Better Bridge in Barry County
By Gerald Stein
North
♠ A103
♥ 1042
♦ Q73
♣ J742
|
||
West
♠ Q62
♥ 9653
♦ A842
♣ K8
|
East
♠ J87
♥ A8
♦ J106
♣ Q10965
|
|
South
♠ K954
♥ KQJ7
♦ K95
♣ A3
|
Dealer:
Vulnerable:
Lead:
|
North
Both
2♦
|
North
Pass
Pass
|
East
Pass
Pass
|
South
1NT
|
West
Pass
|
For most bridge players, whether at the beginning or
the experienced stage of their game, playing no trump contracts can be a
formidable challenge. One experienced social bridge player told this story: “I
dread playing no trump. I would rather you pulled my fingernails out with a
pair of pliers than play a no trump contract.” Why all the dread and fear with
no trump contracts? The next few columns will try to alleviate this dread and
offer some tips to make playing no trump contracts a joy and a fun way to play
bridge.
In today’s hand, South has the typical no trump
hand: a balanced hand of 4-4-3-2 and the requisite number of points (16). While
some bridge players still use the 16-18 high card points for a no trump opener,
most new players have gone to the 15-17 high card points. It doesn’t really
matter much as long as your hand is a balanced hand; it is between the 15-18
high card points, and it has no voids, no singletons, and only one doubleton.
Only three suits need to have stoppers as well. Count on your partner for help
in the unstopped suit.
South had all of the conditions for an opening bid
of one no trump. With a balanced hand, only one doubleton, and 16 high card
points, one no trump was the perfect bid. Her partner North with only seven
high card points and a balanced hand wisely elected to pass. There definitely
were not enough points for a game in no trump, and one no trump would be a
challenge to make as well. One final note: do not count length or distribution
when counting points for no trump bids; count only high card points. No trump
contracts need all of the high cards that are available to make the bid. Adding
points for length and distribution tends to distort the picture. Find another
bid if you are short of the necessary points for a no trump opening bid.
With the 2♦ as the
opening lead, South took a moment to make a plan. Here is where many bridge
players go wrong by calling quickly for the first card they think they want. It
is much better to pause first, thank your partner for his cards, and remember
your objective. What is your objective? Your objective is, of course, to make
your contract of one no trump. Put it in words silently, or in your mind, that
you need at least seven tricks to make your contract, and you would like to
take more for overtricks, if possible.
The next tip, and this is the most important part of
the plan to succeed in no trump contracts, is to determine how many winners you
have without giving up the lead. Count them.
Winners are aces and kings if you have the aces to go with them. In this
hand, how many winners do you have at first without giving up the lead? Three? That is correct. You have the A♠ and
the K♠ for two; you have the A♣ for the third trick. After that, you will have
to work to develop or setup the remaining tricks. You will need at least four
more tricks to make your contract. Where is the best spot to pick up extra
tricks?
Look at the strong heart sequence. If you can win
the three heart tricks by driving out the A♥,
you will have three more tricks toward your objective. Now you only need one
more trick to make your contract. With the lead of the 2♦, you are home free. You know the lead is from the fourth down in
West’s best suit. Guess where the A♦ is?
Right! In West’s hand. You win the diamond
in your hand with the K♦, and you immediately
begin to work on the heart tricks by leading toward that wonderful 10 ♥ that your partner North has provided. East might
duck the A♥ at first, but it doesn’t really
matter. You just keep going after those heart tricks until they are set up. As
it turns out, East takes the A♥ immediately and
leads a club which you duck, and West wins with the K♣. Back comes a club, and
you win the trick with the A♣ in your hand. Play the good hearts for the three
set-up-tricks, and then since you know where the A♦
is, lead a small diamond toward your Q♦. If West
wants the trick, he will take his A♦; otherwise,
you confidently play the Q♦ for a finesse, and
it wins. You will win eight tricks on this hand: 2 diamond tricks; 2 spade
tricks; three heart tricks; and one club trick for a successful no trump
contract, making one overtrick.
With smiles all around, you accept the
congratulations of your partner, and you prepare to play your next hand. Maybe
it will be another no trump hand! Good luck in no trump.
Bridge question for this week: Did you notice that
the East-West opponents also have balanced hands, and that there is no way for
them to compete? In fact, how can South get another overtrick on this hand?
Hint: Look carefully at the spades.
Gerald Stein
July 30, 2012
Number of words: 941
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