created by Tony Poole.
URL: http://www.hiltonproperty.co.uk/bridge
The injustice of bridge
When your luck is in you can bid and make many dodgy contracts but when Lady Luck is not on your side bridge can be a cruel game. Take this evening's game for instance.
Board 5 North/South vulnerable. You are playing East/West. No you are not playing 26 cards. Your partner is a good player but she has recently used up her share of luck, winning a recent local event. When did you last have your share of luck? You can't remember the last time you had your share of Lady Luck, perhaps she sits in your seat when you decide not to play. Tonight you are not too bothered because tonight you are playing with the Duchess.
S AK1095 H 64 D QJ92 C 74 S J6 S 8743 H AJ8 H Q73 D 643 D A87 C K10953 C AQJ S Q2 H K10952 D K105 C 862Bidding
W N E S MM CE Duch - 1NT - - 2S - - 3C - - -The Duchess opened a standard 12-14 1NT and Muff Muggins (MM) was happy to let his partner play there. However the club's expert (CE) made a vulnerable overcall of 2S which was run round to you. Do you bid? Every time that I overcall with the North hand I find East holding QJxx. However I didn't make this vulnerable overcall so it will probably sail in. 3C is my bid, like it or not. Of course this bid ended the auction.
North cashed two rounds of spades, then continued with the boss ten. South discarded the nine of hearts (high encouraging signals). The trick potential of this contract seems to be:
five clubs
one diamond, and
two hearts
for a total of eight tricks. There are possibilities for the ninth trick. How do you suggest making nine?
Muggins tried ruffing the spade, planning a throw-in for a heart lead in the end game. So after taking two rounds of trumps Muggins ruffed dummy's last spade, South discarding the two of hearts, and played a small diamond. North played the nine and Muggins ducked, planning to win a second diamond with the ace and throwing the opposition in with a third diamond. However South had played the game before. She overtook her partner's nine with the ten and drew a third round of trumps.
S 9 H 64 D QJ C - S - S - H AJ8 H Q73 D 64 D A8 C C - S - H K105 D K5 C -Now Muggins' options had been curtailed. He now had to hope that three heart tricks could be picked up. South must have the king but who has the ten? North had cleverly discarded a diamond on the third round of trumps. Is he holding 10xx, xxx, 10x or xx? Muggins decided that South would not encourage with the nine if she didn't have K109xx in that suit. Therefore Muggins played the queen, South covered with the king and Muggins won with the ace. Back to dummy with the ace of diamonds, Muggins played another heart and took the finesse. The eight held the trick. Nine tricks were now made for +110.
After the overcall, eight or nine tricks in spades for North/South would have given us -110 or -140 so what would +110 give the good "guys". Yes I am Muff Muggins and +110 was worth a nice round zero. Of course 1NT by East makes nine tricks on a heart lead. Even eight tricks on an inspired lead of the queen of spades for +120 beats our +110.
created by Tony Poole.
URL: http://www.hiltonproperty.co.uk/bridge
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