To Gamble?

First a bidding challenge, it's IMPs, you're favourable and first to act. These are the cards you're dealt:

♠	A T 2
♥	A 8 7 6 5 2
♦	Q 7 4 3
♣	-

Well? Are you gonna do it? Does your partner agree?


Assuming you've voted I can get on with the story. If not then wave your eyes back up there and make a decision!

Whether it's correct or not I passed. The hand is two playable in other denominations for a weak two (not to mention the suit quality). I could open one but I'd need to get the bucket if partner responds 2♣.

Then the auction got exciting:

West	North	East	South
Pass!	3NT*	Pass	4♣

Second to act opened a gambling 3NT which his partner pulled. Presumably that meant they were wide open in a suit and that must mean we have a contract!

Not wanting to punish partner for making the wrong choice holding 4-4 or 5-4 in the majors I bid:

West	North	East	South
Pass	3NT	Pass	4♣
4♥	5♣	X	End

If you guessed at the layout you probably didn't guess this...

	♠ 9 6 ♥ J T 9 ♦ - ♣ A K T 9 8 6 4 3
♠ A T 2 ♥ A 8 7 6 5 2 ♦ Q 7 4 3 ♣ -		♠ 8 5 3 ♥ - ♦ A K J T 9 2 ♣ Q J 5 2
	♠ K Q J 7 4 ♥ K Q 4 3 ♦ 8 6 5 ♣ 7

North (following the system card) was of the opinion that 3NT showed a minor preempt. My partner had been enjoying herself wondering which minor North thought was solid. We'll never know if she would have pulled to 5♦ had North passed but double was worth +500 and 1 imp (crossed against 8 other tables).

Rubber antics

Every year in New Zealand there's a knock out rubber bridge competition. It's almost free to enter and you play 30 hand rounds, the last two are held at the national congress.

It's fair to say that luck is a big part of the event. If you're not lucky and come up against someone who is they'll average 23 points a hand crushing any chance of a national title. Last night was my first match for the year and resulted in a win, this hand helped.

♠	9 7 4 2
♥	J
♦	K J T 9 8 4
♣	6 4

This is the 21st hand, the fourth rubber and we're 550 points behind. Things are looking up though, the last two hands we played in 3NT then 3♦ both making so we're vulnerable with 60 below.

Partner opened 1♥ and RHO overcalled 2♣. We'd dearly love to make a part score here and if partner has the values, I have the shape. 2♦!

Sadly that wasn't passed out, partner "corrected" to 2♥ and confident on the fate of that contract I continued my explorations with 2♠. That did get passed and partner with a flippant comment like "surely this one will be easy" decked:

	♠ A J 5 3 ♥ K 8 6 4 2 ♦ - ♣ A Q J 5
♣ 2
	♠ 9 7 4 2 ♥ J ♦ K J T 9 8 4 ♣ 6 4

Easy.

Well at least I got a revealing lead; the deuce almost certainly has no friends in the West hand. Secondly this hand contains one of my favourite suit combinations, and empty King on the table opposite a known shortage that happens to be the Jack.

If East has one heart honour they probably won't play it meaning West will win and must switch, ideal. The ♣A wins then a heart to the Jack brings the Ace from West which is good news. West looked distastefully at dummy and played a diamond.

How are our tricks looking? A club, a heart, a top spade and 5 ruffs would be good enough. I ruff and cash the ♥K dropping East's Queen and pitch a club out of hand, this is how it looks up 3 tricks to 1:

	♠ A J 5 ♥ 8 6 4 ♦ - ♣ Q J 5
	♠ 9 7 4 2 ♥ - ♦ K J T 9 8 ♣ -

I play heart and East ruffs with the Ten. West ruffs a club and plays a diamond for me to ruff felling Easts Ace. Guess I don't have to ruff them if they establish like that! Now all that remains is to ruff a heart, draw a round of trumps and take the ruffing club finesse. That club ruff entry is to pitch the final heart on the established diamonds for 8 tricks.

