Better Bridge in Barry County April 11 2013

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

 

 

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

 

 

Dealer: Vulnerable: Lead:

North None 5♦

 

North 1♣ 4♥ 5♣ Pass	East Pass Pass Pass Pass	South 2♥ 4NT 5♥	West 3♦ Pass Pass

A few weeks ago, we looked at one of the newer slam conventions called Roman Key Card. Today’s hand illustrates the effective use of the Roman Key Card Convention to avoid arriving at an unmakeable small slam. Let’s see how Roman Key Card Convention can provide a plus score instead of a defeated slam-try.

North opened the bidding with 1♣, promising at least three clubs and a minimum of 12 high-card points. South pulled out the old jump shift bid from yesteryear and bid 2♥. This bid from bygone years promised a strong forcing bid of 17+ with an interest in slam. This is a bid that you need to talk over with your partner as the jump shift is available as a partnership agreement, but in today’s modern bridge world, it also has a different message, promising a weak hand with six cards in the suit bid. So, be careful what you tell your partner. In this case, North and South were on the same page, and North knew that the bid was the strong jump shift bid because of their partnership agreement. As a defender, you have the right to ask your opponents the meaning of such a bid.

Bold West inserted a startling bid at her only opportunity, and she threw in a disruptive bid of 3♦, promising seven diamonds and not much more. Undeterred, North with the strong hearts, probably wondered what South had in hearts! Hearing strong support for the hearts, South moved to the 4NT bid asking for aces. This was not the Blackwood Convention that we all grew up with, but the Roman Key Card Convention where the asking for aces also asks for the king of trump. So instead of the four aces in Blackwood,  RKC asks for the four aces and the king of trump. The object is the same, but there is more accuracy in the bidding, according to most modern bridge experts.

North responded with a bid of 5♣, promising three key cards: the A♦, the A♥, and the important K♥, the fifth key card. Missing, however, were some unknowns. When South looked at her hand, she knew that the North/South team had four of the five key cards. South did not know that North also held the Q♥; neither did she know if the missing key card was an ace or the king of trump. Was it the A♦, K♥, or the A♣? No matter. South was prudent enough to know that there were a lot of gaps in the two hands, especially in the South’s trump suit. Going on to six hearts might be foolhardy. South placed the contract at 5♥ and all passed.

It always comes down to the opening lead in the game of bridge. In this case, West debated about leading the A♣ or one of the long diamonds or even one of the spades. Knowing that the three others at the table would be short in diamonds because of the seven in the West hand, West carefully led the fourth down from her diamond suit, the 5♦. That was the best lead for the East/West team.

South was immediately put to the test on the diamond lead. Seeing the dummy and the good hearts, South took heart and decided that West was leading from the only honor she had: the K♦. Calling for the 8♦, South successfully took the first trick with the J♦. There would be no diamond losers, but it looked like at least two club losers would be unavoidable.

Drawing four rounds of trump collected the 4-0 heart-split from East. Playing the A♠, K♠, and Q♠ next would have South with the first nine tricks. No matter how South played the club suit, she will lose two club tricks, one to the A♣ and one to the J♣. North/South successfully bid and made the 5♥ contract, collecting a plus score.

Let us look now at those bridge players who are more adventuresome in their bidding. Perhaps, South is determined to bid 6♥ no matter what. There is only one way to make such a silly contract. If West led as described earlier, North-South go down to defeat by one trick when West collects the two club tricks. There is no way to avoid that play of the hand. The only way that North/South can make a small slam on this hand is if West agonizes over the lead and plunks down the A♣ for the opening lead. If that happens, South is ecstatic and claims the remaining tricks and an undeserved slam hand. Do not be so generous giving away your aces. The diamond lead is effective and holds North/South to the 11 tricks that they deserve. Do not give away a trick on the opening lead. You may regret your hasty lead. Defense is an art and is probably one of the hardest aspects of the game of bridge. Be a thoughtful defender.

 

Gerald Stein

April 4, 2013

Number of words: 938