Aces on Bridge — Daily Columns

The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, 14 December, 2023


7 Comments

Iain ClimieDecember 14th, 2023 at 12:58 pm

This may work:

sally@masterpointpress.com

(Sally Sparrow)

Iain

bobbywolffDecember 14th, 2023 at 3:38 pm

Hi Iain,

No greater effort in my simple life than what YOU might have accomplished. From now on, regardless of what now happens, you will be regarded as THE MIRACLE MAN!!!!

Sally SparrowDecember 14th, 2023 at 3:40 pm

🙂

Sorry for the glitch, everyone!

Sally
Master Point Press

Iain ClimieDecember 14th, 2023 at 4:19 pm

Hi Bobby,

Thanks for that but we all just need to add Sally’s E-Mail to our records.

Hi Sally,

Thanks for trying to sort this!

Iain

Robert LiptonDecember 14th, 2023 at 4:22 pm

Thank yo, Ian and Sally. And now back to my regularly scheduled kvetching.

North made a tremendous error in the bidding by looking for a 4-4 fit. With between 28 and thirty points between the two hands, and honors in every suit, he should simply raise 1NT to 3 and allow the fog to set defenders off on the wrong path. As it turns out, no lead can stop declarer from scoring ten tricks. A diamond looks menacing, until you realize the suit is blocked if he win the first or second round. While declarer can take 10 tricks at hearts if he times everything perfectly, at NT the same 10 tricks fall into his lap with two spades, three hearts, a diamond and four clubs.

Bob Lipton

Iain ClimieDecember 14th, 2023 at 4:55 pm

Hi Bob,

Or NS could hit 2S e.g. CK, small spade switch and trump back is an easy 500. Good point, though – if you’ve got numerous surplus points why try and play in 4H with (say) Qxxx opposite Jxxx and a side suit A to lose? You need trumps 3-2 and either the honours together or to be a good guesser to make it whereas there could easily be 9+ tricks in NT. Specific hands can always be constructed as counter examples TBF.

Sally not sure what happened but has got it fixed pdq again (happened in June too I think).

Regards,

Iain

bobbywolffDecember 14th, 2023 at 8:08 pm

Hi Bob & Iain,

While what Bob has offered and Iain appears to agree, about the preference for 3NT rather than eight card major trump fits (especially 4-4) when playing rubber or IMP bridge and possessing balanced hands as well as having surplus hcps (28-30+ as examples).

At least to me, the unsaid factor of when, will usually be determined between the likelihood
of a terrible trump break (5-0 or even sometimes 4-1) while playing a suit contract against an unlucky suit holding enabling the first 5 tricks to be rattled off defensively.

While certain arithmetical discussions lend themselves to fairly accurate conclusions, it is extremely doubtful anyone, at least I do not think, could do so (even a trained and well programed machine), since it becomes too complicated to figure when even the bidding or lack of it (by the opponents) would (should) enter the choice, which would (could) bias the sample.

My so-called deft feeling (whatever that might mean), is that I think otherwise and would vote for playing the eight or possibly nine card major suit combined holding with a trump suit would turn out to be statistically more successful. Of course at matchpoints or B-A-M the over trick feature would strongly point to a better suit than NT result. but, if agreed, that specific combination need not be pursued.

Finally, the right choice may depend on whether suit contracts get more bad (or rather even worse, horrible) breaks, more often than balanced hands run into unlucky suit combinations of the declaring partner’s being short in the same suit or the original lead striking a key card or so with his partner, early in the hand.

Yes, I feel that way, even while factoring in the huge advantage of the understanding that an extra trick needs to be scored up by the side I am touting, not the other.

Whether it is even possible to figure out who wins this debate I do not know, even if it has
ever been attempted to be answered. My guess is that it, having too many intangibles,
cannot be proven, but I actually. being far from knowledgeable, do not know whether I am right or possibly, dead wrong.