vulnerable:

Three no-trumps would have been the optimum contract for North-South, since the declarer has plenty of time to collect three tricks in spades, three in hearts, two in diamonds and two in clubs, giving him an overtrick.

When something went wrong in the auction, however, Tarlo as South had to play in four spades. This contract appears to have a fatal flaw.

The defenders have three obvious quick tricks in clubs and diamonds, so the trump suit has to be brought in without loss. Since East has four spades headed by the jack, it is not easy to see how this can be done.

But just watch a veteran campaniger in action. "?

With an unattractive choice of opening leads, West chose the 10 of spades, which was Tarlo’s first clue. It was most unlikely to be from a three-card holding, so he made a mental note that West had started with a doubleton or singleton spade. After winning with dummy’s King, the de-

clarer continued with the nine of spades, covered correctly by the jack. He won with the queen, and switched to the queen of diamonds, hoping to drive out the ace, and later to discard a losing club on the diamond king. Unfortunately for him, the defence did not falter. West won with the ace of diamonds, cashed the ace of clubs and led a club to his partner’s king. A diamond was returned to the declarer’s jack, and South could not afford to lose any more tricks in this position:

Needing two entries to dummy, Tarlo led the five of hearts from hand and when West played three he called for dummy’s 10. c

When this held he could" almost see his way home? He led a club from the ftable, and, although it wasa winner, he ruffed with?’ l the five of spades. ; He returned to the king’ of hearts, cashed the king, of diamonds on which he£ discarded the queen of hearts, ’ and then played: the jack of clubs front dummy. , When East followed* suit, the - declarer threw; away his ace of hearts/ discarding a winner on a winner. Now came the' losing eight of and East was well and 1 truly fixed. With only two. trumps left he could mak£ neither. If he ruffed wlttf the six, South would overruff with the seven, and ir he put in the eight the ace would be played. ' Either way, the de? clarer had brought in trump suit without loss and made a contract that at first sight had seemed, hopeless. Not a bad efforf for an eighty-year-old, and a sure indication that bridge is a game for al) ages. -r