Goren Bridge: Canadian slam?

1 day, 19 hours ago

Goren Bridge: The illusion

South’s five-club bid is perfectly reasonable. He did not know whether or not four spades was making — it wasn’t — but five clubs might also make and it could not be a very expensive sacrifice. West found the most effective lead of a trump, preventing any real chance of ruffing two hearts in dummy. South’s first thought was that …

South Diamond Dummy

2 months ago

Goren Bridge: What next?

The Hindu

We are grateful to New York expert Augie Boehm for bringing today’s deal to our attention. The spades are splitting favourably for declarer, the diamonds are set up for discards, and partner cannot have the ace-king of hearts or he would have led the ace to get a look at dummy. A defender in a matchpoint competition might take the …

Heart Partner Diamond

2 months, 1 week ago

The Curious Case of the North-South Slam Bidding

The Hindu

North-South had a fascinating deal in a recent top-level competition held in Europe. North-South could make a slam in all five strains, but they chose to bid the slam in no trump and Schaltz had to guess which red suit to play on after winning the opening spade lead. He cashed his king of hearts, crossed to dummy with a …

Entertainment Law Funny WTF

2 months, 2 weeks ago

The Clutch Play: Sabine Auken's Brilliant Defense Against West's Aggressive Pre-emptive

The Hindu

A women's event from 2024 shows how players will go to extremes to interfere after a strong club opening. The opening diamond lead went to East's ace, and she devilishly returned a low diamond to force declarer to ruff. She saw a way out of this provided East started with at least three clubs, so she cashed the ace and …

3 months, 4 weeks ago

Goren Bridge: Counting is the key

The Hindu

Today’s deal is from a major tournament in Chicago a few months ago. Martel ruffed the opening heart lead and led a spade to dummy’s king and East’s ace. East shifted to the 10 of clubs and the defense played three straight rounds of clubs, Martel ruffing the third round with the 10 of spades in dummy. He won with …

West East Martel Diamond

4 months, 1 week ago

Goren Bridge: Roadmap

The Hindu

East thought his hand was good enough for an “Unusual No Trump” bid, even at unfavourable vulnerability. South ruffed a heart in hand and led the 10 of clubs, prepared to run it if West played low. South continued with a low club from dummy to his eight and West’s nine. The defense could cash a diamond, but South would …

South Club East

4 months, 2 weeks ago

Goren Bridge: Latvian Lead

The Hindu

Today’s deal is from a recent tournament in Riga, Latvia. The lucky fall of the queen would give him all 13 tricks. There was no apparent danger, so South led the nine of clubs to dummy’s king and then led a heart back to his jack. Losing to West’s queen was not a surprise, but South was shocked when East …

South Bridge Latvian Latvian Lead Bridge Latvian Lead

4 months, 3 weeks ago

Goren Bridge: Fancy Methods

The Hindu

Many new bidding ideas have become popular in various parts of the world. East won the opening heart lead with the ace as South, cleverly played the king. South needed the ace of clubs onside, as well as some other things going his way, so he rose with dummy’s king of clubs, winning the trick as East played the queen. …

South East

5 months ago

Goren Bridge: Intricate deal

The Hindu

Today’s deal is from the recent Norwegian Pairs Championship. Bakke rose with dummy’s ace, led a heart to his ace, and cashed the queen of hearts, drawing trumps. Bakke cashed the ace of diamonds and exited with the jack of diamonds to the West’s queen. A better defence from West at this point would have been to cash in on …

West Bakke Spade Lead

5 months, 1 week ago

Goren Bridge: Your Choice? by Bob Jones

The Hindu

Would you open the bidding with the East hand? At one table, East opened two spades, drawing a two no trump bid from South. At this table, East opened one spade and South bid one no trump. South might have passed, but instead he took out his partner’s take-out double – usually a good idea. West had shown up with …

West South East Opened No Trump

5 months, 4 weeks ago

Goren Bridge: Teachers can play too

The Hindu

Keith Hanson, from Boca Raton, Florida, has been one of America’s great bridge teachers for many years. The deal is from a high-stakes rubber bridge game some years ago and the bidding employed in this game was not very sophisticated by today’s standards. South started by leading a spade to dummy’s ace and Hanson smoothly dropped the queen! Declarer, as …

West Play Hanson Goren Bridge

6 months ago

Goren Bridge: High or low

The Hindu

Assuming you choose to lead a heart, which heart would you lead from the West hand? Traditional wisdom is to lead high against no trump from a three-card sequence and low from a two-card sequence unless the third card in the suit is very close to the sequence, such as J-10-8. That’s fine against three no trump, but most players, …

