Aces on Bridge — Daily Columns

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, 7 August, 2023


2 Comments

Iain ClimieAugust 7th, 2023 at 8:49 am

Hi Bobby,

To compound the felony, what happens if West leads a diamond at T1? Declarer can cash one top heart but, if he ducks the next one, West can play another diamond and has a trump trick. If East wasn’t going to bid the obvious 4S then 4D as a fit jump would have worked nicely.

If East does bid 4S then South may find a pushy double or even a very pushy 4N when North will probably bash 6C expecting only 1 spade loser. If South passes, North has to decide whether to take a safe game in 5C or to risk losing 2 spades early on – all dependent on whether East has raised to the level of the fit with 4 trumps or has only 3.

East has to buy the beer here I feel!

Regards,

Iain

bobbywolffAugust 7th, 2023 at 12:51 pm

Hi Iain,

Yes, one doesn’t have to be mean (check Raymond Chandler’s quote) to be forced to look at the advantage 6 clubs places declarer instead of the sometimes value of playing in a 4-4 fit and enable a discard on the much stronger 5-4 or even here. with the 6-5.

Bridge becomes the mean presence by dealing this hand to which many players would arrive, as they should (at least with today’s vitals) as a resounding better contract (6C), in order to establish a heart holding to which success can be easily achieved, with the longer and stronger suit as trump.

Finally, even though I am trying to not show meanness, EW needs, only because of the adverse vulnerability on this hand, to be somewhat circumspect in jumping to a 10 trick contract, too many times, being doubled and going down 500 against only a non-vulnerable game, achieved by NS.

“Heavens, partner, to even think of such conservatism doesn’t become you” said East to West”. “Why not?, replied West, you always play results, not necessarily good bridge to me”. Again, emphasizing what Chandler meant by meanness!
echoed West.