November 7th, 2011 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Monday, October 24th, 2011 
| Dealer: South
Vul: Both |
North
♠ A K 9 5
♥ 9 7
♦ 8 3
♣ J 9 7 5 4 |
|
| West
♠ 2
♥ K 10 6 3 2
♦ K J 9 4
♣ A 6 2 |
 |
East
♠ J 10 8 7 6 3
♥ 5
♦ 10 7 6 5
♣ K 3 |
| |
South
♠ Q 4
♥ A Q J 8 4
♦ A Q 2
♣ Q 10 8 |
|
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| 1 ♥ |
Pass |
1 ♠ |
Pass |
| 2 NT |
Pass |
3 NT |
All Pass |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Opening Lead: Diamond Four
“The eye may see for the hand, but not for the mind.”
— Henry David Thoreau
Many years ago I played a bridge match against a school for the blind. We used Braille cards, and when playing a card, we naturally announced what it was, for the benefit of our opponents. The convention was that only cards over a certain rank were named entirely, the others being described merely as “small.” But “small” is not good enough on some hands. Cover up the East-West cards before planning your line of play in three no-trump on a “small” diamond lead to the 10 and your queen.
You really need to know what that small diamond was, don’t you? If diamonds break 4-4, which you would expect if West had led the four, then there is time to knock out both top clubs, establishing nine tricks with three spades, one heart, two diamonds and three clubs. On the other hand, if diamonds are 5-3, that line of play will probably lead to defeat because East will win the first club and clear diamonds so West can cash the suit when he gets in with the club ace. If diamonds are 5-3, the best chance is to play on hearts, which provide a reasonable chance of four tricks. However, on the actual layout, any reliance on heart tricks is doomed while the club play succeeds.
I would probably play the same way on the lead of the diamond five, but on a higher spot-card lead, I’d assume the lead was fourth highest from five.
LEAD WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
9 5 3 2 |
| ♥ |
A 5 |
| ♦ |
Q 8 4 2 |
| ♣ |
A 5 3 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
1 ♣ |
1 ♥ |
1 NT |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
ANSWER: Your values suggest your partner is limited to a 10-count. The weaker his hand, paradoxically, the better his suit rates to be, relative to his hand, since otherwise he might not have felt it worthwhile to come into the auction at all, with a bad suit and bad hand. So I would lead the heart ace, prepared to surrender a trick to gain a tempo in establishing hearts.
For details of Bobby Wolff’s autobiography, The Lone Wolff, contact [email protected]. If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, please leave a comment at this blog. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2011. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
November 6th, 2011 ~ admin ~ 4 Comments
|
What is the best way to learn bridge? Did you start by playing pairs or team games, or did you learn rubber bridge first? And what would you recommend for me?
Absolute Beginner, Pleasanton, Calif.
When I learned, rubber bridge was far more common than it is now. So I think your chances for learning quickly would be improved by playing in a duplicate club. You can take classes as well as playing in events. Team strategy is easier to learn than pairs, I would say.
I had the following problem in a local duplicate and had no idea what to do next. My partner opened one spade, and I responded one no-trump holding ♠3, ♥7-3-2, ♦K-Q-10-3-2, ♣K-10-4-3-2. Now my partner bid two hearts, and I could think of nothing intelligent to say. What would you have done?
If the Hands Don’t Fit…, Durham, N.C.
There is no good answer here; passing may be disastrous facing a good hand with only four hearts, while bidding two no-trump might get your side overboard. Correcting to two spades also looks very dangerous. So pass and apologize effusively as you put dummy down.
Can you explain to me what happens when a player makes a slow bid and his partner might have taken an inference from the tempo of that call? Recently I removed a slow double of my partner (I thought I had a reason!), and the Director awarded an adjusted score but I did not understand why.
Swift Justice, Great Falls. Mont.
|
Very briefly: if your partner broke tempo and you subsequently took an action that might have been suggested by that tempo, and that was not the next-best thing to automatic, the Director may adjust the score. If he does so, he will have to work out what would have happened in the revised contract. In such cases the offending side normally gets the worst of it.
How would you respond to a three-heart pre-empt at unfavorable vulnerability, holding ♠K-10-3-2, ♥J-9, ♦A-J, ♣ A-Q-7-3-2? I passed, but caught my partner with seven solid hearts, which surprised me, since I was not expecting that much.
