Bridge: Aug. 14, 2022

Zeno (334?-261? B.C.) was a Greek philosopher and the founder of Stoicism. (Zeno of Elea, who formulated the renowned paradoxes that vexed mathematicians for generations, was a different Zeno he lived in the 5th Century B.C.)

If you informed a Stoic that his household would melt away down subsequent week, he would say he didn’t treatment it didn’t make any difference. That angle could assistance your composure at the bridge table, but it won’t do a great deal for your scores.

In today’s offer, South leaped to 4 spades over East’s one particular club. Genuine, North was a passed hand, but preempting with these types of a strong hand was questionable. North may well have held 943,J765,KQ4,K42, or palms where by North-South’s finest deal was 3NT.

West led a club, and East took the K-A and led a third club. South won and cashed the ace of trumps if East-West had followed, South could have attained dummy with the 9 to pitch two diamonds on the A-K of hearts. When as an alternative West confirmed out, South took two much more high trumps and then led the ace and a lower diamond, ducking in dummy. No luck: East took the 10 and king for down 1.

A Stoic would take that end result with resignation. Would you be pleased to be minus 100 details? Soon after South takes the ace of trumps and sees the 3- break, he should direct the king — and then a very low trump he will have to hope that East’s distribution was 3-4-3-3. Positive enough, East should win and guide a pink card to South’s edge.

If East had 4 golf equipment — his form was 3-3-3-4 — South could still make four spades, but only by main a low trump at Trick 4. That would be a extraordinary engage in.

North dealer

The two sides susceptible

NORTH

S 9 4 3

H A K 8 4

D Q 5 4

C 5 4 2

WEST

S None

H 10 7 6 5 2

D J 9 7 6

C 10 9 7 3

EAST

S 10 7 6

H Q J 9 3

D K 10 8

C A K 6

SOUTH

S A K Q J 8 5 2

H None

D A 3 2

C Q J 8

North East South West
Move 1C 4S All Pass
Opening direct — C 10

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