The objective of RUBBER BRIDGE is to bid and score suffiicient points "BELOW THE LINE" to WIN TWO GAMES and so WIN THE "BEST OF THREE" RUBBER

The objective of DUPLICATE PAIRS BRIDGE is to score more points than the other players holding the same cards - this may be by making ONE TRICK MORE than your oppoents.

This may also be done by LOSING LESS than your opponents (eg 5C - 1 when your oppontents can make 4S).

This is called a "SACRIFICE". 

Your OPPONENTS are of course therefore the players holding the same cards at the other tables rather than those sitting at the same table.

We (almost all) know how to score the result of each board on the traveller or the bridgemate.

Many of us do not know how the results on the individual travellers are used to calculate the results for the bridge event.

A pair is allocated 2 MATCHPOINTS for each pair with a lower score, 1 MATCHPOINTS for each pair they equal and NO MATCHPOINTS with a better score.

Thus in a 5 TABLE BRIDGE EVENT each pair can beat 4 other pairs and so a "TOP" is 4 x 2 MATCHPOINTS = 8 MATCHPOINTS.

If the 5 TABLE BRIDGE EVENT plays 5 ROUNDS of 5 BOARDS (ie 25 boards) the maximum matchpoints possible (ie for a TOP on each board) is 25 x 8 = 200.

The total matchpoints scored by a pair over the 25 boards are totalled and divided by 100 and  muptiplied by 200 to arrive at the overall percentage for that pair and so to place all pairs from 1st to 5th N/S and the same E/W - this is therefore a 2 WINNER MOVEMENT.

You can see how this works by looking at PATCHAM BC for the results for Thursday 8/9/16:

Board 2:

ALL PAIRS SCORED 660 (4 making 3NT + 1 and one making 4NT) so all N/S pairs and all E/W pairs scored 4 matchpoints - you will also notice that where the TOP is 8MATCHPOINTS, the matchpoints allocated to both pairs on each board totals 8 !

Board 25:

ALL PAIRS WERE IN 3NT and 4 pairs made 3NT + 1 so scored 630, and one pair failed to make the extra trick scoring 600 - 4 pairs scored a JOINT TOP and the 5th pair scored a BOTTOM SCORE.

Board 4:

All pairs were in 1NT but 2 pairs made 1NT+ 1 so scored 120 for a JOINT TOP FOR N/S (so a JOINT BOTTOM FOR E/W), 2 pairs just made the 1NT for N/S for a JOINT 3rd for N/S and 1pair failed to make 1NT by one trick so scored a BOTTOM SCORE for N/S (so a TOP SCORE for E/W).

Boards 6 and 1 also demonstrate how the scoring works.

Board 13 is also interesting because one pair is in 3NT making 13 tricks, 2 pairs are in 6NT making, one pair is in 6NT making +1 and one pair is in 7NT going one off (hardly surprising since the CAis with the oppoents !) and so score a BOTTOM with MINUS 200 - note that the DOUBLE adds nothing to this top for N/S since whether N/S score 100 or 200, is still a TOP ! It is better to reserve the double for LEAD DIRECTING eg to ask partner to make an unusual lead (often dummy's first bid suit).

 LOOK ALSO AT:

The following hands played at PATCHAM BC on Wednesday 14/9/16:

Hand 19 where the 9 pairs who played the board were in 3NT - 6 pairs acheived 3NT + 2 (a JOINT TOP), 2 pairs achieved 3NT + 1 acheived only 3NT (a BOTTOM).

Hand 31 where the 9 pairs whoplayed the board were in 3NT- 3 pairs achieved 3NT+1 (a JOINT TOP),  5 pairs achieved 3NT and 1 pair made only 7 tricks so a BOTTOM.

Hand 11 where all pairs who played the board bar one played in 4H, 1 pair in 4H made 11 tricks for +450 (so a TOP), 7 pairs in 4H made 10 tricks for +420and 1 pair in 2H made 10 tricks for +170 and so a BOTTOM.

THE BENEFITS OF COUNTING

Bridge players who consider COUNTING to be beyond their powers may think it unfair to define failure to count as an error.

For some reason many bridge players regard counting as something mystical and obscure, and the prerogative of the expert - but nothing could be further from the truth - the counting that is required at bridge is so simple that any child can do it !