Heart South East Lead Low West Spades

6 months, 2 weeks ago

Goren Bridge: Seeking information

The Hindu

The auction and the final contract in today’s deal were routine, but the play was a step above. The opening spade lead went to East’s ace and East returned a spade to South’s king. Many players would cash the ace and queen of clubs, thinking that they could only pick up a poor club split if West had the length. …

West East Clubs King

6 months, 3 weeks ago

Goren Bridge: Two chances

The Hindu

South in today’s deal was young Australian star Michael Whibley. Whibley rose with dummy’s ace on the opening spade lead, felling the jack from East. Should Whibley knock out the king of trumps right away, however, East might win and shift to a heart, forcing Whibley to decide immediately which suit to go after for the extra trick. Whibley wanted …

East Whibley

6 months, 4 weeks ago

Goren Bridge: Interesting hand

The Hindu

Today’s deal is from a recent tournament in Europe. The given auction is a little obscure, but many pairs reached six diamonds, presumably after different auctions. A club slam might seem better but note that a club slam would quickly fail after a diamond ruff. Several West players cleverly led a low spade from their ace. The lead killed declarer’s …

Lead Goren Bridge Declarer

7 months ago

Goren Bridge: Take your time

The Hindu

At the sight of dummy, South realised that he needed four tricks from the heart suit to make his contract. He won the diamond continuation with his ace, noting East’s club discard, and set out to see what else he could learn about the hand. Two high spades saw East discard another club, and South had a perfect count on …

Heart South East

7 months, 1 week ago

Goren Bridge: Small miracle

The Hindu

South in today’s deal was American expert Owen Lien. Lien won in dummy with the ace and cashed three high hearts to discard the remaining diamond from dummy. Lien ruffed a diamond in dummy as West shed another spade. Lien led a club back to his ace, pleased to see the jack from East. In this two-card ending, Lien led …

West South Spade Lien Small Miracle

10 months, 3 weeks ago

Goren Bridge: X-ray vision?

The Hindu

Today’s deal is from a recent tournament in Norway. South was Norwegian expert Lasse Aaseng, who perhaps should have passed North’s weak raise. South cashed the ace and king of clubs, no doubt intending to play a third round of the suit. Something about the way the opponents followed to the first two clubs made Aaseng feel that the clubs …

South Club Aaseng

11 months, 4 weeks ago

Goren Bridge: Plan ahead

The Hindu

South won the opening club lead with his ace and drew trumps in three rounds, ending in his hand. He led a spade to dummy’s queen and then a diamond to his king and West’s ace. South should have won the club opening lead and led a spade to the king before touching trumps. South could win and draw trumps …

South Diamond

1 year ago

Goren bridge: Some writers can play

The Hindu

South in today’s deal was Barry Rigal, of New York. Rigal ruffed a spade, cashed the ace of hearts, and led another heart. Dummy’s ace won the trick as Rigal shed a low diamond. Should East duck, Rigal would duck a diamond in both hands, losing to the now singleton ace. Even if East held a low diamond instead of …

Play East Spade Diamond Goren Bridge Rigal

1 year, 1 month ago

Goren bridge: Foresight

The Hindu

South in today’s deal was Ferit Tavlan, from Germany. He would surely come to nine tricks if the club suit provided six of them, but he did not want to overtake his queen of clubs. The queen of spades was a possible entry to dummy, if West held the ace, but the defense would probably see this. East could shift …

Play Tavlan

1 year, 1 month ago

Goren bridge: Problem solved

The Hindu

South had a completely balanced hand with honors in every suit. That contract would have been unbeatable thanks to the fortunate location of the ace of diamonds and the doubleton queen of spades. West can set up his club suit easily enough, with a club to the king, a club back to the ace, and a third club. The problem …

Club Masucci

1 year, 1 month ago

Goren Bridge: Discovery

The Hindu

Today’s deal is from a team match in Europe. McGann was not particularly surprised to hear East open one club. Many European players open one club with 12-14 point balanced hands, regardless of their length in the minor suits. McGann cashed two high diamonds, hoping for the jack to fall. Had East shed both high spades, West would have won …

East Mcgann

1 year, 2 months ago

Goren Bridge: The Battle

The Hindu

A pretty normal auction. He led a low diamond toward the dummy, and West rose with his king of diamonds to lead another trump. West led a low diamond to East’s ace, who led his last trump. The winning line was to rise with dummy’s ace at trick one and lead a club to the jack. Should the defense lead …

Trump South Lead Diamond Goren Bridge West Led

1 year, 3 months ago

Goren Bridge: Bravery

The Hindu

What would you open with the North hand? In a recent team match between a team from Ukraine and a team from the Faroe Islands, both North players chose to pass. North might have bid four diamonds to show his diamond control, but North felt he had done enough and bid four hearts. At the other table, the Faroe Islands’ …

