Voluptua and Randy were playing their first game of the year. The holiday period had been a breathless passionate time and returning to reality had been a jolt. Voluptua had been working very hard on her card play. She had noticed how much Randy had improved and she didn’t want to get left behind. So she had been studying the book that Frieda and Gordon had given her for Christmas (101 tips for busy bridge players). Her first chance to shine occurred at the regular club pairs night. On the first board she was West, declaring 3NT after North had dealt and opened 1♠.
| ♠Q87652 ♥A2 ♦KT9 ♣QT | ||
| ♠J ♥KQJT ♦QJ432 ♣AJ9 | ♠AK43 ♥43 ♦A87 ♣8762 | |
| ♠T9 ♥98765 ♦65 ♣K543 |
The lead was ♠6 and already Voluptua had a decision. Should she let it run round to her ♠J hoping that North had led from the ♠Q? Since North had bid spades she played low in dummy and was relieved when her ♠J won the trick. Next she played ♦Q which North covered with the ♦K.
“Well, that looks good” she thought. I’ve caught the ♦K. But just before she called for the ♦A she paused. Wait a moment! The ♦A was the only entry to dummy, and there were two top spades there; but, if she cashed them immediately, the opponents might run some spades when they came in with the ♥A. In any case there was still a diamond to lose before she could establish them.
So, in a moment of pure inspiration (otherwise known as bridge tip 73: keep your entries fluid), she let the ♦K hold the trick. When North played another spade she won with the ♠A, drove out the ♥A, and eventually enjoyed 3 spade tricks, 3 hearts, 4 diamonds, and 1 club. The two overtricks gave her a top score.
But even better was to come for Randy idly asked why she had “given up a diamond trick”. Voluptua was able to explain that she had a diamond to lose anyway; and then she explained about those entries. “But I’m sure you would have played the same, darling” she ended sweetly.
Bridge Romances 
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