Better Bridge in Barry County October 17 2013

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

 

 

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

 

 

Dealer: Vulnerable: Lead:

North North/South 7♣

 

North Pass 3NT	East Pass Pass	South 1NT Pass	West Pass Pass

In today’s bridge column, the question is posed to the players: which is better: to make three no trump or to go down three tricks vulnerable in no trump? The answer, of course, depends on which partnership has won the auction and which partnership plans to defend and try to set the contract of three no trump played in the South hand. This hand illustrates the powerful tools that are at the disposal of the defenders if they will just use them correctly. Let’s take a look.

After a straight forward bidding auction, South was the declarer at three no trump. With fifteen high card points in the South hand and ten high card points in the North hand, it looked like South had enough points to make the 3NT bid. South duly thanked her partner and counted the winners in both hands first following the 7♣ lead, no doubt, the fourth down from the longest and strongest suit in the West hand. South counted three diamond winners, one spade winner, and with the lead of a club, two club winners. That only reached six tricks, and three more are needed. Where would the other three tricks come from?

Using the rule of 11, South took the time to subtract the 7♣ from 11, and that gave her the number of cards higher than the 7♣ in the other three hands: the dummy, the East hand, and the South hand. Unfortunately, for South, there is no little club on the board, and the J♣ won the first trick for South. East showed out, and South had an exact count of the rest of the clubs, knowing that West was the dangerous opponent with five clubs left in her hand including the A♣.

Hoping to set up the clubs in her hand, South called for a small diamond and won in her hand with the A♦. She next played the Q♦ unblocking the suit in her hand and was delighted to see the J♦ fall from the West hand setting up the good diamonds on the board. South next played a small club from her hand, hoping that West would rise with the A♣ and allow an entry to the board for her. West, wisely, however, knew her defensive techniques and ducked the offer, allowing South to win a second club trick. This is called a hold up play, and West was patient and held up the A♣.

Winning the club trick on the board was not to South’s delight. However, she was on the board, and she played the two diamond winners, bringing her total to six tricks won: two club tricks and four diamond tricks. Now came the moment of truth. Stuck on the board, South must take the spade finesse, hoping that East had the K♠ as well as the A♥. A small spade was led from the dummy with East playing low. South put up the Q♠, but alas, West won with the K♠, and proceeded to run the next three club tricks. West exited with the Q♥, and South forced to discard important high cards was left holding the A♠. East took the A♥ and the good J♥ for down three vulnerable and a minus 300 score for North/South.

What happened here? A dazed South wondered that as well. Of the seven times this identical hand was played in a local duplicate session, two North/South teams did in fact make the contract of 3NT, taking a top score for their team of 600 points. Three other teams who defended the 3NT contract found the winning defense strategy and took top scores for the East/West team with 300 points earned for their side.

What is the take-away for today’s hand? Defense is a difficult concept to perfect, but there are tools and techniques available for the partnerships that want to work on their defense skills. In this case, the all-important lead of the club suit eventually set up the clubs for East/West. Additionally, using the hold-up play or ducking a trick temporarily can provide big dividends as happened in today’s hand.

With an arsenal of defense techniques, practice your defense and see if you can be held in awe by your opponents. Leads, attitude, count, and suit preference signals are all part of that package of good defensive tactics. Use them well and watch your opponents weep.

 

Gerald Stein

October 2, 2013

Number of words: 938

 

Bridge News: A beginning class for new bridge players or those who wish to review the new Standard American system will begin on Monday, October 28^th. You are invited to enroll at KCC’s Life Long Learning program at 269-965-4134. Need a ride from Hastings? Let them know that.

Bridge News Two: “Learn Bridge in a Day” is a fast way to see if you would like to learn the world’s best card game in a very short intense time. It all starts on Sunday, October 20^th, from 1-6 PM in Kalamazoo at the Kalamazoo Bridge Center. Visit their website: www.kzoobridge.com