Dubious Logic

Two Books by Julian Pottage

I've just finished two bridge books – well almost finished. But unlike, say, a novel where not getting to the end would be damning criticism, I've enjoyed the two books of problems so much that I've spun them out. I rationed my reading of Play or Defend by Julian Pottage so well that I only now recall it won the Bridge Press Writers' book of the year in 2004. At least that conforms with the author's advice; he says that like "a vintage bourbon" one should not aim to finish it in one sitting.

The premise is that on each deal you are invited to take declarer's or defender's side - but you have the clear advantage of seeing all four hands. Now you may think this artificial and the author invites you to attempt these problems single-dummy (just 26 cards exposed) if you need the challenge. In fact the inferences from the bidding are clear enough for you to quickly imagine the problem in that case – or, as I did, simply persuade oneself that those were the inferences I would have drawn. The hands are exceedingly well chosen and lest you think they all involve obscure squeezes and the like, they do not. They simply have the magic of the cards about them.

The second book was by the same author, at least a revised and updated edition of a previously published work in partnership; The Extra Edge in Play at Bridge by Terence Reese and Julian Pottage (the original didn't have the 'at Bridge' bit). This edition, which does contain single-dummy problems, seems to have been carefully updated for an American market, pointing out inferences from funny-old Acol auctions that might well be lost on our five-card major, strong no-trump cousins. It takes as a theme the 24-carat aphorism by the American World Chess Champion, R. J. Fischer, "You have a found a good move – fine – now look for a better one". Here's a taster, both sides vulnerable.

The lead is a rather ominous ♦3 – surely a singleton - how do you play?

At the table declarer knew well enough to avoid the trump finesse but after winning in dummy and leading a club, South showed out anyway. He took the ace West and tried ace, king and another spade in the hope that North held ♠QJ10 and would have to win the trick (or perhaps be snoozing and not unblock the spade queen). But there was no difficult defence and South eventually gained the lead to give his partner a ruff.

At trick two the winning line is to cash two spades and ruff the third (North not winning the trick) and only now play a round of trumps. In the difficult case where North holds all three you can lead your last spade and if North has four of those, he must win this trick while you discard dummy's heart. That leaves the defence without transportation to take the ruff.

Play or Defend by Julian Pottage; Masterpoint Press, £11.95
The Extra Edge in Play at Bridge by Terence Reese and Julian Pottage; Masterpoint Press, £10.95 both at large bookshops and online.

Published Saturday 22.Jul.2006