Toledo Blade – 20 Abr 1997 by Gene Benedict
Ron Klinger of Australia continues to enhance his reputation as one of the top bridge writers in the world. His book, Fifty More Winning Bridge Tips, is crammed with new ideas and advice not found in other bridge books.
Tip 1: One recurring problem is deciding when you should unilaterally insist that your suit become trump, even if partner is void in your suit. Klinger introduces the Suit Quality (SQ) Principle. To calculate suit quality, count the number of cards in your long suit (length) and add that to the number of honor cards in that suit (strength). If you get 10 or higher, your suit is strong enough to become trump. For instance, you hold: K-Q-J-10-7-2 or A-K-J-9-6-4-3. Both suits meet the test, since 6 + 4 = 10 and 7 + 3 = 10.
Tip 2: Klinger feels that the 6-4 pattern plays exceptionally well if a trump fit exists. This pattern tends to produce more tricks than what the point count would sug-gest. Look at these two hands:
These two hands belong in four spades, but after the bidding has gone: one diamond, pass, one spade, pass, the 6.4 hand has to push all the way to game. The East hand will refuse any invitation with a minimum hand. Klinger recommends using a jump to four diamonds by opener to show six or seven diamonds along with four-card support for partner’s suit.
Tip 3: If the opponents have shown a strong trump fit and you have three or more cards in their suit, it is safe to take action on seemingly weak hands. North was dealer, everyone was vulnerable, and the scoring was rubber bridge. The Bidding:
What should South do with this hand? 
9 5 3 
J 10 8 7 6 3 2 
7 3 2
While the spade void and lack of high card strength dampened South’s enthusiasm initially, the bidding by the opponents indicated that they probably have nine or 10 hearts. Since North did not show a black two suited hand over two hearts, South can assume he has some diamond support, along with heart shortness. The five diamond bid is not as reckless as it seems. Here is the entire hand:
As the cards lie, four hearts cannot be defeated and it takes perfect defense, a spade lead, ruffed, club to the ace and another spade ruff to beat five hearts. Five diamonds is also unbeatable. On a heart lead, ruffed, South ruffs a spade, ruffs a heart, ruffs a spade, ruffs a heart, ruffs a third spade, and knocks out the ace of diamonds. South later pulls trump and finesses clubs. Even if West starts with the ace of diamonds and another diamond, South can still make the hand by setting up the spade suit via a ruffing finesse.