Better Bridge in Barry County
By
Gerald Stein
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North
♠ J 10
♥ J 9 6 5 3
♦ K Q 2
♣ J 3 2
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West
♠ Q 9 7
♥ Q 10
♦ A 10 7 3
♣ Q 19 7 6
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East
♠ 8 6 5 3 2
♥ 8 7 4
♦ 8 6
♣ 9 8 5
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South
♠ A K 4
♥ A K 2
♦ J 9 5 4
♣ A K 4
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Dealer:
Vulnerable:
Lead:
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South
Both
Q♥
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North
2♦
3♦(1)
3NT
(1)
Transfer to
hearts
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East
Pass
Pass
Pass
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South
2♣
2NT
3♥
Pass
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West
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
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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 18th,
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.
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