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LIGHTNING DOES STRIKE TWICE

Conceding a slam when one plays duplicate bridge is annoying unless it is likely to be bid by every other pair sitting the same way. (It rarely is!) You can also hope that your teammates will do so as well.

Playing Rubber Bridge, there are no teammates. Nor are there other pairs sitting the same way to average out the score. You are on your own and will suffer the consequences of an opposition slam bid and made.

Fasttrack One Year Back

The scene is a heat of the 2016 New Zealand National Rubber Bridge competition. Matches last 30 boards with the side on top, even by 10 points, after board 30 the winner. There is no second chance.

In Westport, Phil Rutherford and Ray Curnow, two of our keenest who can follow suit very adequately were taking on a local Intermediate pair, Liz Wratten and Laura Griffin. The two pairs were having an enjoyable match with Phil and Ray having the edge. After 29 boards, they led Liz and Laura by 1240 points.

“You need a slam to beat us” Phil told his opponents. That proved no problem for Liz and Laura who duly bid and made 6 which with the game and slam bonuses, saw Liz and Laura snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at the last possible moment.

Back to the Present

Fast track then to the preliminary rounds of the 2017 competition. There were 8 pairs from Westport taking part (please note other small clubs: they love their Rubber Bridge in Westport). The draw gave Ray and Phil the chance for revenge.

It looked like they would get it too as with one board to be played, Ray and Phil led by 940 points. They did not need to tell Liz and Laura what they needed off the last board. Liz dealt and opened 2 (pretending she had a game force, just to frighten her opponents?) and very soon became the dummy hand in 6NT. (Note, even if you are dealt 5 points opposite 6 in your partner’s hand, if you need a slam on the last board of a rubber match in this competition, you bid one! You are not defeated until the opposition cash two tricks….and even then they may still revoke!)

The only problem was that Liz did indeed have a 23 count while Laura had 13 more nestled in her own hand. These were the hands Laura (West) and Liz (East) conjured up:

 

Phil owned one king and Ray was the proud owner of a jack! Making all 13 tricks! Had they needed to do so, Liz and Laura could have bid the grand.

One other unusual statistic is that these were the only two slams bid in the two matches.

Laura and Liz: Board 30 slam experts.

We hear that Ray and Phil have taken up residence in Kaitaia, Invercargill…..anywhere where they can avoid playing Liz and Laura in next year’s competition.

“Lightning” they say “rarely strikes twice”. “They” have not played Rubber Bridge against Liz and Laura.

ps We, I, having been saying for years what an exciting game and what a leveller Rubber Bridge can be. This annual competition, where the heats are mainly played in one’s own home, deserves more entries than the 100-150 pairs it normally attracts. If it is too late to have a go this year, remember for next year…. Good bridge played in a social environment….and hands dealt at the table. We have suggested to Ray and Phil they use their own pack for Board 30 next year....certainly do not let Liz deal!

Thanks to Phil Rutherford for relaying the tale. Come on: tell me an amusing or unusual bridge story which happened to you. Just call me on 09 232 8494 (Spark have not cut off my land-line yet!) or email me on Richard.Solomon@nzbridge.co.nz

Richard Solomon

 

 

 

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