By Joel Hoersch, Editor, District 22 Forum
Í A987
Ì QJ5
Ë AKQ
Ê AQ10
Í Q(?) Í ?
Ì A1087 Ì void
Ë ? Ë ?
Ê ? Ê ?
Í 4
Ì K96432
Ë 754
Ê KJ8
Since it’s “Summertime, and the Livin’ Is Easy,” I decided to show you an instructive ... but ultimately rather easy ... hand this month. British writer Freddie North has written several amusing books about his “Aunt Agatha,” who is a spinster of an uncertain age and a volatile temperament.
However, deep down Agatha is an excellent player ... especially as declarer. So if you double her – you’d better be prepared to beat her no matter what!
On this hand, Aunt Agatha made short work of demolishing the greedy defender sitting West who had doubled her in 6Ì, then led the ÍQ. (To put you on a equal footing with the old girl, I’ve shown you how the trumps are breaking, since the double tipped her off to that position).
So your job is to figure out a way to overcome the horrendous trump break and come up with the techniques, visualization and timing Agatha displayed to wipe the smirk off West’s face.
Don’t turn to check the answer before you’ve worked it out ... unless you’re prepared to concede that you can’t play a bridge hand as well as some random “Little Old Lady” from Great Britain!