South North Bid Hearts Two Hearts

1 year, 3 months ago

Goren Bridge: One Little Difference

The Hindu

Today’s deal is from a team competition recently in Cyprus. North’s three-heart bid, rather than a jump to four hearts, suggested a little extra and South pushed to slam. At the first table, South won the opening spade lead with his ace and immediately cashed three rounds of clubs to discard his remaining spade. All would have been well had …

South Spade Goren Bridge

1 year, 3 months ago

Goren Bridge: Surprise information

The Hindu

North’s two-diamond response to South’s two-club opening showed a negative hand – fewer than seven points. West, who might have led his singleton club to terrible effect for the defense, led the ten of diamonds and East quickly cashed two high diamonds and then led the eight of diamonds. The eight looked like a suit-preference signal for spades, although it …

South Club East Spade

1 year, 4 months ago

Goren Bridge: Brilliant defence

The Hindu

Today’s deal is from a team match some years ago. East was Zia Mahmood, who has been one of the world’s great players over the past four decades or so. Zia, however, made a remarkable shift to the two of hearts at trick two, into dummy’s powerful holding. He led a club to Zia’s ace and Zia continued with the …

Zia

1 year, 5 months ago

Goren Bridge: The extra step

The Hindu

South in today’s deal was a young professional playing with an enthusiastic student from his local club. The young pro took one look at dummy and thought: “I’m gonna get fired if I don’t find the queen of clubs.” South played low from dummy on the opening heart lead and ruffed East’s jack. He cashed the two top diamonds in …

Club East

1 year, 5 months ago

Goren Bridge: Thoughtful play

The Hindu

The opening jack of spades lead went to the queen, king, and ace. South saw that he would need a successful diamond finesse to get up to 12 tricks. When West followed to the queen, it became perfectly safe for South to overtake the queen with dummy’s ace. And the poor split in diamonds made South’s care in the club …

South Club East Jack Diamond Bridge Thoughtful

1 year, 7 months ago

Goren Bridge: A rattled guess

The Hindu

Freak deals like this one can be the most fun to play, but they can break your heart as well. Should you think that North’s raise to five spades was overly aggressive, imagine South’s red-suit holdings reversed. The five-spade contract seemed safe enough, even after West found the best suit to lead. South played low from dummy on the opening …

West South Berg

1 year, 7 months ago

Goren Bridge: Using your knowledge

The Hindu

A Michael’s Cue Bid, showing at least 5-5 in the major suits, is usually made with a weakish hand. South won the opening heart lead, which looked like it was from a short suit, with dummy’s ace and drew trumps in three rounds. West’s flyweight opening bid came back to haunt him now as South was able to place all …

West South

1 year, 7 months ago

Goren Bridge: Timing

The Hindu

North-South have adequate values for game, but what game? When North admitted to having two spades, South took advantage of his great spade quality and drove to game in their 5-2 fit. It was pointless for South to lead another heart, as the defense would just win and lead another spade. Assuming a normal 3-2 diamond split, this would give …

Heart South North

2 years, 1 month ago

Goren Bridge by Bob Jones

The Hindu

It is not widely known by non-experts, but a jump shift in the “passout seat”, like South’s two-spade bid here, shows an intermediate hand — roughly 14-16 points with a decent six-card suit. South won the opening diamond lead with dummy’s ace, cashed the king, and ruffed a diamond with the ace of spades. South cashed the king of spades …

West South

2 years, 10 months ago

Canada beats US behind Gushue to win Olympic curling bronze

Associated Press

BEIJING — John Shuster began his fifth Olympics as a U.S. flag bearer, leading the defending men’s curling champions and the rest of Team USA into the Beijing Games’ opening ceremony. “I’m not retiring, but that doesn’t mean I’ll ever get back here,” said Shuster, who would be 43 for the 2026 Games in Milan and Cortina. “No matter what …

Olympics Canada Team Olympic Win Canadian Shuster

2 years, 11 months ago

Decker hurt in defending champion US’s 5-2 win over Finland

Associated Press

BEIJING — Difficult as it was hearing Brianna Decker crying out in pain while laying prone on the ice, Kendall Coyne Schofield understood the U.S. women’s hockey team still had a game to finish. “No matter what she’s a big part of this group.. You saw that in our response after she went down, how much we picked up the …

Olympics Canada Game Olympic Finland Second Johnson

3 years, 6 months ago

Bryson DeChambeau’s powerful style didn’t work well in final round of U.S. Open

LA Times

Bryson DeChambeau lines up his putt on the first green during the final round of the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines South Course on Sunday. “It’s just one of those things where I didn’t have the right breaks happen at the right time,” he said. Particularly helpful to him, he said, were Kendrick Lamar’s “Swimming Pools,” and Eminem’s “Love the …

