January 2nd, 2010 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, December 19, 2009 
| Dealer: East
Vul: All |
North |
|
| ♠ |
7 4 3 |
| ♥ |
10 8 7 4 3 |
| ♦ |
K J 6 |
| ♣ |
K 2 |
| West |
 |
East |
| ♠ |
K 9 6 |
♠ |
Q J |
| ♥ |
J 9 6 |
♥ |
A K Q 5 2 |
| ♦ |
10 7 4 2 |
♦ |
Q 8 |
| ♣ |
J 8 6 |
♣ |
A 10 4 3 |
| |
South |
|
| ♠ |
A 10 8 5 2 |
| ♥ |
— |
| ♦ |
A 9 5 3 |
| ♣ |
Q 9 7 5 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
|
|
1♥ |
| 1♠ |
2♥ |
2♠ |
3♣ |
| 3♠ |
Pass |
Pass |
Dbl. |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
Opening Lead:♥6
“I cannot tell how the truth may be;
I say the tale as ’twas said to me.”
— Sir Walter Scott
Joe Grue, one of the most talented players under 30 in the United States, brought today’s deal to the attention of the bulletin staff. He was sitting East playing in a junior tournament, defending three spades doubled, on a heart lead.
The heart six went to the queen, ruffed. Declarer Adam Edgtton of Australia played a low club to the king and ace, Grue switching correctly to the spade queen, which Edgtton won with the ace. After cashing the club queen and ruffing a club, Edgtton ruffed another heart. A diamond to the king allowed another heart ruff. Declarer had managed to score a considerable number of his small trumps, but was not home yet.
When South played his last club, it was ruffed by West’s spade nine. West drew the opponents’ trumps with the king, but had been reduced to leading diamonds, to declarer’s benefit. The contract could no longer be beaten, whether West played the diamond 10 or a low diamond.
The winning defense in this position is far from obvious, but I think West should have found it. Given that the right play would be for East to shift to a low trump from an original holding of the Q-10, West must ruff the club high so that he can underlead in trumps to his partner. Since South will now be out of trumps, East can cash two hearts and set the contract.
ANSWER: You may have only three-card support for partner, but you have more than enough in diamonds to raise to two diamonds. Remember, your partner’s opening bid guarantees four or more diamonds unless he has four hearts and four spades. The auction has made that impossible, so you can be sure that your side has a real diamond fit. Do not sell out cheaply if you can avoid it.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
7 4 3 |
| ♥ |
10 8 7 4 3 |
| ♦ |
K J 6 |
| ♣ |
K 2 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
|
1♦ |
Dbl. |
| 1♥ |
1♠ |
Pass |
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 2009. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
January 1st, 2010 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Friday, December 18, 2009
| Dealer: East
Vul: N/S |
North |
|
| ♠ |
K 5 |
| ♥ |
A |
| ♦ |
J 10 9 8 6 4 2 |
| ♣ |
A 7 3 |
| West |
|
East |
| ♠ |
A Q 9 7 3 |
♠ |
6 2 |
| ♥ |
7 5 4 3 |
♥ |
Q J 9 2 |
| ♦ |
3 |
♦ |
A 7 |
| ♣ |
Q 10 5 |
♣ |
K 8 6 4 2 |
| |
South |
|
| ♠ |
J 10 8 4 |
| ♥ |
K 10 8 6 |
| ♦ |
K Q 5 |
| ♣ |
J 9 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
|
|
Pass |
| Pass |
2♦* |
3♦ |
Pass |
| 3 NT |
All Pass |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Opening Lead: Take your pick
“When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.”
— Edmund Burke
Today’s deal was well defended by 21-year-old Fiona Brown of Australia, who, partnered by Hugh McGann of Ireland, came fourth in the World Mixed Pairs Championship. Their opponents were 2005 Venice Cup World Champion Daniele Allouche-Gaviard of France, playing with Juan Ventin of Spain.
