2020-02-29 New Zealand Listener

FEBRUARY 29 2020 LISTENER 53

BRIDGE by David Bird

TAKE 5

by Simon Shuker

BARDEN’S

CHESS PROBLEMS

Wordsworth

Readers were asked to write a happy story in

just three words.

David Calder, New Plymouth: Lotto

winnings banked.

Harold Coop, Auckland: She said yes!

Rita Riccola, Albany, Auckland: Planet

survives humans.

John Warner, New Plymouth: Perfect

pavlova appreciated.

David Barber, Waikanae: Write. Publish.

Bestseller.

Mike Jarman, One Tree Hill, Auckland:

Aliens bring answers.

Kathy Gillard, Papanui: Looks like rain.

Andrea Levarre-Waters, Morningside:

Peace and quiet.

Rex McGregor, Auckland: Winston enjoys

retirement.

John Edgar, Christchurch: Icecream cures

cancer.

Hans Zindel, Palmerston North: Bucket

list achieved.

Ann Love, Nelson: Lost teddy found.

Kaye Bennetts, Whangaparāoa: Love

you, Mum.

Brent Carlsson, Queenstown: Virus cure

found.

Barry Grant, Christchurch: She’ll be right.

Michael Ferns, Invercargill: Wife says yes.

Beckett Macdonald (12), Auckland: To p

exam results!

Chris Bossley, Lower Hutt: Hole in one.

Daphne Tobin, Porirua: The war’s over.

Ralph Sims, Palmerston North: Zero

carbon achieved.

Kate Highfield, Hastings: Trump

overwhelmingly defeated.

Jane Dent, Herne Bay: Spousal snoring

cure!

Kathy Watson of Cashmere,

Christchurch, wins with: Concert radio

forever.

For the next contest, describe any event in

history in the form of a limerick or cinquain.

Entries, for the prize below, close on

Thursday, March 5.

by Lauren Buckeridge

White to move and win. How can this

be possible? Only king, bishop and pawn

remain on each side, while the bishops are

on opposite colours (White’s operate on dark

squares, Black’s on light) and the pawns are

not passed. A decisive

result seems highly

improbable, but it can

be achieved by a forced

sequence. Can you crack

the puzzle?

(Answer on page 54.)

Love all, dealer South

West North East South
— — — 1H
1S 2H Pass 3C
Pass 3D Pass 4H
All Pass

With limited values, North made the good
decision to support partner’s hearts at his first
turn. Had he responded 2D instead, he would
not have known what to do over a 2H rebid
from South. How would you play the heart
game when West leads the ace and king of

spades, East playing high-low and continuing

with the spade queen? Suppose first that you

ruff the third spade in the dummy. East will

overruff. You win his club return with the ace

and cross to dummy by overtaking the king

of diamonds. You cannot make the contract!

If you take an immediate trump finesse, you

will not be able to get back to dummy to

discard your club losers on the diamonds.

If instead you play two more diamond

winners, West will ruff the third round. To

make the contract, you must discard a club

from dummy on the third round of spades.

You win the club switch with the ace and

overtake the diamond king with the ace.

A trump finesse succeeds and you re-enter

dummy with a club ruff. You cash the

diamond queen, ditching your last club loser,

and finesse again in the trump suit. Ten tricks

are yours.

BIDDING QUIZ

WEST West North East South

♠ A K Q 10 5 — — — 2H

♥ A 6 5 4?

♦ 6

♣ A K 8

South’s opening is a weak two-bid. What

will you say on the West cards?

(Answer on page 54.)

EAST

♠

♥

♦

♣

WEST
♠
♥
♦
♣

A K Q 9 7 3

8

5 3

10 9 8 4

SOUTH

♠

♥

♦

♣

NORTH

♠

♥

♦

♣

8 2

K 7 4

9 8 4 2

K Q J 2

J 4

6 5 2

A Q J 10 7 6

7 5

10 6 5

A Q J 10 9 3

K

A 6 3

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

abcdefgh

CN0995

WIN THIS

The accessible guide to learning

te reo Maori, regardless of your

knowledge level.

Submissions: wordsworth@

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NZ Listener, Private Bag

92512, Wellesley St, Auckland

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      address. Entries may be edited
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