A slight mental effort is called for, of course, and perhaps that is the real reason why a large number of players spend a lifetime at the bridge table without making the slightest attempt to count.

Most of us are lazy and hesitate to expend mental energy when we find we can get by nicely without doing so.

However, there are some hands on which we cannot get by without counting, and when playing these hands the small chore of counting (whether the distribution of the cards or the High Card Points) is amply rewarded by turning guesses into certainties, and so when playing duplicate turning "average scores" into "tops"

The counting of High Card Points is a neglected habit, although it is relatively simple to relate an opponent's High Card Points to bids or passes made during the auction phase - such counting may allow an inference as to where to place specific cards are to be found.

APPLICATION OF COUNTING

SOUTH is declarer in 3NT with WEST (as a trusting partner) leading CLUBS (the suit opened by EAST) and leading ♣ 4 as TOP OF DOUBLETON.

SOUTH examines DUMMY before playing - DUMMY has 15 HCP and DECLARER holds 11 HCP so together hold 26 HCPs.

Since EAST can be assumed to hold about 12 HCP to open, that means that WEST holds about 2-3 HCP and so CANNOT HOLD ♦  A which must be with EAST.

SOUTH has 3 SPADE tricks, on WEST's lead 2 CLUB tricks (so long as SOUTH does not play ♣ A on 1st trick !) 3 HEART tricks when ♥ J is leadfrom SOUTH and loses to ♥ K with EAST so SOUTH is looking for 9th TRICK.

If SOUTH crosses to DUMMY (eg with ♠ K) and leads a diamond through EAST, either EAST plays ♦ A thus giving SOUTH ♦ K, or plays low when SOUTH plays ♦ K, in either case giving SOUTH that 9th trick.

SOUTH can now lead ♥ J establish 3 HEART TRICKS while retaining ♣ A as the stop to ensure the 9 tricks needed to make the contract.

Without COUNTING BOTH SOUTH and NORTH hands and deducting the TOTAL from 40, DECLARER cannot assess where ♦ A is located.

(1) SIGNALLING TO PARTNER is a technique that many players overlook.

(2) On this hand WEST, on lead against 2NT, leads ♠ 5 (4th to HONOUR) allows SOUTH to apply the RULE OF 11 and deduce that WEST holds only one card above the lead - so when WEST plays ♠ A, SOUTH can place all the cards held by WEST.

(3) When EAST returns 2, WEST takes the ♠ K and now (as DUMMY can be seen) KNOWS that when a 3rd round of SPADES is played the ♠ Q and ♠ 10 will fallon the 3rd trick thereby estasblishing 2 tricks in SPADES for WEST so long as WEST can gain the lead.

(4) It would assist EAST for WEST to signal which of the other 3 suits (HEARTS, DIAMONDS and CLUBS) would assist WEST best.

(5) Assuming that EAST is watching the fallof the SPADES and so "KNOWS" which cards are held by his partner WEST, a HIGH CARD (eg ♠ J) from WEST would suggest a HIGH SUIT (eg HEARTS) to be led by EAST, and a LOW CARD (eg 3) would suggest a LOW SUIT (eg CLUBS) while a MIDDLE CARD (eg 8) would suggest a MIDDLE SUIT (eg DIAMONDS).

(6) In view of the cards held by DUMMY, the lead of a DIAMOND by EAST on gaining the lead is not difficult to foresee but WEST's signal will assist EAST's inference. 

(1) Once the lead has been faced, DECLARER can see and assess DUMMY.

(2) This hand has 7 QUICK TRICKS (ie tricks that can be made without losing the lead) namely ♠ A♠ K♠ Q, ♥ A, ♦ A♦ K and ♣ A and only ONE SURE ENTRY TO DUMMY (♣ A).

(3) If DECLARER had more entries with ♥ K and ♥ J are best placed, DECLARER might be able to make 2 extra tricks in HEARTS.

(4) However a careful DECLARER will remember that, holding CLUBS between hand and DUMMY, the defenders' remaining 5 CLUBS are most likely to split 3/2, and will note that the other 3 suits are well guarded.

(5) Each time DECLARER takes the lead, a CLUB from hand towards DUMMY is ducked until the 3rd CLUB trick when the ♣ A is played giving the entry to DUMMY to cash the remaining 2 CLUB tricks in DUMMY - 3NT made without using the only entry to DUMMY to risk the FINESSE in HEARTS !