In third seat at favorable vulnerability, most youth players would have impulsively bid something. The opening pre-empt did not prevent the opponents from reaching three no-trump, but it did give Brown a clue as to what to lead.
Because partner might have competed with three or more cards in each major, Fiona decided that her partner’s most likely long suit was clubs, so she found the logical and devastating opening lead of the club five. Hugh McGann won the king and returned the four to the jack and queen. Declarer made the good deduction that East rated to have the diamond ace. If clubs were 4-4, she had no chance, but if the actual position in clubs existed, she might still be able to block the suit. Therefore, declarer won the second club and played a diamond to the king.
When declarer played a second diamond, West realized that with J-9-8 of clubs, declarer would have played the eight, not the jack, on the second club. Therefore, since East must have the club eight, she discarded her blocking club 10 on the second round of diamonds, letting East run his suit. Three no-trump down two was worth almost a complete top for East-West.
ANSWER: There is something to be said for doubling one spade (for penalties) and then introducing the hearts if the opponents escape to a minor. Equally, bidding two hearts, or even jumping to three hearts directly, would also make good sense. The intermediates suggest that the hand is too good for a simple call of two hearts, so that doubling, then bidding hearts, gets the hand across as well as anything.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
J 10 8 4 |
| ♥ |
K 10 8 6 |
| ♦ |
K Q 5 |
| ♣ |
J 9 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
1♣ |
Dbl. |
1♠ |
| ? |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
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 2009. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
December 31st, 2009 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, December 17, 2009
| Dealer: South
Vul: All |
North |
|
| ♠ |
Q 10 5 |
| ♥ |
Q 8 2 |
| ♦ |
A 5 2 |
| ♣ |
Q 9 6 4 |
| West |
|
East |
| ♠ |
A 8 7 2 |
♠ |
J 9 6 4 |
| ♥ |
5 3 |
♥ |
9 7 |
| ♦ |
10 8 7 3 |
♦ |
K Q 9 6 |
| ♣ |
10 8 7 |
♣ |
A J 3 |
| |
South |
|
| ♠ |
K 3 |
| ♥ |
A K J 10 6 4 |
| ♦ |
J 4 |
| ♣ |
K 5 2 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| 1♥ |
Pass |
2♥ |
Dbl. |
| 3♣ |
Pass |
4♥ |
All Pass |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Opening Lead:♦3
“Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.”
— Hippocrates
At the World Championships in Verona in 2006 the best result by a junior player was by Eldad Ginossar of Israel, who collected a bronze medal for finishing third in the World Open Teams Championship, playing with a Turkish partner and Israeli teammates. Here’s Ginossar in action, declaring four hearts.
A diamond was led and declarer played low from dummy to start to cut the defenders’ communications. He could not avoid the loss of a diamond whatever he did.
The diamond went to East’s queen, and a heart was returned. Ginossar drew two rounds of trump and played the spade king. West won the ace and made the fatal mistake of returning a diamond. That was won by dummy’s ace, and a club went to the king. Now Ginossar played off all his trumps, reducing to a three-card ending.
He could keep two spades and the bare club queen in dummy, but what was East to hold onto? With four cards left he had retained the guarded spade jack and the club ace and jack. But now, if he discarded a spade, declarer would lead to the queen and take the 10. If he pitched a club, as he did, Ginossar could throw East in with his club ace to concede the last two tricks to dummy’s spades.
Should West have worked out, when in with the spade ace, that he needed to play a second spade? It is certainly easier with all four hands in view.