Undercooked, Greenville, S.C.
Pre-empts vary enormously according to position and vulnerability. Your partner appears to have a normal if maximum holding for a second seat pre-empt at unfavorable vulnerability, so you might conceivably have done more. In first chair I might open his hand at the one-level. Even a four-heart opening is conceivable, particularly if the side-suit pattern is not too balanced.
I assume you would open one diamond with this hand: ♠A-7-3-2, ♥K-J-4-2, ♦J-10-4, ♣Q-10. But if you do so and hear a two-club overcall, your partner will bid three clubs to show a limit raise or better in diamonds. What would you do now?
Risk Averse, Union City, Tenn.
I hate to bid three diamonds now — that could easily be a 4-3 fit. I’ll gamble out three no-trump serenely – I can survive if my partner has any of the missing top club honors. Presumably my LHO will never guess what is going on in the suit (unless I’ve bluffed him out before). Take away my club 10 or beef up my diamonds and I might go the other way. It is a close call, but bidding a major instead would be worse — it would guarantee real diamonds.
|
November 5th, 2011 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, October 22nd, 2011
| Dealer: West
Vul: North-South |
North
♠ A K J 3
♥ —
♦ A 9 5 3
♣ A K Q J 8 |
|
| West
♠ 7 6 4 2
♥ A K Q 10 7 2
♦ K Q
♣ 6 |
|
East
♠ 5
♥ 6 5 3
♦ J 8 6 4
♣ 10 9 4 3 2 |
| |
South
♠ Q 10 9 8
♥ J 9 8 4
♦ 10 7 2
♣ 7 5 |
|
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
1 ♥ |
Dbl. |
Pass |
| 1 ♠ |
2 ♥ |
6 ♠ |
All Pass |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Opening Lead: Heart King
“Ah! the clock is always slow;
It is later than you think.”
— Robert Service
In today’s deal from a rubber bridge game, South was a valiant performer, but had a weak heart. When his partner jumped to six spades, he turned so pale that North insisted on getting him a glass of water before letting him play the hand.
But South’s mood was improved when nobody doubled the slam, and his complexion recovered a little on the sight of dummy, as he realized that the contract actually had some play.
West led the heart king, and declarer made his first good play when he ruffed with dummy’s spade ace. The objective on the deal was to come to six spade tricks, five clubs, and one diamond, but just in case clubs were not breaking, South decided to take out a little insurance.
As West was likely to have at least two diamonds just to make up his point count for the opening bid, South found the excellent play of ducking a diamond at trick two. He won West’s trump return (the best play) in hand with the spade 10, ruffed a heart high again, then cashed the diamond ace, overtook the spade jack with the queen, and played the spade 10-9, discarding diamonds from table.
The clubs failed to break, as South had foreseen, but his secondary chance came in when East was now squeezed in the minors, and so the contract came home.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
7 6 4 2 |
| ♥ |
A K Q 10 7 2 |
| ♦ |
K Q |
| ♣ |
6 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| 1 ♥ |
Pass |
2 ♦ |
Pass |
| 2 ♥ |
Pass |
2 ♠ |
Pass |
| ? |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
ANSWER: It seems that you must raise spades now, but you do have a choice between raising to the three- and four-level, or producing a splinter-jump to four clubs. With such bad spades, it feels wrong to take any action at the four-level. The simple raise to three spades keeps open the option of playing in some other strain. (Even a 6-1 heart fit could be right, for example.)
For details of Bobby Wolff’s autobiography, The Lone Wolff, contact [email protected]. If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, please leave a comment at this blog. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2011. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
November 4th, 2011 ~ admin ~ 2 Comments
| Dealer: South
Vul: Both |
North
♠ A 10 7
♥ Q 10 7 5 2
♦ J 5 3 2
♣ 4 |
|
| West
♠ J 9 6 3
♥ 9 6 4 3
♦ Q 9
♣ K 5 2 |
|
East
♠ K 8 4 2
♥ A K J
♦ K 10 8 6
♣ J 3 |
| |
South
♠ Q 5
♥ 8
♦ A 7 4
♣ A Q 10 9 8 7 6 |
|
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| 1 ♣ |
Pass |
1 ♥ |
Dbl. |
| 2 ♣ |
2 ♠ |
Pass |
Pass |
| 3 ♣ |
All Pass |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Opening Lead: Spade Three
“Do you set your face against the daughter
Of life? Can you never discard
Your curt pride’s ban?”
