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Daily Bridge in New Zealand
“CARE” for less experienced players and others.
That’s the word we are focusing on today. Sometimes it is rewarded. Another aspect to the same question is would you rather have a 42% or 83% result on a board, playing Pairs? No need to answer.
You may recognise these hands.
| South Deals E-W Vul |
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| West | North | East | South |
| 1 ♦ | |||
| 4 ♣ | Dbl | 5 ♣ | 5 ♠ |
| All pass |
These were the North-South hands on Board 3 of last week’s Babich Wines New Zealand Wide Pairs. The above sequence may have been one that occurred: a pre-emptive jump from West, take-out style double from North, more pre-emption from East and an “I am not going to let you push us around” 5
from South.
The more clubs East- West bid, the more North might believe their partner was void in clubs. So, if West passed 5, so might North.
North-South would still get a reasonable score, an 83% percentage if South made all 13 tricks, but a slightly worse than average 42% if South only made 12 tricks.
13 tricks look easy but there was a catch. All you have to do is ruff two clubs in the South hand and you have 13 tricks with dummy high. “All you have to” meant a lot of 480’s!
Ruff low at trick 1 and cross to dummy with a trump (both opponents follow) and ruff a second club with a high spade. Now cash a second high trump and East discards. How do you return to dummy to draw the last trump
?
| South Deals E-W Vul |
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| West | North | East | South |
| 1 ♦ | |||
| 4 ♣ | Dbl | 5 ♣ | 5 ♠ |
| All pass |
You can see what happens when South tries to return to dummy with a low heart… a 42% board. With 8 hearts and only 7 diamonds between the North-South hands, it would be safer for South to play A and assuming that is not ruffed, cross to dummy with a diamond ruff.
An alternative line is to ruff with A at trick 1 and cross to dummy with a trump. With trumps breaking no worse than 3-1, ruff the second club with K and play South’s remaining trump back to dummy to draw trumps and claim. No need then to play either red suit.
unlucky!
Certainly, the 5-0 heart break was unlucky and against the odds but less so when one opponent has a really long suit as here. The safest way is the best way and was well rewarded on the night with a good result.
Fireworks Ahead!
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| West | North | East | South |
| ? |
For one side at this bridge table. Firstly, though, what if anything would you open with these East cards? You are playing Teams.
Richard Solomon
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