ANSWER: The best call here is to double. This is technically known as a responsive double. (These apply when you double a bid-and-raised suit in response to your partner’s double.) The sequence suggests the minors, not spades, since if you had spades, you would bid them yourself. If partner picks diamonds, there is a decent chance he has five of them.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
Q 10 5 |
| ♥ |
Q 8 2 |
| ♦ |
A 5 2 |
| ♣ |
Q 9 6 4 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
1♥ |
Dbl. |
2♥ |
| ? |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
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 2009. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
December 30th, 2009 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, December 16, 2009
| Dealer: West
Vul: E/W |
North |
|
| ♠ |
K 9 7 4 |
| ♥ |
A Q 10 6 5 3 |
| ♦ |
K |
| ♣ |
J 2 |
| West |
|
East |
| ♠ |
A 5 |
♠ |
J 6 2 |
| ♥ |
J 9 4 |
♥ |
K 7 |
| ♦ |
J 9 8 6 5 4 2 |
♦ |
A 10 7 |
| ♣ |
Q |
♣ |
9 8 7 5 3 |
| |
South |
|
| ♠ |
Q 10 8 3 |
| ♥ |
8 2 |
| ♦ |
Q 3 |
| ♣ |
A K 10 6 4 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
Pass |
1♥ |
Pass |
| 2♣ |
Pass |
2♥ |
Pass |
| 2♠ |
Pass |
3♠ |
Pass |
| 4♠ |
All Pass |
|
|
Opening Lead:♦2
“This imputation of inconsistency is one to which every sound politician and every honest thinker must sooner or later subject himself. The foolish and the dead alone never change their opinion.”
— James Russell Lowell
Today’s deal comes from the Junior Bridge Camp held in Piestany in 2006. Declarer, Irene Baroni, is one of the young superstars in the making in Italian bridge.
Kevin Dwyer’s lead of the diamond two against four spades went to the king and ace, and back came a club. Baroni took the ace, dropping the queen to her surprise. Now the diamond queen allowed dummy’s club to be discarded, East following with the seven.
The heart finesse lost, and East returned a third diamond, letting Baroni discard a heart from hand and ruff in dummy.
The contract now hinged on finding the spade jack, but Baroni decided to do some exploration first. She played the heart ace and ruffed a heart as East pitched a club. Now came the club king, on which West carefully pitched a diamond rather than ruffing in, then the club 10 and six, the last ruffed in dummy, with West discarding each time. In the three-card ending, with Q-10-8 of trumps in hand and K-9-7 in dummy, whom should you play for the jack? Baroni correctly led a trump to the 10 and made her contract.
All credit to West, though, for not ruffing in at any point. While it is always easy to see why one should get positions of this sort right when all 52 cards are visible, at the table things are much harder.
Declarer’s only clue was that West’s lead, coupled with his discards, and East’s decision to lead a third diamond suggested a 7-3 split there. If so, that meant West had begun with only two spades.
ANSWER: Although you have a little extra shape, your minor-suit holdings are very unattractive and you have already shown your sixth heart, while denying a dead minimum. Hence you have nothing in hand and should pass, hoping you are not already too high.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
K 9 7 4 |
| ♥ |
A Q 10 6 5 3 |
| ♦ |
K |
| ♣ |
J 2 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| 1♥ |
Pass |
1 NT |
2♣ |
| 2♥ |
Pass |
3♥ |
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 2009. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
December 29th, 2009 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Tuesday, December 15, 2009
| Dealer: North
Vul: N/S |
North |
|
| ♠ |
A K 9 8 5 4 |
| ♥ |
J 7 2 |
| ♦ |
K 7 |
| ♣ |
K 5 |
| West |
|
East |
| ♠ |
10 3 |
♠ |
Q 7 2 |
| ♥ |
9 6 5 4 |
♥ |
A K Q 10 |
| ♦ |
6 |
♦ |
Q 10 9 4 3 2 |
| ♣ |
Q 10 8 7 6 3 |
♣ |
— |
| |
South |
|
| ♠ |
J 6 |
| ♥ |
8 3 |
| ♦ |
A J 8 5 |
| ♣ |
A J 9 4 2 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
|
1♠ |
2♦ |
| 3 NT |
All Pass |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Opening Lead:♣7
“What we anticipate seldom occurs; what we least expected generally happens.”
— Benjamin Disraeli
At a recent New Zealand Nationals, the organizers instituted a play of the day. The first prize went to Dave Wiltshire from Australia for his declarer play in today’s deal. (And yes, an easier way to make a living might have been to pass two diamonds and wait for a reopening double.)
