| 1a. Pass. Your hand will have two weak trump, and no side-suit strength.
1b. Pass. You do have a side Ace and a K-Q combo; however, you will still have two very poor trump, and limited prospects at best.
1c. Pick it up! Discard one of the Kings, and hope for the best. This hand is a borderline gamble. Holding the Right and a void gives you a fair chance. Remember, it is the first hand of the game! | |
| 2a. Pass. With one middle trump, and junk on the side, you must bail out!
2b. Pass. You just can't get a silk purse out of a sow's ear!
2c. Assist! The Right and two side Kings are barely adequate for ordering partner; however, I would not disagree with a pass. | |
| Thus, we have seven obvious passes, and two decent calls. One person had all nine answers correct (R. Davidson, of Indianapolis, IN). | |
| North/South led 9-7 in a ten-point game. (Note - In the Grand Prix, the Pairs Matches are played in the traditional best two-out of-three ten-point game format, instead of the modern 8 hands x 8 opponent’s style).
South, who was very familiar with the adage "Turn down a Bower and lose for an hour," grabbed the upcard after he heard three passes. Club 9 was jettisoned from his hand. East was devilishly setting a trap with his three trumps! South was also fearful of a possible loner by one of the opponents. (As the cards lie, this was not a factor). In any case, the prospects were still quite bleak, especially considering the miserable trump suit. West led his Spade 9, and South was relieved to win the Ace. Disdaining the lead of the Right, South instead trotted out the Ace of Hearts. It was an ambitious hope. North won the gold medal for this hand, as he promptly ruffled with his lone Left; and why not? He knew that his partner had picked up the Right and thus, ruffling with the Left, absolutely guaranteed the point!
Had North lazily discarded a Club, East would have ruffed with the 9 Spot and shifted to his singleton club. South would be forced to guess the position and avoid the mistake of trumping with the 10. (He actually could still get home by discarding his low spade and making West burn his Ace of diamonds.) The theme of the hand is taking the Bowers separately.
Thus, North had the chance to trump his partner's Ace and live to tell about it!
OCTOBER QUIZ ANSWER
"Adventures in Jurassic Park" Spades are trump. You have the choice of playing as the Maker (South) or the defender (West).
Hand #1 (West)
 K Q J
 A
 None
 A
Hand #2 (South)
 A 10 9
 K
 None
 J
Only three entries (out of more than 60 received) opted for South's position. Although South holds a numerical advantage in trump (4-3), the West hand is just too powerful, with correct play, to overcome.
West must lead either one of his Aces. Suppose he chooses the Ace of Clubs. South ruffs low and gets out with the King of Hearts. One trick each. Now West leads his King of Spades and is assured of taking three tricks no matter what South does. If West leads with the Ace of Hearts, the task is easier. It wins, and he simply follows with the Ace of Clubs. South is forced to ruff, and must concede two trumps to West. The only losing line for West is the lead of the Right (??) followed by the King of trump. This is suicidal.
The winners of this month’s quiz were: Alan (MI) and Susan (OH) | |
