Better Bridge in Barry County December 27 2012

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

 

 

	North ♠  A 8 5 ♥  K J 10 5 ♦  J 7 3 ♣  Q J 8
West ♠  10 9 3 2 ♥  --- ♦  Q 10 9 8 5 4 ♣  A 10 4		East ♠  Q 7 6 4 ♥  Q 9 6 4 ♦  2 ♣  9 7 5 3
	South ♠  K J ♥  A 8 7 3 2 ♦  A K 6 ♣  K 6 2

 

 

Dealer: Vulnerable: Lead:

West Neither 10♠

 

North   1♣ 2♥ Pass	East   Pass Pass Pass	South   1♥ 4♥	West Pass Pass Pass

As he walked back from his mailbox in southern Barry County, Captain M. North glanced through the huge stack of cards, flyers, requests, ads, and his favorite hometown newspaper, The Hastings Banner. With the Christmas season upon the area and the world, Captain North looked over the cards, knowing that most were from family and acquaintances wishing him a joyous and blessed Christmas Season. One card, however, struck his interest. “From Florida,” he spoke half-aloud. “Who do I know in Florida?” Captain North peered closely at the return address: “Destin, Florida? Who do I know in Destin?” Not making the connection immediately, Captain North saw the letters R and V at the top of the return address label. “Is someone trying to sell or rent me an RV for an extended stay in Florida for the winter? Hmmm…doesn’t sound like too bad of an idea.”

Captain North tore open the envelope but saw no advertisement for a Recreational Vehicle. Instead, he read the following message:

“Dear Captain North, Merry Christmas from the Gulf Coast! This is Rosy and Vera wishing you a Merry Christmas from the bridge clubs of Destin, Fort Walton Beach, and Pensacola, Florida.   We are having a hoot down here playing bridge with all of the Snowbirds from Michigan, “Minn-na-so-ta,” and Wisconsin. We thought we would say hi and let you know about one of our most recent hands that we played with the LOL’s down here.”

Captain North scratched his head. “LOL means Laughing Out Loud, doesn’t it?” Then he understood. Vera and Rosy were having fun with him again. “Ah, Little Old Ladies! I get it.” Captain North had to chuckle. Even when they were not here in Barry County floating down the Thornapple River on the Barry County Bridge Barge, they could still make him smile.

Captain North looked at the enclosed bridge hand, but there was very little commentary. All that was written at the end of the note were these words: “Captain North, we played North/South as we usually do. For this contract, with 14 tables, most teams opted for a small slam. What do you think we did with this hand, Captain North? By the way, the lead was the 10♠.” It was signed Vera and Rosy, and that was all.

Captain North was amused. He constructed the bridge hand from Vera and Rosy on his kitchen table, and he prepared to see just what had happened and how Vera and Rosy had done down in the Gulf Coast region.

West led the 10♠ after North/South had reached an uncontested four-heart contract. South counted on North with the 1♣ opening to have at least three clubs and 12 high-card points. With South’s hand having 18 high-card points, the idea that that there might be a potential slam hand in the two hands came to the captain. When North responded with a 2♥ bid, showing four hearts and a minimum hand, South settled for the game contract in hearts.

With the 10♠ on the table, South was glad that he had restrained his enthusiasm for the North/South pair. With 12 points in the North hand and 18 points in the South hand, they had together 30 high card points, but not the 33 needed for a small slam most of the time. South was resolved to make the four hearts and call it a good bid.

With the 10♠ lead, South played low from the dummy and East rose with the Q♠. South captured the Q♠ with the K♠. South next led the A♥ and was instantly in for an unpleasant surprise. No hearts in the West hand, and four to the Q♥ in the East hand. This called for a review of the plan. West had played a high diamond signaling that she had something in diamonds. South played the 5♥ from the dummy, and East followed with the 4♥.

South next led the J♠ from his hand and played the 8♠ from the dummy with both East and West following on the second spade lead. South next led the 2♣ from his hand toward the dummy with the Q♣ and the J♣ showing. West ducked the lead, and the Q♣ held the trick for South. North then led the A♠ planning to discard the losing 6♦ on the A♠. When East played a spade, South discarded the losing diamond.

