Some hands from the Valdosta sectional

Here are a couple of deals from the sectional in Valdosta last weekend.

Matchpoints W dealer EW vulnerable

East

South

West

North

Pass

1♦

Pass

1♥

Pass

1NT

Pass

2♣

Pass

2♥

Pass

4♥

Pass

Pass

Pass

North ♠ T87 ♥ K82 ♦ A432 ♣ AK9

West ♠ KQ65 ♥ T96 ♦ T85 ♣ 532

You lead the fairly normal ♠K. Partner follows with the 3 and declarer takes the A, then draws trumps in three rounds with partner showing up with Q3 and discarding an encouraging D6 (upside down attitude). Declarer plays a low spade from hand. Decision time.

 

Let’s take a minute to think about the situation. All we really know about the distribution is that declarer has 5 hearts and partner likes diamonds. Where is the SJ? We don’t know, but if partner has it, we ought to play low, just in case he started with a doubleton. If declarer has the SJ, there is no rush to take the Q unless declarer could get to discard it. Dummy’s clubs and diamonds don’t look to threatening, especially since partner encouraged in diamonds.

 

There is, however, one situation in which it is crucial to take the SQ now. If declarer started with ♠AJx and ♣Qx, our spade trick will go away on the third round of clubs. Declarer would also need a holding where discarding a diamond wouldn’t help, such as QJx or Qxx (given that partner has the K, both of those holdings have 1 loser whether you discard one on a club or not). Also, declarer might not even try to sneak a spade through with that holding, so the signs point toward ducking this trick. Sure enough, on this layout, partner held ♠Jx.

 

This other deal isn’t actually that interesting but it’s an auction you don’t see very often: P-3♥-P-7♥; P-P-P. I held ♠AKQ5   ♥AKQ   ♦A765   ♣A5. You can count 12 tricks off the top, and there are a few places you could get the 13^th trick, so I took a chance and bid the grand that no one else in the room bid. The preemptor could have the ♠J, ♦K, ♣K, 3 spades and a 3-3 split, 8 hearts, all making 7NT a laydown. The only way 7♥ could pick up is if partner has only 6 hearts and Kxx. Then you would need a club ruff for the 13^th trick. Granted, that’s pretty unlikely, but it was the reasoning behind bidding 7♥ instead of 7NT in a field where I figure bidding and making any grand would be 90% of the matchpoints.

Top from a remaining doubleton exceptions?

We had an interesting semi-final match on the final day of the Charlotte regional against Wisdom-Rutledge, Helms-Marks, Joyce^2. I think we all agree that Sean and I were rather unlucky in that match which we wound up losing by only 5. We did our share of good things, but some random things and opening lead guesses screwed us a good bit. Our weak NT wrong-sided a 4S contract, enabling the defense to get their obvious heart ruff. I continually made unfortunate opening leads, allowing marginal games to make. Fortunately some of these were duplicated. One board I had to find a diamond against a 1C-1D (Montreal relay denying a 5 card major); 1NT-3NT auction holding xx, KJxx, Txx, Txxx (I picked a spade; the other table probably picked a heart for the same result). I had to find a heart from Jxxxx, Qx, Axx, xxx against I believe a 1D-3D (inv); 3NT auction. The other table played NT from the other side and p has an obvious heart lead to set. There were some other leads I made that didn't work out so well like when I led from Kx of clubs and found AQJxx in dummy but that was immaterial.

There is one trick 2 play that particularly interests me. I held AJ3, T9xxx, xx, xxx. After a 1NT-3NT auction, Sean led the S6 and dummy had something like T85, xx, Kxxx, AQJx. I took the ace at trick 1 and saw the 4 from declarer. Normally with an initial three card holding, you should lead back the top of 2 remaining and lead back original 4th best if you have three remaining. However, it seems pretty likely that Sean led from a 5 card suit. If it's Kxxxx, I need to lead low now to enable us to take all 5 spade tricks. If it's Qxxxx, it shouldn't matter, and if it's a 4 card suit, it also should matter as long as he continues spades at trick 3. In any case (except KQxxx), Sean will need a side entry to cash the last spade(s) and set the contract. I led back my 3, declarer played the 2 and Sean won the Q, then tanked awhile before deciding that I started with only a doubleton spade and shifting to something else. This is not a problem for partner that I anticipated coming up. I totally understand him thinking I may have only had a doubleton spade but with holding a high heart and diamond, there isn't much else I could have in the side suits so there isn't much to play for (I might have and be able to score the DQ for our 5th trick) besides pounding out the spade honors.

The J at trick 2 only gives up a trick when partner has Kxxxx, and even in that situation, we will still take 4 spade tricks plus whatever side entry partner has. That's enough to set, and partner can't really go wrong on defense that way once he knows I have the J. So, maybe I should lead back the J just to make sure partner knows the spade honor situation rather than trying to get -2 instead of -1 in a team game. I still think a low spade at trick 2 is right, going against the general high-from-doubleton principle.

Novice game at RDBC

At the Warner Robins bridge club, we have been having a beginner duplicate bridge game for 3 or 4 years. It started before I moved here, but from time to time I run the game and now that I have started teaching in the area, I am more involved with the beginner group. It has typically been about 3 tables but lately, it has dwindled down to 2-2.5 tables, just barely enough to have a game. I would hate to see this die out becaude that would mean we aren't getting any new duplicate bridge players. I really hope this changes and that people in my class now will start playing in the beginner game Monday nights.

Many people have this idea that duplicate bridge is competitive and fierce and anti-social. Yes, it is competitive but the people are all nice and sociable. Playing at the local club is mostly about socializing. Even playing at sectionals and regionals and even the nationals is largely about socializing but it does get more serious as you go to the higher levels. So, please don't be intimidated. We want to make you feel comfortable and enjoy the food and company and the mistakes. We all were there at some point - we all forgot a transfer or passed a forcing bid or missed game with 30hcp or went down 5 doubled. It's okay. We learn from it and your partner will understand - if he/she doesn't, then they are the one that is taking the wrong approach to this game.

So, I encourage any social bridge players or new duplicate players in Warner Robins who might be reading this to come to the Robins DBC (at the corner of Maple St. and Watson Blvd, near the Wellston Center) Monday at 6:30 to check out this game. You'll laugh at yourself and learn a lot and maybe make a friend or two.