— D.H. Lawrence
In today’s deal East should act at once by doubling North’s one-heart call. It is generally safer to get into the auction at once than wait until the opponents have limited their values and shape.
When South hears the two-spade call on his left, he should compete to three clubs. With only four spades, West should not bid any further — it is up to East to continue if he has extra shape. As it is, East has no reason to take another call.
When West leads a low spade, the seven is played from dummy and East takes his king. South can see that his losers are one spade, one heart, two diamonds, and, almost for sure, at least one club. His only chance of avoiding one of these losers is to pick up a second trick in spades by throwing his queen under the king and taking a finesse against the jack. With this play, a diamond can be discarded from hand on the spade ace. The lie of the trumps is such that whether declarer finesses the queen or the 10, the ace will bring down the outstanding honor on the next round, so only one trump trick will be lost.
This hand is a slight variation on a deal from the Culbertson-Lenz rubber match. Sidney Lenz declared the deal in this fashion and found the unblock of the spade queen at the table. Just for the record, a red-suit lead defeats the contract.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
A 10 7 |
| ♥ |
Q 10 7 5 2 |
| ♦ |
J 5 3 2 |
| ♣ |
4 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
|
1 ♣ |
Pass |
| 1 ♥ |
Pass |
3 ♣ |
Pass |
| ? |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
ANSWER: You have an awkward problem: if the clubs set up, you might make three no-trump. Equally, a partscore in clubs and a game in hearts are both perfectly plausible outcomes. The best way to explore for higher things is to bid three diamonds, but my bet would be that passing is the winner in the long run.
For details of Bobby Wolff’s autobiography, The Lone Wolff, contact [email protected]. If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, please leave a comment at this blog. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2011. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
November 3rd, 2011 ~ admin ~ 5 Comments
| Dealer: South
Vul: North-South |
North
♠ K J 6 5
♥ A K Q 8 7
♦ —
♣ J 7 5 3 |
|
| West
♠ 7
♥ 10 3
♦ A 9 8 6 3
♣ K Q 8 6 4 |
|
East
♠ Q 10 9 4 3
♥ 4
♦ K 7 5 4
♣ 10 9 2 |
| |
South
♠ A 8 2
♥ J 9 6 5 2
♦ Q J 10 2
♣ A |
|
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| 1 ♥ |
2 NT |
6 ♥ |
All Pass |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Opening Lead: Club King
“It is not enough to have a good mind. The main thing is to use it well.”
— Rene Descartes
In today’s deal West’s two-no-trump overcall showed at least 5-5 in the minors. North’s jump to six hearts is the kind of bid I approve of — a fair shot on a hand where it would be impossible to find out scientifically whether slam, or even a grand, would be a good proposition. Plan the play on the lead of the club king.
There are two possible lines of play: one is a complete crossruff. For that to work, you will need both the spade ace and king to live, but West may well have started with a singleton spade. A better line is simply to play for West to have at least one of the outstanding diamond honors, surely nearly 100% on the bidding.
Win the club ace and cash the ace of trump. If West shows out, you can change tack and go for the complete crossruff line, starting by cashing the spade ace and king, then ruffing clubs in hand and diamonds in dummy.
However, if both opponents followed suit on the trump ace, play a heart to your jack and run the diamond queen, pitching a spade from the dummy. Ruff East’s club return and play the diamond jack, probably covered by West. Ruff in the dummy, come back to hand with a club ruff, and cash the diamond 10, discarding another spade from dummy. Now a spade to the king, a spade to the ace and a spade ruff in the dummy bring your trick total to 12.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
Q 10 9 4 3 |
| ♥ |
4 |
| ♦ |
K 7 5 4 |
| ♣ |
10 9 2 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
|
2 ♣ |
2 ♥ |
| ? |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
ANSWER: It is important for a partnership to agree if this hand is good enough for a two-spade call in competition (most would say no, but would bid two spades if the spade queen were the king). If not, which is weaker, double or pass? One can play it either way, but I believe more play double as a double negative, with pass showing moderate values. This hand would therefore qualify for a pass.
