Better Bridge in Barry County September 4 2014

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

 

 

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

 

 

Dealer: Vulnerable: Lead:

West Neither 9♣

 

North   2♥ Pass	East   3♣ Pass	South   5♦	West Pass Pass

Today’s hand came up in an American Contract Bridge League Regional Tournament held in Petoskey recently. On this particular hand, three players presented their best suits to good advantage. With West passing, North opted to show his good hearts by using a Weak Two bid and bid 2♥. That bid promised a six-card heart suit with most or all of his points in the heart suit. That is exactly what he had.

While it is not customary to bid a preemptive bid after a preemptive bid, in this case, East saved the day for their partnership by bidding the club suit and offering a strong lead choice for her partner should she be the one to lead. As it turned out, that was a smart move, as others opted to pass over the clubs. That created a problem for her partner as she did not know which suit to lead to prevent the North/South team from taking overtricks.

In this hand, however, after hearing partner bid the heart suit and her opponent bidding the club suit, South jumped to game in diamonds, bidding a sound 5♦ game. All passed, and the lead on this hand was the 9♣.

South looked over the lead as well as the dummy displayed by partner North. It appeared that there would be two club losers and perhaps a spade loser. There would be no diamond losers, and what a pity that a spade or a heart had not been led. That would have been a way to use the A♥ and the K♥ to dispose of the two club losers. Alas, that did not happen on this hand although it appears that other defenders, without the lead-directing club bid, did in fact not lead a club and allowed the South defender to get to the board and use the A♥ and the K♥ to discard the Q♣ and the J♣.

For this hand, however, South was content to know that she had made the best possible bid of 5♦. The defenders did in fact take the first two club tricks with the A♣ and the K♣. They would take no further tricks as South in complete control of the trump suit drew the diamonds in three rounds and played the spades from the top: A♠, K♠, Q♠, and the 8♠ became the eleventh trick for South, and a bid and made game.

Taking 400 points was an average score on this hand as the competitors successfully stuck in the club bid, strongly encouraging her partner to lead a club if she were on lead. As it turned out, that is exactly what happened, and it limited the North/South pair to the eleven tricks and no more. Those pairs that failed to let their partner know about the club suit, even though there was not much more there, allowed the North/South team in one instance to bid and make a 6♦ small slam and in another instance to take two overtricks. Those pairs who allowed the overtricks or the slam received the lowest scores on this hand.

The takeaway is straightforward on today’s hand: Telling your partner anything about your hand is always an important consideration. With neither side being vulnerable and North bidding a weak suit, it was quite an easy move for East to bid the club as a lead-directing call. As it turned out, that was the correct move for the East/West pair as defenders. They kept the North/South team from scoring undeserved overtricks and managed to have an average board instead of a low or bottom board. Those East/West pairs that failed to bid the clubs the first time they were able to bid them, were unable to find the correct lead and picked the wrong suit. Help your partner out by informing her about the suit that you would like to have her lead to you. You will be giving her a lot of information that will benefit your partnership. Good luck on sharing and communicating with your partner both on offense and on defense.

 

Gerald Stein

Number of words: 782

August 28, 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

Better Bridge in Barry County August 28 2014

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

 

 

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

 

 

Dealer: Vulnerable: Lead:

North East/West 7♣

 

North Pass 2♣ 3NT	East Pass Pass Pass	South 1NT 2♥ Pass	West Pass Pass Pass

What happens to bridge players when they think they have a contract made? Do they rush the play of the hand only to go down to defeat with a perfectly sound hand? Have they thought out the plan that will insure nine tricks and perhaps even several overtricks? Let’s see what today’s South did to bungle a sure game in a 3NT contract.

With passes from North and East, South opened the bidding on today’s hand with 1NT. With eighteen high card points, perhaps South was a bit heavy for that bid, but the balanced hand seemed to call for it. After a pass by West, North bid 2♣, using the Stayman Convention, to ask for a four-card major suit. North was promising at least eight high card points and at least one four-card major.

When South responded with 2♥ promising four hearts, North with ten high card points placed the contract at 3NT, and all passed. West made an unconventional lead on today’s hand by leading the top of a doubleton. West led the 7♣, and North tabled a balanced hand and ten high card points. Looking at both hands, South smiled smugly. There were 28 high card points between them, and seven sure winners. South did not even consider the possibility of not making this contract. It looked too easy.

South won the first trick in his hand with the K♣, and he promptly led a diamond to the K♦ on the board. Playing a small diamond back, South played the J♦ and lost a diamond trick to the Q♦, an unnecessary loss for sure. West then attacked the spade suit by leading the Q♠ with South winning in the dummy with the K♠.

