Better Bridge in Barry County July 31 2014

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

 

 

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

 

 

Dealer: Vulnerable: Lead:

North Neither 2♦

 

North 2♣ 2♥ 3♦ 4♠ Pass	East Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass	South 2♦ 2♠ 4♣ 7♠	West Pass Pass Pass Pass

Today’s hand is a bridge player’s dream hand. With a powerhouse in the North hand, and two long suits in the South hand along with key aces, what is there not to like about playing at the seven level in a Grand Slam contract? The fact is that there are three places to play this hand. Can you spot the other two possible contracts?

North with 22 high card points opened the bidding with the artificial 2♣ bid promising a big hand and forcing South to bid until either game or slam had been reached. South responded with the 2♦ bid, a waiting bid, asking partner to show her main suit. North showed the solid five-card heart suit, and South responded with a positive 2♠ bid, promising five spades and at least eight high card points. This bid was also a forcing bid, requiring North to bid game in no trump if that sounded attractive.

North had bigger plans in store for the partnership, and she next bid 4♦, promising a four-card diamond suit as well as the five-card heart suit. South had a good count of North’s hand at that point, knowing nine of the thirteen cards. South then bid 4♣, letting North know that she had five spades and at least four clubs. Now North had a good count of South’s hand, knowing nine of her thirteen cards: five spades and at least four clubs.

When North bid 4♠, letting South know that she had three spades, South had a complete count of her partner’s hand: five hearts, four diamonds, three spades, and therefore, by default, only one club. With the A♣ poised for help, South placed the contract at 7♠, and all passed.

With the lead of the 2♦, it was just a matter of winning the first trick with the A♦, and then drawing three rounds of trumps. Playing the A♥ from the short side, and then all of the hearts, with the last two hearts promoted as winners, it was an easy matter of claiming all thirteen tricks and a fine score of 1510.

While 1510 is a fine score, and earned 10 declarers an 81% game, two declarers managed to achieve a 98% score. Do you know how they did it? Of course, they bid 7NT instead of 7♠, and the extra 10 points propelled them into the top bracket for this hand with a 1520 score. What was the other contract that was possible on this hand? If you said, “Seven hearts,” you would be absolutely correct. However, only one declarer managed to find the 7♥ contract.

All in all, 13 declarers were in the right contract with a 7NT, a 7♠, or a 7♥ final bid. What about the 27 others who played this same hand? Most made it to 6NT or 6S, and then bailed out, evidently feeling that a bid of seven was beyond the scope of their ability. One unlucky declarer bid the 7♠ contract but so bungled the play of the hand that he went down three tricks. So much for our golden opportunities.

What are the takeaways from a dream hand like this one? Because a hand that can make seven is a rarity, when it does come up, give it a shot! You certainly will not do as poorly as the bridge player who went down three on a cold hand. You will remember those hands where you bid and made the seven hearts or the seven spades or the seven no trump. Go for the sevens, and roll yourself a winner.

Bridge Notes: Do you want to feel comfortable bidding and making a Grand Slam Contract? Do you think you could use some help on your play of the hand when you are the declarer? Do you want to learn how to count the number of cards in your partner’s hand to help you arrive at the best contract? If yes is your answer, look for the “Play of the Hand in the 21^st Century” bridge class slated to start on Tuesday, September 9, 2014 at the Kellogg Community College Technology campus on Hill Brady Road in Battle Creek.

 

Gerald Stein

July 25, 2014

Number of words: 811