Next, the lead from the dummy was the 10♥, giving up the trick to East, but keeping control of the trump suit. East took the Q♥, and led her singleton diamond, the 2♦, hoping to get a diamond ruff if her partner ever got back in. South was prepared for that lead, however, and promptly put up the K♦ with everyone following suit in diamonds.

South then led the 3♥ from the South hand to the K♥ in the dummy, taking another heart from East. Leading the J♥ next from dummy pulled the last trump from East. South then led a diamond from the dummy to his good A♦, dropping the Q♦ from the West hand. There was, however, no way to get back in time to use the good J♦ on the board.

Leading the K♣ from his hand was the finishing touch on a well-played hand. West took the A♣, and led back a small spade, avoiding the good club on the board. South, however, trumped the spade lead with the last good heart, and led the 6♣ to the good J♣ on the board, making four hearts plus one overtrick for a strong score of 450 for the North/South team.

Captain North smiled to himself. Of course, Vera and Rosy had played it that way, and they had avoided the temptation to go on to slam when it was not there. In fact, when Captain North turned over to the back of Rosy and Vera’s card, he saw that he was right. “Nine tables tried slam and all failed. We were one of four tables to bid 4 hearts and make an overtrick for a top board on that round.”

“Congratulations, Rosy and Vera,” said Captain North. “See you in the spring on the Barry County Bridge Barge.” With a smile, Captain North finished opening the rest of his mail.

 

Gerald Stein

December 22 2012

Number of words: 1153

 

Better Bridge in Barry County December 20 2012

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

	North ♠  8 5 4 ♥  10 ♦  K 6 ♣  K Q 10 9 5 4 3
West ♠  K Q J 7 2 ♥  K J 8 3 ♦  9 3 2   ♣  6		East ♠  6 3 ♥  9 6 2 ♦  Q 10 8 7 5 ♣  A J 2
	South ♠  A 10 9 ♥  A Q 7 5 4 ♦  A J 4 ♣  8 7

Dealer: Vulnerable: Lead:

North North/South K♠

North 3♣ Pass	East Pass Pass	South 3NT	West Pass

Today’s column presents the pre-emptive bidding problem for declarers and defenders. Take a look at North’s hand. North’s hand has all of the markings for a pre-emptive bid in clubs with seven clubs, three of the top five club honors, eight high-card points, a singleton in hearts, and possibly a useful K♦. The problem is bidding a pre-emptive bid in first position. Is it a good idea, or not? As it turns out, today’s South had a sound no trump hand with fifteen high-card points, stoppers in the three unbid suits, and was glad to hear North bid a pre-emptive club bid. A bid of 3NT seemed to be the right bid.

While some South bidders might have passed or bid something different, the bid of 3NT is actually the right bid. Passing three clubs would result in North playing and making just the 3♣ bid. While taking nine tricks with clubs as trump is noble, yet there was a better contract available, and North and South found it together.  It was not an easy contract to make, by the way. Making 3♣ would have resulted in a positive score of 110 for North/South. Bidding up to 5♣, not a good idea or contract, would have resulted in a minus 200 point loss for North/South, down two tricks vulnerable.

The rationale behind North’s opening bid in first position seemed to be in the partnership agreement that North and South have. A sound pre-emptive bid as shown in today’s hand is the necessary ingredient. A ratty-looking pre-emptive bid is reckless and not good solid bridge. Having seven strong clubs was necessary for the pre-emptive bid. North had that key component for her bid.

So whether South had anything or not, North’s bid was sound, and South bid the 3NT contract based on his hand and what he had heard from partner North. Does 3NT make, however? The key to that answer was using the long clubs that North had promised. West led the K♠, the top of a strong spade sequence. South must hold up as long as possible, hoping to deplete East’s doubleton in spades and to cut the communication between the East/West defenders.

Accordingly, South ducked the opening lead of the K♠ as well as the continuation of the Q♠. When East discarded the 6♠ on the first spade trick, and the 3♠ on the second trick, West knew that this was a count signal, showing an even number with a high-low play of the spades, and that East had no more spades. There was no future in continuing the spade suit. West looked at the dummy for information.

