Bridge

IF Hugh Kelsey has ever written a bad bridge book, I have yet to find it. Bridge Quiz for Improving Players, Hugh Kelsey and Tim Bourke (Gollancz pounds 10.99), is no exception to the rule,writes Alan Hiron. This deal struck me as having a good practical point.

Love all; dealer South

North

Q

8 7 4

A Q 9 7 5

K J 4

West

10 5 3

Q J 9 6 5

J 8 6 2

9

East

9 7 6 4 2

3 2

K 10

8 6 5 3

South

A J 8

A K 10

4 3

A Q 10 7 2

It was easy enough for North-South to reach six No-trumps and West led the queen of hearts. There were 11 top tricks and the straightforward chance of the diamond finesse for a twelfth.

There is, however, no rush to try the finesse. Should it lose and a diamond be returned there will not even be any squeeze chances for the extra trick. Declarer does better, after winning the heart lead, to finesse dummy's nine of diamonds. If this draws the king, South is home and dry.

As the cards lie, the nine loses to the ten and a heart is returned. There is no hurry to try the diamond finesse and South continues by cashing his eight black suit winners. At the end, West has to keep his jack of hearts and, if he also has the king of diamonds, it will appear when the second diamond is led.

More importantly, when West follows with the jack of diamonds at trick 12, declarer will know that he has no more and now there will not be the slightest temptation to finesse in diamonds.