Sheri Works at her Game and her Play Shows It
By: Ted Horning

You may take a few seconds and calculate how many pages of photocopying one can do for $9 at 15 cents per page.

It is a lot, 60 pages, and Toronto's Sheri Winestock spent that copying all of the suit cominations in the Encyclopedia of Bridge.

Why is another story but then, students of the game, even as young as Sheri, study. Today's hand doesn't show any need.

West helped a little by making a normal lead and dummy's J brought the total to five. Sheri then led the J, Q by East, K and then the hundredth honor from West with the A. West cashed the 10 and exited with a spade to dummy's 9. Two spade tricks now existed so the total was up to seven winners.

A diamond was played off the dummy and East won his 9. The J was covered by the Q and the heart return taken by South perforce with the K.

West had to follow to the 7 and A but when he discarded a club on the next round of diamonds, Sheri had West under the eight ball (as in the eighth winner).

West had four spades and two diamonds. It seemed that his distribution in the other suits had been two hearts and five clubs. In that case, he was finished and so he was.

Sheri played a club from the dummy and as expected, East showed out. Sheri ducked this around to West and his forced club return gave her the contract fulfilling tricks.

Perhaps Sheri is researching the recommended play of J98 opposite K743 but we must admit that she did all right on this one as the cards lay and in light of the bidding.

As for the bidding, I guess if you are going to play hands this well, you can try 2NT but it seems a little optimistic to me.