Against three no-trump West led the club seven, and when South’s nine won the first trick, Wiltshire could count eight tricks (assuming that the diamond queen was with East). But where would the ninth trick come from? Wiltshire decided that as nobody had bid hearts, there was a very good chance that hearts were 4-4, so at trick two he played the heart eight from hand and ran it!
East gratefully won the 10 and cashed three more rounds of hearts (declarer pitching a spade from dummy and a spade and a club from hand).
East continued with a small diamond, which Wiltshire ran to dummy’s king. He cashed the club king and finessed the diamond jack. Next came the diamond ace, followed by the club ace, reducing everybody down to three cards. Dummy had its three top spades; declarer held the spade jack, a losing diamond and a club. But what were the defenders to keep?
West had to protect the clubs and thus could hold on to no more than two spades. East had to guard the diamonds and thus could retain only two spades. Therefore, because neither opponent could protect spades, dummy was sure to win the last three tricks.
ANSWER: There is truly no clear-cut action here, but you have a choice between a forcing bid of three clubs, a cue-bid of two spades( showing a good hand but normally offering heart support), and a simple raise to three hearts, which understates your high cards while overstating your heart support. Put me in the cue-bidding camp, but I don’t like any of the choices.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
J 6 |
| ♥ |
8 3 |
| ♦ |
A J 8 5 |
| ♣ |
A J 9 4 2 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
1♠ |
2♥ |
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 2009. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
December 28th, 2009 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Monday, December 14, 2009
| Dealer: South
Vul: E/W |
North |
|
| ♠ |
8 7 |
| ♥ |
A 6 4 |
| ♦ |
Q J 10 9 5 |
| ♣ |
A Q 3 |
| West |
|
East |
| ♠ |
Q 10 9 5 2 |
♠ |
J 6 3 |
| ♥ |
J 5 3 |
♥ |
K 7 2 |
| ♦ |
A 6 |
♦ |
K 8 3 |
| ♣ |
10 6 2 |
♣ |
8 7 5 4 |
| |
South |
|
| ♠ |
A K 4 |
| ♥ |
Q 10 9 8 |
| ♦ |
7 4 2 |
| ♣ |
K J 9 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| 1♣ |
Pass |
1♦ |
Pass |
| 1 NT |
Pass |
3 NT |
All Pass |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Opening Lead:♠10
“No man who is not willing to bear arms and to fight for his rights can give a good reason why he should be entitled to the privilege of living in a free community.”
— Theodore Roosevelt
Today’s deal, which might be described as the art of the possible, gives both sides the chance to play well. West leads a spade against South’s contract of three no-trump, reached after South had shown a balanced hand with 12-14 points.
To start with, South must duck the first spade and win the second. (In the unlikely event that spades are 6-2 with the diamond honors split, this initial duck will exhaust East of his spades.) Next comes the misdirection: South should sneakily cross to dummy with the club queen to advance the diamond queen, as if taking a finesse.
A smart East will still rise with the diamond king at once to protect his partner’s entry. Then he can play a third spade, and West will be able to cash out to set the hand when he wins his diamond ace.
Should East be able to find this rather unnatural defense? He could argue that if declarer has the diamond ace, the defenders won’t set the hand. East knows from the opening lead that South has two high spades (surely the spade ace-king), two club tricks, and one heart. If he has the diamond ace, he has at least four diamond winners. Therefore, East’s only legitimate chance to beat the hand comes from finding West with the diamond ace. East should see the need to protect his partner’s entry so that West can reach his spade winners.
ANSWER: When you are on lead against what you assume to be a sacrifice, with your side holding more than half the deck in high cards, your first reaction should always be to lead a trump to prevent a crossruff. It is highly unlikely that declarer will be able to establish a minor in dummy and make the hand; far more frequently you will reduce declarer’s chance of taking his trumps separately.