(1) When partner opens 1NT (whether "WEAK" with 12-14 HCPs, "STRONG" with 15-17 or 16-18 HCPs, or "VARIABLE" with STRONG WHEN VULNERABLE and WEAK WHEN NON-VULNERABLE, or even "MINI" with 10-12 HCP) the hand is described in ONE BID - the HCPs with NO VOID, NO SINGLETON and not more than ONE DOUBLETON, usually with NO 5+ CARD MAJOR and NO 6+ MINOR.

(2) With a 4 CARD MAJOR responder has to use an artificial sequence usually "ASKING" opener by using 2C STAYMAN - which asks whether OPENER holds a 4 card major, to which the answers are most commonly 2D ("I hold NO 4 CARD MAJOR"), 2S ("I hold 4 SPADES but NOT 4 HEARTS") and 2H ("I hold 4 HEARTS and MAY ALSO HOLD 4 SPADES").

(3) Where partner gives a POSITIVE RESPONSE to STAYMAN (2H or 2S) responder will support if holding 4 CARD SUPPORT and with the OTHER MAJOR ONLY responder will bid 2NT (11-12 HCP) and 3NT (13-18 HCP) so OPENER with 2 FOUR CARD MAJORS can safely bid SPADES knowing that responder holds support.

(4) STAYMAN can be used to respond to openings of both 1NT and 2NT, although more experienced players may use other versions of STAYMAN (such as "PUPPET STAYMAN" especially opposite 2NT) to ask whether OPENER holds a 5 or 4 CARD MAJOR.

(5) This hand is opened 2NT (20-22 HCP) by SOUTH, NORTH uses SIMPLE STAYMAN to ask whether SOUTH holds a 4 CARD MAJOR, SOUTH with BOTH MAJORS bids 3H and when NORTH rebids 3NT SOUTH "knows" that NORTH holds 4 SPADES (else why use STAYMAN ?) and converts 3NT to 4 SPADES.

NOTE: When the RHO opens a NATURAL NO TRUMP and LHO uses an ARTIFICIAL BID (such as STAYMAN or RED SUIT TRANSFERS) your partner can guide you to the best lead by DOUBLING THE ARTIFICIAL BID when holding the suit bid by your LHO (eg 1NT - P - 2C* - X ...) which tells you that partner has a substantial holding in the suit (eg AKQxxx) and would prefer you to lead that suit. UNLESS YOU HOLD A PLAINLY BETTER LEAD, IT IS UNWISE TO IGNORE YOUR PARTNER'S REQUEST !

(1) Whether and when to take a trick can be of great importance especially for the defenders.

(2) In reaching that decision partner can give great assistance by SIGNALLING COUNT.

(3) In this hand EAST has a choice of when to take a trick in CLUBS.

(4) EAST can see 5 CLUBS in DUMMY and holds 4 CARDS, so there are only 4 CARDS missing,

(5) WEST may therefore hold 4, 3, 2, 1 or NO CARDS in the suit led by DECLARER.

(6) If WEST started with 4 CARDS, SOUTH HAS NONE !

(7) If WEST started with 3 CARDS, SOUTH has only ONE - UNLIKLEY with the NT rebid !

(8) If WEST started with 2 CARDS, SOUTH has TWO CARDS.

(9) If WEST started with 1 CARD, SOUTH has THREE CARDS.

(10) If WEST started with a VOID, SOUTH has FOUR CARDS.

(11) Think how valuable it would be for EAST to know which of these is accurate.

(12) On declarer's lead of a suit WEST can SIGNAL COUNT OF THE NUMBER HELD - usually by PLAYING HIGH/LOW to show an EVEN NUMBER and LOW/HIGH to SHOW AN ODD NUMBER.

(13) When EAST first sees DUMMY he can see that SOUTH will need to FINESSE to set up CLUB TRICKS to make 3NT.

(14) When SOUTH first leads a CLUB, EAST can see that by following to the lead WEST does not hold a VOID so can IGNORE that possibility.

(15) SOUTH is likely to play ♣ Q or ♣ J in case WEST holds the ♣ K,

(16) If EAST takes the ♣ K on the first trick, life for SOUTH is made simple so EAST may elect to duck.

(17) SOUTH will then return to hand, inferring that WEST holds the K and intending to FINESSE again thereby encouraging DECLARER to misplay the hand.

