Better Bridge in Barry County
By Gerald Stein
North
♠ J64
♥ ---
♦ AQ8
♣ Q976542
| ||
West
♠ K82
♥ 8432
♦ 106543
♣ 3
|
East
♠ Q109753
♥ QJ5
♦ J92
♣ J
| |
South
♠ A
♥ AK10976
♦ K7
♣ AK108
|
Dealer:
Vulnerable:
Lead:
|
North
Both
3♣
|
North
Pass
2♦
3♣
5♦
Pass
|
East
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
|
South
2♣
2♥
4NT
7NT
|
West
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
|
The Barry County Bridge Barge was once again all set for its weekly excursion down the Thornapple River in beautiful Barry County. These weekly bridge and travel trips had been a delight for Captain M. North, skipper and bridge director for the weekly bridge tournaments. The fact was that the success of the trip had been so overwhelming that he had to take reservations for the weekly trip. Captain North was checking in the last of this week’s participants.
“Hmmmm…” Captain North murmured half-to-himself. “Just waiting for two more and off we go on this week’s trip.” As he finished saying this aloud, he looked up to see the final two bridge players scurrying up the gangplank.
“Wait for us, Captain North!” called Rosy and Vera, two of his more frequent travelers and bridge players. They always had a story to share, and no doubt there would be another one today. The Captain never minded. After all, Rosy and Vera took their bridge seriously, and yet they always managed to have a fun time. Captain North liked Vera and Rosy, and he shouted out to them. “Come aboard, Ladies. We would not leave Port Charlton Park without you. The Barry County Bridge Barge would just not be the same.”
Arriving all out of breath, Rosy and Vera came aboard. “Oh Captain North. We have the most wonderful story to tell you.” Just then, one of the other regular players came up and interrupted their conversation. “Captain North, would you mind waiting another minute? I need to run to my car for my bridge convention card. I will be right back.” Captain North nodded, and he turned to Rosy and Vera. “There you have it. You should tell your story right now since we will have a short delay.”
Vera and Rosy sat down as did the Captain. “Oh Captain North, we have been to a Regional Bridge Tournament in Lansing. Do you know where Lansing is?” Captain North smiled and nodded. Rosy continued, “On one of the seven days of the tournament, Vera and I played a match with these cards,” and here Rosy pulled out the hand of the day. “We were playing North-South, and my partner Vera passed the opening bid, although I wondered later why she did not open with a pre-emptive 3♣ bid. Oh well, no matter.”
Here Vera piped up, “Opening in first seat at a tournament with such ratty-looking clubs was not for me. I elected to pass.” The Captain only nodded. Rosy continued. “I opened my hand with a 2♣ bid, a strong bid in our partnership agreement, informing my partner Vera that I had 22 points and expected game and perhaps we might have a slam possibility.”
Vera responded, “I responded with a 2♦ bid, a waiting bid for us, to have Rosy further describe her hand.” “That is just what I did,” replied Rosy. “I mentioned my hearts, and back came a bid from Vera, bidding 3♣. What was the meaning of that bid? I actually had to take a moment to think about her bid. Did she have a long club suit and some points to bid freely at the three-level instead of keeping it low at the two-level with a two-no trump bid, for example?”
Vera responded again, “That is what I was hoping to show Rosy: long clubs, ratty though they were, and some helpful points.” Again the Captain nodded, looking to see if the missing passenger was anywhere in sight. No such luck.
Rosy continued again, “Well, Captain North, you know how important it is to play contracts in no trump when you are in a tournament, don’t you? You get those extra points for bidding and making the most that you can. When I heard Vera’s bid, I was starting to think slam, and I used the Blackwood convention to ask Vera if she had the missing A♦.
“Yes, I had it,” said Vera, “and I bid the 5♦ response showing one ace.” Back into the conversation came Rosy. “Now, for the final bids, Captain North. Hearing about the long clubs Vera might have, one ace that I was missing, and a powerful hand, I debated between two bids. By the way, Captain North, what is better than bidding and making a small slam?” The Captain opened his eyes wide, and said, “Well, bidding and making a grand slam, of course.” “Oh Captain North, you are so right,” said Rosy. “And that is what I planned to do. Should I bid seven clubs or seven no trump since I knew that we had all of the suits stopped and a long suit in clubs? I went for the gold, Captain North, to borrow a term from the Olympics. My, weren’t they great in London this year?” The Captain looked for his missing passenger, stretching his neck to see if she were coming.
“Well, Captain North, to make a long story short, I bid the seven no trump, and I was pleasantly surprised to see such a wonderful board from my partner Vera. As you can see, it was a lay-down, and I claimed all 13 tricks to gain a top board. We won the gold!” Here Vera and Rosy began a happy giggle. The Captain looked up just in time to see his missing passenger walking up the gangplank. “All aboard!” he called. “Nice bidding and playing, Vera and Rosy. Did you notice that the hand also makes 7♣?”
“Yes, Captain North, we realized that afterwards, but there are more points to be made in no trump than in clubs. We told you we wanted the gold!” Here they began to laugh again. Captain North walked slowly to his engine, and he just shook his head again.
Gerald Stein
August 24, 2012 Number of words: 1073
Bridge question for this week: What is the other slam that makes six on this hand other than clubs and no trump? How do you make it with a Moysian fit?
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