Rules, rules, rules! In bridge, there’s a rule for every number up to 20 and beyond. Rules are a good guideline, but common sense and logic trump bromides. This month’s hand demonstrates that premise.
VUL: None
DEALER: South
The bidding: S W N E Pass
(1.) Pass Pass
(2.) 1♦
(3.) 1 ♥ 3♦ (weak) 4♦
(4.) DBL 4 ♥ Pass 5 ♣
(5.) 5♦ 6 ♥
(6.) Pass Pass Pass
1. Most players feel Ace King/Ace and a five-card suit is an opening bid.
2. No Rule of Twenty
3. 1 ♦ = Rule of Fifteen opening
4. Cue bid on the way to 4 ♥s.
5. Aggressive Ace of ♣ cue bid.
6. What the heck? 6 ♥s!
Opening lead: ♦ Queen
NORTH ♠ K Q 7 6 ♥ 10 7 6 3 2 ♦ Void ♣ A J 10 2
WEST ♠ 8 4 2
♥ Q 5
♦ Q J 10 7 5
♦ A K 6 4 2
♣ K 8 4
SOUTH
♠ A 10
♥ A K 9 8 4
♦ 9 8 3
♣ 9 7 6
EAST
♠ J 9 5 3
♥ J
♦ A K 6 4 2
♣ Q 5 3
big games and scores
Aug. 16
Gary Hargrove/Richard Edwards Jr. 71.13% St. Louis Regional Gold Rush Pairs
Aug. 30
Janet Vontz/Tom Engle 71.28% Lake St. Louis
Sept. 4
Carol Hamilton/Arbha Vongsvivut 70.19% St. Louis Bridge Center
Sept. 11
Kristin Schaefer/Bob Schaefer 70% Jay’s Bridge Pad
the play
1. West led the ♦ Queen, trumped in Dummy with the ♥ 2, ♦ 6 from East, ♦ 3 from Declarer.
2. ♥ 3 to Declarer’s Ace.
3. ♦ 8 trumped with ♥ 6.
4. ♥ 7 to Declarer’s King.
5. ♠ Ace, then ♠ 10 to Dummy’s Queen.
6. ♠ King, South discards ♦ 9.
7. ♠ 7 is trumped by Declarer, eliminating ♠s and ♦s.
8. ♣ 9 is led and passed to East’s Queen.
9. East is end-played. A ♣ return picks up the King and any other lead provides Declarer with a ruff/sluff.
10. Six ♥s bid and made!
question: In fourth seat, would you have used the Rule of Fifteen and opened Pandora’s Box?
tip of the day
Q | Our heads are spinning with all these rules. Should we learn and follow all of them? If not, which ones do you prefer?
A | Many of the rules are good guidelines. I use the Rule of Twenty, the Rule of Fifteen, the Rule of Eleven and the Rule of Seven.
Do you have a good bridge tip? Email kennethmbland@yahoo.com