Just an urge to suggest how I think high-level bridge has improved its bidding by and large, distinguishing strong hands between distributional and balanced allowing both partners to better judge the partnership combined trick value.
Balanced hands opposite each other will usually require at least more high card points than will great fitting hands, with appropriate key shortness and, of course, as always, enough combined strength in the long suits.
Present high-level bidding, as represented above with the “Bid with the Aces” hand, is a good example of this modern twist to which take notice, if and when, the reader is interested in either forming a new partnership or about to attempt to at least move up the ladder to more deserved success.
Even no particular reason to do so is required, only the possible desire to keep up with the leadership chickens in that special yard.
Jeff SMay 24th, 2022 at 7:20 pm
South’s line looks clearly best. An inferior line would have brought the contract home today (after the heart ruff, cross in diamonds, ruff a second heart, then cash the two top diamonds to throw the spade loser), but South had no way of knowing that East had an 11th card in the majors. All it would have taken is for East to have a second club to spoil the day in that line making it (in South’s mind, I would think) about a 50-50 shot as East having two diamonds and one club would come home and then a few other odder distributions muddy it a bit.
As it was, South just had to sweat East having exactly Jx in diamonds which is far less than 50-50. With four diamonds out at the critical point after drawing trumps and playing the KD, East is known to have zero or one diamond left. Jim2 would know what was coming, but for the rest of us it would be a surprise, shrug your shoulders and know you took your best shot.
And that is the longer explanation for people at my level who need to work out why crossing the KD was not mentioned. If I am even right about the above.:)
bobbywolffMay 24th, 2022 at 7:57 pm
Hi Jeff,
While modesty is probably not a common personality trait in our bridge world, you seem to lean over backwards to be such.
Methinks you have the makings of a keen player, but more than that, your industry of seeking out correct and, most important, complete, both winning lines of play and how to get there from here, carries with it the ability to survive much better than most.
Continue to delve deep, trust in your own talent, and presto, like magic, situations, card combinations, mature judgment, and other necessary attributes will emerge.
It will take a little time, but if you have it to spare, and, of course, stay as interested as you so deftly appear, your experiences, along the yellow brick road, will get you there.
Yes, reading about interesting hands and then having the fortitude to understand the choices, will help you greatly with your declarer play and defense. But finally, and while at the table, after hopefully developing your game with a like partner, your bridge judgment will grow by bounds and leaps.
Then, for the easy part, choose a bridge system featuring what you and partner enjoy (almost all approved bidding systems, together with conventions, will check out about the same) but when you sit down, both of you need to take every hand seriously, ready, if necessary, to discuss each and every problem which may arise.
To do the above, a love of the game itself, is, at least to me, the only requisite and by your posts, it is obvious that you qualify.
Good luck and, win or lose, keep all of your friends on this site posted.
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Hi Everyone,
Just an urge to suggest how I think high-level bridge has improved its bidding by and large, distinguishing strong hands between distributional and balanced allowing both partners to better judge the partnership combined trick value.
Balanced hands opposite each other will usually require at least more high card points than will great fitting hands, with appropriate key shortness and, of course, as always, enough combined strength in the long suits.
Present high-level bidding, as represented above with the “Bid with the Aces” hand, is a good example of this modern twist to which take notice, if and when, the reader is interested in either forming a new partnership or about to attempt to at least move up the ladder to more deserved success.
Even no particular reason to do so is required, only the possible desire to keep up with the leadership chickens in that special yard.
South’s line looks clearly best. An inferior line would have brought the contract home today (after the heart ruff, cross in diamonds, ruff a second heart, then cash the two top diamonds to throw the spade loser), but South had no way of knowing that East had an 11th card in the majors. All it would have taken is for East to have a second club to spoil the day in that line making it (in South’s mind, I would think) about a 50-50 shot as East having two diamonds and one club would come home and then a few other odder distributions muddy it a bit.
As it was, South just had to sweat East having exactly Jx in diamonds which is far less than 50-50. With four diamonds out at the critical point after drawing trumps and playing the KD, East is known to have zero or one diamond left. Jim2 would know what was coming, but for the rest of us it would be a surprise, shrug your shoulders and know you took your best shot.
And that is the longer explanation for people at my level who need to work out why crossing the KD was not mentioned. If I am even right about the above.:)
Hi Jeff,
While modesty is probably not a common personality trait in our bridge world, you seem to lean over backwards to be such.
Methinks you have the makings of a keen player, but more than that, your industry of seeking out correct and, most important, complete, both winning lines of play and how to get there from here, carries with it the ability to survive much better than most.
Continue to delve deep, trust in your own talent, and presto, like magic, situations, card combinations, mature judgment, and other necessary attributes will emerge.
It will take a little time, but if you have it to spare, and, of course, stay as interested as you so deftly appear, your experiences, along the yellow brick road, will get you there.
Yes, reading about interesting hands and then having the fortitude to understand the choices, will help you greatly with your declarer play and defense. But finally, and while at the table, after hopefully developing your game with a like partner, your bridge judgment will grow by bounds and leaps.
Then, for the easy part, choose a bridge system featuring what you and partner enjoy (almost all approved bidding systems, together with conventions, will check out about the same) but when you sit down, both of you need to take every hand seriously, ready, if necessary, to discuss each and every problem which may arise.
To do the above, a love of the game itself, is, at least to me, the only requisite and by your posts, it is obvious that you qualify.
Good luck and, win or lose, keep all of your friends on this site posted.