Complimentary Issue of Better Bridge Magazine March / April 2020 | Page 21

QUIZZICAL PURSUITS L iterary R eference What is the name of the book from which this passage is taken and who is the author? “I dealt and bid the next hand of bridge. My partner was an aggressive player, and refusing to incorporate into his calculations the fact that I was neither talented nor paying attention, he bid us up to another unlikely contract. “ ‘Your three clubs was, uh, just about the dumbest possible thing you could have said,’ he said, on seeing my hand. “ ‘Hey,’ I snapped at him. ‘Don’t sugarcoat it.’ “His face filled with fear until he got the joke of it, then he rolled his eyes and climbed back into his conceited armor. “I looked back at the chess match.” Have some fun testing your bridge knowledge! B idding Q uiz West is dealer and opens the bidding 1♦. North passes, and East passes. You are sitting South. What call do you make with each hand? Pass P laying D etective opener 1♦ You are sitting East. Partner leads the ♣4 against the opponents’ slam after this auction: WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 1♥ Pass 3♥ Pass 6♥ Pass Pass Pass Partner Dummy ♠ 8 5 ♥ Q 8 5 3 ♦ A Q J 5 3 ♣ 3 2 n ♣ 4 w e s You ♠ 10 9 7 2 ♥ A 7 ♦ 9 6 ♣ K J 9 7 5 How many clubs does partner hold? Who has the ♣A? Who has the ♣Q? Can you find out? What difference does it make? ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ K 8 A Q 5 3 J 10 9 3 A K 2 Pass Pass opener 1♥ J 10 9 2 A 8 K Q 9 K 10 5 3 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ A K 9 2 K 4 Q J 10 8 K J 3 Q 10 9 A J 4 K Q 5 3 K 8 7 A Q 9 8 A 4 K Q 10 A J 9 3 West is dealer and opens the bidding 1♣. North and East both pass. You are sitting South and double. West passes, partner responds 1♥, and East passes. What's your call? Pass 1♥ opener 1 ♣ Pass Pass Pass DBL ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ West is dealer and opens the bidding 1♥. North and East both pass. As South, what call do you make with each hand? ? ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ A J 8 7 Q 4 K J 10 8 A Q 8 Pass ? ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ A 6 5 K J 9 Q 9 8 Q 10 5 3 K 7 A J 9 A Q J 2 K 9 8 3 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 10. ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ J 8 K Q 4 A J 4 2 K Q 8 3 A 9 8 A J 8 K Q 4 3 A Q J { ANSWERS } on PAGE 20 ? B etter B ridge . com 19