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Archive of Previous Poor Bridge
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The stakes were high on this deal: after all, it was District Night
at Long Newton and so one-and-a-half times more master points than
normal were available for no obvious reason. Things had been going
well and we'd had all the cards, but it seemed that on this hand some
of the balance was about to be redressed. I held as dealer, at
favourable vulnerability:
A K x x x
J 9 x x
10 x x
J
Some DUBC 'purists' may have opened 2, but mindful
of my four-card heart suit I passed. LHO opened 2
(Acol-style) and the following auction ensued:
N/S vul., East Dealer
| West | North | East | South | ||
| Tom D | LOL1 | Geraint | LOL2 | ||
| - | - | Pass | 2(1) |
1) Strong, artificial and forcing 2) Intended as negative, but not alerted 3) Blackwood 4) No aces |
|
| Pass | 2(2) |
2 | 4NT(3) | ||
| Pass | 5(4) |
Pass | 6 |
||
| Pass | 6NT | AP |
I didn't double in case it might induce Tom not to lead the spade that my overcall had indicated. After a few tense moments (for me), Tom led a spade and one off was wrapped up quickly, when the full deal was:
| Q 10 x x |
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| x x x |
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| J |
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| 10 9 7 x x |
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| J 9 x |
 |
A K x x x |
| x x |
J 9 x x |
|
| x x x |
10 x x |
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| Q 8 x x x |
J |
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| x |
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| A K Q 10 |
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| A K Q x x x |
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| A K |
So what's so poor? Well, this hand should really have been 'poor
post mortem of the week'. North's explanation for pulling to 6NT was,
"My 2 was only a negative bid, and when you didn't
alert it I thought I'd better take you out into no trumps."
Right. So you used unauthorised information and got a bottom anyway?
Poetic justice, I say! Remember that the only way partner is allowed
to communicate with you is through the bids she makes and the cards
she plays: you're not permitted to take anything from her alerts,
explanations, pauses, or that way she scratches her ear whenever she
holds the eight of clubs. Naturally though, if it makes you run from
a good slam into one with no play when you're sitting against me then
please go right ahead! It helped us to a 65% session on the back of
21 plus scores from 24 boards anyway.
Tom G-S and Wojtek were also playing East-West, and just for the record here's their opponents' auction:
N/S vul., East Dealer
| West | North | East | South | ||
| Tom G-S | LOL3 | Wojtek | LOL4 | ||
| - | - | Pass | 2(1) |
1) Strong, artificial and forcing 2) Negative 3) Gerber, of course 4) No aces 5) More Gerber 6) No kings |
|
| Pass | 2(2) |
Pass | 4(3) |
||
| Pass | 4(4) |
Pass | 5(5) |
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| Pass | 5(6) |
Pass | 6 |
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| AP |
One of the better Gerber auctions I've seen, actually (and no worse
than the leap straight into Blackwood at our table), though precluding
a heart contract at matchpoints seems unwise. What's wrong with
bidding 3 and saving your ace-ask for the next round,
just in case? Anyway, when declarer played the heart suit from the
top that was one off, for the same -100 scored at our table.
Just as an interesting footnote, Tom led a trump, using dummy's
entry immediately and leaving declarer having to decide how to play
the heart suit: finesse immediately or arrange to get to hand first
and then play for the J to drop?
Technically speaking, the drop gains when hearts are 3-3 with the Jack offside (~17.8%), 2-4 with Jack-doubleton on your left (~8.1%) or 1-5 with a stiff Jack on your left (~1.2%) for a total of about 27.1%. The finesse gains when hearts are 2-4 with the Jack on your right (~16.1%) or 1-5 with the Jack on your right (~6.0%) for a total of about 22.1%. In most club bridge this edge will be increased by the fact that if you cash a load of other stuff first then RHO might unguard the Jack so it's much better to play for the drop.