A Very Welcome Promotion for the Six of Hearts

By Ray Adams

frankandarchie@yahoo.com

Bridge buffs know the value of their high cards very well, but they sometimes overlook the value of the little spot cards. However, this is never the case at the Sevens and Under Public House.

There was a happy buzz of conversation in the Sevens and Under Public House the other night when the little Six of Hearts called for everyone’s attention.

“I have a happy little story from today’s bridge hands,” he said.

“Hear, hear,” the other spot cards yelled.

He diagrammed the above hand on the blackboard the spot cards use for the purpose of telling a bridge story.

“As you can see,” he said, “my Master arrived in 6♣ on optimistic bidding and West led the Five of Spades.”

“Always a good choice,” the Five of Spades said.

“For sure,” the Six of Hearts replied, “and my Master won in hand and advanced the Jack of Diamonds, covered by the king and won by the ace.”

“It looks to me like Mr. South will go down,” the Three of Clubs said. “One diamond loser, one heart loser and no real options.”

“Ah, Mr. Trey,” the Six of Hearts said, “Like many bridge players, you are overlooking the value of your brothers in arms. Let’s see what Mr. South did.”

“He drew trumps in two rounds and ended in dummy. He then led the Jack of Hearts, covered by the queen and taken by the ace. Now he advanced the Eight of Hearts. West covered with the nine, dummy with the ten, and East won the king, then exited with a spade to dummy’s king.”

“This is getting quite exciting,” the excitable little Deuce of Diamonds said.

“It certainly is,” the Six of Hearts said. “Now Mr. South played the Three of Hearts from dummy. East played the four, Mr. South ruffed, and West’s Seven of Hearts dropped.”

“You make it sound like I dropped from exhaustion,” the Seven of Hearts said. “For Heaven’s sake, I had to follow suit.”

“Yes, you did,” the Six of Hearts said, “and now Mr. South returned to dummy with the Queen of Diamonds and played me! And guess what? I beat my friend, the Five of Hearts and saved the day for Mr. South when he tossed his losing diamond on me. Six clubs bid and made.”

The entire public house – even the Seven and Five of Hearts – broke out into cheers for the heroic Six of Hearts.