Bridge over Troubled Waters
by David Bird

Master Bridge Series, £7.99, ISBN No. 0 304 36115 1

Authors who put superlative words in a title risk having them shot down. On this occasion, Kelsey took little risk as the book contains a superb collection of fifty-eight deals containing instructive points for declarer and the defenders. As Ron Klinger points out in the foreword, it is almost impossible not to learn something from the book. I am impressed by the accuracy of the analysis, all worked out with no aid from computer programs like Deep Finesse. It was also well researched, with Kelsey juxtaposing hands played well with those on which a chance went Since retiring from IBM David Bird has been a regular traveller to exotic parts and he has put his knowledge to good use in this well-written bridge-cruise adventure. The hands and the humour match the standard you expect from this author, and the calm and ever diplomatic host, Rupert Knight, complements well the more flamboyant characters he meets along the way. Some of the action takes place on board the King Harald II and some at various ports of call in the Far East. I had to get out my dictionary fully to appreciate probably the best story, set in a drug den in Hong Kong (do you know the colloquial word for a marijuana cigarette?). The locals were equally hospitable in a Shinto mona-stery; the voyagers had a bit more luck at the bridge table there - pity the stakes were rather lower! The book offers easy reading and, whilst the cameo format facilitates taking things slowly, it is not so easy to put the book down.

At one stage on the journey a famous real life player joins the cruise: Martin Hoffman. Knight had plans of partnering the star, and although his luck was out in that respect, he picked up some big hands when they played each other:

	8 Q J 10 4 2 A K 8 3 7 6 4
Q 6 5 4 7 5 3 9 2 K J 8 5		K 10 7 3 2 8 J 10 7 5 10 9 2
	A J 9 A K 9 6 Q 6 4 A Q 3

Knight and his partner, the elderly Doris Stokes, conduct an uninterrupted transfer sequence to 6: 2NT - 3 - 3 - 4 - 4 - 6. Hoffman led a trump and Stokes, as she put down the dummy, said she thought 10 HCP and a singleton would be enough.

Knight drew trumps in three rounds and then tested the diamonds. When West showed out, he realised there was no rush to take the club finesse. If he played a spade to the nine and it drew an honour, Hoffman would be endplayed, forced to lead into a black-suit tenace. If the ten won and a spade came back, the club finesse would remain in reserve. Knight put this plan into action and, when the first round of spades went eight, three, nine, queen, it worked.

Returning his cards to the wallet Hoffman could not help but remark that East's rising with K would make things more difficult. Declarer could still succeed by taking A, ruffing 9 and ruffing the last diamond. If West keeps three clubs and Q, he is endplayed with the spade. If he keeps only two clubs, declarer gives up a club.

Unimpressed by the speed and accuracy of Hoffman's analysis, Doris reached into her handbag for a headache pill and wished the round would end!

Julian Pottage

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