Sam Spade once said, “When a man’s partner is killed, he’s supposed to do something about it. It doesn’t make any difference what you thought of him. He was your partner and you’re supposed to do something about it.” Good point, and the first thing Sam Spade did about it was to remove Miles Archer’s name from his window signs. And so it goes in bridge: When your partner dies midway through a session, don’t bereave! Just remove his name from the convention card, and outbid the opponents on every hand to make him dummy. And relax! Anytime you go set you’ll have an excuse… “I couldn’t take the finesse because dummy was dead.”
Fortunately or unfortunately [pick one] your partner is still alive. Only question is whether you will be after he watches you play these six contracts in spades. I don’t want to make you nervous, but I hope you have your estate planning in order. This quiz is not for the faint of heart but for the feint of spade. “When you’re slapped, you’ll take it and like it!”
For each problem enter eight cards (e.g., H5) in the order you would play them to Tricks 1-4. Routine early plays, if any, are already entered. Unless noted otherwise: (1) Assume both opponents follow suit; second hand low, third or fourth hand to their best advantage. (2) If an opponent is on lead, assume the suit they led previously is continued for the quiz, though it might not be in actual play.
“The best goodbyes are short… Adieu!” What? You’re still here? Oh dear! Then test your play at IMPs.
If desired, you may submit your plays using the form below. Plays may be submitted only once, and doing so will add your name to the list of participants. You will also receive an automated reply including Richard’s recommended plays and the reasoning behind them.
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Acknowledgments to Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961) and The Maltese Falcon.Photo is Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade in the 1941 movie classic.© 2018 Richard Pavlicek