Better Bridge in Barry County March 20 2014

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

 

 

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

 

 

Dealer: Vulnerable: Lead:

West Both 4♠

 

North   1♥ 3NT 4NT (3) 5NT (5) 7♥ (7)	East   Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass	South   2NT (1) 4♣ (2) 5♥ (4) 6♦ (6) Pass	West Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass

 

(1)   2NT: Jacoby 2NT Convention

(2)   4♣: Cue bid

(3)   4NT: Roman Key Card Blackwood: Aces?

(4)   5♥: Two key cards, no Q♥

(5)   5NT: Roman Key Card Blackwood: Kings?

(6)   6♦: King of Diamonds

(7)   7♥: Signoff

After a long and involved bidding sequence, North and South found themselves in a 7♥ Grand Slam Contract in a recent online tournament. This was a huge tournament with 58 tables playing these exact cards. How many reached the ultimate prize in a Heart Grand Slam contract? Let’s take a look at the bidding first, the play of the hand second, and the scoring last of all.

With West as the dealer and passing and both sides vulnerable, North opened the bidding with 1♥, promising at least five hearts and HCP’s between 12-21. East passed, and South with a strong hand with 17 HCP’s opted to use the 2NT Jacoby Convention. This convention is used to show four-card support for the bid suit (hearts) and at least 13 HCP’s. It is forcing to game.

North bid 3NT promising a hand in the 16-17 HCP range and balanced. South used a 4♣ cue bid to let North know that she had the A♣ and a strong hand. Again, this was a forcing bid. North bid 4NT, the Roman Key Card Blackwood Convention where the king of trump becomes the fifth key card along with the four aces. South responded with the 5♥ bid, informing North that she had two key cards, the A♥ and the A♣.

North’s next bid was an assurance that they had all five key cards between them and now asked for the number of kings in South’s hand. South responded that she had the K♦ by bidding 6♦, the cheapest bid she could bid to inform North of that king. Hearing enough information, North placed the contract at 7♥, and all passed. North would be the declarer at a 7♥ contract.

The play of the hand was straightforward. West led the 4♠, and South tabled her hand and sat back to watch the proceedings. With a thanks to South, North called for a low card from the board, and West, in third seat, had to go up with the Q♠. That, of course, set up the entire spade suit. Drawing trumps was North’s next action, and in three rounds, all trumps were accounted for.

With trumps drawn, North played the spades, the top two diamonds, and trumped the losing diamond with the Q♥. The A♣ and the K♣ were the eleventh and twelfth tricks, and the 10♥ was the thirteenth and final trick for the North/South team.

While most grand slams need 37 high card points to make a thirteen-trick contract, here it is evident that the North/South team was considerably under that amount with only 33 HCP’s. The big difference, of course, is that the North and South team together controlled all of the aces and all of the kings. They had balanced hands, and the lead of the small spade certainly helped the North/South contract by locating the Q♠ on the first trick. While East/West had seven HCP’s, the points were in three queens and one jack, hardly enough to do damage on this hand.

For their strong bidding and play of the hand, North/South were duly rewarded a top board on this hand with a fine score of 94.3%. In all, eight tables reached the 7♥ contract, while the other 50 tables ranged widely in other contracts, including 6♥ making an overtrick, and some tables even played the hand in 6♠. All in all, it was a fine performance by the North/South team to bid, play, and score a Grand Slam contract on today’s hand.

 

Gerald Stein

March 16, 2014

Number of words: 827

Bridge Notes: This Saturday at the Hastings Community Education and Recreation Center, there will be a mini-bridge class offered for those who wish to learn the Stayman Convention or who wish to review the Stayman Convention. Register at the CERC by calling their number at 948-4414. The fee is $5.00 for the two-hour class with handouts and plenty of practice time. Set aside two hours from 10:00 AM until noon and walk away with the Stayman Convention for your improved bridge-playing.

