Better Bridge in Barry County June 26 2014

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

 

 

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

 

 

Dealer: Vulnerable: Lead:

North None 5♦

 

North Pass Pass Pass	East 1♦ Pass Pass	South 1♥ 4♥!	West 3♦ Pass

Today’s column takes another look at a recent hand from the 28^th World Wide Bridge Contest held at local clubs in Michigan, throughout the United States, and in many international countries as well. The purpose of the World Wide Bridge Contest is to support and encourage young people to take up bridge as a lifetime activity. Today’s hand is another example of the challenges that bridge players find when there is intense competition whether it is in a local club or in an international club in England or elsewhere. Let’s take a look.

South with a strong hand was pretty pleased with the high-card points and strong suits that he picked up when Board 24 showed up at his table. He was not so pleased when East on his right hand opened 1♦. That threw out the strong opening bid of 2♣ that South had wanted to bid, informing his partner that he had a strong hand and that North should bid. Plan B was South’s next best alternative. South with 21 high card points and length in the heart suit bid 1♥, showing a solid five-card heart suit.

West with a weak hand bid the diamond suit to the three level, a weak response, but certainly effectively shutting down North with a long club suit and an equally weak hand. A pass by North and a pass by East returned the bidding to South. At this point, South had stoppers in the bid diamond suit, stoppers in the club suit, and a doubleton in the spade suit, and a powerful hand. In fierce competition, South did the only thing a bridge player in this situation should do. South bid 4♥, and all passed.

The lead of the 5♦ was won in the dummy with the Q♦. A small club from the dummy was won in the South hand with the A♣. The A♦ and the K♦ were led next eliminating two of the spade losers on the board. The last losing diamond from the South hand was trumped high with the J♥ winning the trick when East could not overtrump the final diamond loser. The lead of a small heart from the dummy was won in the South hand with the A♥.

South next played the K♥ dropping East’s Q♥ and setting up the 10♥. With control of the trump suit, two diamond winners, one club winner, South could claim ten tricks in all. South would lose one trump trick and two spade tricks for a strong score of 420 on this hand. Bidding and making the 4♥ contract gave the North/South team a top score on this hand, both locally and internationally. Reaching the right contract against worldwide bridge players is a great accomplishment. Well done, North and South.

Other contracts that were attempted and reached were a 5♣ contract that should have been defeated with a lead of three rounds of spades. Using up the K♣ to trump the third spade winner sets up the Q♣ for the setting trick. Those North/South teams who managed to escape a spade lead were rewarded with a near top board for their efforts. How did they get to 5♣ instead of the 4♥ contract? North opened the bidding with a pre-emptive 3♣ bid effectively shutting out all bidders in this auction. South raised to a 5♣ game, and North played the hand. One local team tried to make a 6♣ slam contract, but they were easily set for a plus score for the defenders.

Playing with international bridge players seems to bring out the best competition in bidding and trying for the extra tricks. What fun to have that international experience with others from faraway places. Try out the 29^th World Wide Bridge Contest when it comes out next year in 2015. You will be competing with thousands of bridge players from around the world.

Gerald Stein

June 17, 2014

Number of words: 818

 

Bridge Notes: If you missed last week’s link to the 28^th World Wide Bridge Contest and the commentary by Eric Kokish, you can still click on this link to see the 36 hands that were played on June 7^th, 2014 around the world. Go to www.ecatsbridge.com for an excellent and entertaining commentary on this year’s hands. Enjoy the hands as well as the commentary.