Counting the key to success

Press, 17 January 1979, Page 12

Counting the key to success

A new book by a young English expert, David Greenwood, “The Pairs Game,” published by Cassells, will soon be on sale locally. It is written for rubber bridge players who want to try their hands at match point duplicate, and for indifferent duplicate players who would like to improve.

For the most part the author concentrates on explaining the differences between rubber bridge and match point pairs. He shows how it can be correct at pairs to settle for a one trick defeat rather than take risks to make the contract; why it is sometimes wise to make an apparently suicidal overcall; and why occasionally a winning player will risk his contract in an attempt to make on overtrick.

In these areas and par-

ticularly in illustrating winning tactics at duplicate, the book is certainly one of the best of its kind. Nevertheless, it also contains a lot of material that any bridge player will find useful.

The chapter on counting

for example includes this hand dealt by South with both sides vulnerable; N. A J 752 V J 10 4 ♦ JB6 ♦ K 72 W. E. A AKQ93 A 86 V 765 V 92 ♦ 972 ♦ A 10 4 3 A 43 A Q 9865 S. A 104 V AKQB3 ♦ KQS A AJ 10 The auction was brief: S. W. N. E. IV 1* 2V No 4V All Pass North’s raise to two hearts was rather thin but the good contract of four hearts would doubtless have been reached in any case. West leads the ace of spades and continues with the king, East following suit with the eight and six, then switches to a trump. You draw the outstanding hearts in three rounds.

noting that East discards a club on the third round.

The king of diamonds produces the ace from East, who returns a diamond. After winning with dummy’s jack you ruff a spade in hand, as East discards another club. Then everyone follows to the queen of diamonds. You have so far lost three tricks, so cannot afford to lose the queen of clubs. Where is the missing lady? A little counting will help find her.

West has shown up with five spades and three hearts (remember that East discarded on the third round of each suit), and at least three diamonds, so he can at most have only two clubs. Since this leaves East with at least five clubs, the odds are at least five to two on that he has the missing queen. Playing the percentages, South leads the 10 of clubs to dummy’s king, and continues with a low club to the jack in his hand. When this wins his contract is in the bag. Sometimes one must count points rather than cards: N. A KJ2 V 764 4 K. 15 A J 9 6 3 W. E. A 74 A A 8 V.llO 8 53 VK9 2 4 97432 ♦ AQB A K * 108754 S. A Q 10 9 6 5 3 ¥ AQ ♦ 10 6 * AQ 2

East opens, a weak no-

trump, showing 12 to 14 high card points; you, as South, overcall two spades, partner raises to three and you bid four. West leads the four of spades. East wins with the ace and returns the two of hearts. You try the queen, which wins the trick as West encourages with the jack. After drawing the outstanding trumps with the queen of spades, you lead the diamond six "to dummy’s jack. East wins with the queen and leads another heart.

You take your ace, then run the 10 of diamonds. When he wins the trick with the ace, East tries to cash the king of hearts but you ruff. You cross to the king of spades and discard your small club on the diamond king. So far you have lost three tricks and cannot afford to lose another trick in clubs. It looks, therefore, as though you will need to find the king of clubs with East. But is this likely? He has already played the ace of spades, the king of hearts and the ace and queen of diamonds, a total of 13 points. If he held the club king as well, he would have started with 16, far too many for a weak notrump.

So you lead a club to your ace and pray. It is your lucky day. West does hold the king of clubs and it drops singleton under your ace.

You have made your contract, helped by a little good fortune and a lot of counting.