Clubs were obviously out as that would only help South. Diamonds looked secure. West looked at the singleton l0♥, and led a heart, the 3♥. Much to West’s dismay, North’s 10♥ held the trick. By now, South had made his plan and needed nine total tricks in no trump. The clubs had to be the suit to set up. From the dummy, South led the 3♣! Wisely or not, West took the trick with the J♣ and returned the 7♦ instead of a heart. South captured the diamond lead with the A♦ in the South hand, leaving the K♦ as an entry for the clubs in the North hand.

A club lead from the South hand went to the K♣, West showing out of clubs. East took the K♣ with the A♣, and too late, returned a heart. South did not hesitate. He took the A♥, then the A♠ in his own hand, and led a small diamond to the K♦ on the board, accessing those beautiful set-up clubs. Running the four good clubs, combined with the two heart tricks, the one spade trick, and the two diamond tricks provided South with the nine tricks needed to make the contract of 3NT. A well-deserved score of 600 for bidding and making the vulnerable no trump game was a wonderful Christmas present.

The message here is, of course, to bid a pre-emptive bid in any of the first three seats. Bidding a pre-emptive bid in fourth seat after three passes might be a little too risky, and passing the hand for another better one might be the best choice possible. Happy bridge-playing during this Christmastime.

Gerald Stein

December 16, 2012

Number of words: 819

Better Bridge in Barry County December 13 2012

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

Christmas time in Barry County is always a special time and season. As bridge players, have you finished your Christmas gift-giving for your favorite bridge partner, your bridge friends, or for yourself? Today’s column offers a few suggestions that might light up your friends’ eyes when they see the thoughtfulness that you have found for them in their bridge world.

What better gift to get each and every month for the next twelve months than a subscription and membership to the American Contract Bridge League? For a mere $28.00, for new members, you will receive the monthly issue of the Bridge Bulletin for a full year. Chocked full of articles for the beginning bridge player, the advancing or intermediate bridge player, or the expert in your group, this gift will surely please your bridge friends. Leaving town for the winter? The Bridge Bulletin will follow you, and you will be able to easily find places to play bridge in your warmer winter climates. Order online by going to www.acbl.org and find the membership tab on the left side of the home page. Your friends will have their new welcome packets by Christmas if you order online today.

A column of some time ago mentioned a bridge game that will make a great Christmas present for grandchildren or younger players in your life. Called Bidittle, this board game teaches younger players the fundamentals of bidding, trick taking, and the beginning of a lifetime of enjoyment in the bridge world. At $19.99, you can order this game online as well by going to the Bidittle website @ www.bidittle.com. The ages for this game range from 7-adults, and from 2-4 players, so you will be able to spend quality bridge time with one or several of your children or grandchildren. There is a reversible side for future advancement as the children progress through the basics of bridge playing. This is a great gift that you will enjoy as well.

Looking for a complete set of 32 duplicate boards, 36 decks of cards, sets of movement cards, recap sheets, convention cards, traveling score cards, a copy of Duplicate Bridge by Alfred Sheinwold, and information on how to match point for your own home bridge club? A special offer from the online bridge supplier Baron Barclay will provide you a bridge game for up to 16 players at your home. A regular $200 value, this set can be ordered from www.baronbarclay.com for $149.00. This set makes a great gift for your friends or for yourself.

Other bridge items at Baron Barclay include 20% discount on selected wooden bridge tables, chairs, and other bridge items. Books and software items abound in their catalog or in their online store. Of real value, if you are looking for a solid software program, take a look at “Bridge Baron 23,” a newly-released update of a software program for playing bridge on your computer. A sample of “Bridge Baron 23” can be downloaded prior to purchasing for your inspection. Want to look at another free software package? Go back to www.acbl.org and look at the free downloads for beginning bridge players. This will give you a good idea of the wonderful bridge programs that are available on your computer or on your phones. Not to be missed are also the book selections on Baron Barclay. They extend from bridge texts for students to mysteries, advanced play, and so much more. Request one of their catalogs be sent to you when you go online.

