V N Ramamoorthy
Ladies and Gentlemen,
"Is Bridge a Two- wheel drive or a Four - wheel drive? "
Any bridge player, novice or otherwise, knows that Bridge is a partnership game.
Ok, you can call it a "Team game" too when you are playing a duplicate event - still the team consists of partnerships of two!
So it goes without saying that you have to be in "Harmony" with your partner, at least at the table!
That's why it is called "Partnership understanding" and the adages like "It takes two to tango" , "You need two hands to clap" etc.
Then why am I talking about two-wheel and 4-wheel drives?
Anybody ( even if he doesn't know to drive) knows that a 4-wheel drive is smoother, safer and better balanced than a 2 - wheel sojourn.
Meaning, apart from annexing the help and cooperation of your partner, endeavour to enlist the support of the two opponents also!
If you are the declarer (or even if you are a defender) see how you can take one opponent ( or both) up the garden path! You have to strive to make them help you, unwittingly, of course!
Deception definitely pays dividends on the table.
An innocuous "Pass" , an innocent "Overcall', a tell-tale "Double" , an obnoxious "Redouble" - are all legitimate ploys to enlist the help of adversaries, to name a few.
Remember the adage "Every bid tells a story, every card played tells another story " . Try to decipher the stories behind 🙂
How often you heard conversations on the table like :
"Partner, you made the contract for them"
"For heaven's sake believe your partner, not your opponents"
"Sorry partner, I was duped by his ducking my honour "!
If two men can do a good job, four men can do it better 🤣
Always try to establish a strategic "Political alliance" with your adversaries as weel 😃
A Four - wheel drive is any day superior to a Two - wheel drive 😌
Happy bridging ,
VNR
Disclaimer : All opinions are entirely those of the author and are no reflection of the views of the BridgeFromHome Team.