An excellent reminder of the need to avoid autopilot. Matters should be simplified by the realisation that South has to have the missing points bar the SK but….
An obvious idea when declarer has a defined point count (15 to 17 or similar here) is to estimate partner’s HCP at T1 but it is easy to slip.
Regards,
Iain
bobbywolffAugust 28th, 2023 at 5:14 pm
Hi Iain,
No doubt, you took an important step forward when you mentioned a need to look before a declarer begins to act at trick one, mentally reviewing the auction, before he leaps.
Without which it would be like closing one’s eyes before an eye test. Forming good habits is at least half the battle to give and get a maximum effort to succeed in almost every difficult mental endeavor, with bridge likely around the top of the list as a nigh perfect example. Teddy Roosevelt, a long ago President of the USA, once said something like, “Speak softly, but carry a big stick”, and if so, in bridge, the stick lies in both (always) counting and thus deftly guessing where the opponents cards lie.
Robert LiptonAugust 28th, 2023 at 7:12 pm
I’m not fond of North’s call. Reverse the minors, and yes, 3NT looks good. However, I think that KTxxx of diamonds is not as enchanting as North believes it. 2NT — or whatever it is that leads to an invitational raise — looks better.
Bob Lipton
bobbywolffAugust 28th, 2023 at 7:58 pm
Hi Bob,
While I basically agree with your intended advice I, would take away one x from K10xxx, since that 5th card in diamonds is VERY likely to be the ninth trick needed. Yes, to somehow
add a sixth diamond would be so in tune to success, I would not waste another molecule of time before closing the deal in a NT game. Yes, I know that this newly opened deck, appears to have well more than 13 diamonds in it, but until the dummy goes down, seeing is believing.
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Bridge-related
Hi Bobby,
An excellent reminder of the need to avoid autopilot. Matters should be simplified by the realisation that South has to have the missing points bar the SK but….
An obvious idea when declarer has a defined point count (15 to 17 or similar here) is to estimate partner’s HCP at T1 but it is easy to slip.
Regards,
Iain
Hi Iain,
No doubt, you took an important step forward when you mentioned a need to look before a declarer begins to act at trick one, mentally reviewing the auction, before he leaps.
Without which it would be like closing one’s eyes before an eye test. Forming good habits is at least half the battle to give and get a maximum effort to succeed in almost every difficult mental endeavor, with bridge likely around the top of the list as a nigh perfect example. Teddy Roosevelt, a long ago President of the USA, once said something like, “Speak softly, but carry a big stick”, and if so, in bridge, the stick lies in both (always) counting and thus deftly guessing where the opponents cards lie.
I’m not fond of North’s call. Reverse the minors, and yes, 3NT looks good. However, I think that KTxxx of diamonds is not as enchanting as North believes it. 2NT — or whatever it is that leads to an invitational raise — looks better.
Bob Lipton
Hi Bob,
While I basically agree with your intended advice I, would take away one x from K10xxx, since that 5th card in diamonds is VERY likely to be the ninth trick needed. Yes, to somehow
add a sixth diamond would be so in tune to success, I would not waste another molecule of time before closing the deal in a NT game. Yes, I know that this newly opened deck, appears to have well more than 13 diamonds in it, but until the dummy goes down, seeing is believing.