All News

“Insurance?”

They sit one underneath the other on the hand record of the event. These two deals occurred in the same 10 board match to the same pairs. Maybe the statisticians can tell us the likelihood of that occurring? Let’s give you a bidding problem from the first of them:

 

Not a pass card in sight! 2 promised a reasonable hand with at least 5-5 in the majors. East showed values with their double..and the rest is natural. So? Swiss Pairs. 

There is a term in the bridge vocabulary called “insurance” and you have zero defence to their slam. Would you take it? I did and was feeling a little aggrieved that West did not lead their own suit!

 

North may well have opted for defence despite their shape expecting and hoping that both aces would cash. They were of course correct. Against 6x, West led the Q. I would have thought that K had a little more to offer though as it turned out, any lead except a diamond beats the heart slam. I still reckon -100 to be the right move.

7 North-Souths bid on and were defeated in 6, all receiving black suit leads. 7 more defended 6 successfully. 3 tables saw the bidding die in 5 of a major to North-South’s advantage while the 2 tables which saw the declarer at the 7 -level worked to the advantage of the defenders.

A game and a part-score followed that bit of fun… and then came this:

 

 

2 shows 5 spades and 4+ minor, less than an opening. South’s 4NT showed a 2-suited hand, initially but not necessarily the minors. Indeed, when South emerged with 6, they announced they were looking at a lot of red cards. Your partner looked to be sacrificing over 6. How are you feeling about their grand-slam?

Well, I rather feel that even if West did produce a heart, that North would take the view that hearts were not breaking 2-2 in such an auction…and you might be waiting a long time for a red suit or indeed a trick from any suit.

The “insurance” was pretty cheap.

 

There was no good or bad lead to 7x. K would seem to be a good start. A couple of rounds of diamonds followed by A seems the best the defence can do. However, after such bidding as the above, West should be able to play a club to the 9 with South a strong favourite not to have the missing jack. West could even lead K in case the jack was singleton - 500 3 down).

Meanwhile, with North anticipating a spade void in their partner’s hand (the price once again of pre-emption) and having 3 very useful honours of their own, North ought to be able to take the correct trump view in 7. With at least 9 cards in the black suits, the chances of 3 hearts in the West hand is slim…though they did hold 3 diamonds!

Four pairs were allowed to play and make their heart grand slam. Five more were left peacefully in 6. Three N/S pairs sacrificed well in 6x with the other 5 tables seeing 5 of a major contract.

It’s

the sacrifice

So, two 6-6 hands in quick succession in the same match. They always add to the excitement of our game.

What next?

 

Teams style. 1 promises at least 2 clubs. What do you bid next? The opponents' system is strong no-trump based.

Richard Solomon

Go Back View All News Items