Today’s final Christmas suggestion for yourself or your partner in the event that you will be in Barry County for the winter in 2013: how about taking a bridge class in February through the Institute for Learning in Retirement program through Kellogg Community College? A four-week class on the four February Monday mornings will focus on “The Eight Most Commonly Used Conventions You Should Know.” Requested by the students in the advanced Defense in the 21^st Century class, this class will include a review or perhaps a new introduction for some into the eight most popular bridge conventions used in the bridge world. Learning new tricks will be a great present to you or to others at this Christmas time. Contact the office of the Institute for Learning in Retirement in Battle Creek for information regarding times and fees for this class. Most importantly, students wanted lots of practice as well as instruction on such conventions as Stayman, Take Out Doubles, Weak Two Bids, Transfers and more.

With Christmas only a few weeks away, I hope that you will be able to find just the right gifts for your bridge playing friends. Merry Christmas to all Barry County bridge players.

 

Gerald Stein

December 10, 2012

Number of words: 800

 

 

Better Bridge in Barry County December 6 2012

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

	North ♠  K 7 5 3 2 ♥  A 10 7 4 2   ♦  A ♣  A K
West ♠  A 10 6 ♥  J 5   ♦  Q 8 6 5 3 ♣  Q 9 4		East ♠  Q J 9 8 ♥  ---- ♦  10 9 2 ♣  J 10 7 6 3 2
	South ♠  4 ♥  K Q 9 8 6 3 ♦  K J 7 4 ♣  8 5

Dealer: Vulnerable: Lead:

East Neither Pick it

North ???	East Pass Pass	South 2♥ Pass	West Pass Pass

In a recent online bridge tournament, thirty-six tables played today’s hand. With neither side vulnerable, South elected to open a weak two-bid with eight high card points and six hearts. The hearts were good hearts. The weak 2♥ bid here is the ideal bid.

With both East and West passing, North had to reach a major decision. What bid did North have to make since he had only one chance to bid it knowing that his partner had exactly what she said she had: six hearts and a minimum number of high-card points.

North had a powerful hand. The fit in hearts is a given. Where should the contract be placed? What are the choices? Four hearts would be a sign-off bid indicating a game in hearts. Five hearts is a wishy-washy bid. Six hearts is a slam try in hearts with a small slam and bonus points for bidding and making a small slam. Seven hearts is also a slam try for a grand slam and all the possible points for this hand. What is your choice?

Counting the high card points in the North hand is a good place to start to determine the correct and best contract for the North/South team. Knowing that the contract will be in the heart suit, North does the math: 18 high-card points with five hearts, five spades, one diamond, and two clubs. The diamond and the club suits are incredible holdings for North. There is not a concern in those two suits nor in the heart suit since North knows that they have eleven hearts between them. No, the major concern is the spade suit with a K♠ and four small spades. Here are North’s choices: go for the sure game in hearts and collect the game bonus plus any overtricks? Or go for the slam choices? Which slam? Again, what would you have done as a Barry County bridge player?

Four hearts? Five hearts? Six hearts? Seven hearts? The huddle is over. It is time for action as a bridge player. Your decision? Bid the slam, of course. Six hearts or seven hearts? Time for another huddle, but this time, the decision seems easier knowing about the weak spades in the North hand. North pulled out the six heart card from the bidding box, and all passed.

West had the lead. There was no hesitation on West’s part. The A♠ was the lead, of course. No sense in giving North/South a chance to take all thirteen tricks. The A♠ held the trick, and then West had to consider another lead. A trump lead or a club lead could not hurt. West chose the club lead, hoping that his Q♣ might set up.

South took the A♣ and drew trumps in two rounds, East showing out on the first time. South then took the  A♦, the K♣, the K♠, trumped a spade, led the K♦ and discarded a spade, led another diamond, trumped a diamond, led a spade, trumped a spade, led a diamond and trumped a diamond, led a spade, trumped a spade, led the last diamond, trumped a diamond, led a spade, and trumped a spade, and claimed. North/South had bid and had made the small slam in hearts. How did you do?

