At least to me, this hand represents a classic hand in declarer play, figuring out, at least to me, the very best percentage way, to establish a make of your excellent percentage slam.
No ifs, ands, or buts allowed, but just the description of the highest percentage choice to score it up. Some may say in response, “too much thinking required for me” and if they
do, I wouldn’t expect them to sit down somewhere to play bridge. Yes, playing good bridge is all about numbers, so if letters are one’s thing instead, head for the alphabet, not the arithmetical tables.
bobbywolffJune 10th, 2024 at 2:38 pm
Continuing, and if surprisingly, neither letters nor numbers hit the spot, how about “Tennis,
anyone?”
Iain ClimieJune 10th, 2024 at 4:59 pm
HI Bobby,
Nice echelon play (I think this is the correct term) combining chances in the best order and there might be residual squeeze chances e.g. if East has long hearts and the SK but West has the DK, there’ll be a show up squeeze. Having said that, look what happened to me the other week.
I was South with A10xx Qx x AKJxxx in 3N opposite Qxx xxx AQJ109 Qx and the oppo led hearts (only bid as 4th suit) and took the first 4 tricks before East, a keen but weak player, switched to a spade. If I run it I’m either home or off but it didn’t look good to do so and, if East has the SK (especially with the J) then she’ll come under some pressure on the clubs and the D finesse is still there.
So SA, run the clubs on which East has to find 5 discards – D, Sx, D, D, SJ. So I’m down to Dx and S10 opposite DAQ. Has East really smoothly come down to SK and DK alone here? It seemed unlikely, I’m home if West has both so surely East has got DKx left especially as she didn’t wriggle at all on the discards. West has dumped 2 spades and 2 diamonds.
So although a D to the Ace works if East is down to both Kings, surely this hasn’t happened. So I finessed and went 2 off, not that one-off would have been many matchpoints either with most pairs avoiding the rubbish game. I congratulated East on her smooth discards and she said someone had told her to relax more even when under pressure as wriggling gives the game away. Ouch – but wasn’t your Bols tip “Your tempo is showing”?
There again it really was an abysmal 3N so deserved its fate.
regards,
Iain
bobbywolffJune 10th, 2024 at 10:17 pm
Hi Iain,
The good news is certainly that East, as a mere woman, has certainly advanced into
excellent company as an expert, to be recognized. And against a great competitor, you,
who, no doubt, will not be taken in by phony bridge gods. That likely will be what she
will remember most, and will always cherish that moment. Whatever it represents, is worth the price of what it accomplished.
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Bridge-related
Hi Everyone,
At least to me, this hand represents a classic hand in declarer play, figuring out, at least to me, the very best percentage way, to establish a make of your excellent percentage slam.
No ifs, ands, or buts allowed, but just the description of the highest percentage choice to score it up. Some may say in response, “too much thinking required for me” and if they
do, I wouldn’t expect them to sit down somewhere to play bridge. Yes, playing good bridge is all about numbers, so if letters are one’s thing instead, head for the alphabet, not the arithmetical tables.
Continuing, and if surprisingly, neither letters nor numbers hit the spot, how about “Tennis,
anyone?”
HI Bobby,
Nice echelon play (I think this is the correct term) combining chances in the best order and there might be residual squeeze chances e.g. if East has long hearts and the SK but West has the DK, there’ll be a show up squeeze. Having said that, look what happened to me the other week.
I was South with A10xx Qx x AKJxxx in 3N opposite Qxx xxx AQJ109 Qx and the oppo led hearts (only bid as 4th suit) and took the first 4 tricks before East, a keen but weak player, switched to a spade. If I run it I’m either home or off but it didn’t look good to do so and, if East has the SK (especially with the J) then she’ll come under some pressure on the clubs and the D finesse is still there.
So SA, run the clubs on which East has to find 5 discards – D, Sx, D, D, SJ. So I’m down to Dx and S10 opposite DAQ. Has East really smoothly come down to SK and DK alone here? It seemed unlikely, I’m home if West has both so surely East has got DKx left especially as she didn’t wriggle at all on the discards. West has dumped 2 spades and 2 diamonds.
So although a D to the Ace works if East is down to both Kings, surely this hasn’t happened. So I finessed and went 2 off, not that one-off would have been many matchpoints either with most pairs avoiding the rubbish game. I congratulated East on her smooth discards and she said someone had told her to relax more even when under pressure as wriggling gives the game away. Ouch – but wasn’t your Bols tip “Your tempo is showing”?
There again it really was an abysmal 3N so deserved its fate.
regards,
Iain
Hi Iain,
The good news is certainly that East, as a mere woman, has certainly advanced into
excellent company as an expert, to be recognized. And against a great competitor, you,
who, no doubt, will not be taken in by phony bridge gods. That likely will be what she
will remember most, and will always cherish that moment. Whatever it represents, is worth the price of what it accomplished.