Better Bridge in Barry County October 23 2014

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

 

 

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

 

 

Dealer: Vulnerable: Lead:

South East/West 2♦

 

North   2♠ Pass Pass	East   Dbl 4♠ Pass	South 1♣ 4♣ 5♣	West 1♠ Pass Pass

In today’s hand there was a battle for the final auction. South finally won out with a 5♣ bid. Was this a safe bid with any chance of making it when East/West were sure to have a game in the spade suit? Let’s take a look at the bidding to decide if the North/South pair was foolhardy to bid that high. Or were they shrewd bridge players who know that a sacrifice is sometimes a worthy path?

South opened the bidding with 1♣, promising at least three clubs and a minimum of 11-12 high card points. West overcalled at the one level with five good spades and a high card count between 8-17. North used a cue bid, bidding the opponents’ spade suit to promise a limit raise or better. South could count on North for 11+ high card points. When East doubled, the implication was that there were three spades in the East hand and 7-9 high card points.

South was not content to sell out at the three level and rebid the club suit at the four level. This promised at least 6 clubs and a range of points between the 11-12 all the way up to 21. East pushed the East/West team to 4♠, and South dared to go one more and bid 5♣. All passed, and the contract was placed at 5♣ in the South.

The singleton 2♦ was a good lead from West, and South looked over his board from Partner North. There would be some holes in the play of the hand, but South would have to do the best that he could. Playing low from the dummy, South won the first trick with the K♦. A small club from his hand was won in the North with the A♣. South had to conserve his trumps to make the spade losers go away. A spade from the North hand was trumped in the South with a small club for the third trick.

South chose to lead a small heart from his hand toward the K♥ on the board. The finesse failed as East had both the A♥ and the Q♥ and took both tricks for East/West. On the third heart lead, South was able to trump with a small club. A small diamond to the A♦ won trick number five for North/South. Another spade lead from the dummy was trumped in the South for trick number six for South.

When the Q♦ was led from the South, it was trumped by West with a small club. The lead of the A♠ was trumped by South with the Q♣. South then led the K♣ for another trick, but the East/West would get the J♣ for another trick for East/West. The last trick would go to North/South with the last club in the North hand. All in all, North/South had taken nine tricks while East/West had taken four tricks. Down two tricks, North/South lost 100 points to East/West. Was that a good score for the North/South team?

As it turns out, it was an excellent score, and only one South declarer managed to find the right bid for a sacrifice bid. For giving up only 100 points on this hand, one North/South pair earned a 100% score and a top board. Those North/South teams who let East/West play in spades regretted their decision, especially those who doubled the 4♠ contract. Most of the 32 tables who doubled the contract saw East/West who were vulnerable not only make their contract but take an overtrick as well. Most of those North/South teams who doubled 4♠ saw an East/West pair gain 990 points on their side of the ledger.

Sometimes in a highly contested bridge auction, a sacrifice bid is in order where you lose only a small amount versus a huge sum on the opponents’ side of the score sheet. When the times are right, go for the sacrifice. It might make you a winner in the long run.

 

Gerald Stein

October 9, 2014

Number of words: 774