The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, October 21st, 2015
A sound discretion is not so much indicated by never making a mistake as by never repeating it.
Christian Nevell Bovee
| S | North |
|---|---|
| None | ♠ 8 5 ♥ A Q 7 6 ♦ A Q 5 4 ♣ A J 3 |
| West | East |
|---|---|
| ♠ J 10 9 7 4 2 ♥ J 8 5 ♦ 3 ♣ 9 6 5 |
♠ K 6 3 ♥ K 9 2 ♦ 8 7 ♣ K Q 10 8 4 |
| South |
|---|
| ♠ A Q ♥ 10 4 3 ♦ K J 10 9 6 2 ♣ 7 2 |
| South | West | North | East |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ♦ | Pass | 1 ♥ | Pass |
| 2 ♦ | Pass | 3 ♣ | Dbl. |
| 3 NT | Pass | 4 ♣ | Pass |
| 5 ♦ | All pass |
♠J
Bridge seems to make more of a splash in Scandinavia than in the US. One of the leading Copenhagen newspapers, Politiken, devoted two full pages to a tournament played there. Of course, it may not have been entirely irrelevant that they were the sponsors…
The late Omar Sharif in partnership with Jose Damiani (ExPresident of the World Bridge Federation) was pleasantly surprised to find that their simple auction of Pass – one no-trump; three no-trump (with at least nine top winners) earned a top score. The partnership did not have a weak two-diamond opening in their arsenal, and Sharif deemed his hand not worthy of a one-level opener. I’m not sure I agree, but never mind.
The rest of the room played in diamonds, some even climbing to a hopeless slam. Indeed, only one declarer made as many as 11 tricks. But how would you tackle five diamonds after a spade lead? Presumably, after drawing trump, you would play on hearts, but nothing quite works when, after taking their first heart trick, the defenders switch to clubs.
The successful South had the benefit of a lead-directing double by East of a club bid made by North. Ignoring his partner’s suggestion, West still led a spade. After cashing the second spade winner and drawing trump, a low club was led from dummy. East took his 10 and returned the club king but, but after winning on the table, declarer led the club jack and discarded a heart. Bingo! East was end-played.
Omar will be a great loss to the game he loved so much.
This may be a simple point but it is worth emphasizing. In modern Standard American, which we might abbreviate to “two-over-one” or “two-over-one game forcing bar responder’s suit rebid” a raise by responder to three hearts is forcing here. One can play it as stronger than a fourheart call, if using the Principle of Fast Arrival – a common approach, even if not my favorite style.
BID WITH THE ACES
| ♠ 8 5 ♥ A Q 7 6 ♦ A Q 5 4 ♣ A J 3 |
| South | West | North | East |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ♠ | Pass | ||
| 2 ♦ | Pass | 2 ♥ | Pass |
| ? |
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Bridge-related
I think that a club lead wouldn’t make any difference: S can duck and later end-play E as explained, as the hearts are frozen
Hi Angelo,
Right on with both your analysis and the relatively new bridge expression, “frozen”.
One may shiver in bridge when he (usually, but not always, the defense) realizes that by leading (that is, one’s side playing 1st and 3rd to a suit rather than 2nd and 4th) he will allow the other side to gain a trick, not available, if, instead, he forces the opponents to have to lead it.
Proving only, that being a linguist helps in many ways, especially while trying to be a communicating teacher.
South needs help in both spades and hearts.
On a club lead with a club return, south drains 2 trumps, leads the 3rd club and pitches a heart
East returns a spade.
Does not east eventually get the King of Hearts to go with the two clubs?
Hi Bryan,
Yes, declarer does need the spade finesse to work, but even with bridge column hands, a few finesses are successful, proving that winning will always depend on what the law of averages tends to prove. About 50% of finesses will work, but not on any one hand, and good bridge usually revolves itself on, if at all possible, how to avoid taking finesses.