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Bridge Bulletin readers' favorite books

1. The Play of the Hand at Bridge, Louis H. Watson
2. Points, Schmoints!, Marty Bergen
3. How to Read Your Opponents' Cards, Mike Lawrence
4. Why You Lose at Bridge, S.J. Simon
5-6. Killing Defense at Bridge, Hugh Kelsey
5-6. 25 Conventions You Should Know, Barbara Seagram & Marc Smith 33
7. Card Play Technique, Victor Mollo & Nico Gardener
8-9. How the Experts Win at Bridge, Burt and Rose Hall
8-9. Adventures in Card Play, Geza Ottlik & Hugh Kelsey
10-11. Standard Bidding for the 21 st Century, Max Hardy
10-11. Secrets to Winning Bridge, Jeff Rubens

Wishful tricking

Do you know what a "wish trick" is? A poll taken last year indicated that not everyone does. For those still in the dark, a wish trick is one that includes the ace, 2, 3 and 4. Many players announce a wish trick when those four cards are played to a trick.
One of the ACBL's most ardent wish trickers is world champion Nick Nickell.
"Some people believe a wish trick is only a wish trick if the cards are played in order: ace, 2, 3, 4," he said. "I'm not that much of a purist." Nickell also described the variations of a wish trick: multi-suited, multi-colored and the very rare case of a wish trick on the third round of a suit. The first player at the table to call, "Wish trick!" gets a wish.
Some players believe in what is known as the high wish trick: ace, king, queen, jack.
Expert wish-trickers also have a signal to take the pressure off partner. If dummy is holding the ace and king of a suit and declarer leads the 2, followed by the 3, declarer will call for the king rather than the ace to let dummy know that no wish trick is possible - declarer has the 4.
Nickell announces his wish tricks whenever possible. "It keeps you even, balanced and relaxed," he said. He admits to some strange looks from foreign players - unfortunate, uninformed souls - at world championships.
When told that the term wish trick was missing from the ACBL's Official Encyclopedia of Bridge, an affronted Nickell snapped, "That is a blatant omission that must be corrected."

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