Winner-on-Loser Play

West led K ♦ then shifted to 8 ♣ covered by nine, ten and ace, hiding K ♣ .  Declarer had got too high with four losers staring him in the face.  Consistent play would therefore get nowhere.  The bidding marked a separation of A ♥ and K ♥ since west obviously possessed top diamonds but had passed originally.  He still got home though by sleight of cards.  How?  Title is a clue.

Stacked North Cards

After the bidding and declared contract it was obvious to east that south could not have more than three points since north had butted into the bidding.  The latter therefore had to have both red kings, confirmed after the inevitable opening three rounds of spades showed the J ♠ in south's hand.  It was therefore imperative to keep north off the lead. Finesses were useless!  There are several ways to play the hand but it is crucial to run the winning clubs.  After K ♠ took the third trick east could run five clubs leaving five cards in the north hand.  North would keep two spades so had to protect the K ♥ therefore K ♦ was a singleton.  It did not matter to east which way round was the keeping in north's hand.  Either A ♥ felled the king or if this did not work then the K ♦ fell under the ace.  Four pairs made a well played game contract.

Quote:  Out of the strain of the doing.  Into the peace of the done.  Julia Louise Woodruff 

Sleight of Hand

Both declarers reached the same contract and got the lead of J ♥ to 3, 2 and King.  Given the vulnerability one declarer settled for eight tricks.  Good for pairs not teams.  In the other room, risking a heavier penalty, declarer saw a bit of subterfuge and succeeded.  Can you spot the deception?

Avoid Minor Game Contracts

The above bidding should be typical of the pairs game.  There is no E/W hand today.  Five diamonds is safe and easy but only scores 400.  The same eleven tricks are available in spades provided the suit breaks no worse than 4-2 which is 84% of the time.  Since this scores 450 then 4 ♠ has to be the superior match point contract.  Even if the opponents score a diamond ruff ten tricks are still there for 420 beating 5 ♦ .  Unless the combined hands are badly skewed a minor suit game contract should always be avoided if a major or no trump alternative is available.

Part scores and slam games in a minor suit do not suffer this disability.  Good partnership and pairs understanding are essential to derive the correct contract.

Quote:  Cleave ever to the sunnier side of doubt.  Lord Alfred Tennyson

Par Contract

In a contested auction the best contract is the minimum score in a doubled, sacrificial contract.  Here N/S can offset -110 in 3 ♣ by calling 3 ♦ or 3 ♥ for one off doubled .  This gives N/S a better score of -100.  Par can be bettered if E/W fails to double or bids onwards to 4 ♣ which cannot make.

The hand analysis is very useful for subsequent study.  Note that the key cards in hearts and spades are poorly placed for N/S.

Quote:  As scarce as truth is, the supply has always been in excess of the demand.  Josh Billings

Smokescreen

Most declarers made 6 ♥ .  The bidding and play was similar at most tables when east led 2 ♠ .   West played 10 ♠ forcing the ace.  South then drew three rounds of trumps, cashed four clubs discarding a spade from dummy then took the successful diamond finesse.  A spade was the only loser. 

One smart pair caused south to go down.  Try to divine how then check the answer.  It is actually quite simple if you can reorientate standard thinking.

Count Tricks then Formulate a Plan

A regular pairing could have reached a small slam.  One pair did but then failed as per the title.  Only three pairs made twelve tricks the remainder also falling short for the same reason.

After any opening lead declarer should be able to immediately count twelve tricks.  Formulating how before playing dummy is crucial because there is a potential blockage in clubs and diamonds.

The bidding shown used RKCB and the 5 ♣ reply indicated three aces although any Blackwood would have sufficed.  Just draw trumps, forcing out A ♠ in the process, then play the side suits carefully.

The hand analysis off the web site shows the contracts available.

Quote: Sometimes I sits and thinks, and then again I just sits.  Punch

Good Timing

With the Olympics in full swing one could be forgiven for believing that all this talk of steroids in sport is a load of anabolics!  The depicted hand shows one south on a very different high and succeeding where most of his compatriots failed.  Try to make the contract following the best probability.  Several options are available.  Then uncover the opposition hands and have another go.  Ultimately, look at the answer.  Opening lead is K ♥ .

Playing Known Card

This situation above often occurs and gets frequently misunderstood and misplayed.  If declarer needs to develop the side suit before drawing trumps the Q ♣ is finessed and a discard taken on the A ♣ .  West must drop the K ♣ under the ace because it is the card known to be held.  Until the K ♣ appears south can ruff low with impunity.  Ditching the monarch cannot cost and will sow doubt into declarer's further play.  Consistently hanging onto a high card is poor extrapolation of logic.

