Janet de Botton

Bridge | 4 August 2012

No one could have been more of an Olympic moaner than me. The past two-year countdown has left me seething with rage and resentment as we were asked totally to change our lives and basically stay home so that the dignitaries could whisk through London. Then came Danny Boyle’s Opening Ceremony and it seems the whole world was charmed, me included. So home I am staying and reading bridge!

This technique was described by Terence Reese — an Olympian if ever there was one — over 50 years ago.

Today’s hand was played by David Herman at Rubber Bridge and will serve as an example, but the technique can be used in numerous situations.

West led the ♠2 and dummy’s Queen held the trick. A diamond went to the Jack and Queen, and West persisted with spades, South winning the third round. David now played the six of clubs to the Jack, and a second diamond went to the King and Ace. West cashed his good spade, everyone discarding a heart, and switched to the ♥9. David knew the ♥K was wrong (West was a passed hand) so he rose with the Ace.

There seems to be no way of finding that ninth trick, but David, who would certainly have known about this play, went for the ‘memory coup’. He played the ♣10 to his Ace, cashed the ◆10 and overtook his ♣Q with the ♣K in dummy and, with only two cards left, led the ♣3.

East (me!) went pale. I knew South had a club left in hand, but which one? If it’s the two, I have to hold the ♥K, but if it’s a higher one I should keep the ◆9…

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