If only there were an opening bid to show a 4-5 major suit hand.
bobbywolffDecember 15th, 2021 at 2:21 pm
Hi Jim2,
If asking someone a high-level bridge question is a form of flattery and, of course the answer is Flannery, we then have both a match and an
alliteration.
Add to that a hand with fire then we are dealing with excitement, one which teaches both when to double, but also its disadvantages, especially when playing against a good declarer.
Yes, I would likely also increase the stakes if sitting West when they arrived at 4 spades, but perhaps so in trepidation, if playing against an excellent declarer since by so doing, it will be relatively certain that declarer will play the hand to his best advantage and sometimes, though possibly very rare in this case, it could mean bid and made, but we all know that.
OR DO WE?
Iain ClimieDecember 15th, 2021 at 10:45 pm
Hi Bobby,
With regard to West’s double, his strength in trumps probably justifies it but I remember a hand from the bridge player’s bedside companion where NS reach 4H in a 5-1 fit and West with Q1087xx understandably hits it. Unfortunately, NS have plenty of high cards outside, North has HA alone opposite South’s KJ9xx and South simply takes a tump lead (best double dummy), cashes side suit winners and ruffs a plain card from hand before repeatedly endplaying West who winds up screaming “What the **** do you have to have to double?” after 4H romps home.
I wonder if anyone could get hold of a copy of the book – isn’t David Warheit in that line of business?
Regards,
Iain
bobbywolffDecember 15th, 2021 at 11:51 pm
Hi Iain,
No doubt bridge is a game of numbers rather than letters, and position of tenaces + entries + specific cards (aces are critical) can cause an incredible difference on any one hand, allowing newbies to gape at the difference in tricks taken, compared to normal or much worse, adverse.
At least it sometimes seems like there are never two hands just alike, allowing card
combinations to rule.
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If only there were an opening bid to show a 4-5 major suit hand.
Hi Jim2,
If asking someone a high-level bridge question is a form of flattery and, of course the answer is Flannery, we then have both a match and an
alliteration.
Add to that a hand with fire then we are dealing with excitement, one which teaches both when to double, but also its disadvantages, especially when playing against a good declarer.
Yes, I would likely also increase the stakes if sitting West when they arrived at 4 spades, but perhaps so in trepidation, if playing against an excellent declarer since by so doing, it will be relatively certain that declarer will play the hand to his best advantage and sometimes, though possibly very rare in this case, it could mean bid and made, but we all know that.
OR DO WE?
Hi Bobby,
With regard to West’s double, his strength in trumps probably justifies it but I remember a hand from the bridge player’s bedside companion where NS reach 4H in a 5-1 fit and West with Q1087xx understandably hits it. Unfortunately, NS have plenty of high cards outside, North has HA alone opposite South’s KJ9xx and South simply takes a tump lead (best double dummy), cashes side suit winners and ruffs a plain card from hand before repeatedly endplaying West who winds up screaming “What the **** do you have to have to double?” after 4H romps home.
I wonder if anyone could get hold of a copy of the book – isn’t David Warheit in that line of business?
Regards,
Iain
Hi Iain,
No doubt bridge is a game of numbers rather than letters, and position of tenaces + entries + specific cards (aces are critical) can cause an incredible difference on any one hand, allowing newbies to gape at the difference in tricks taken, compared to normal or much worse, adverse.
At least it sometimes seems like there are never two hands just alike, allowing card
combinations to rule.