(18) WEST chooses to lead ♠ 3 (4th to HONOUR) rather than a DIAMOND - presuambly as DIAMONDS give WEST a better chance of an entry if the SPADES become useful.

(19) SOUTH examines DUMMY before playing, then takes the 1st trick in hand and sees that with a well placed ♣ K (eg WEST holding Kx or Kxx) 5 tricks could be established which with SOUTH's own 4 tricks, 3NT is made - and if ♥ K is with EAST SOUTH might make 3NT + 1 !

(20) When SOUTH leads the1st CLUB, WEST signals by playing the HIGHER (♣ 6) ready to play the LOWER (♣ 5) on the 2nd trick to SIGNAL  to partner that AN EVEN NUMBER of CLUBS is held.

(21) When EAST withholds the ♣ K, SOUTH assumes that WEST holds it so returns to FINESSE again.

(22) This time EAST knows that SOUTH holds 2 CLUBS and so takes the ♣ K, leaving SOUTH with only one entry to cash the A but cannot establish the 5th CLUB - far from SOUTH making 3NT (with or without the overtrick) the 3NT is ONE OFF because of EAST's careful play !

This hand was played (Hand7) at PATCHING LODGE BC on 28/06/16:

BIDDING:

(1) After SOUTH passes, WEST opens 1♥ , at which EAST knows that E/W have at least GAME,

(2) NORTH passes and EAST (without immediate support for HEARTS) bids 2♣ ;

(3) WEST then "REVERSES" with 2♠ ;

(4) It is important to remember that when a player opens a suit and rebids a 2nd suit, that hand is at least 5/4 (not as some players seem to think 4/4) and that where the rebid goes through the "barrier" (1st suit at the 2 level) this is a REVERSE showing potentially greater length in the 1st suit than in the 2nd suit, at least 16 HCPs (as it goes through the barrier) and is FORCING FOR AT LEAST ONE ROUND to the 3 level for partner to show suit preference (even with equal length) for the 1st bid suit.

(5) EAST now has 3 card support for WEST's 5 HEARTS, so with 13 HCPs so raises to 4H.

(6) WEST now knows that EAST has 3 card support - with 4 HEARTS EAST would have supported immediately !

(7) WEST can use BLACKWOOD to check that E/W do not have 2 missing ACES, and when EAST shows 2 ACES, WEST bids at least the SMALL SLAM (12 tricks) and might ask for KINGS with 5NT when, finding a KING missing, WEST might be content with the SMALL SLAM in HEARTS.

PLAY:

(8) WEST will assess DUMMY before playing anything.

(9) WEST sees:

      (a) that there is indeed the 3 card support expected;

      (b) that with the 8 card fit, the defenders' 5 trumps are likely to divide 3;2;

      (c) that if lucky (as here) the J♥  will fall on the 2nd HEART trick leaving 10♥  as an entry in addition to the A♦ ;

      (d) that 2 losing SPADES can be discarded on K♣  and Q♣ , and that if the 5th CLUB can be established the 3rd losing SPADE can also be discarded;

      (e) that drawing trumps must be delayed until a club has been ruffed in DUMMY in case the ACE of trumps is held up until the 2nd trump trick, when a further trump lead by an oppoent will prevent DECLARER using one of DUMMY's trumps to ruff a CLUB and so hold DECLARER to 12 tricks rather than the 13 that could be available;

(10) DECLARER therefore takes the 1st trick, takes DUMMY's singleton CLUB with the ACE, ruffs a CLUB in DUMMY and then leads and clears trumps (which split 3/2 with the J falling on the 2nd round) to discard the 3 losing SPADES on 4 CLUB tricks and make the 13 tricks to give the best result. 

This hand was played (Board 10) at PATCHING LODGE BC on 20/6/16:

(1) Some sitting EAST might choose (with 8 HCPs and a six card suit) to open a WEAK 2♥  despite the SUIT QUALITY being somewhat limited.

(2) Otherwise, with 3 passes, NORTH will have to choose which of the 2 suits to open - when played at one table, NORTH chose to open the STRONGER MINOR SUIT rather than the WEAKER MAJOR SUIT.   When this NORTH chose not to mention the reasonably solid 6 card MAJOR, NORTH ended in 5♣  going off 2 while other NORTH's got into a SPADE CONTRACT which made comfortably.

