The Adventures of Poor Frank, Part CLVI: Poor Frank at His Best

The Adventures of Poor Frank, Part CLVI: Poor Frank at His Best

By Ray Adams

frankandarchie@yahoo.com

Readers sometimes wonder why Poor Frank gets beaten by Lucky Archie so often.   They ask “Is Poor Frank really a good player?”   Well, Poor Frank is undoubtedly the best player at his club. But there is a reason why he is called Poor Frank and his rival Lucky Archie.

 

Poor Frank arrived in a 4♠ contract that was reached by practically every other declarer. West tried to cash two clubs, but declarer ruffed the second one. Poor Frank now drew trumps in two rounds and led the four of diamonds, ducking this trick. East won the king and returned a diamond, taken by Poor Frank’s ace.

Poor Frank now led the two of hearts and played the nine when West followed low. East won his ten, but now found himself endplayed. Thanks to Poor Frank’s farsighted play of ducking a diamond, East had no diamond to return and either had to lead a heart into dummy’s tenace or give declarer a ruff and a sluff. Poor Frank soon claimed his game contract. As it turned out, no one else made four spades on this hand. The diamond duck had given declarer the extra chance he needed.

Later, when Poor Frank and Janet looked at the evening’s hands, Poor Frank said, “Here’s another example. One more hand where the defense tossed away a trick for Lucky Archie, but defended against me like a college football goal line stand. There were at least five like that and that’s why he won.”

“He is called Lucky Archie, after all, darling,” Janet said.

“But why does he get all the luck?”

“He doesn’t have it all,” Janet said. “After all, you’ve got me.”

“And, you know, that’s really all the luck I need,” Poor Frank said, but he still shook his head sadly.