Quote:  Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.  Oscar Wilde

Slam

This was a deal from the "Epson World Pairs" of 1988.  The recommended and popular contract was 6 ♠ but scored significantly below the average.  Several pairs bid and made 7 ♠ whilst 6 NT was available after the likely K ♣ opening lead.  Try to make 6 NT for the extra 10 points.  The grand slam in spades is possible, although a poor contract, because all the key cards sit in one opponent's hand.

I thought this deal was instructive just to show how competitive it can be at the top.

Quote:  I cannot choose the best.  The best chooses me.  Rabindranath Tagore, "Stray Birds"

No Trumps or Hearts

This hand does offer some good Pairs tips.  The logic would not necessarily apply at Teams or Rubber/Chicago.

1.  All pairs avoided the poor E/W slam in hearts or diamonds.  Many pairs will not be in a slam so if the spade finesse fails a bottom score will loom.  Better and safer to play the averages.

2.  No Trumps was popular because there was no advantage to ruffing clubs in the long heart hand.  Run the hearts in no trumps and score the extra ten points.

3.  Twelve tricks were available in hearts but only because the finesse worked.  Had it failed then hearts would have scored poorly.  Stick with the avarages!

4.  East would have probably opened 1 ♣ then bid 1 NT.  It should then be easy for west to "blast" 3 NTs because a probable club lead was heading into the strong hand, not through it.

Quote:  Only the person who has faith in himself is able to be faithful to others.  Erich Fromm

Nine Clubs

This hand has been analysed by request from the shop floor.  At my table west opened light with 1 ♠.  Not difficult to reach 6 ♣ via an immediate 4 NT call but I got a diamond lead not a spade!  The A ♦ felled the K ♦ then a spade towards dummy removed all contact with it unless remaining clubs broke 1-1, which was the case.  However, I reckoned that a second spade, ditching a heart in the process, would bring home the contract rather than relying on a 52% chance of a club split.  Alas, the spades broke 6-1 not 5-2 so the K ♠ got ruffed for one down.  The light opening from west was good, inspired bidding.  The diamond lead from east was unusual.  It removed a threat card of K ♦ which might have proved crucial in a tirade of clubs for the contract.  The traveller shows that twelve tricks were mostly made and even thirteen were recorded.

Quote:  Imagination is the eye of the soul.  Joseph Joubert

Which Pairs Game?

My partner suggested this hand because we analysed it a little as a sit out board.  The correct contract is 5 ♥, probably four plus an over trick although the whole room was mainly in 4 ♠ or 3 NTs.  If north flies into NTs then ten tricks are there since the lead comes in to the A, Q ♦ .  North wins the J ♦ with Q ♦ then immediately plays the single Q ♠ .  If east fails to duck this trick then eleven tricks in NTs can be made since hearts can be safely reached and the spade suit run.  By ducking, east forces declarer to "waste" a heart into west's hand, whereupon another diamond lead gains an extra trick for the defence.

It is a good idea for partnerships to analyse how and why 4 ♥ should be reached.  I have no major suggestion since spades does look like a seductive suit!  Perhaps it takes a genius to succeed with 4 ♥ ?

Quote:  Men of genius are the worst possible models for men of talent.  Murray D Edwards 

Gambling 3 NT

Tony Forrester rated the late Jeremy Flint as the best individual British bridge player.  Rare praise!  He was a strong advocate of the above convention.  Quite simply, it means that a minor pre-empt with a long and strong, top down, seven card suit but no outside ace or king can be opened with 3 NT.  The normal three opening is still available if the suit is not a solid block buster.  This effectively gives two strings to the same pre-emptive bow.  The final contract must rest with bidder's partner.

Flint held the given hand when partner opened with 3 NTs.  What do you think was his response?  The other three complete hands were not given.

Underleading

Beatrice returned from USA with a magazine containing an interesting article about cheating at bridge.  For years the American team thought that the Italians were underhand but could never prove it.  Two were adjudged to be world class standard, Garozzo (11) and Belladonna (16).  Another, presumably Pietro Fourquet (8) was rated as very good.  The rest were "mediocre"!  Brackets indicate number of times a world champion.  It has to be said that the USA had been involved with allegations of a similar nature on previous occasions with both Karl Schneider's Austrian team and that of Reese and Schapiro for Britain.  Here is a hand from the 1958 world championship between USA and Italy which tended to reinforce suspicions.  Forquet was on lead against 5 ♥ after east had opened 1 NT and a highly competitive auction.  He found the devasting lead of 3 ♦ .  He ruffed the club return and defeated the contract which was made in the other room.  Victor Mollo reports that there were dark hints of hanky-panky from USA at the time.  Please draw your own conclusions.