Better Bridge in Barry County March 13 2014

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

 

 

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

 

 

Dealer: Vulnerable: Lead:

South Neither 6♥

 

North   4♦ 6♦ Pass	East   4♥ Pass Pass	South 2♣ 4NT 6NT	West 3♥ Pass Pass

Slam bidding is always fun to bid and play. In today’s hand, there are two options for a small slam. Can you tell which is the better contract? Today’s South opened the bidding in first seat with a powerful hand; with 23 high card points, South opened the bidding with a 2♣ bid, a forcing bid for partner provided there is no interference from the opponents. In most cases, there is usually no reaction from the opponents except to pass quietly. Today, however, West with a seven-card heart suit and few high card points threw in a pre-emptive heart bid promising seven hearts and little more.

North, no longer forced to bid, since West had bid, with a long diamond suit, a void in hearts, and a good ace for partner, bid four diamonds, promising long diamonds and a few points. East knowing that the East/West partnership had eleven hearts between them upped the bid to 4♥. Here is where the bidding changed on a number of hands.

Some South players raised the diamond bid to 5♦, and North raised it to 6♦ for a try for a small slam in diamonds. Today’s South did not want to have his good hand exposed with all of the points showing in the dummy. South bid 4N, a good bid, inviting North to bid again. North jumped to 6♦, and today’s South raised to 6NT. The final contract was 6NT played by South as declarer.

West chose the lead, and led fourth down from his longest and strongest, as a proper no trump lead. He picked the 6♥. North tabled her hand, and South appreciating the fine bidding of his partner thanked her and prepared to make his plan. With stoppers in hearts, spades, and clubs, it was important to win the first heart lead and start on the diamond suit. Accordingly, South won the first trick with the A♥, and he promptly led the K♦ losing to the singleton A♦ in the East hand.

With the strong clubs and entries in both hands, and with the set-up diamonds, it was an easy hand to claim all the rest of the tricks, making 6NT. How well did South do against the rest of the tables who played the exact same hand? This South did very well, indeed. Most of the tables ended up in 6♦, not a bad contract, making a score of 920 including the bonus for a non-vulnerable slam. There were 32 tables that played this same hand, and 19 of them bid and made the diamond slam. Any time you bid and make a slam, you can congratulate yourself.

In today’s hand, however, South was aware of who would be the declarer, and having North bid the diamonds first would have made North the declarer, and not South. All of South’s mighty points would have been on display for the entire table to see. While it did not matter on this hand, still it is a good bridge practice to keep the big hand covered and let the opponents guess what is in your hand. South made the right choice and moved the contract from 6♦ to 6NT so that South would be the declarer. South had bid the NT first at 4NT.

This strategy paid off for the North/South team as only six of the 32 tables bid and made the 6NT contract. Each North/South team then earned a score of 990 for bidding and making the tricks in No Trump.

The takeaways for today’s hand are these two: when there is a choice to play in no trump or a minor suit, consider seriously playing in the no trump contract. There are more points available for that contract than a minor suit contract. The other takeaway is that it is important to keep the big hand hidden from the opponents. They will have to guess where the points are if they are hidden. If they are on display in the dummy, their defense plan has become that much easier.

Good bidding and play of the hand for today’s South player led to a top score of the 32 tables who played those same cards. Well done, South, bidding one extra bid by going to 6NT instead of stopping at 6♦.

 

Gerald Stein

March 5, 2014

Number of words: 892

 

Bridge Notes: Last Saturday’s Learn Bridge in a Day? Class at the Hastings Community Education location was a great success with nine students completing the class. With nine other bridge helpers, all felt that the day was fun and educational. Watch for another Learn Bridge in a Day? Program for Barry County on Saturday, May 3rd. Sign-up at the Hastings Community Education and Recreation Center at 948-4414.

 

 

 

 

Better Bridge in Barry County March 6 2014

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

 

 

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

 

 

Dealer: Vulnerable: Lead:

West North/South 6♣

 

North   Pass	East   Pass	South   ?	West 2♠

What happens when your left-hand opponent opens the bidding with a Weak Two spade bid? You have 15 high-card points as South, you have a solid heart suit, and you are the last to bid for the first round. You know from West’s 2♠ bid that she has six spades with most of her points in the spade suit. She has probably 5-10 high-card points in her hand, and she had hoped to disrupt your bid. She certainly has done that. What is your best bid?