(3) The traveller therefore was as follows:

      5♣  by N making 9 tricks = MINUS 200

      1♠  by N making 10 tricks = PLUS 170

      2♠  by N making  10 tricks = PLUS 170.

(4) When choosing which of two suits to open, one consideration is that a MAJOR SUIT scores 30 points per trick whereas a MINOR SUIT scores only 20 points per trick.

(5) Equally a suit with a solid sequence such as AKQxxx could do well even in NO TRUMPS whereas a suit such as KJ10xxx might serve better in a SUIT CONTRACT.

(6) It is also important to remember that when a player opens a suit and rebids a 2nd suit, that hand is at least 5/4 (not as some players seem to think 4/4) and that where the rebid goes through the "barrier" (1st suit at the 2 level) this is a REVERSE showing potentially greater length in the 1st suit than in the 2nd suit, at least 16 HCPs (as it goes through the barrier) and is FORCING FOR AT LEAST ONE ROUND to the 3 level for partner to show suit preference (even with equal length) for the 1st bid suit.

(7) Here if NORTH opens the MAJOR SUIT and rebids the MINOR SUIT, SOUTH KNOWS THAT NORTH HOLDS AT LEAST 5 SPADES AND CAN SAFELY SUPPORT NORTH WITH Qxx.

(8) In play. with NORTH's void in the likely HEART lead, NORTH ruffs and might start clearing trumps but NORTH should remember that E/W's 6 clubs will split 4:2 2/3 of the time so might best take ♣ A and then ruff the 2nd club in dummy (thereby establishing 6 tricks in clubs) before starting to clear trumps (eg by leading the Q) thereby making the 11 tricks to score 650.

BIDDING:

(1) SOUTH playing WEAK NT and with 17 HCPs is too strong to open 1NT (12-14) and too weak to open 2NT (20-22) so has to open a suit;

(2) SOUTH can open 1♣  or 1♦  but may choose to open the suit (1♣ ) which is more likely to "deflect" WEST towards leading SOUTH's better suit (1♦ );

(3) NORTH with 6+ HCP must find a response - if bidding 4card suits "up the line" will bid 1♦, but may choose to prefer the major suit (1♠ ) over the minor suit (1♦ );

(4) SOUTH might support 1♦  to 2♦  but might describe the hand better with 2NT (17-18 HCPs and balanced) which NORTH with 10 HCPs will raise to 3NT.

(5) WEST with 6 HCPs and K, 10, XXX in hearts will be aware of the SUIT QUALITY TEST and not be tempted to overcall 1♥  but if WEST overcalls 1♥ , NORTH can show the 6+ HCP and 4 x ♠  with 4 x ♦  with NEGATIVE DOUBLE to which SOUTH may respond 2NT and again NORTH raises to 3NT.

(6) The point of this hand is that SOUTH, having reached 3NT, must plan to make it ! After lossing the stop in HEARTS, SOUTH must find SK with EAST and also find 2 entries to NORTH to make 9 tricks. 

(7) If N/S are playing STRONG NT (15-17 or 16-18) SOUTH will open 1NT when NORTH will try STAYMAN (in case there is a SPADE fit) and then when no SPADE fit will bid 3NT.

ANSWER:

Declarer needs to find ♠ K with EAST - singelton, doubleton or with 2 small cards.

If K is singleton, it will fall when declarer leads Q with a view to finessing, and 3NT is safe.

If K is doubleton or tripleton and EAST chooses to cover Q, again 3NT is safe.

If K is doubleton or tripleton and EAST (having considered dummy) chooses NOT to cover Q until it cannot be avoided, declarer will play low from Axx and win the trick.

As a result, declarer needs to play for EAST to guard against EAST holding ♠ Kxx with ♠ K accordingly falling to ♠ A on 3rd trick leaving lead in hand, when declarer will need 2 entries to dummy.

The way to find the 2nd entry to dummy is to remember:

  (a) that N/S hold 8 cards in diamonds;

  (b) that the remaining 5 cards will generally split 3/2;

  (c) that declarer needs to play small on ♦ K and ♦ Q then overtake ♦ J with ♦ A when the 5 defence diamonds will have fallen and so leave ♦ 4 in hand and ♦ 6 in dummy giving 2nd entry to dummy to cash ♠ 10 - 3NT made by thoughtful play when your opponents failed to find the 2nd entry to DUMMY and went 1 off !