Quote:  We are chameleons, and our partialities and prejudices change places with an easy and blessed facility.  Mark Twain

Two Paths

West led partner's suit, usually a good idea, and on the bidding saw a standard route through the deal.  He then used declarer's thinking time to make a few deductions of his own.  An alternative idea occurred.  East won the A ♣ and promptly returned the suit for west to ruff.  The latter chose Q ♥  not the smaller card!  He then immediately returned a small spade.  Declarer did not wish to risk the K ♠  offside.  In fact south was sufficiently misled by the high ruff to favour what seemed a safer, alternative strategy for success.  He rose with A ♠ and attempted to cash Q ♣ assuming that west was now void in trumps.  It was all a mirage.  West ruffed with 8 ♥  and subsequent K ♦ downed the contract.

In the other room events took a more normal course.  West ruffed low.  Any return was now hopeless since declarer could play low to a spade return, which happened.  Trumps were easily drawn and the contract was made.  Note that Q ♥  return was no use.  Q ♣ provided a parking spot for the losing spade.  A diamond straight into the tenace would leave time to draw trumps and then reach A ♠  for the spade discard.  Clever play resulted in a game swing.

Quote:  Two paths diverged in a wood and I took the one less travelled.  That has made all the difference.  Robert Frost

Stayman

Here is a good example of Stayman in a less frequent situation.  Normally one uses it if partner has opened 1NT (12-14) and eleven or more points makes a convention call worthwhile to explore game possibilities.  After all, 14 points if the opener is maximum, will offer a game in no trumps or a major suit.  Fewer than eleven points then one tends to leave partner in the 1NT call.  The exception demonstrated here occurs when partner does not have 11 points but does possess 5-4 in the major suits.  If opener calls 2 ♦ then partner calls the 5 card major, 2 ♥ in this case.  Had opener called a 4 card major then responder just passes having found a fit at the lowest level. 

Quote:  Even if we can't be happy we must always be cheerful.   Irving Kristol

Forethought

I was north and failed miserably on this deal.  The contract and opening lead, 4th heart, were probably normal across the field.  The problem was how to make the contract or keep the penalty one light, not two.  At first glance, and my only one, it looks like winning the third heart, unblocking the three clubs then lead to the K, Q ♦ forcing an entry to make the other two clubs.  Not good thinking!  Any better ideas?  Have a look then try the "answer" section.

Pairs v Teams

Statistics show that north struggled averaging 8.6 points per deal.  South was marginally better with 9.63.  It is a polite way of stating that E/W had the cards!

This deal is interesting because there is a very different approach to the final contract depending upon the event.  In Teams west reached 5 ♣, the correct and safer contract.  In pairs west would punt for 3NT rather than 5 ♣ .  It is riskier but scores better.  Remember that unless the hands are heavily skewed a minor suit game should be avoided.  In NTs west would duck the opening 5 ♦ then hope that south had A ♣ .  Eleven tricks are available in both a club or NT contract.

NB:  North opened a weak 2 ♦.  Not everyone plays "Benjamin Acol" where weak twos are only played in the major suits.

Quote:  When its time has come the prey goes to the hunter.  Persian Proverb   

Weak Hand, Weak Overcall

There is one maximum frequently misunderstood in bridge, "Do not overcall a weak suit on a weak hand".  There is one proviso.  It is OK if there is certainty that your side will buy the contract.  Partner will think that your hand is stronger than it is.  He/she might double or, at the very least, lead a low card in the weak suit called.  This opening lead could be fatal.  A lead away from K,J,x could set up a Queen trick on the immediate left and an Ace on the right. 

On this deal east overcalled 1NT to show a diamond guard, south bumped to 2 ♦ and west now has to make a crucial decision.  It is no good calling 2 ♥ unless there is a willingness to bid 3 ♥.  Better to pass on a ten yarborough.  Here west called 2 ♥ so north responded 3 ♦ and east, sensing a heart trick and 7 or 8 points in the west hand plus favourable vulnerability, doubled.  West did not remove the double to 3 ♥ (risking an E/W double) so N/S made ten tricks in diamonds!

Over 24 boards N/S averaged 20.5 points and E/W 19.5.