LEAD WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
8 4 |
| ♥ |
A J 6 |
| ♦ |
K Q 6 3 |
| ♣ |
J 9 7 4 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
|
1♥ |
1♠ |
| 2♠ |
4♠ |
Pass |
Pass |
| Dbl. |
All 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 2009. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
December 27th, 2009 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, December 13, 2009
| Dear Mr. Wolff:
When I hold an ace, my partner will often hold the king of the same suit, but neither of us will lead the suit because we do not want to underlead an ace or king. How often is it fatally wrong to cash an unsupported ace against a slam?
— Living Dangerously, Charleston, S.C.
ANSWER: The question of whether more slams are let through by cashing an ace unwisely as opposed to not cashing an ace is such a vexed one that many partnerships have split up over it. My view is not to lead an ace unless the auction sounds so strong that I imagine my tricks may go away. And when I have a sequence, I normally would lead that instead.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
Playing rubber bridge, I held ♠ —, ♥ K-J-10-9-7-5-3, ♦ A-K-J-7-3, ♣ 10. My RHO opened four spades, I doubled, and, alas, all passed. They made 12 tricks. What call should I have made? My partner assumed I was doubling for penalty. She held four diamonds to the queen, and five diamonds would have been a good sacrifice.
— Hidden Treasure, Dallas, Texas
ANSWER: I prefer to use the double for takeout. Partner removes with shape or values, but can pass with a flat weak hand. When you have shape, you should bid your long-suit at an appropriate level, or make a two-suited takeout bid. Most people play a bid of four no-trump here as a two-suited takeout, and that action would get you to a diamond contract. Equally, with 7-5 shape you might just bid hearts and not worry about the second suit.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
My LHO opened the bidding and my RHO now jumped to two spades to show a weak hand and a long suit. I doubled and the next two hands passed. My RHO was thinking of bidding when his partner jocularly asked him if he knew that two spades doubled was game. Was this appropriate – and, by the way, wasn’t my double for takeout, not penalties?
— Innocent Bystander, Macon, Ga.
|
|
ANSWER: It is worse than inappropriate — it is wholly wrong for LHO to suggest to his partner to pass when he may have been about to bid. That would be considered a very grave offense at high levels of the game. Your double sounds like takeout to me. (Most players believe that a double, at your first turn, of any contract except no-trump is for takeut.) Even doubles at your second turn will be takeout if facing a passed partner, of if the opponents have announced a fit.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
Say you deal yourself ♠ A-9-3, ♥ A-Q-3-2, ♦ K-Q-7-3-2, ♣ 10. If you open one diamond and hear a response of one spade, what options would you consider sensible?
— Chunky Monkey, West Palm Beach, Fla.
ANSWER: You have a good but not great hand, nearly good enough for a reverse to two hearts because of the spade fit, but not quite. Give yourself the diamond jack instead of a small one and you’d do that. Since you cannot repeat diamonds or bid no-trump, you’re left with a slightly inelegant raise to two spades. You are a little too strong but have only three trumps — on balance, it is about right.
Dear Mr. Wolff:
I follow your column on a daily basis in “The Gazette” in Montreal. From what source do you get the quotes that precede the analyses? Do you research them yourself or do you have a staff member who finds them for you?
— Marion the Librarian, Montreal
ANSWER: Bartlett’s, The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations and the web suffice. Generally, I have a thematic idea I’m looking for, which ties into the deal. Occasionally, when the deal suggests nothing, I go to some bridge collections and browse for something funny, entertaining or thought-provoking. |
If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, e-mail him at [email protected]. Reproduced with permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc., Copyright 2009.
December 26th, 2009 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Saturday, December 12, 2009
| Dealer: South
Vul: N/S |
North |
|
| ♠ |
8 2 |
| ♥ |
5 3 |
| ♦ |
A Q 10 9 6 |
| ♣ |
A J 7 5 |
| West |
|
East |
| ♠ |
7 |
♠ |
J 9 6 5 4 3 |
| ♥ |
K J 9 7 4 |
♥ |
Q 10 8 6 |
| ♦ |
4 3 2 |
♦ |
8 |
| ♣ |
Q 10 8 4 |
♣ |
K 6 |
| |
South |
|
| ♠ |
A K Q 10 |
| ♥ |
A 2 |
| ♦ |
K J 7 5 |
| ♣ |
9 3 2 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| 1♦ |
1♥ |
2♥ |
4♥ |
| 4♠ |
Pass |
5♣ |
Pass |
| 6♦ |
All Pass |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Opening Lead:♠7
“Honesty is a good thing but it is not profitable to its possessor unless it is kept under control.”
