Source:  14th Coffs Coast Gold Congress at Opal Cove Resort
Joan Butts
Joan Butts
Joan Butts, one of the Australia’s Premier Bridge Teacher, had us playing hands based on a new book by Audrey Grant. Here are the “Five tips for over-coming entry problems”
  1. Recognize a lower card as an entry by keeping a lower-ranking link card.
  2. A high card can be a link card by over taking
  3. Keep the entry with the suit to be established
  4. Play “the high card from the short side first”
  5. Take losses early to preserve entries.
We applied some the techniques to this famous hand:  Alfred Sheinwold played 7Spade Suit from South on the club suit9 lead. We need FIVE entries to dummy. To establish the diamonds, win in hand with the club suitA to preserve entries. Then: Spade Suit2 to dummy’s Spade Suit8. Ruff a diamond. Spade Suit3 to dummy’s Spade Suit9. Ruff a diamond. club suitQ to dummy’s club suitK. Ruff a diamond. club suit10 to dummy’s club suitJ. Ruff a diamond. club suit4 to dummy’s club suit5. Cash the Diamond SuitK. (This line won’t work if the club suit4 and club suit5 are swapped)