Quote:  What you get free costs too much.  Jean Anouilh

Grand Slam Sacrifice

It can be seen from the statistics that N/S have a virtual lay down small slam in 6 ♠ or 6 NTs.  If E/W can recognise their ten hearts, given favourable vulnerability, then only seven tricks need to be made in 7 ♥ doubled.  Six will score 1430 or 1440 for N/S.  Six down in a grand slam will score -1400.  Good business!  The trick is to have the table presence to recognise it.

Over 26 boards N/S averaged 19.84 points, E/W had 20.16.

Quote:  Never give a sucker an even break.  W C Fields

Landy or Astro

West opens 1 NT after two passes.  North can use either of the above conventions to get into the bidding via possession of at least one major suit depending on the convention used.  Here Landy is better because it shows both major suits in north's hand.  This is then quite easy for N/S to reach 3 ♥ with a possible overtrick.  Astro requires a 2 ♦ call by north to show the anchor major of spades plus one other suit, either 5-4 or 4-5.  South has to call hearts thus finding the five card major in partner's hand.  Only two N/S pairs reached a heart contract.

There is another interesting feature of this hand.  When north plays a heart to K ♥ east plays J ♥ .  North should finesse the 10 ♥ on the way back not play for the drop.  The odds are now two to one in favour of the finesse.  The reasoning is that east had to play a significant card because it was a singleton.  Had the Q ♥ also been held it might have been played instead of the J ♥.  It is called the "Principle of Restricted Choice".

The statistics for the 26 hands in play show an average of 20.38 points for N/S and 19.62 for E/W.  This is one of the more even distributions across a Tuesday evening.

Quote:  Good things are not done in a hurry.  German proverb

Eight Spades

This hand is a good test of partnership understanding.  Analysis states that 6 ♠ can be made.  True but perhaps splinter bidding might get in the way.  After an opening 1 ♥ by west partner simply calls 4 ♠ .  West will get lucky if a small slam is bid.  Success depends upon a heart finesse with the suit breaking 4-3 or K ♥ in the minor length.  At best this is about a 45% chance.  Not a good idea at Pairs but it works this time.

E/W had an edge on the cards over thirty boards but only twenty-four were in play. 

Quote:  There is a budding morrow in midnight.  John Keats

Rule of Twenty

The statistics for this hand present a double dummy set of possibilities.  In theory E/W can make 3NTs but only because south cannot block spades until the third round.  East should open with 1 ♠ following the opening rule/guideline.  South overcalls with a respectable 1 NT then what does west do?  Even 2 NTs is now an unlikely contract.  I have given a good scoring scenario if west doubles 2 ♥ but it is a little idealistic.  2 ♠ for E/W looks the most likely end of auction.

Hand 23 was also interesting.  Here the hand stats were realistic.  If north got too aggressive with bidding after west opened then a game contract would produce a minus score.

Over 27 deals I recalculated the individual hand point counts.  E/W got the cards and south got a bit of a torrid time averaging only 8.78 points per hand.

Quote:  Survival is triumph enough.  Harry Crews

Sheer Luck Holmes

Dr Watson was observing his good friend morosely checking the Pairs results from yesterday evening.  Mycroft had invited them as guest entries, and sad to relate, they had been beaten into 2^nd place by his brother.  Suddenly, Holmes emitted a loud, rectal reverberation. This change of atmosphere considerably brightened Holmes demeanour. 

“My dear Watson, stated Holmes, “do you realise that in mishandling our defence of deal twenty it cost us the gold medal?”  Dr Watson studied it.  “Holmes”, he replied, “my selection of Q ♣ as opening lead enabled us to take two tricks and A ♥ kept the opposition to book”. 

“I commend your choice of clubs”, stated Holmes, “but you have ignored the opening 1 ♥ call.  Had you led your ace, an obvious singleton, then switched to clubs I could have given you a heart ruff for the 4^th and setting trick!” 

Watson was aghast.  “Holmes, your mind has a far greater sense of equanimity with your body than does your stomach”.  “Alimentary my dear Watson, alimentary” was the grunt from the armchair.

Apologies:  ”The Seven Per Cent Solution”  Nicholas Meyer (1974)

Defence to 1 NT

Both Astro and Landy are popular defences to 1 NT.  Astro offers more possibilities but takes away both 2 ♣  and 2 ♦ as natural bids.  Using the former east can call 2 ♦ showing 5-4, 4-5 or better in spades and another suit.  It just happens to be a diamond one.  Had east called 2 ♣ the hand would have shown 5-4, 4-5 or better in hearts and a minor suit.  East can also have the option of a natural overcall in a major suit if the hand warrants it.  Here, it works quite well because despite a probable 3 ♣ by south west knows that a spade fit should produce nine tricks.  Note that the Astro call was 4th position, partner having already passed.  In this event a game was unlikely.

