THE GAME OF BRIDGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 17, 20 January 1940, Page 17

THE GAME OF BRIDGE

A LUCKY SLIP.

It is not often that our mistakes return a dividend, but when the following hand was bid in a rubber game, the opening bidder reaped a rich but undeserved harvest, as a result of a slip of the tongue, which set the subsequent bidding of the hand awry. 9 A.Q.9.3. Q. 9.5.3. * X.7,6. ▲ 10.9.7.2. " Mortb. j♦ 5> ME.1.8. « ■■• S V 10.7.6.5.4, 26. ■ I s +K.3A.2. AA.Q.10.5.4. I South. 1^ J. 9.2. ' ■ ; ." ''. A.K.Q.J.8.6. '•■■■.'■•': "']'.. A.10.8.7. ■■•"■- '•; •>■;-• ' . *83. ■.■;■'■ ■■:•■.■■;'....•■ South dealt. North-South were vulnerable, with a part-score of 30. , South inadvertently bid one heart instead of one spade. West overcalled with two clubs before' South realised his mistake. North, of course, gave his partner a double raise to three hearts. East passed. South then bid his genuine suit-r-three spades. West passed, and 'North put Kis partner back to four hearts. East passed, and South bid four spades. West doubled this bid, hoping to drive his opponents back to hearts. Bjr this; time North was distinctly puzzled. His partner, in spite of very strong support for the heart suit, had per-^ sisted with the spade suit. , After much consideration he decided to leave the bid up to South, and. so passed double. South redoubled./ West was not happy about the opening lead, but finally decided on his singleton diamond. East played the Jack 'and South won the trick/ Trumps were drawn immediately and the only tricks made by East-West were the Ace of clubs and the King of diamonds. As a result of Souths original in the bidding, NorthSouth made an extra,73o points, for, instead of simply taking 150 points for making five spades, they scored 480 points for the redoubled contract of four spades, plus 400 points for the qvertrick, redoubled and vulnerable. There are points of interest in both the bidding and the play of; the following hand:-— , \ 4 5.4.3.2. 9 Q. 10.8.3. ■ ■ ; ■ ♦ K.QU. ■"" ■■ ■ ; . - ■■ .:/ *s-2. ■. \ ■;_.;■ .;./:•;■: •—jfoFtHT-J "♦ <***< ■ 4 ~ ♦ 5.3., g •;:a ♦8.7.6. | South! |^ A.K.10.9.4L '♦ 9.6."' "■''■ ■' ■ ■*'•":" "''' '.' "' '...; •' •■>.' If 5.2. :'■■ .■• :.'■; :': ,'■.. ' ' ♦ A.10.9.4.2. -■.;■ ■■■ ' .. • dfr J-8-6-3. . ■..;/"..■ .. :.: ; ■■ :■." West dealer. North-South vulnerablew The bidding:— West. North. East. South. 19 Pass ZJf, Pass 2 4 Vass 3 '4»*' Oi Paas 3 ff Pass 3 ♦ (2) Pass "■■•4'4k ■<3>: Pass ■.. _ Pass/ '■ .__ ; "_.P_as?.;V; 1. East cannot raise the spade bid on this round, as, while Q.x.x..is adequate trump support for the first suit.l

Weekly Chat on GoriWdci^

Specially Written fob "The Post" by "Approach Bid"

bid by ;a partner, a four-cstrd length in the second suit is required for a raise in that suit. The fact that the 'heart suit was bid first shows ; a greater length in hearts than in spadesi so ihat the spade is probably only a fourcard stiit East's : hand is s^ong^noug|| to rebid hia1 clubs. ~-::-'u:'p-<\^^.^■•^' 2. East has shown West'that heyflojei not hold four spades,: as with;, fo^* spades he would have, raised Wes^f two-spade bid as being of mqre»jupfif portance to West than a: rebid in cltibat Therefore, when after his\ partner's rqi bid of5 three hearts he;now bids^thier spades, he shows ;;more ;.than^af ;|ijrlßter-. ence for spades.; ''■ •.; .• '>/-. '.\^.::<-':\4'&-. 3. West loiows -that East \wotfld, not return '• to the spade Suif khdwjng ithat the partnership had; only seyeriVcards in the 5uit,..... unless he had fi^.• preittjjr good h laiid and saw hope, of^game ;ia ; the > spade "isuit.-/;; East's;bid'practically marks him; withT^re* spades to the Queen arid' a dbubletoti ht&rt. ■■ 'T.- ;yV,\y-■% "■■ ..-• $/*:^r'O : As to the play of the' hand, West must make a safety play in order, to; fulfil, his contract against the best defence.' '': ,^;-<!;/• ■ J) ■:■.■ ■ ,-.;■ l';"■/• -;i ;^ North opens' the King of diamonds and the suit.; On, the third round of :'i^e':s'uit\West"VmustI::discatd» a small heart. . -This safety -play, Enables him to make his, contract;; eyen against' a 4-2 trump^ break, iwhicjt actually occurs: in i .this-\hand.-;,;,::^est-will win the fourth trick against any lead, and will play the Ace ari^ King of hearts, ruff a third heart with,-the Queen of spades; in dummy, and draw all the trumps. *&? remaining heart he will discard on a third round or clubs. -If West wer^ to ruff a third round of diamonds; North would jhave four trumps to West's three,: and West would then b^^i^aMe^tp.i^ccttitrpl.'-.tht Situation.;' ■ ;.:,^•;■■.■- •'..'' ■^■■■^^n^:- h v:v.?;'^ ■>