Bridge players come in all colors, shapes and sizes. Their occupations are quite varied, also—lawyers, bankers, system engineers, academics, etc. Ron Ashbacher, a Harrison, Arkansas, expat, is a fishing guide. See if you can match Ron’s play with this month’s hand.
[the bidding]
N
1D
3NT
E
1H
Pass
S
2NT
Pass
W
Pass
Pass
« Opening lead: K♣
« Cover the East/West hands and see if you can make the contract.
NORTH
♠ K76
♥ K
♦ K J 10 9 3 2
♣ A 6 2
WEST
♠ J 9 3
♥ 10 7
♦ 7 5 4
♣ K Q J 10 7
EAST
♠ Q 10 8 5
♥ Q 8 6 5 3 2
♦ A
♣ 9 3
SOUTH
♠ A 4 2
♥ A J 9 4
♦ Q86
♣ 8 5 4
1. West leads the ♣ King, 2 from dummy, 3 from East, declarer the 4.
2. Next, from West, the ♣ Queen.
3. Ashbacher, using the ‘Rule of Seven,’ played the ♣ Ace.
4. Declarer now unblocked the ♥ King.
5. Next came the ♦ 9, Ace from East.
6. East shifted to the ♠ 5, 2 from declarer, West the Jack, and dummy the King.
7. The ♦ 2 from dummy, a ♥ from East, declarer the ♦ Queen, and West the 5.
8. ♥ Ace is cashed, 7 from West, ♠ 6 from dummy, ♥ 5 from East.
9. ♦ 8, 7 from West, King from dummy, and a ♥ from East.
10. Ashbacher now cashed all but one ♦, resulting in this three-card end position.
NORTH
♠ 7
♥
♦ 10
♣ 6
WEST
♠ 9 3
♥
♦
♣ 10
EAST
♠ Q 10
♥ Q
♦
♣
SOUTH
♠ A 4
♥ J
♦
♣
1. When declarer led the last ♦, East was forced to discard a ♠.
2. Declarer sluffed the ♥ Jack.
3. West also was forced to discard a ♠.
4. Dummy ♠ 7 to the Ace, making good the 4.
5. Ashbacher collected two up-tricks for a well-deserved top.
[Do you have a good bridge tip? Email kennethmbland@yahoo.com.]
Photo: Colin Miller of Strauss Peyton