Friday evening June 8, 2007

I have to admit this is my favorite hand of the night, even though I got clobbered. We'd just set Bernie and Frances twice on previous hands and we had a pretty good heckle working. When Frances laid her hand down, there was some additional jabbering about her sixth round control of hearts. A low diamond came around to the jack. A low club was led to the board, the queen overtaking the ten. A low club back to the nine forced the ace out. A diamond return came to the ace. Bernie was in Fat City; three more clubs, then four spades, conceding a heart at the end; making five NT and a top board. When they left the table I made sure my wallet was still in my back pocket. Well done, Bernie!

What made this worse was that 2D made our way in the South as did 2NT making four! South gets the fourth from the longest and strongest, the 4 of hearts. South uses the Rule of 11 and calculates there are 7 cards higher than the 4 in North, East and South. When East plays the 10, then there are no other cards higher than the 4 in East's hand. Thus the 9 of hearts can be finessed. But, South first tackles diamonds, leading the queen. East wins with the ace and returns a club, won by declarer's ace. The heart finesse works, then the top hearts are run. Declarer then leads the ten of diamonds intending to finesse. East contributes the jack, West the nine; making 10 tricks.

This is the kind of hand that makes bridge such a great game.

Friday evening June 8, 2007

A very well bid slam, indeed. The play was quite routine against any lead. The important thing is They Got To It. After the transfer to spades, the trump suit was assumed to be spades. Bids afterwards were control bids, which is the best way to slowly get to slam once trump has been established. The 3D-4C-4D-4H bids are all excellent control bids. Well done Sarah and Ellen!

Friday evening June 8, 2007

Nicely bid and played by Janet and Judy. With the aces under control, South received a generous diamond lead, allowing the jack to win. A low club back to the jack, followed by the jack of hearts and a little heart to the board. Back to the hand with a diamond, then cash a diamond and drop a spade. The third heart is run through West, then the king dropped. When the clubs are run OK, the only card left in North's hand is the ace of spades. Well done!

Saturday morning June 9, 2007

Three NT makes 4 with careful playing, as does four hearts. I got a spade lead on this hand, won with the ace, played one round of hearts and came back to my hand with a club. Recognizing that East is the Dangerous Opponent (sure don't want East leading the jack of diamonds through me!) I allowed West to win the second round of hearts with the jack. West then took the ace of diamonds and continued spades. In the end I lost a spade, a heart and the ace of diamonds; and got lucky when the clubs divided evenly. But, in duplicate 430 gets a top board when the other teams are playing four hearts making four for 420.

As an aside, neither team that played the heart contracts used the Stayman convention or if they did, the 1NT opener bid incorrectly. Using Stayman, the correct sequence is 1NT-2C, 2H-3H, giving South the opportunity to pick 3NT or 4H. Both heart contracts were played by North, which means if Stayman was used the bidding went 1NT-2C, 2S-3H, 4H-P. Opener is to bid the ratty four hearts ahead of the good four spades; 2H doesn't deny 4 spades while 2S does deny four hearts.

Saturday morning June 9, 2007

I would lead the ace of hearts and switch to the jack of spades. Declarer must play diamonds first, using the nine of spades to trump the odd diamond in hand; then draw the trump and claim. Nice bid. I was in 5 spades doubled making six for the odd score of 1050. Well done Kitty!

Saturday morning June 9, 2007

This competitive and interesting hand was played in clubs only once, 5 clubs making 6. One hapless pair ended up in 4S doubled down four. The bidding went 1S-X-P-2H, 2S-3H-4C-4H
4S-X-ALL PASS. I should have insisted on 5C, most likely getting doubled. North can get to the above slam by switching suits after partner makes a free bid at the four level. It's figured to be a distributional hand, anyway. The only trick South loses is the ace of diamonds. The diamonds are ruffed out, the extra heart discarded on North's ace of spades, South then claims.