Bustling the opponents into error

Press, 19 July 1988, Page 10

Bustling the opponents into error

Though club bridge in the South Island has never been stronger, attendance at tournaments has, with only a few notable exceptions, fallen off dramatically. The Canterbury Main Centre Pairs, once a prestigious event that attracted so many entries that some were turned away, was run at the Timaru club this year for only twelve tables. Since there would be fewer more amenable venues, perhaps the format of two long sessions in one day has lost something of whatever appeal it once had. Nevertheless, though a number of leading South Island players were absent, the field was of a good standard. The winners were Emma Barrack and Graeme Tuffnell, a young pair with considerable promise, who did well to head off lan Barrington and Stan Helms, while Maureen Matheson and Darcy Preston, who have played much of their bridge in Rangiora, took third place. It is right that the young should experiment, so Barrack and Tuffnell play a very aggressive system that allows them to open the bidding on substantially less than the rest of us. Using these methods they - bustled their opponents into an inferior part-score on this hand dealt by South with East-West vulnerable: N. 4432 V 986 4K103 4AK92 W. E. 4Q105 4AJ96 V A 10 2 4A965 4J84 4Q72 4J106 S. 4K87 ♦ Q 72 4843

wnen souin upeneu me bidding the auction was: S. W. N. E. IS2 Dble 2V 24 All Pass Playing in two spades, after the lead of the king of hearts, East lost two tricks in each minor suit and one in each major to finish down one. At most other tables where East-West were left in peace East opened one no-trump and duly played there. He was not too hard pressed to make three tricks in spades, two in hearts, one in clubs and the ace of diamonds. So the winners did well to earn a plus score on the North-South cards. In this life there is a price to pay for everything and the price for super-light opening bids is that a shrewd opponent is often able to place the adverse missing cards more accurately. West can hardly be blamed for opening the bidding on this hand from a highclass international event but he later wished he had not. He was the dealer with only NorthSouth vulnerable: N. 4KIO V 965 4864 4KQ 9 7 5 W. E. 4Q83 4J7642 SP A 10 8 7 4K3 4975 4A863 4J4 S. ♦ A 95 4 AQ JlO2 4 10 2 The auction was: W. N. E. S. 1V No 14 int No 3NT All Pass When West led a low spade against three notrumps, dummy’s 10 was covered by the jack. South had to win with his ace because a switch to hearts would have left him with no chance at all.

CONTRACT BRIDGE

He continued with a club to the queen, West correctly withholding his ace, then paused to reassess his chances. Since the opening bid marked West with virtually all the outstanding high cards the diamond finesse was almost certain to fail.

Though it looked natural to lead a diamond to the queen at this point the declarer saw this would be very wrong. West would win with the king and a second round of spades would remove dummy’s only sure entry card. South would then cross to hand to lead a club, but West would rise with the ace, cash the queen of spades and exit with a low heart to the jack and queen. That would be eight tricks for the declarer, four diamonds, two spades, a club and a heart, but with no chance of a ninth he would be down one.

Foreseeing this, when in dummy South crossed to his hand with the ace of diamonds to lead a second club. The difference was that when West took his ace, there was still an entry to the North hand. A spade to the king allowed the declarer to cash the king of clubs. Now he gave up a trick to the diamond king and his contract was safe. Four tricks in diamonds, two in spades, two in clubs and eventually one in hearts saw him safely home.

While this would normally have been a very dangerous line of play, West’s opening bid, placing the high cards, made it not only safe but nearly certain.