For details of Bobby Wolff’s autobiography, The Lone Wolff, contact [email protected]. If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, please leave a comment at this blog. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2011. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
November 2nd, 2011 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, October 19th, 2011
| Dealer: South
Vul: East-West |
North
♠ Q 8
♥ J 5 3
♦ J 10 7
♣ A J 9 8 7 |
|
| West
♠ J 10 9 7 4 2
♥ 8 2
♦ K Q 8 5
♣ 5 |
|
East
♠ 6 5 3
♥ Q 10 9 4
♦ 9 4
♣ K 6 3 2 |
| |
South
♠ A K
♥ A K 7 6
♦ A 6 3 2
♣ Q 10 4 |
|
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| 2 NT |
Pass |
3 NT |
All Pass |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Opening Lead: Spade Jack
“‘In my youth,’ Father William replied to his son,
‘I feared it might injure the brain;
But now that I’m perfectly sure I have none,
Why, I do it again and again.'”
— Lewis Carroll
Some themes crop up more frequently in the fevered imaginations of bridge writers than at the table. But that does not mean that those themes are not both valid and worthwhile — they are.
With that caveat, consider that you will need to play carefully today to guarantee three no-trump, although on the face of it you have tricks to spare, one way or another.
I suspect if the deal were played in the local club, the defenders would lead spades, and declarer would win and play on clubs, with East taking the first or second round to return a spade. South would emerge with nine winners and might well think that the defenders had found the best lead and continuation. True enough, but consider what might happen if East had restrained himself sufficiently to duck both the first and second clubs. Now declarer would have three club tricks not four, and with the spade blockage, would have no re-entry to dummy.
So what is declarer to do? Answer: when the club queen and 10 hold the trick, with West discarding on the second round, South leads his third club to dummy’s ace, then plays the fourth club, discarding his spade king! Now the opponents must give him an entry to dummy if they continue the attack on spades. Equally, a shift to either hearts or diamonds merely puts off the evil day when one of dummy’s red jacks will provide an entry to the board.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
Q 8 |
| ♥ |
J 5 3 |
| ♦ |
J 10 7 |
| ♣ |
A J 9 8 7 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| Pass |
1 ♦ |
2 ♥ |
Dbl. |
| ? |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
ANSWER: You have enough to raise hearts pre-emptively, but since you expect to be defending a spade game, wouldn’t you like to get partner off to a club lead? The best way to do that is to bid three clubs now. As a passed hand, you can’t be rescuing partner from his long suit before anyone has passed for penalties. This is a fit-showing call, indicating heart tolerance and a desire for a club lead.
For details of Bobby Wolff’s autobiography, The Lone Wolff, contact [email protected]. If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, please leave a comment at this blog. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2011. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
November 1st, 2011 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, October 18th, 2011
| Dealer: South
Vul: East-West |
North
♠ A J 8 7
♥ 9 5 3
♦ A 9 4
♣ A J 5 |
|
| West
♠ —
♥ K J 4
♦ 7 6 3 2
♣ K Q 10 9 7 4 |
|
East
♠ 10 9 6 3
♥ 10 8 7 2
♦ 10 8
♣ 8 6 3 |
| |
South
♠ K Q 5 4 2
♥ A Q 6
♦ K Q J 5
♣ 2 |
|
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| 1 ♠ |
2 ♣ |
3 ♣ |
Pass |
| 3 ♦ |
Pass |
4 ♦ |
Pass |
| 4 ♥ |
Pass |
4 NT |
Pass |
| 5 ♥ |
Pass |
6 ♠ |
All Pass |
Opening Lead: Club King
“Be calm? And was I frantic?
You’ll have me laughing soon.
I’m calm as this Atlantic,
And quiet as the moon…”
— Edwin Arlington Robinson
Emotion at the bridge table is the great equalizer. When we think we have done well or badly, we often lose focus.
When today’s deal came up in a match between two decent teams, both tables bid competently to six spades. West led a high club which South won in dummy. His first thought was that his side might have missed the grand slam. He then took his eye off the ball by playing a trump to the king. When the 4-0 break came to light, he could see that he had no realistic chance to establish more than five trump tricks, so he drew trump and cashed three rounds of diamonds, ending in dummy. Then he took the heart finesse and conceded down one when West won and exited with a high club.
In the other room declarer also received a club lead against six spades. He made the critical play at trick two of ruffing a club in hand, then played the spade king and a spade to dummy, ruffed another club, played the spade queen from hand, then went to the diamond ace to draw the last trump, pitching a heart loser. Now he simply ran the diamonds and conceded trick 13 to the heart king.
