Better Bridge in Barry County September 12 2013

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

 

 

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

 

 

Dealer: Vulnerable: Lead:

East North/South 4♦

 

North   2♣ 3♥ 4NT 7♥	East Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass	South 1NT 2♠ 3NT 5♠ Pass	West Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass

 

Today’s hand came up recently in a local duplicate bridge club competition. Played twelve times by the North/South pair, only one pair found the ultimate contract of seven hearts in the North. With the lead from East of the small diamond, North took the time to count the winning tricks in her hand. All in all, there were seven heart tricks, three club tricks, one diamond trick, and one spade trick. That only accounted for twelve tricks, not the thirteen tricks needed to make a grand slam. How does North know how to play the spades for the thirteenth trick?

While neither East nor West had bid to give any clues to help North decide on the correct play of the hand, it basically came down to the playing of all of the winning tricks except for the spades, saving them for the final two tricks of the hand. This strategy put East in a difficult position. She must decide to save either the K♠ or the K♦. East needed to guard the K♠ with another spade so near the end of the play of this hand, East must pitch the K♦ and hold the K♠ and another small spade. This in effect forced North to take a finesse with the J♠. North could hope that East will cover the J♠ with the K♠, but a smooth play of the small spade by East will cause North to be unsure of the play. At this point, however, when East smoothly ducked the J♠, North must overtake the J♠ with the Q♠ on the board.  When the Q♠ won that trick, then North played the final spade, the A♠, from the board, making the 7♥ contract.

Making six hearts on this hand was very easy with all of the tricks present for the declarer at trick one. Seldom is it that easy for a Grand Slam bid-and-make. Of the twelve pairs who played the exact same cards, six of those twelve pairs bid only to 4♥, making seven hearts for a score of 710. Four pairs bid 6♥ and made an overtrick for a score of 1460. One pair bid 6NT, but failed to take the finesse fearing that a finesse, should it lose, would result in losing the contract and be down one trick instead of making the 6NT bid. That pair earned a 1440 for their 6NT bid-and-made. The final team of the twelve went all the way to seven hearts, making seven and earning an impressive score of 2210 for their keen bidding and smart play of the hand.

It is impressive to think that this one hand of bridge was played twelve times, and the final contracts varied in four different ways: four hearts making seven; six hearts making seven; six no trump making six no trump; and seven hearts making seven hearts. Each pair hoped to make a winning score on this hand, but it was ultimately the pair that used their experience and partnership trust to bid and make the Grand Slam contract in hearts. Well done, N. and M. on your bid and play of this hand.

 

Gerald Stein

September 8, 2013

Number of words: 751

 

Bridge Notes: Bridge classes are being offered again this fall through Life Long Learning and Institute for Learning in Retirement Programs through Kellogg Community College. A class in basic bridge defense is scheduled to begin on the last Wednesday in September, September 25, 2013 from 4-6 PM at the Hill Brady Road campus in Battle Creek. Call the KCC office at 269-965-4134 to enroll in “Defense in the 21^st Century.”

Bridge Notes Two: A class for beginners in bridge will begin at the end of October. Ask about that class as well. The “Learn Bridge in a Day” seminar has been tentatively set for October in Kalamazoo. Watch for more details.