Bridge: “The magic of first love is our ignorance that it can ever end.” – Benjamin Disraeli

I am a firm believer in reading bridge books.

I find doing so helps keep me sharp and introduces me to new tactics and strategies.

Recently I tried to solve the following puzzle by Erwin Brecher (from Hocus Pocus) and missed the point.

Can you do better than I?

Say you reach six spades after East has opened five diamonds.

You pull partner’s card-showing double to five spades, and North raises to slam.

On the lead of the heart queen, you win in hand as East discards, play a trump to dummy, and see East discard again.

Now you know that East holds 13 minor-suit cards.

Play on.

Ruffing clubs in hand before drawing trump fails – West overruffs and returns a heart, and you have an inevitable loser at the end of the day.

Similarly, discarding on the third club lets East lead a fourth club and score a spade trick for his partner.

The winning line is rather subtle: You must advance the diamond queen at trick three and pitch a club on it, as East takes the trick.

You ruff the next diamond, play the club ace, ruff a club, draw trump, ruff out the clubs and go back to the heart ace to take your remaining club winners, on which you pitch your heart losers.

You need to lead the diamond queen rather than a low diamond to prevent West from getting in to lead the second round of hearts, which would disrupt your communications.

Bid with the aces

South holds:

Answer: Pass rather than pre-empt.

Your shape is right to take some action.

But with such a weak suit (and particularly with your side-suit length and values), it is wiser to pass initially than misdescribe your hand by bidding.