Partner Is Buying!

NOTE: Instead of a serious bridge lesson, this one is (mostly) just for fun. Enjoy!

	♠ A 9 3 ♥ — ♦ J 10 7 6 4 ♣ A K Q 9 2
	N W E S
	♠ K J 10 5 2 ♥ K 8 7 ♦ A K 9 5 ♣ 7

Same hand as last time. You are in 6 ♠. The opening lead is the ♦ Q, around to your ace.

You cross to dummy's ♠ A, and lead the ♠ 9. Alas, your right-hand opponent shows out and you follow low losing to the queen on your left.

Lefty returns the ♥ A, you ruff in dummy. Then ♣ Q and ruff a club back to your hand to draw the last two trumps, discarding a low club and a low diamond from dummy. Here are your remaining cards (remember that the ♦ Q was played on the first trick):

	♠ — ♥ — ♦ J 10 7 ♣ A K
	N W E S
	♠ — ♥ K 8 ♦ K 9 5 ♣ —

You must cash the ♦ K before crossing to dummy. Which diamond will you play from dummy on the ♦ K? And if you cash the ♥ K too, what will you discard?

ANSWER: Do not play the ♦ 7; unblock one of dummy's high diamonds instead. If you cash the heart, you must discard one of dummy's club winners. Then cross to dummy with the ♦ 9 -- not the ♦ 5 -- and cash the remaining clubs. Finally, and most importantly, win the last trick with the ♦ 7 and proudly announce "Beer!"

THE PRINCIPLE: The ♦ 7 is informally known as the "beer card" . Per tradition, if declarer makes the contract and wins the last trick with the ♦ 7, partner must buy declarer a beer. Similarly, if the defense sets the contract and a defender wins the last trick with the ♦ 7, that defender's partner is obligated to buy.

The origins of the "beer card" are somewhat obscure. It is a popular tradition among the younger generation of bridge players; occasionally a player will take a convoluted line of play just to establish the beer card for trick thirteen.

Cheers!

-- Ray 
Better Bridge in 5 Minutes. Guaranteed! (or the next one is free)