Finally, South realized that this hand might not be as easy as he first envisioned. Leading a high heart from the dummy and letting it ride to the West hand resulted in another trick for the East/West team when West produced the  K♥. Now West was relentless and led the J♠ driving out the A♠ in the South hand. South tried to change tactics and played the Q♣ winning. Then he played the A♣ also winning that trick. But his goose was cooked.

A diamond back to the two winners in his hand gave him eight tricks but not nine. East/West took the last two tricks when South had to lead a heart to the A♥ of West, and then West led a spade to East’s 9♠ who won and then returned a lowly 3♣ for down one.

Of course, South was sick about his misplaying the hand, but there is an important lesson to be learned here. First of all, South appeared to be too overconfident when he saw all of the points and all of the winners. South forgot an important bridge tactic especially in the play of no trump. When South looked at the two hands, he should have seen that he had three suits completely under control with several stoppers in each suit. This was his golden opportunity that he utterly missed.

Once the club lead was taken, South should have sprung into action with the heart suit immediately. With only the A♥ and the K♥ out against him, knocking out those two honors would have guaranteed the contract with overtricks as well. Even if West should duck the heart suit a time or two, South should have kept on working on that suit until it was under his control. Then, and only then, South could have gone after the other suits. Even losing the Q♦ did not have to happen as the cards lie. Leading the A♦ from his hand and then playing a diamond toward the K♦ would have produced the Q♦ and not a lost trick.

For his poor efforts, South had to grimace when he saw the score for that hand. He had no one to blame but himself when he saw a minus 50 on their side of the ledger and a 1.3% out of a possible 100%, a dismal score.

For today’s takeaways, it is obvious that rushing and not planning carefully can result in unfavorable results at the bridge table. South needed to establish the weakest suit first, and that, of course, was the heart suit. Once the heart suit had been set up, clear sailing was the call of the day. Most South declarers not only made the 3NT contract but also ended up with two overtricks for top scores. Today’s South could only groan and moan at what might have been.

 

Gerald Stein

August 22, 2014

Number of words: 914

 

Bridge Notes: With school about to start, consider taking bridge classes locally or at the Kellogg Community College Institute for Learning in Retirement program. Learning is not just for the youngsters. We can all learn something new if we only take the opportunities.

Better Bridge in Barry County August 21 2014

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

 

 

	North ♠  J 10    ♥  J 9 6 5 3  ♦  K Q 2  ♣  J 3 2
West ♠  Q 9 7     ♥  Q 10  ♦  A 10 7 3 ♣  Q 19 7 6		East ♠  8 6 5 3 2  ♥  8 7 4  ♦  8 6  ♣  9 8 5
	South ♠  A K 4  ♥  A K 2  ♦  J 9 5 4    ♣  A K 4

 

 

Dealer: Vulnerable: Lead:

South Both Q♥

 

North   2♦ 3♦(1) 3NT   (1)   Transfer to hearts	East   Pass Pass Pass	South 2♣ 2NT 3♥ Pass	West Pass Pass Pass Pass

Today’s hand continues the discussion of whether to choose a trump suit or a no trump bid when competing either in a friendly social setting or a competitive tournament. South started today’s auction with another powerful hand of 22 high card points and a 2♣ opening bid. North responded with a 2♦ bid, a waiting bid, and South, in keeping with known bridge practices to keep the strong hand covered, went to 2NT. North used the Jacoby Transfer Convention to let South know she had five hearts and that South should accept the transfer to hearts.

South accepted the heart transfer, bidding 3♥, and then North offered South a choice of where to play the contract: 3NT or 4♥. South chose to pass and play for nine tricks in three no trump as opposed to ten tricks in a heart contract at the four level.

West chose the Q♥ as her opening lead, possibly not wanting to give away much information about her other three suits. At any rate, South immediately knew she had five heart tricks, two spade tricks, two club tricks, and a strong possibility of additional tricks in the diamond suit once the A♦ was driven out. The diamonds would be great as opportunities for overtricks.

With the play of the heart suit and the five heart tricks, South at trick six led a small diamond from the dummy toward the J♦. This trick was won by the West defender, but there was nowhere to go, and South claimed the remaining tricks, making twelve tricks in all. With a score of 690, it was clear that South would be in first place on this hand with a no trump contract. Did anyone bid and make 6NT? Not on this hand. With 22 high card points in the South  hand, and eight in the North hand, there was only a total of 30 points for a strong game but no slam this time.

