Clues in the Bidding
by Julian Pottage

SQueeZe Books (www.vivisphere.com/squeeze/squeezebooks.asp)
US$17, ISBN 1 58776 129 7

Clues in the Bidding was originally published in 1990, and this updated version is expanded by about 25% to 152 pages.

The 76 deals are each presented in problem form with the answer overleaf. The typeface is easy on the eye and each problem is clearly and concisely presented. Each deal has a title which sometimes gives the reader a clue to the solution - a feature that seems to be the fashion nowadays. The majority of the deals I found to be excellent, but some were too esoteric. I came across a few misprints which seemed to have been missed by the proof-reader but fortunately in each case it was clear what was intended.

I liked the following deal:

Dealer: West. Game All.    7 5 3 2    J 8    K 7 4    6 5 4 2    A K    K Q 10 9 5    A Q 5 3    8 3

West	North	East	South
2*	Pass	Pass	Dbl
Pass	2	Pass	3
End
*Precision 2, showing fewer than 16 points with either six clubs, or five clubs and a four- card suit

West begins with A-K-Q; East discards a spade on the third club and South ruffs. Since West has only five clubs, systemically he must have a four-card suit. Should West have four hearts, then if declarer plays trumps he will lose control, as West will surely win the second heart lead and force again in clubs.

The author explains clearly and concisely that the right line is to cash A-K, then A followed by a diamond to dummy's king, and then to give up a diamond. Now if the defenders play trumps, South will be in control, and if instead they force again in clubs, dummy's J will take care of the fourth diamond.

Unfortunately there were several deals that came across to me as double-dummy problems. That's fine if you like that sort of thing, but I don't; also, much of the analysis seems to assume that the reader is of international standard.

For serious players who like challenging problems, this is clearly a book worth buying, but in my view many of the deals were somewhat impractical. I think it would have been better to have left out some of the more esoteric deals and I would have preferred it if the author had explained at greater length why he recommended particular lines of play.

Bob Rowlands

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