Throughout Minnesota and the rest of the world, bridge players are bemoaning the inability to go to the club (or the tournament or the world championships) - and play bridge with their favorite partner and teammates. Yet - we have an opportunity to make "lemonade out of lemons."
What does that have to do with bridge? This. Every day, there are a multitude of bridge games going on at BridgeBase Online. If you want to play against friends, join a speedball tournament, set up an event of your own or sign up for one of the very many tournaments available literally 24 hours a day - you can do it! And - even if you're not terrifically familiar, once you start you'll learn the ropes and have a great time.
A couple of nights ago, I decided to watch the tournament that Grand Life Master Walt Schafer (from Iowa and now California) cleverly has arranged for people every night. It's a "star" Swiss pair competition, with pairs playing usually between 25-30 boards among one another. (One needn't have a star by their name, yet the event is challenging with a number of Hall of Fame participants in it.)
Walter was playing with another top player, Steve Beatty from Washington, when this interesting hand arose:
KQ9542
AKJ8
KJ
6
J873 A
10 Q76532
982 Q64
KQ432 AJ9
106
94
A10753
10876
West passed, Steve (north) opened 1S and east chimed in with 2H. Walter, never one to be shy, doubled showing the minors. After a pass from west, Steve added up his values and strength and jumped to 3NT.
East chose to lead a heart. The contract looks doomed, does it not? After the opening lead, a club shift will be obvious.
But.... wait.
After the 4th best heart lead, dummy followed, west played his stiff 10 - and Steve won.... the king!
Steve now played a diamond to dummy and ran his 10 of spades. East won the ace, perforce - and not realizing Steve's brilliancy at trick one - led another heart! Steve was now able to win the NINE in dummy and hook a spade. When the smoke cleared, Steve had taken 3 spade tricks, FOUR heart tricks and his two diamonds.
This is how you turn disaster into treasure - or - lemons into lemonade!
If you like, try your hand at playing virtually at Bridge Base Online. Games around the clock; all sorts of events with various levels of ability available.
Here's to fun online and exciting hands like this one! Thanks, Steve and Walter!
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