The thirteen South players who bid and made the 3NT +3 earned a score of 690 while those thirteen other South players who chose 4♥ made 4♥ +3 for a score of 680. Once again, those who chose the no trump route scored a first place finish by a mere ten points over those who were in a suit contract. Others who tried hearts either made an overtrick or failed to get the extra three tricks in either no trump or hearts. They, of course, finished far down the line. One heart declarer did try a 6♥ contract, only to fail by one trick for a bottom score all around.

What is today’s takeaway? The idea of playing in no trump for the extra points seems to be a sound way to take a first place finish. Give it a try when you are confronted with a choice of no trump or a trump suit. The no trump contract may have you squeaking by with a ten-point finish.

 

Gerald Stein

Number of words: 701

August 7, 2014

 

Bridge Notes: Another opportunity for those wanting to learn how to play bridge will be offered again this fall at the Hastings Community and Recreational Center. Mark your calendar for Saturday, October 18^th, 2014. “Learn Bridge in a Day?” is a nationally recognized bridge program that presents the basics in a one-day seminar. Check the program guide with the Hastings Community and Recreation Center that will be out soon. If you know of someone who has expressed an interest in learning how to play bridge, steer them to this one-day program.

 

 

 

 

Better Bridge in Barry County August 14 2014

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

 

 

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

 

 

Dealer: Vulnerable: Lead:

South East/West 3♠

 

North   2♥ 5NT Pass	East   Pass Pass Pass	South 2♣ 2NT 7NT	West Pass Pass Pass

While Grand Slam hands do not show up too frequently, still they do show up once in a while. Today’s hand is a good example of partnership bidding and a keen awareness of total high card points between North and South. Let’s take a look at today’s super hand.

South as opener counted his cards twice just to be sure he was not seeing things. His count for high card points came to an astounding twenty-three. A 2♣ opening bid was in order, and visions of a slam danced in South’s head. North as well marveled at his hand when he saw more than the usual three or four high card points that usually show up when partner opens with a big hand. This time, however, North had a strong heart suit and fourteen high card points. The bid from North bypassed the usual 2♦ waiting bid and went directly to the good heart suit. North bid 2♥ promising at least five hearts and at least eight high card points.

With that knowledge, South bid 2NT opting to keep the big hand as the declaring hand and not offering the opponents the opportunity to see where all the high cards were. Not that it would have mattered on this hand, but it is a wise bridge move to keep the big hand as the closed hand and the smaller hand in value as the dummy hand.

North used a 5NT bid as a quantitative bid, inviting South to a 7NT contract. North was promising 12-14 high card points as well as a strong heart suit. South readily accepted the invitation and placed the contract at 7NT.

With little chance of doing much, West led the 3♠, the fourth down from her longest suit, a standard lead against no trump contracts. It appeared that there was little else that would have mattered. As soon as South surveyed the impressive dummy that North had laid down, it was obvious that counting total points put them in the 37 high card range. That is, of course, the magical number needed for most Grand Slams. South knew that there were only three points out, and probably the Q♠ was in the West hand from the lead.

Counting up the winners was South’s next step, and with all of the top cards in both hands, it was an easy and enjoyable claim of all thirteen tricks. The prize for bidding and making a Grand Slam contract was 1520 total points for a first place finish. Just how many declarers managed the 7NT contract? Just two declarers found the final contract in no trump. Can you guess where the other thirteen declarers ended up? Yes, they were in a 7♥ Grand Slam contact, taking all thirteen tricks and scoring a 1510 score and ending up below the two 7NT declarers by a mere ten point difference but in second place just the same.

Knowing about the advantage of even ten points is a huge plus in competitive bridge tournaments. Even in friendly social bridge circles, it is always a thrill to pick up those extra points on your side of the ledger. Once again, when you get to those daring contracts in six or seven, and you are ready to play in a small slam or a Grand Slam, consider going to the no trump bid. Who knows? That extra ten points might make you the winner for the evening.

 

Gerald Stein

August 6, 2014

Number of words: 776

 

Bridge Notes: Another opportunity for those wanting to learn how to play bridge will be offered again this fall at the Hastings Community and Recreational Center. Mark your calendar for Saturday, October 18^th, 2014. “Learn Bridge in a Day?” is a nationally recognized bridge program that presents the basics in a one-day seminar. Check the program guide with the Hastings Community and Recreation Center that will be out soon. If you know of someone who has expressed an interest in learning how to play bridge, steer them to this one-day program.