— Don Marquis
Against six diamonds West led his singleton spade and declarer paused to take stock. Although a heart and a club could be discarded on declarer’s spades, it still looked as if there would be two club losers.
While it was possible that West held both club honors, it was more likely that the honors were split, in which case the best chance was to find one opponent with honor-doubleton of clubs. In order to make it as hard as possible for a defender to unblock his doubleton honor, declarer won the spade lead and immediately played a club, and when West followed low smoothly, declarer put up dummy’s ace. He then drew trumps, cashed his spades, discarding a club and a heart from dummy, ruffed a heart, and led a low club. East had to win and give declarer a ruff and discard for his contract.
As you can see, if East had unblocked his club king, or had discarded it on a trump, declarer would have been able to lead up to dummy’s jack for his contract.
Also note what would have happened if declarer had won the spade lead, immediately drawn trumps, then cashed his spades and heart ace. He would ruff a heart in the dummy before playing the club ace, on which East would now have known to unblock his king. Declarer would then have had to cross to hand with his last trump to lead a club toward dummy’s jack. West would have been able to discard a club, leaving himself with a winning heart to cash when he won the club queen.
ANSWER: It looks tempting to jump to four spades, and indeed you might well make four spades. But since partner might have competed to two spades with little more than jack-fourth of spades and an ace, you should cut him some slack. A simple raise to three spades shows a good hand and lets partner decide how much he had in hand for his first call.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
A K Q 10 |
| ♥ |
A 2 |
| ♦ |
K J 7 5 |
| ♣ |
9 3 2 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
|
|
1♥ |
| Dbl. |
2♥ |
2♠ |
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 2009. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
December 25th, 2009 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Friday, December 11, 2009
| Dealer: West
Vul: N/S |
North |
|
| ♠ |
7 6 |
| ♥ |
10 4 3 |
| ♦ |
A Q 6 5 3 |
| ♣ |
A 9 4 |
| West |
|
East |
| ♠ |
Q 10 9 5 3 |
♠ |
J 8 |
| ♥ |
8 |
♥ |
9 7 6 2 |
| ♦ |
J 9 7 2 |
♦ |
10 |
| ♣ |
K Q 8 |
♣ |
J 10 7 6 5 2 |
| |
South |
|
| ♠ |
A K 4 2 |
| ♥ |
A K Q J 5 |
| ♦ |
K 8 4 |
| ♣ |
3 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
| 1♥ |
Pass |
2♦ |
Pass |
| 2♠ |
Pass |
4♥ |
Pass |
| 4 NT |
Pass |
5♦ |
Pass |
| 6♦ |
Pass |
7♥ |
All Pass |
Opening Lead:♣K
“Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself.
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)”
— Walt Whitman
In today’s deal it looks natural to tackle the heart grand slam by winning the club ace and drawing trumps, then relying on the diamonds to split. That line requires nothing more than diamonds to be 3-2, something that occurs just over two-thirds of the time.
There are two alternative approaches you might reasonably follow. You could win the opening lead and play on spades, ruffing the third spade low and the fourth spade high in dummy. That line would fail when spades split 6-1 (surely impossible with both opponents silent throughout) or when spades split 5-2 with East having the shortage. This is about as good a play as relying on the diamonds to split, but it too would fail today.
An even better approach than those combines the underlying approach of the two lines. You win the club lead and draw two trumps, noting West’s discard on the second round. Then you play to ruff just one spade in dummy, which ought to pass off peacefully enough, and duly does so today. You cross back to hand with the diamond king and run the rest of your trumps to reduce to a three-card ending, where you have a spade menace in hand and three diamonds in dummy. West cannot keep both his spade and diamond guards, so your grand slam comes home on a squeeze.