In the online tournament, with 36 tables in play, 27 tables bid and made 6♥. No one made an overtrick. Six bid and made 4♥ with two overtricks, and one bid 5♥, making one overtrick. The message is obvious: when a spectacular hand appears, go for the most that you think you can  make. In this case, most of the online players knew that this was an unusual hand, and that they should bid it to the maximum. Happy bridge playing in Barry County.

Gerald Stein

December 1, 2012

Number of words: 736

Better Bridge in Barry County November 29 2012

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

 

 

	North ♠  8 4 3 ♥  K 4 2   ♦  K ♣  A K Q 10 5 3
West ♠  K Q 10 5 ♥  Q 10 6 5 ♦  8 7 3 ♣  8 7		East ♠  A 9 7 6 2 ♥  A 8 7 ♦  Q 2   ♣  J 6 2
	South ♠  J ♥  J 9 3   ♦  A J 10 9 6 5 4   ♣  9 4

 

 

Dealer: Vulnerable: Lead:

North North/South K♠

 

North 1♣ 3♣ Pass	East Pass Pass Pass	South 1♦ 3♦	West Pass Pass

 

 

Today’s bridge column continues the bidders’ dilemma. To bid or not to bid is certainly the question on today’s hand. If you hold the East or West hands in today’s auction, would you be willing to jump in with a bid, or would you be willing to let the North/South team bid away to a part score, even though it sounds like they have a misfit? It is a dilemma. What are the options here?

With North/South vulnerable, North opened the bidding with 1♣ with 15+ points. East, with a five-card spade suit, elected to pass, feeling that the spade suit was not that good for an overcall. Remember, East, you are only at the one level.

South responded with 1♦ after East passed, promising at least four diamonds and at least six points. With only seven points, and having heard nothing from partner East, West passed with four hearts and four spades and seven points.

North’s second bid of 3♣ promised at least six clubs and better than opening count of 12 or 13 total points. By this time, East should have awakened and smelled the coffee. It appeared that North/South were in the minor suits, struggling to find a fit together. Did East regret not having bid the one spade bid when the level was low and the danger was even lower? To bid now at the three-level would take a lot of courage. East, unfortunately or fortunately, passed again.

With seven diamonds in his hand, South placed the contract at 3♦, and all passed. West, on lead, had listened to the bidding and knew that the minor suits belonged to North/South. The majors must belong to East/West. A good logical approach provided West with the K♠ for his lead, the top of a sequence, promising the Q♠ to his partner. With three small spades in the dummy, East signaled an encouraging sign with the 7♠, promising something in his hand. When the J♠ fell from the South hand, however, West needed to change the next lead to a heart. Leading the second spade would provide a ruff for South, a chance to draw trumps, use the clubs to throw away all of the losers in the South hand, and claim 12 tricks.

West saw the J♠ fall, and he wisely elected not to lead another spade to his partner, but to lead a heart to his partner’s A♥, keeping North/South to 11 tricks and a part score of 150 points. Did East/West miss a tremendous opportunity to compete in this auction? Suppose that East had bid one spade as an over-call immediately after North’s 1♣ opening bid. While the spades were not spectacular, yet there were five of them, and there were other points in the other suits as well.

Now South could have bid 2♦ if he dared. With just a long diamond suit, no fit in clubs, vulnerable as well, South might have passed. West, having heard the spade bid by partner East, knew enough to compete to the 2♠ level. Now the bidding had changed this hand considerably. Now East/West had found a nine-card spade fit, and if North had bid 3♣, East would have bid 3♠, probably ending the auction.

Three spades in the East/West versus three in a minor? That is the question. While the East/West team had little chance of making three spades, yet they would have been extremely competitive, would have bought the auction, and would have taken away the minor suit misfit from the North/South team. Even if North/South had continued to bid, they would have found that they had to bid at the four-level, and it would have been highly unlikely that they would have bid to the five-level and game in a minor suit. East/West could have interfered with the bidding to their advantage, and even though they would likely have gone down one trick, it would only be a mere 50 point gain for the North/South team. There are times, especially early in the auction, that a one-level bid is a good bid. Your partner might have your missing cards for a Golden Fit in your suit, and you might steal away a bid that might have gone to the North/South team uncontested. Keep bidding in Barry County.

 

Gerald Stein

November 21, 2012

Number of words: 821