This Rubens Proves He’s Artist At Bridge

Sarasota Journal – Jun 21, 1965 by Dan Howe

Jeff Rubens, one-time child prodigy and now still a young genius of the bridge world, was a co-winner of the Men’s Pair event in last March’s Spring National’s in Cleveland. One of the boards that helped him and his partner to their success was this one:

	10 7 5 3  A Q 10 3 2  Q 5 3  2
J 6 5 4  K J 9 8 7 4  K Q 9		J 9 6 2  8 7  6 2  10 8 7 6 3
	A K Q 8 4  K 9  A 10  A J 5 4

Rubens and his partner bid their way to seven spades.

West led off with his king of clubs, which went to Declarers ace. The latter now tried the trump suit, If spades (trumps) were 2-2, he could always make the hand as long as the hearts were ‘no worse then 4-2.

If spades were 3-1, there could he a little more work to do. But spades were even worse: they were 4-0, as Declarer found when West shed a diamond on the first round.

The hand now became, says the ACBL Daily Bulletin, a double-dummy problem (almost!).” Mr Rubens ruffed a club with the ten of spades and played a small trump off the board. East went in with the nine and Declarer won with his queen. He then overtook his king of hearts with dummy’s ace and played trumps again, finessing the eight. Trumps were now run to reach this position:

	Q 10 3 2  Q 5
J 6 5  K J  Q		8  6 2 10 8 7
	4  9  A 10  J 5

The play at the last spade by Declarer squeezed West in three suits. West chose to give up a heart, and so Declarer led the nine of hearts and calmy finessed the ten in dummy to bring home his grand slam. (Incidentally, if West discards a minor suit card, instead of the heart Declarer just cashes his winner or winners in that minor suit and West is squeezed again.)

To those art connoisseurs would ask an obvious question Jeff Rubens, as far as we know, is no kin to Peter Paul of the Ringling Museum, but he is quite an artist with the cards.

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