This line will succeed about four times out of five and is your best chance for the contract.
ANSWER: A simple false-preference to two spades is sufficient here. You have shown at least invitational values with your first call. There is no need to commit the hand to no-trump yet. Let partner move on if he has extras, and if he does not, he will not need to be boosted beyond the two-level.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
7 6 |
| ♥ |
9 4 3 |
| ♦ |
A Q 6 5 3 |
| ♣ |
A 9 4 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
|
1♠ |
2♣ |
| 2♦ |
Pass |
2♥ |
Pass |
| ? |
|
|
|
| |
|
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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 2009. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
December 24th, 2009 ~ admin ~ Comments Off on The Aces on Bridge: Thursday, December 10, 2009
| Dealer: East
Vul: N/S |
North |
|
| ♠ |
A J 8 3 |
| ♥ |
8 5 4 |
| ♦ |
Q J 4 |
| ♣ |
J 9 2 |
| West |
|
East |
| ♠ |
— |
♠ |
10 7 6 |
| ♥ |
Q 10 6 |
♥ |
J 7 3 2 |
| ♦ |
8 6 5 3 |
♦ |
10 7 |
| ♣ |
A Q 10 6 4 3 |
♣ |
K 8 7 5 |
| |
South |
|
| ♠ |
K Q 9 5 4 2 |
| ♥ |
A K 9 |
| ♦ |
A K 9 2 |
| ♣ |
— |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
|
|
Pass |
| 1♠ |
2♣ |
2♠ |
3♣ |
| 3♦ |
Pass |
4♣ |
Dbl. |
| Rdbl. |
5♣ |
Pass |
Pass |
| 6♣ |
Pass |
6♥ |
Pass |
| 6♠ |
Pass |
7♠ |
All Pass |
Opening Lead:♣A
“We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it — and stop there; lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove-lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove-lid again — and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold one anymore.”
— Mark Twain
The Lederer Invitational Teams is a world-class event held every year in London. As the last round of the 2008 tournament started, the gap between the leaders, Team Gold Cup and the chasing teams of England and Ireland (who played each other in the last round) had closed. On the final deal, Forrester and Bakhshi for the leaders had only to bid a small slam to win the event. The players did not know this, of course, and there was another possible twist to the tale.
The key bid was by South, David Bakhshi, three diamonds showing his second suit, which made North, Tony Forrester, like his hand much more. He had nothing wasted in clubs, and had a fourth trump, which he had not promised. When Bakhshi made a grand-slam try with a six–club bid, he was pleased to cooperate. He chose six hearts, as he did not want to play in diamonds.
Now Bakhshi indicated, completely in tempo, that he was not worth any more himself; and that might have ended the auction. But Forrester re-evaluated his diamond holding one more time and bid the grand slam. Right he was! They played the small slam in the other room.
Interestingly, East, Gunnar Hallberg, could, and probably would, have sacrificed in seven clubs if Forrester had passed six spades. Had North-South then defended to seven clubs, down only 800, the IMPs dropped by the Gold Cup team would have let their pursuers (Ireland) overtake them.
ANSWER: The jump to four hearts is a splinter, showing short hearts and a slam-try for diamonds. In context you now have a marvelous hand – remember, thus far you have promised nothing. With two working honors, you will commit the hand to slam, but start by cue-bidding four spades, planning to raise five diamonds to six.
BID WITH THE ACES
South Holds:
| ♠ |
A J 8 3 |
| ♥ |
8 5 4 |
| ♦ |
Q J 4 |
| ♣ |
J 9 2 |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
| |
|
1♦ |
Pass |
| 1♠ |
Pass |
3♣ |
Pass |
| 3♦ |
Pass |
4♥ |
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 2009. If you are interested in reprinting The Aces on Bridge column, contact [email protected].
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