One slight worry today, Suppose East has DA (and 5 spades) and West has led from CJxx although this is perhaps improbable. After the H ruff and two rounds of trumps, isn’t there a danger of a trump promotion on the suggested line? I think it still improves on a pure D guess though.
Is there any case for running the first C round to hand, playing HAK and a ruff, SAK and a ruff, then a club to table as an alternative although it misses out on S4-4 and C2-2? Probably not though as it runs the same risks as before.
I’m not sure South should be quite as optimistic as he was on this hand with a void opposite North’s good spades. Possibly he expected 4 clubs and probably 6 spades, though, when when there will be huge scope for ruffing red cards on the table. Trotting out the LTC certainly makes the hand look huge despite the spade void.
regards,
Iain
Regards,
Iain
bobbywolffMarch 31st, 2021 at 3:06 pm
Hi Iain,
While you, as is your calling card, have a keen habit of going beyond the norm and discuss practical subjects to which every reader should be interested, but, in reality, are sometimes, at best, only barely tolerant.
To me, your effort reflects many key areas in playing top-flight bridge, not to mention overall results, but are indeed difficult to assess nor to specifically quantify.
While the above quality is indeed positive, even more so are your closing thoughts centered around the declarer’s wealth of prime controls and, of course the enormous advantage of holding that sixth club.
Upon examination of North’s contribution, while he also held solid support featuring a together AK (kudos to Culbertson, not to Goren) and high enough clubs, but sadly not a fourth one (which, if held would almost be as valuable as would, at least on this hand, the queen of diamonds).
However, the above is what our game is all about, especially in making it the ultra exciting competition we have all grown to love.
No doubt you have nailed the problem with the general misfit of the NS cards, but it can be talked about often, while in truth, very little, while at the table, can be done about it.
However I, for one, much appreciate your reference, since by doing so, you have broken down the luck all of us need, if only to then decide in what order we should declare our 26 cards and how to do it in the most effective way.
Finally, no time when that hand suddenly appears, to waste with a wish, but for discussion purposes later, can be an absolutely great learning experience for a relatively new player, especially one who has excellent potential to be special.
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Hi Bobby,
One slight worry today, Suppose East has DA (and 5 spades) and West has led from CJxx although this is perhaps improbable. After the H ruff and two rounds of trumps, isn’t there a danger of a trump promotion on the suggested line? I think it still improves on a pure D guess though.
Is there any case for running the first C round to hand, playing HAK and a ruff, SAK and a ruff, then a club to table as an alternative although it misses out on S4-4 and C2-2? Probably not though as it runs the same risks as before.
I’m not sure South should be quite as optimistic as he was on this hand with a void opposite North’s good spades. Possibly he expected 4 clubs and probably 6 spades, though, when when there will be huge scope for ruffing red cards on the table. Trotting out the LTC certainly makes the hand look huge despite the spade void.
regards,
Iain
Regards,
Iain
Hi Iain,
While you, as is your calling card, have a keen habit of going beyond the norm and discuss practical subjects to which every reader should be interested, but, in reality, are sometimes, at best, only barely tolerant.
To me, your effort reflects many key areas in playing top-flight bridge, not to mention overall results, but are indeed difficult to assess nor to specifically quantify.
While the above quality is indeed positive, even more so are your closing thoughts centered around the declarer’s wealth of prime controls and, of course the enormous advantage of holding that sixth club.
Upon examination of North’s contribution, while he also held solid support featuring a together AK (kudos to Culbertson, not to Goren) and high enough clubs, but sadly not a fourth one (which, if held would almost be as valuable as would, at least on this hand, the queen of diamonds).
However, the above is what our game is all about, especially in making it the ultra exciting competition we have all grown to love.
No doubt you have nailed the problem with the general misfit of the NS cards, but it can be talked about often, while in truth, very little, while at the table, can be done about it.
However I, for one, much appreciate your reference, since by doing so, you have broken down the luck all of us need, if only to then decide in what order we should declare our 26 cards and how to do it in the most effective way.
Finally, no time when that hand suddenly appears, to waste with a wish, but for discussion purposes later, can be an absolutely great learning experience for a relatively new player, especially one who has excellent potential to be special.