Sunday, March 22, 2015

Two bridge deals from NOLA

Playing with Buddy Hanby in the final session of the Silodor Open Pairs, I picked up:

J 5 2 A K J 5 Q 5 J 10 9 6.

With the opponents silent, Buddy opened 1, I responded 1 and Buddy rebid 3.

We were playing a weak 1NT (12 to 14 high-card points), so 2 would have been 15 to 17 HCP. Therefore, his jump rebid showed 16 to 18 points with a distributional hand or 18 HCP and a balanced hand. If he has the balanced hand, we have 30 HCP and hands like this often make the same in notrump as in a trump suit -- you are off the same tricks in either.

I rebid 3NT knowing he would pass with the 18 balanced and correct with the distributional hand. Buddy passed, and here are all four hands (I was North):


East led the K and I ducked. He shifted to the 10 which I won to play the ace of clubs and another. When East didn't rise with his K, I was able to set up a second club trick to make four for a score of 630 and 72.5 matchpoints on a 90 top. Most players were in 4 going set one with the horrible split.

Here's another deal with the same principle. My partner Sandy opened 1NT (15 to 17 HCP) in the Mixed Pairs, and I held:

9 6 A K J 5 3 K 7 Q J 7 3.

I again knew we had 29 to 31 HCP, so bid 3NT. Here is the layout:


The opening lead was the 10, but it didn't matter. The opponents won their two aces, the same two tricks they would win in 4. This one was even more spectacular scoring 62.5 on a 64 top. Sometimes when you bid like this, they lead your five-card suit. Notice this South picked her doubleton spade, but she could have just as easily led a heart.

5 comments:

  1. I always liked to play NT game contracts when I could because you only needed 3 rather than 4 or 5. That was a good choice not to end up in a heart contract in the first deal.

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  2. Perhaps you are the next Fantoni and Nunes, who are the expert pair that I've seen avoid major fits most to play in three no-trump. As experts they also do it on 5-5 fits.

    Well done :)

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  3. @neophyte: Thanks.

    @Paul: Doing it with 5-5 fits is beyond my ability, but 5-4 or 4-4, well why not?

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  4. On the first deal, I had West making the opening lead, and have corrected that thanks to Mike Yuen pointing it out.

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  5. Hi Dave,

    That's always been my problem with the ladies - I lead with my heart! Then I get trumped! :)

    Thanks for your comment on L&L. We were on a boat, in fact, when I took the picture. That is an interesting place as I think I mentioned. More photos coming at some point.

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