Readers may try to make the slam by doing anything other than ruffing a club at trick two. But please don’t try too hard — it cannot be done.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
K Q 5 4 2 |
| ♥ |
A Q 6 |
| ♦ |
K Q J 5 |
| ♣ |
2 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
|
1 ♦ |
Pass |
| ? |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
ANSWER: If you play weak jump responses, you will have to bid one spade and muddle through thereafter. If you play strong jump responses, you can bid two spades, then raise diamonds at your next turn to show your slam potential, good fit, and your own good suit all at one go.
For details of Bobby Wolff’s autobiography, The Lone Wolff, contact [email protected]. If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, please leave a comment at this blog. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2011. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
October 31st, 2011 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Monday, October 17th, 2011
| Dealer: South
Vul: Neither |
North
♠ K Q 6
♥ A K Q 5
♦ Q 10 9 4 2
♣ Q |
|
| West
♠ 3
♥ 4 2
♦ A K 6 5
♣ K 10 7 6 3 2 |
|
East
♠ A 10 8 7 4
♥ 7 6
♦ J 8 7
♣ A 5 4 |
| |
South
♠ J 9 5 2
♥ J 10 9 8 3
♦ 3
♣ J 9 8 |
|
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| Pass |
1 ♣ |
Dbl. |
1 ♠ |
| 2 ♥ |
Pass |
4 ♥ |
All Pass |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Opening Lead: Diamond King
“Half the world knows not how the other half lives.”
— George Herbert
The old-fashioned textbooks tell you to lead king from ace-king, which on rare occasions leads to confusion between an ace-king and a king-queen combination. Accordingly, a modern idea (from merely 30 years ago!) is that you normally play ace from ace-king. This method is not foolproof either, since sometimes one leads an unsupported ace; but at least when you lead a king, you have either a doubleton ace-king, or a side-suit singleton.
In this deal from the Cavendish Pairs, the defenders can get the maximum against four hearts by collecting two ruffs. However, at one table, Bart Bramley (West) led the diamond king and shifted to the spade three. The message was not all that clear, since the partnership’s normal lead from ace-king was the king. South did the best that he could — trying to make up for his exuberance in the auction — by putting up the spade queen from dummy and concealing the spade two in hand by following with the five.
At this point East was not sure whether to try to give his partner a spade ruff at once. He took out insurance by cashing the club ace first to see whether he should instead try to score his partner’s diamond ace. Now Bramley carefully followed with the club king under the ace — suit preference for spades — to make his partner’s life easier and to ensure he got his ruff. Thoughtful defense.
LEAD WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
Q 9 7 6 |
| ♥ |
10 6 |
| ♦ |
J 8 5 3 2 |
| ♣ |
9 7 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
|
1 ♥ |
Dbl. |
| Pass |
2 ♣ |
Pass |
2 NT |
| Pass |
3 NT |
Dbl. |
All Pass |
| |
|
|
|
ANSWER: Your own hand tells you partner is not doubling on power. He must be doubling for a lead, and he knows you would have led a heart without the final double. Therefore, this sequence calls for an unusual lead, and it looks logical for it to be dummy’s suit. So lead the club nine.
For details of Bobby Wolff’s autobiography, The Lone Wolff, contact [email protected]. If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, please leave a comment at this blog. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2011. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
October 30th, 2011 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, October 16th, 2011
| Dear Mr. Wolff:
What is the right way to signal when your partner leads a king (presumably from ace-king) and dummy has the guarded queen in that suit?
— Counterbalance, Newport News, Va.
ANSWER: At a suit contract, if you hold a doubleton, you echo (high-low). If you have more, give count, with a high card suggesting an even number, and a low card suggesting an odd number. At no-trump I’d simply give count.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
What would you do with SPADES A-Q-7-3-2, HEARTS K-10-3-2, DIAMONDS 10-4 CLUBS J-9, when your partner opens one diamond and rebids one no-trump over your one-spade response? Would you try for game, or settle for a partscore?
— Max Headroom, San Antonio, Texas
ANSWER: Your hand does not look strong enough to try for game. (You have at best an eight-card fit in either major, and no more than 24 HCP.) I’d bid two hearts now, intending it as less than invitational values. With a better hand I’d start with two clubs, the New Minor, as a forcing relay.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
How should opener rebid when he opens a suit, his LHO overcalls, after which partner makes a negative double. Are jumps forcing — and if not, what about a double jump?
