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The
Maltese Falcon (part 5)
starring you as Sam Spade
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Dealer
: North
Vuln:
Both
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North
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J 10 9 2
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4 3
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4 2
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2 |
BRIDGE
MOVIE #48
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West
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 East
Fat Man
K
7 6
Q J
10
8 3
Q
9 7 6 5 |
I
asked Effie to have a man come and erase the name of Archer
from
the front door, where it read: Archer and Spade,
detective
agency. Then the phone rang. It was the Fat
Man. He wanted
me to come to his hotel at 2. I agreed.
Then I took my hat and
hailed a cab to Brigid's hotel, where
she was waiting for me in a
red and black bridge outfit,
with patterns of various suit
combinations. I told her that
she had to tell me everything she
knew about the black bird
ASAP, but she was reluctant until I
dropped the bomb about
the Fat Man. The Fat Man! Is he in
town? Oh, Sam, he's
dangerous, protect me. How can I protect
you
if I don't know what's going on? Trust me, Sam. Trust
you?
What security do I have to trust you? What have you
ever given
me except lies and a few fancy defensive gems? I
can give you
this, Sam, she said. With that, she slipped
her hand in mine and
I felt a piece of paper. There was a
bridge hand scribbled on it.
Cover
up West and South, she said. The Fat Man
was East. I
was South. We were in Hong Kong, waiting at the dock
for our boat.
I was partnered with Cairo and West was a local
dealer in antiques,
who promised to deliver the bird after
the rubber.
I
see you don't give away much in the auction, I said.
I'm
not what I appear to be, she returned.
I know
that, I said.
I
haven't lived a good life, she said, as she asked me
what I
would do as East after a low heart was led. I took the
ace in
dummy and called for the 2 of spades. Your play, Sam. |
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South
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MANY
NEW BOOKS NOW IN STORE
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Dealer
: North
Vuln: Both
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North
Q
J 10 9 2
A
4 3
K
4 2
J
2 |
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West
8
5 4 3
K
9 8 7
10
7 5
10
3 |
East Fat
Man
K
7 6
Q
J 10
8
3
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9 7 6 5 |
I
drew trump, ending in dummy and discarded two hearts and
two club
on the spades. If the fat man had played low, I
would have no chance.
Perhaps I'd be down two, perhaps down
three. I don't know.
You
could have led a top spade from dummy. It's the same thing
but
better. If you held a small singleton spade, he would still
have to cover
with the king. Why, if he held the eight, you
would have been sorry you
hadn't called for a top spade, because
he would have known you didn't
hold a singleton 8. Then he
could play the 8 from, say, K-8-x. You
reduced your chances
by 50% calling for that deuce!
I know, Sam. But that's what made the Fat Man put up the
king. He knew
I might try to deceive him, but never with such a
poor percentage play.
The result was a slam bid and made with an
overtrick, but the antique
dealer was furious and refused to deliver
the falcon. Both Cairo and the
Fat Man blamed me. I
rubbed my chin. You're good, you're really good.
Sam,
help me. Be strong, be brave, protect me.
Brigid,
give me all the money in your purse, plus a deck of Kem cards.
I'll
be back tonight. Don't open the door unless you hear three
rings,
one middle, one up, one down. With that I took
her cash, the cards,
and my hat....
THE
END of Part V
MANY
NEW BOOKS NOW IN STORE
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South Brigid
A
6
5 2
A
Q J 9 6
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K 8 4
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