Beer or No Beer?

Almost all bridge players are familiar with the beer card, and some are adamant about it, especially the college crowd having just reached legal age — or close enough if they can get away with it. For anyone living under a rock, declarer wins a beer if he wins the last trick with the 7, provided diamonds are not trumps.

Who must buy the beer is arguable. Many contend it is dummy, but then the incentive to be declarer could undermine partnership bidding. For this episode, one of the defenders must buy, so a defensive goal will be to prevent the beer. Consider this deal:

South deals	A 4		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
None vul	7 5 4		1. W	Q	4	6	2
	K 6 5 3		2. W	10	5	K	9
	A 5 4 3		3. E	3	A	8	7
9 8 2		Q J 10 7 6	4. S	2	7	3	6
Q J 10 8		K 6 3	5. W	Q!	4	10	K
10 8		J 9 4	6. S	8	9	A	6
Q J 9 7		10 6		Cash 6 winners, lose the last
	K 5 3
	A 9 2
	A Q 7 2
3 NT South	K 8 2

After a routine 1 NT-3 NT auction, West leads the Q, and declarer holds up until the third round. With only eight sure tricks, the obvious move is to duck a club in case clubs are 3-3 (with diamonds 4-1) or to realize squeeze opportunities if neither minor splits. This is completely safe with only one heart outstanding.

After being gifted a trick with the 7, West pauses to think. Cashing the good heart would be a risky play, as it would rectify the count for declarer to squeeze partner holding Q-J-x-x J-x-x-x.

Seeing through this possibility, West does not assist declarer and wisely returns the Q. Not only was this an excellent bridge play, but it became an effective beer defense as well.

With diamonds splitting, the contract was never in jeopardy; but what about the brew? To win the last trick with the 7, declarer must lose another trick first, but doing so would risk being set. Even at double-dummy, any attempt to duck a spade to East could be thwarted with accurate defense. Darn that West! No beer!

Beer Ethics 101

Trying to win a beer, or prevent one on defense,
should never be done at the expense of a trick.

Willkommen im Biergarten

Test your brewing skill on the following six contracts. After the given opening lead, assume double-dummy play by both sides, but remember that winning or preventing a beer cannot cost a trick. Can declarer win the last trick with the 7? Select Beer or No Beer.

1.	A K 3 A 6 2 10 9 7 4 3 8 2
J 10 9 7 K 8 3 8 2 K Q J 10		Q 6 4 J 10 9 5 Q J 5 9 7 3
3 NT South Lead: K	8 5 2 Q 7 4 A K 6 A 6 5 4		Beer No Beer

2.	Q J 9 4 9 8 7 A 10 9 8 8 2
7 5 3 Q J 10 3 5 2 Q J 7 6		2 K 6 5 4 Q 4 3 10 9 5 4 3
6 South Lead: Q	A K 10 8 6 A 2 K J 7 6 A K		Beer No Beer

3.	Q J 9 8 7 K Q J 10 9 K 7 5
K 8 2 Q J 10 9 2 A 5 4 3 2		7 6 5 4 3 6 5 4 3 3 2 A 6
3 NT South Lead: Q	A 10 A K 8 7 6 Q J 10 9 8 4		Beer No Beer

4.	A Q 10 8 J 10 7 5 4 Q J 10 9
K Q 8 7 4 3 9 6 K 9 6 2 3		6 5 K 7 5 3 2 A Q 8 3 7 2
7 South Lead: K	J 10 9 2 A J 4 — A K 8 6 5 4		Beer No Beer

5.	A 6 4 8 7 6 5 K Q 7 2 A 2
10 8 5 2 A J 3 9 3 K J 9 4		Q J 9 3 Q 6 5 4 10 7 6 5 3
4 South Lead: 9	K 7 K 10 9 4 2 A J 10 8 Q 8		Beer No Beer

6.	A J 7 5 5 2 K Q J 6 5 4 3
K 9 8 3 2 10 8 7 6 3 J 10 10		10 6 4 4 6 5 4 3 2 A 9 8 7
6 NT South Lead: J	Q A K Q J 9 A 9 8 7 K Q 2		Beer No Beer

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Puzzle 8Q09 Main

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© 2026 Richard Pavlicek