May 2003

FOR THE OFFENSE

You, the declarer, need four tricks from this spade suit:

NORTH (Dummy)        SOUTH (You)
S)  K 10 8 3                 S)  A Q 7 2

Q: How do you play the spades?
 

A: There are five spades out. First play the ace, then queen. If both opponents follow, you can play the king, drawing the last spade.

On the other hand, if the jack falls on the first or second trick, your king and ten are good. Or if East shows out on the second round when you play the queen, you can finesse West for the jack, again taking four tricks.

BID BYTES

THE RULE OF 20

There are so many "rules" in bridge - rule of 11, rule of 15, rule of 20, etc. I like the rule of 20. This rule has to do with opening the bidding. It is an alternate to counting 13 points to open the bidding.

The rule of 20 is: Count your high-card points. Then add to this the number of cards you have in the two longest suits. If the total is 20 or more, open the bidding.

An example, you hold:
S) K Q 9 5
H) 8 7
D) A Q 4 3 2
C) 8 7 4

You have only 11 high-card points. Add the number of diamonds (5) and the number of spades (4), and the total, including your high-card points, is 20. This hand is good enough to open the bidding.

WHAT ELSE

"I've spent most of my life playing bridge. The rest I wasted." - anon

If you don't know a bridge joke, tell a golf joke:
"I know I am getting better at golf because I'm hitting fewer spectators." - Gerald Ford

BridgeSnaps newsletter is produced by John S. Thomas, author of Standard American 21.