Whose hand is it anyway? Bridge-wise, the answer is often unclear. Imagine being at the table, in any of the four seats, trying to maximize your side’s results with this month’s hand.
[the hand]
Vulnerable: No one
NORTH
♠ Void
♥ A Q 10 5 4 3 2
♦ 10 9 8 3
♣ 7 5
WEST
♠ A 10 9 7 4
♥ K 8
♦ 7
♣ K 10 9 8 4
EAST
♠ K J 8 5
♥ J 9 7
♦ 5
♣ Q J 6 3 2
SOUTH
♠ Q 6 3 2
♥ 6
♦ A K Q J 6 4 2
♣ A
[the auction]
1. West opened one ♠ with a shapely ‘rule of 20’ hand.
2. North, with a void in ♠s, seven ♥s, four ♦s and two ♣s, bid three ♥s preemptively.
3. East made a quiet three-♠ bid.
4. South had a great ♦ suit and the ♣ Ace; South bid four ♦s.
5. West bid four ♠s to make.
6. North with the ♠ void didn’t know if E/W could make four ♠s, so North bid five ♦s as a sacrifice.
7. Now the rub. East didn’t know whose hand it was and bid five ♠s.
8. South knew E/W could probably make five ♠s and that making six ♦s was a possibility. South bid six ♦s.
9. West suddenly realized this might be a N/S hand and bid six ♠s for a sacrifice.
10. North still didn’t know whose hand it was and bid seven ♦s to save.
11. East had enough and passed.
12. South fainted.
13. With his Ace and two kings, West doubled.
14. West led the ♠ Ace, and declarer carefully ruffed four ♠s in dummy for 13 tricks.
Note: Even with a trump lead, declarer can make seven with a ♥ finesse. Some pairs got to five ♦s while others doubled five ♠s. Needless to say, making seven ♦s doubled, +1630, was best.
Thanks to Mary Fort and Martha Rowe for this month’s hand.
[tip of the day]
Q. Kenny, knowing when to bid or when to pass or double in high-level competitive auctions always seems like a guessing game. Is there any rule of thumb to help with these decisions?
A. These auctions certainly can be a crapshoot. It’s always about T.S.C. (Trumps, Shape, Controls).
[Do you have a good bridge tip? Email kennethmbland@yahoo.com]
