Counting on Defense
While passing by the `lounge' you hear a hopeful cry: ``FOURTH!'', the mating call of all bridge players. You rush in and sit down in your favourite comfy lounge chair. The dealing is fast and furious in an effort to get as many hands in as possible in the 60 minutes before the next class. You quickly bid to a couple of contracts and are playing fairly well, when this hand comes up:
7642
75
A1042
K65
Not the worst hand you have ever had, but certainly not very good. Your left hand opponent (who's been known to always have her bid) opens 1NT (showing 15-17 balanced). Good old partner passes, and right hand opponent (who's been known to always overbid) bids 3
LHO Pard RHO You
1NT Pass 3S Pass
3NT Pass 4H All passYou decide you want to see dummy and lead the ace of diamonds:
Dummy
You
Declarer plays small from dummy and partner follows with the 3 and declarer the 5. What should you do now?
Well, from the auction, declarer is known to have at least 5 hearts. He should also have at least 7 hcp. (Normally you need 9 hcp to force to game opposite 1 NT, but this is a hand hog!) Well, knowing that declarer has 2 clubs and 1 diamond you must take those club tricks now before they go away (on the king of diamonds). So you must switch to a club.
The full hand:
J5
AQJ
KJ96
QJ109
You
N
W
E
S
Partner
A10983
K10983
5
84
Partner winds the ace of clubs and plays another club to your king and you wait for your spade trick. Maybe next time the ``Hog'' will think twice before trying that again!
The University of Waterloo Bridge Club meets once every other week on Thursdays in the Student Life Centre (SLC 2134) at 7:00. A duplicate game follows at 7:30. Free lessons are available from beginner to advanced. Contact either Brad Bart (bsbart@undergrad.math) or Colin Lee (cdlee@undergrad.math) for information on the club or on lessons.
Don't forget bridge is a GAME, play as hard as you want, but don't forget that the point is to have FUN!