You have a number of choices with the South hand: you could pass and try to set the East/West pair, but they are non-vulnerable so your gain will be minimal. You could double for take-out forcing partner to bid, but if she bids diamonds, what are you going to do? You could bid 3♥ on a wing and a prayer hoping that North has some help as you are vulnerable and at the three level. Your final option is to bid 2NT and see what happens. Which choice do you prefer?

In the actual tournament, this hand was played forty times with half of the tables making their bids and the other half not making the bids or bidding an inferior contract. Let’s look at the four options.

 Pass seems like a bad decision to use here. You would be allowing East/West to steal your chances of a good score. Scratch the Pass option.

Take-out double is choice number two: North is forced to bid, and she bids her longest suit, the ratty-looking club suit but five of them. What do you do? Pass and play in a part-score and regret it forever after? No, you must either bid three no trump or bid your five hearts at the three level. If you bid three hearts, partner will raise you to 4♥, and you will be the declarer in the South. If you bid 3NT, North will pass, and again you will be the declarer in the South. How do you like your chances in 4♥ or 3NT?

At least you have made the choice to play the hand at game level instead of playing in 3♣ which would give you a very bad score compared to the rest of the declarers. So let’s choose the 4♥ level since your partner has promised at least three-card heart support and some points. Will it be enough?

With West on lead, you are not surprised when the 6♣ is tabled from West. Knowing from experience that with a six-card weak two bid, you are bound to be short in another suit, you can almost predict that West’s lead of the 6♣ is a singleton. You win the first trick in your hand with the A♣ after East puts up the J♣. You approve of your partner’s bid by a simple thank you and prepare the rest of your plan. A small heart from your hand to the A♥ draws a trump from each opponent. The Q♥ from the board drops the J♥ from West. Now you have an accurate count of West’s hand. One club, two hearts, six spades, so West must have four diamonds as well.

After winning the Q♥ on the board, you play a small club through East and play the 10♣ winning the trick. As you had expected, West shows out of clubs and out of trump. You next play the K♣ winning that trick and then you draw the final trump from East with the K♥.

Giving up a trick now is the next part of your plan. You lead the K♠ losing, of course, to the A♠ in the West hand. Back came a small spade from West, and you let it ride all the way to your winning 8♠. You play the good Q♠ next winning that trick. Your A♦ is a winning trick as well as the two remaining tricks in trump for a total of 11 tricks in hearts. You will lose the A♠ and the K♦ for your two losers on this hand.

You have taken 11 tricks in hearts, and had you chosen 3NT, you would have been able to take 11 tricks there as well. Listening to the bidding helped you on your way to a top score in either 4♥ or 3NT. Passing or playing in 3♣ would have resulted in a bad score for your team.

The takeaways on this hand are two-fold: take the time to count the number of points in the opener’s hand. In this case, with a weak-two bid, there is a range of 5-10 high-card points. Knowing that most of the points will be in the bid suit, you can use that knowledge to successfully play the hand. With support from your partner North, you did not let the weak-two bid distract you too much. Instead, you used the knowledge gained to go on and bid the game whether that game was in hearts or in no trump. Well done, South, on your bidding and playing the hand following a disruptive pre-emptive bid from your opponents.

 

Gerald Stein

February 24, 2014

Number of words: 952

 

Better Bridge in Barry County February 27 2014

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

 

 

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

 

 

Dealer: Vulnerable: Lead:

North East/West K♦

 

North Pass Pass	East Pass Pass	South 4♠!	West Pass

Today’s column returns to an online duplicate bridge tournament where thirty tables vied for top honors. Of the thirty tables, only two tables managed to find the game with today’s cards for the North/South team. One team found a 3NT contract and made two overtricks. Today’s hand was played in 4♠. How well did the South declarer do with his opening bid of 4♠?