— Dick Diver, West Palm Beach, Fla.
|
|
ANSWER: Let’s look at a minor-suit opening, a one heart overcall, and a negative double. Now your one-spade call suggests four and a dead minimum, or three spades in a balanced or semi-balanced hand without a heart stop. A jump to two spades suggests four spades and 14-15 points — potentially unbalanced. A jump to three spades is an unbalanced hand with 16 or 17 points and four spades, strongly invitational but not forcing.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
In fourth seat how should I have developed the following hand: SPADES J-9-3-2, HEARTS A-K-4, DIAMONDS K-9, CLUBS Q-10-4-2 when my LHO opened two spades and my partner doubled? This was a team event with both sides vulnerable.
— Leading Edge, Edmonton, Alberta
ANSWER: The choice is to bid three no-trump or pass for penalties. A club partscore has no attractions. I’m guessing we rate to set two spades doubled for 500. If declarer can take six spade tricks because dummy has a high spade honor and partner a singleton, maybe there won’t be any other high cards in dummy. Since game rates to be hard to make, I’d gamble a pass unless my LHO is known to be very sound.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
Is there any real advantage to playing the version of keycard Blackwood currently recommended by Eddie Kantar, where a five-club response shows one or four keycards (counting the trump king as a keycard) and five diamonds shows none or three?
— New Business, Durango, Colo.
ANSWER: The most important thing is to play a system both players know well. Accidentally forgetting part of your system will more than outweigh the minute gains of playing the very best possible methods. I’d say stick with what you know — and if that is old-fashioned, I’ve been called worse than that. |
If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, e-mail him at [email protected]. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2011.
October 29th, 2011 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, October 15th, 2011
| Dealer: South
Vul: North-South |
North
♠ J 5
♥ J 4
♦ Q 8 4
♣ A 9 8 6 4 2 |
|
| West
♠ 10 8 7 6 3
♥ 8 7 2
♦ A J 5 2
♣ 3 |
|
East
♠ K
♥ K Q 6 5 3
♦ 10 9 7
♣ Q J 7 5 |
| |
South
♠ A Q 9 4 2
♥ A 10 9
♦ K 6 3
♣ K 10 |
|
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| 1 NT |
Pass |
3 NT |
All Pass |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Opening Lead: Spade Six
“The golden rule is to help those we love to escape from us; and never try to begin to help people, or influence them till they ask, but wait for them.”
— Friedrich von Huegel
In this deal from the IMP Pairs at the world championships in Philadelphia last year, Steve Hamaoui played three no-trump against the lead of the spade six, to the five, king and ace. Hamaoui cashed the club king and ran the club 10 to East, as West pitched a heart. East took the trick and played the heart king, ducked by Hamaoui, who played the heart jack from dummy, unblocking. East might have done better to switch to the diamond 10, but he persisted in hearts. Hamaoui took the heart 10 and cashed the ace, as West discarded a diamond.
Now Hamaoui played a low diamond from hand, winning the queen in dummy. He played off the club ace, and West was caught. Discarding the diamond jack would have let declarer make an overtrick. But if West discarded a spade, Hamaoui could still cash the spade and play a diamond. West would win the two diamond tricks but would still be endplayed in the spade suit, giving Hamaoui enough spade winners for his contract.
Curiously, the key defensive maneuver was for West to play the diamond jack on the first lead of the suit. If he had done so, declarer would not have been able to come up with the endplay he found. Declarer could not overtake the spade jack without conceding the setting tricks, and if he cashed the spade jack and led a diamond, East’s 10-9 would assure that he would gain the lead sooner or later to cash the setting tricks.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
K |
| ♥ |
K Q 6 5 3 |
| ♦ |
10 9 7 |
| ♣ |
Q J 7 5 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
|
|
1 ♣ |
| 1 ♥ |
Dbl. |
1 ♠ |
Pass |
| ? |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
ANSWER: Your partner’s one-spade bid should be constructive but nonforcing in competition. (Had West passed over one heart, the call is most commonly played as forcing by an unpassed hand.) Your lack of spade fit and decent club guard suggests a bid of one no-trump is the most practical action now.
For details of Bobby Wolff’s autobiography, The Lone Wolff, contact [email protected]. If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, please leave a comment at this blog. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2011. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
|
Subscribe to our feed
Bridge-related