Quote:  Grace is given of God but knowlege is bought in the market.  Arthur Hugh Clough (no relation to Brian or Nigel!)

Michael's Cue Bid

If north had opened with a timely weak 2 ♠ then the auction would have taken a very different course.  Not playing "weak twos" south opened 1 ♣ 3rd in hand so west called 2 ♣ .  Notice that in an immediate second position the convention requires 5-5 in the major suits.  Fourth in hand the call can be weakened to 5-4 or 4-5.   It is now easy for east to reach 3 ♥ .  Play Benjii opening "Weak Twos"!

As the bishop said to the actress, "Timing is everything". 

Unassuming Cue Bid (UCB)

South opened a very weak but effective 1 ♥ .  I suspect that most pairs would have passed.  West doubled to show an opening hand and the other three suits.  North should have bumped to 3 ♥ but passed.  East was now on the spot.  With 8 -11 points a forced jump bid is necessary.  A simple overcall could have reflected a yarborough!  With an encouragingly strong opening hand East can show this by calling 2 ♥ , the opponent's suit.  E/W can now easily reach 5 ♦ since game points are known.  Even if north does bump to 2 ♥ east can still bid 3 ♥ .

The UCB as it is known is a powerful tool for defensive bidding but often not recognised or employed by partnerships.  Notice how N/S can make a real nuisance of themselves.

Quote:  Strength is a matter of the made-up mind.  John Beecher

Teams, IMP Scoring

This hand is from the teams match on 5th January.  North might open a preemptive 3 ♣ given the paucity of a major suit.  Two west hands bought a contract of 2 ♠.  Although the stats show that nine tricks can be made this is double dummy.  In 2 ♠ the safety of the contract is paramount.  West should make a safety play of A ♠ followed by low towards J ♠ .  This reduces the risk of an adverse ruff at the possible expense of an over trick through a finesse.  Catching K ♠ singleton is a bonus rather than an educated foresight.  In teams play a negative swing of 30 points amounts to only 1 imp with no substantial affect to the overall result.  Had this been Pairs or Board-a-Match Teams then a finesse of the K ♠ would have been a necessity resulting in one off but a general field score.

Quote:  Survival is triumph enough.  Harry Crews

Strategy

Remember that teams events do not have to fight for part score supremacy.  East with 3 points despite club support should pass.  South will overcall 1 ♠ and it now runs round to east who will reply 2 ♣ .  East should not support partner first time around, south should not call 2 ♠ and west should not call 3 ♣ .  Whoever buys the contract on this deal picks up a negative score!  Perhaps in pairs east should support first time round and south would probably risk 2 ♠ .  3 ♣ is still asking for trouble.

Quote:  Science is what you know, philosophy is what you don't.  Bertrand Russell 

Bid to Level of Trump Holding

The result stats will tell you that east can make 4 ♦ but difficult to achieve.  South overcalls 1 ♠ showing at least 7 points and, crucially, a five card suit.  West applies the Losing Trick Count, assuming that partner had a 7 loser hand, and replies 3 ♦ .  North overcalls 3 ♠ knowing that the partnership holds nine spades.  East is now on the spot because with a six loser hand 4 ♦ is rather double dummy although makeable.  E/W have pushed hard!

This hand is instructive because E/W have the LTC facility and N/S have nine spades.  I would recommend a perusal of either Robson's appropriate booklets or Paul Mendelson's, "Control the Bidding".  The latter book is all about butting into the bidding.

Quote:  Success?  The world belongs to the enthusiast who keeps cool.  William McFee

Genuine Yarborough

South was dealt a hand with no card higher than a nine.  This occurs once in every 1828 hands.  Lord Yarborough, a reknown whist player, offered odds of £1000 to £1 for such a hand to be received.  He was on to a good wicket!

Look at the hand statistics from the results listing which state that 1 ♣ can make for E/W and 4 ♠ for N/S.  N/S can therefore compete to 3 ♣ doubled.  At favourable vulnerability it should be one more.  Remember here that E/W can make 4 ♠ for 420.  3 ♣ doubled and two off scores only 300.  Good business.

Quote:  Fewer things are harder to tolerate than the annoyance of a good example.  Mark Twain