Janet de Botton

Bridge | 24 April 2021

issue 24 April 2021

There are many drawbacks to playing bridge online but there is one thing that’s quite enjoyable: the speed and accuracy with which you can see your results — available as soon as a round is completed. Great fun when you have done something clever, not so thrilling when you are on the receiving end of an opponent’s brilliance or, worse, your own idiocy.

The teams at the EBU Easter Online Festival was won by Simon Gillis playing with three top Norwegians. On today’s deal, his team mate Odin Svendsen brought home 5♣ in a most instructive way. I had a quick look online and, sure enough, only five of the 17 declarers playing in a Club contract made 11 tricks — the rest ten. How would you have done? (See diagram).

Regardless of who became Declarer (some Norths opened 1 or 3 Clubs) all tables got a Heart lead after West had bid the suit.

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