Way Open Ford Dechambeau Bryson Dechambeau Koepka Torrey

3 years, 10 months ago

Goren Bridge by Bob Jones

The Hindu

The club’s Saturday night duplicate saw the usual suspects battling it out. Hard Luck Louie won the opening heart lead with dummy’s ace and had to decide whether to play on diamonds or clubs. He was in the wrong hand to play on clubs, he thought, so he cashed the ace of diamonds and led another diamond. Louie won with …

Queen West Clubs Jack Louie

3 years, 10 months ago

Goren Bridge by Bob Jones

The Hindu

North would have made a control bid in spades if he could, so his jump to five diamonds must have been based on good trumps plus something in clubs. He only had one trump left in dummy, so he could not ruff both a club and a heart and he drifted down one. West would be known to have started …

South Club Goren Bridge

3 years, 11 months ago

Goren Bridge by Bob Jones

The Hindu

Friday, we featured Swedish expert Peter Fredin and a deceptive play that he made some years ago. South was Danish expert Knut Blakset who was determined to show his partner that he could also pull off that deceptive play. Blakset ducked the first two high spade leads, but he won the third with dummy’s ace. Five running club tricks was …

Trick Fredin

4 years ago

Goren Bridge by Bob Jones

The Hindu

A wild and woolly auction. West’s double of seven spades might have been based on a sure trump trick, but South reasoned that it was more likely to be a Lightner Double, asking for an unusual lead. Looking at his club length, South could easily imagine West with a club void, so he ran to seven no trump, hoping for …

West South Spades Clubs East His Ace

4 years ago

Goren Bridge by Bob Jones

The Hindu

South won the opening heart lead with his ace and saw that there would be 13 easy tricks if the missing spades and diamonds both split 3-2. Should West have a singleton jack or ten, the ace of spades followed by a low spade to the king would reveal that, and a finesse could be taken through East. A 4-1 …

South King Spade Diamond Spades

4 years, 1 month ago

Goren Bridge by Bob Jones

The Hindu

The correct action with the South hand over East’s pre-empt is not clear, but South’s choice of double was certainly reasonable. Sontag realised that there was no chance for the king of spades to be right, as East couldn’t possibly have that card along with diamond strength and the king of clubs. Sontag captured the king with his ace and …

West East King Sontag

4 years, 10 months ago

Goren Bridge by Bob Jones

The Hindu

North’s jump to four spades showed a terrible hand with a spade fit and 0-3 high-card points. Should the opponents hold up the king, South would revert to diamonds and play to ruff two diamonds with dummy’s high trumps. If an opponent took his king, there were enough clubs in dummy to discard three of declarer’s diamonds. South could ruff …

Play South Clubs His King

4 years, 11 months ago

Goren Bridge by Bob Jones

The Hindu

South’s slightly aggressive jump rebid caused North to use Key Card Blackwood — standard among today’s tournament players. The fiveclub response showed zero or three key cards, among the four aces and the king of the agreed trump suit. North, presuming three key cards due to South’s jump rebid, continued with five diamonds, asking for the queen of trumps. A …

South Diamond Finesse

5 years ago

Canada notch first victory at new ATP Cup, beating Greece

India TV News

Canada swept the first match of the new ATP Cup with Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime winning singles encounters against Stefanos Tsitsipas and Michail Pervolarakis of Greece and then combining to win the doubles. The 24-team tournament is kicking off the men's tennis season for 2020, with matches underway Friday in Brisbane and Sydney on Australia's east coast and Perth …

Canada Team Match Greece Win Sydney Brisbane

5 years, 1 month ago

Goren Bridge by Bob Jones

The Hindu

Hard Luck Louie was hoping for a strong finish in the club’s Saturday night duplicate when he became declarer in this tricky game contract. He played low from dummy on the opening club lead and won East’s 10 with his ace. Larry led a low diamond to the queen, winning the trick, and led dummy’s last trump for the proven …

East Larry Dummy

5 years, 1 month ago

Goren Bridge by Bob Jones

The Hindu

French star Cedric Lorenzini was South, in today’s deal, from a recent tournament in Europe. North had bid no trump without a real spade stopper, so he probably didn’t have a five-card club suit. Lorenzini was certain that North held at least three diamonds, and might even have four, so he introduced his anaemic diamond suit at the five level. …

West East North Hand Lorenzini Trump Suit

5 years, 3 months ago

Goren Bridge by Bob Jones

The Hindu

A highly competitive auction, as is typical in today’s tournament world. South ruffed the opening spade lead in his hand and led a low diamond toward dummy’s 10. Declarer won with dummy’s ace, discarding a club from his hand, and ruffed a spade. After cashing the ace of clubs and ruffing a club in dummy, South led dummy’s remaining spade. …

South East Dummy

Goren Bridge: Canadian slam?

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