Better Bridge in Barry County January 24 2013

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

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

Dealer: Vulnerable: Lead:

East North/South 4♥

North 2♣ 3NT	East Pass Pass Pass	South 1NT 2♠ Pass	West Pass Pass Pass

Today’s column features a common contract of 3NT. Bidding 3NT is one thing; making 3NT is quite another. Let’s look at the bidding first, and then let us look at the play of the hand, including the plan and the execution of the plan to make the vulnerable contract of 3NT.

South opened the bidding with a balanced hand of 4-4-3-2 distribution, a good start for considering a no trump bid. South had the requisite high card points for the partnership range of 15-17. Some pairs still use the 16-18 high card points for their no trump range, but most modern players now feel that you may miss a no trump contract if you wait until you have that extra point or two. The third ingredient for a no trump opening bid is that three suits are stopped. With the K♥ guarded by a spot card, South felt comfortable bidding 1NT with 15 high card points.

Some South players might open this hand with 1♣, a convenient minor, planning to bid the four-card spade suit at the next opportunity. However, the bid of 1NT quickly and accurately describes the South hand in one bid. There is no need to guess at the number of points, the distribution, or the number of suits stopped. 1NT is an accurate and descriptive bid. Some bridge writers will even go so far as to encourage you to bid 1NT with a five-card major in hearts or spades. Now that is something to think about.

After the 1NT bid, North had a chance to use the Stayman Convention to describe her hand accurately. With a four-card major in hearts, North wanted to find a trump fit in the majors if at all possible. The void in spades was worrisome, but this was all the better reason to find a trump fit in hearts if possible. With more than the eight total points needed to begin the Stayman Convention, North confidently bid 2♣, promising at least eight points, at least one four-card major, and an interest in finding a fit in the major suits if possible, and possibly game. North had plans to bid again with 13 high card points. North knew that there were enough points for game between the two hands. Slam was probably out of the question as North could account for 28-30 points between the two hands. Small slams generally need 33 points to make and take twelve tricks.

South responded to the Stayman Convention with a bid of 2♠, promising four spades, and not four hearts. That was enough information for North, and she placed the contract at 3NT. So far so good. All pass, and the contract was set at 3NT in the South.

The lead is important, and good defenders will have listened to the bidding. West knew that South had four spades, so a spade lead would lead right into the declarer’s good spades. Rather, West elected to lead the other five-card suit she had and hope for the best. West led the 4♥. When the dummy came down, South was pleased with what she saw. After thanking her partner, the number one rule of bridge etiquette, South took the crucial time to plan the play of the hand.

In No Trump contracts, it is important to take the time to count the winners immediately. Those are tricks that you can take without giving up the lead to the opponents. South counted two in spades: A♠ and K♠; three in hearts: A♥, K♥, and Q♥; one in clubs: A♣, and none in diamonds, for six quick tricks. South needed three more tricks to make the contract of 3NT. The maximum number of tricks in hearts and spades appeared as counted. Nine clubs offered a possibility while the diamonds offered seven cards. Where would the extra three tricks come from? All of this decision-making needs to be done before one card is called for from the dummy. While the clubs look like a possibility, the easiest road to success is the diamond suit. Knock out the A♦ as soon as possible, and hold off on the other suits until that suit is established. Once the nine tricks are in the bag, then go after overtricks in the club suit. Now that is a well-thought-out plan.

South won the opening lead in her hand, the short suit first, with the K♥. A diamond lead at the second trick was a must, and South played a small diamond from her hand toward the dummy’s solid diamond suit. West ducked the first time, but South persisted in her plan, and led the 10♦ from the dummy and played the J♦ from her hand. West was forced to take the A♦, and the two good diamonds on the board were available at South’s leisure.

West continued the heart lead, but South had done her homework, and she took the A♥, the Q♥, the K♦, and the Q♦ before exiting the board with a small club. She took the small club with the A♣ in her hand assuring the contract by next playing the A♠ and the K♠ for nine tricks. Fooling around with the club suit first might have created problems for South, and she was wise to make sure she had the contract first before trying for an overtrick. Playing the clubs first resulted in some tables ending up a trick short of making the contract. What a pity. Take your tricks and run is often a good piece of advice for all levels of players.

As it turned out, after assuring the contract with the big spades, South exited with a small club, and played small from the board, allowing East to win with the 8♣. East took the K♣, but she was end-played and had to lead a final club to the good Q♣ on the board, giving North/South ten tricks and a contract well-bid and well-played.

Gerald Stein

January 12, 2013

Number of words: 1145

On Monday, February 4^th, 2013, basic instruction and review of the Stayman Convention will begin the four-week bridge series at KCC’s Institute for Learning in Retirement’s program at the Battle Creek Hill Brady Road campus. If interested in learning the Stayman Convention, call the ILR for details.