Bridge | 6 September 2012

Here’s a bridge tip you won’t read about in any book — one which the world-class pro Gunnar Hallberg gave me the other evening during a game of social bridge. You’re declarer, and a suit is led. Let’s say dummy has a holding like 8643 in the suit, and you can see at once that it doesn’t matter at all which card you play. Instead of routinely playing low, very pointedly ask for a ridiculous, random card — say, the six. ‘The six?’ partner is bound to say, looking confused. ‘The six,’ you repeat, with conviction. This has the effect 1) of making the opposition think that you’re a scarily good player, and 2) of distracting them from their defence while they try to puzzle out why on earth you needed to ‘unblock’ such a seemingly innocuous card.

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‘But what do you say at the end when they ask you why you played the six?’ I asked.