Better Bridge in Barry County January 10 2013

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

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

Dealer: Vulnerable: Lead:

West Both Pick it

North Pass	East 4♦	South ????	West Pass

Today’s column shows another example of the opposition using the pre-emptive bid to interfere with the North/South hands. After two passes, East is in a perfect position to preempt with eight diamonds headed by the A♦ and K♦. This is the kind of bid that is a delight for the bidder with the weak hand and a nightmare for the bidder with the strong and powerful hand. With South looking at his hand and 19 high card points and one for length in the spade suit, certainly South knows he must do something. But what should South do? Bid? Pass? Double? These seem to be the three options open to the South player. What bid would you have made as the South player?

With both sides vulnerable, South does not need too much from his partner North to make a game in spades. That would be 620 points for their side if it makes. Conversely, South knows that East has eight diamonds for such a bold bid after two passes. That leaves only five cards remaining, with a strong possibility of singletons and doubletons. Setting East with one trick vulnerable would net only 200 points for the North/South team. Setting East with two tricks vulnerable would net 500 points for the North/South team. With a known eight diamonds, that is probably the maximum number of tricks North/South could take. The choice then is to take 500 points and a set, or go for the vulnerable game of 620. What would you do?

If you are a regular reader of this column, you know the answer already. Of course, go for the most points that you can get. Bid the 4♠ and go for the best possible score. If East elects to sacrifice and bids 5♦, then double as your second option and hope that you can set the East player for down three and an 800 point bonus on your side of the ledger.

As it turns out, the hand was played at a number of tables at 4♠ while at an equal number of tables the 4♦ bid was doubled. With a lead of the 3♥ from the West player, the South player took the trick with the Q♥. South promptly drew two rounds of trump finding that the Q♠ did not fall. That is one losing trick. The other two losing tricks appear to be the two diamond tricks that East had for her opening bid of 4♦. South could have played East for the Q♠ and finessed the Queen, making an overtrick, as the cards lie.

When the singleton club in the East hand is taken and East shows out, South immediately knows where the Q♣ is and can successfully finesse the Q♣ and claim all tricks remaining. South lost two diamond tricks and one spade trick. North/South successfully made a vulnerable game for the top board of 620 points.

For those tables that chose to defend and work to defeat the 4♦ contract doubled, their work was cut out for them. While East has eight certain tricks, and would be down two tricks if the defenders played their cards correctly for a score of 500 points for the North/South team, yet there is danger that South will play one too many spade tricks and set up the Q♠ for East allowing the East player to take nine tricks and only be down one trick for a paltry score of 200. North/South would have been given a bottom score for not having defended well.

South must be careful to take the A♠, and then switch to the A♥, the K♥, putting East on lead. Then South must play carefully when East has to lead from her hand. In this way, East will lose one club, one heart, and three spade tricks, down two for a minus 500 points.

Still, East/West can be happy if they do go down minus 500 once they know that North/South can make a vulnerable game and 620 points. Isn’t bridge fun?

Gerald Stein

January 6, 2013

Number of words: 849

A bridge class called “Eight Conventions You Should Know” will begin on the four Monday mornings in February 2013. Start your New Year’s bridge resolutions today. Organized through the Institute for Learning in Retirement program at the Kellogg Community College Battle Creek campus on Hill Brady Road, this class will provide bridge playing time, bridge instructions, a chance to make new friends, and a chance to improve your bridge game. Call the KCC office for details.