Learning from others is an important part of anyone’s education, and learning from bridge masters like Leo LaSota of Bridge Base Online fame is equally important to your bridge education. What would Leo do on a hand like this one? You guessed it. In third position, with two passes, not vulnerable, six good spades, and a good side suit in clubs, Leo would encourage you to bid 4♠ and see what happens. Many times, according to Leo, good things will happen to you and your score. Let’s take a look at today’s hand.

South took a look at his hand once he picked it up, and, realizing that he would be the third bidder, had in mind his bid even before the others had bid before him. With fourteen high card points, a singleton in hearts, and a hope that partner would have something, South bravely bid 4♠ shutting out everyone at the table. All passed, and the contract was 4♠ with South playing the hand.

West chose the K♦ as her lead, a strong lead from a sequence, planning to drive out the A♦ and establishing the Q♦ as a winner for the East/West team. With thanks to his partner North, South surveyed the North hand and liked what he saw. There was a bit of trump support, two valuable aces, one in diamonds and one in hearts, and three clubs which might come in handy later on in the play of the hand.

Nodding that he was ready, North called for the A♦ and played one of his two diamonds from his hand. South saw that he had to make an unorthodox move to make use of the hearts. What looked like three winners in hearts was deceiving. Playing a heart to his K♥ would leave South in a pickle. There would be no way or no entry back to the other two heart tricks. You can bet that East/West would not be helping South out by leading hearts to those good tricks. South realized the importance of using the hearts for two tricks if he was unable to use them for three.

South, on the second trick, played the A♥, a key play for his plan. He played the K♥ from his hand, and since he was still on the board, he promptly played the Q♥, using two good hearts immediately. From his hand, South pitched the losing diamond on the Q♥, feeling satisfied with that effective move. In his hand, there were now only clubs and spades with hearts and diamonds gone. South had made the diamond loser go away by that play.

Next, South led the 10♠, probably not best, but was trying to tempt East to play the K♠. East ducked smoothly, and South played the Q♠ winning the trick. The trouble with that play is that South used two honors to work the finesse. Another time, it might be a better move to play a low card from the dummy, planning the finesse with the Q♠ and using only one honor. As it turns out on this hand, it really did not matter, as South, after winning the Q♠, played the A♠ and dropped the K♠ from East. West would get one trump trick with the good J♠ later on.

Putting West on lead was part of South’s plan, and South led a small spade to West’s winning J♠. Remember West’s opening lead of the K♦ hoping to set up the Q♦? West played the Q♦ but was disappointed when South trumped with a small spade. Back in his hand, South began the second part of his plan: the club suit. With seven clubs in the North/South hands, it was South’s hope that the clubs would split 3-3 with the K♣ and the Q♣ outstanding. Accordingly, South first led the A♣ in case there was a bad club split. All played to the first trick. South next led the J♣ losing to West’s Q♣. Back came another diamond from West, an effective way to drive South out of trumps, but South trumped again. South led another round of clubs, the third round, and was delighted when all played to that trick, with East winning with the K♣. With a final trump in his hand and the thirteenth club, South would be able to trump any lead that East would attempt and would play the last good club for ten tricks taken for the North/South team.

With thirty tables playing these same cards, most South players opted for a 1♠ opening. With help from North, they would arrive at a contract of 2♠ and no more. All would make the bid plus two overtricks, but it was only this South player who bid the South hand with a 4♠ opening bid. With a score of 420, South ended up in second place on this hand with a terrific score of 96.3%. Leo LaSota would be proud of his bridge students who took the experiences that Leo had learned and shared them with others. Thank you, Leo.

 

Gerald Stein

February 20, 2014

Number of words: 1080

 

Bridge Notes: Learn Bridge in a Day? Class starts on Saturday, March 1^st, 2014 at the Hastings Community Education and Recreation Center at 9:30 AM. Call 269-948-4414 to see if there is still room to register.

Bridge Notes Two: An eight-week Beginning Bridge Course begins in Battle Creek on Monday morning, March 3^rd, 2014 at 10:00 AM. Call the Kellogg Community College Life Long Learning Center to register: 269-965-4134.