	♠ A J 5 3 ♥ K 8 6 4 2 ♦ - ♣ A Q J 5
♠ K 6 ♥ A T 9 5 3 ♦ 7 6 5 3 2 ♣ 2		♠ Q T 8 ♥ Q 7 ♦ A Q ♣ K T 9 8 7 3
	♠ 9 7 4 2 ♥ J ♦ K J T 9 8 4 ♣ 6 4

It's a good thing my partner played all the difficult contracts!

The Weak Micheals Menace

There is a problem invading our bridge clubs. It taints the minds of our beginners and preys on progressing talent. Holding people back. Wasting potential.

It is Weak Michaels.

Making such a highly descriptive bid when you have so little chance of declaring is detrimental. The opposition either bid the normal contract and play it better than the room or worse, forewarned of the bad breaks, avoid a marginal and doomed enterprise.

Oh, but but but! What about when you're favourable? They never double and you find great sacrifices!

You mean like this:

Vul: EW Dealer: East	♠ K T 8 3 ♥ 5 2 ♦ Q J 5 4 ♣ K 9 4
♠ 9 7 ♥ K 9 4 3 ♦ A T 9 2 ♣ A T 5		♠ A J 6 5 4 2 ♥ A J ♦ K 8 6 ♣ J 2
	♠ Q ♥ Q T 8 7 6 ♦ 7 3 ♣ Q 8 7 6 3

Partner, sitting West, opened 1♠. After South bid the convention that should not be named I doubled 3 times in a row while our opponents flapped their way to 3♥.

Declarer played the dummy for all it was worth and managed 6 tricks losing a spade, two diamonds, three hearts and a club.


The pedants will of course gently point out that EW have a cold game in two denominations. That may be but of the 28 pairs that tried such a thing only 3 survived the poor breaks to bring their contracts home.

Assign 15 IMPs of blame

Playing a teams event my team picked up 15 imps on the following board. But why? Who was the culprit? That is for you:

Vul: NS Dealer: North	♠ 9 ♥ K 6 4 2 ♦ Q 9 8 7 3 ♣ J 8 6
♠ A K 6 4 3 ♥ T ♦ J T 6 ♣ K Q T 9		♠ T 8 5 2 ♥ A 7 ♦ K 5 4 2 ♣ 7 5 3
	♠ Q J 7 ♥ Q J 9 8 5 3 ♦ A ♣ A 4 2

Auction at my table:

South	West	North	East
Barry	Partner	Harry	Me
-	-	Pass	Pass
1♦*	1♠	2♥	3♠
4♥	4♠	5♥	Pass
Pass	X	End

^* MOSCITO - 11-14 with 4⁺ hearts.

Result: A spade lead from East and a trump switch saw the contract failing two tricks -500.

Auction at the other table:

South	West	North	East
Mate 1	Eddie	Mate 2	Freddy
-	-	Pass	Pass
1♥	Pass	2♥	Pass
4♥	X	End

Result: An aggressive double from West wasn't rewarded as the spade lead created a ruffing finesse to set up a spade for a club discard -790.


Helpful tips:
4♠ by EW can be made if declarer divines the diamond position otherwise it fails by a trick.
The double of 4♥ at the second table isn't the problem; it didn't cost a single IMP.

The Matchpoint Strategy

I heard of this way of thinking a long time ago and wondered if anyone lives it. Say you open 1♠ on this hand:

♠	A Q T x x
♥	x
♦	J T x x
♣	K Q x

Your partner bids 2♠ and you pass. Once dummy comes down you have another look at your hand and discover it's changed:

♠	A Q T x x
♥	x
♦	A J T x
♣	K Q x

Your pulse rises. Now to your horror you have a legitimate invite. Partner would have accepted. The room will surely be in game.

Do you now play for trumps five nil? Take the two-way finesses the other way?

9 ever, 8 never?

The theory goes that to do well the game must fail so you play to maximise tricks on layouts where it will.

Maybe you aren't gifted with my ability to miscount high card points but this goes for any ridiculous contract whatever the route.


Aside:
Does any one else find it difficult to say "9 ever, 8 never"?