Here is an interesting hand I observed this morning played by world class players on Bridge Base Online (BBO).
Here is an example of a competitive auction, and the thought process involved in it:
Is from Pam Hudson’s grand prize winner in the March Bridge Bulletin:
To staunchly conservative Loren,
All post-fifties ideas are foreign.
Our partnership ended
When he got offended:
I told him he’s no Charlie Goren.
Congrats, Pam!
See below for update 3/7/2020
Update 3/7/2020: Notice that you and dummy hold the top three diamonds. If four missing trumps break no worse than 3-1 and six missing diamonds break no worse than 4-2 (an 81 percent chance), then you can take all 13 tricks. Cash the king of diamonds at trick two. Draw one round of trumps ending in dummy at trick three. Ruff a low diamond high in hand at trick four. If both opponents follow, the diamonds are set up. Draw trumps at tricks five and six ending in dummy. Now run your remaining four diamonds from the top at tricks seven through 10, pitching two losing spades and two losing clubs. Now your hand is good with two remaining trumps and a winning spade. 13 tricks taken. Nice work.
See update below with my recommendation
Update 3/2/20:
Coda:
I enjoyed discussing the possibilities of this hand with Steve Bartholomew. We discovered one situation in which the end play would not work, namely if East happened to start with all three missing spades (11 percent chance). In that case you are back to guessing who has the king of clubs.
By using a clue from the bidding to visualize East’s hand, you increased your chance of making the slam from 50 percent to 95 percent. Good concentration and nice play! Isn’t it fun when you can “see” all the hands?
My goal was never really about becoming competent at bridge. It was about seeing how good I could be. That is what it is about for me — I am still working on becoming better all the time.
ACBL’s Player of the Decade Jeff Meckstroth as quoted in the Bridge Bulletin, February 2020, p, 18.
2/29/20 See update below
This is a good double dummy exercise involving an end play, Can you figure it out? Answer tomorrow afternoon.
Update 2/29/20:
Good concentration and nice play! Isn’t it fun when you can “see” all the hands?
HiloHarry Comments:
- Partner should have about seven HCP. You have 12, dummy has five, declarer has about 16. 40 minus (12+5+16) equals seven.
- Declarer seems to have five hearts. Why else would partner part with an honor?
- You can see that declarer started with exactly two clubs, since she opened the bidding 1NT. You started with four clubs, dummy has six clubs, partner showed up with one club. That leaves only two clubs for declarer. Based on your count, you play the ace of clubs to isolate dummy.
In this case your partner opens the bidding with one diamond. Right hand opponent overcalls one heart, You hold:
You have just enought strength to make a negative double with bidding still at the one level. Double by you says to partner that you hold exactly four spades and 6+points. If you held 5+ spades you would instead bid one spade.
Here is a hand from yesterday that displayed the negative double in action.
Your partner opens one diamond in second seat. Right hand opponent overcalls one spade. You have some nice values, four hearts and six clubs. It’s perfect situation for a negative double. Double promises four plus hearts in this situation. Your partner will know what to do. Most pairs yesterday got to game and made five hearts.
Here is your hand:
Your right hand opponent opens the bidding one heart in second seat. You pass, and left hand opponent responds one spade. Right hand opponents’s rebid is two clubs, and left hand opponent jumps to four hearts. Here is summary of the auction:
You lead the deuce of spades and see this dummy:
Dummy plays low, your partner plays the king, and declarer wins the ace.
Now declarer draws trumps ending in hand, your partner having shown up with four small hearts.
Declarer cashes the jack of spades and leads the 10 to dummy’s queen. Declarer cashes dummy’s remaining two spades. What do you discard on that last spade?
Hold onto those clubs for dear life! Remember the bidding. If you pitch a club, declarer is going to drop your queen for an overtrick.
You are East in a contract of four hearts.
