A BRIDGE CLINIC

Southland Times, Issue 21897, 24 December 1932, Page 9

A BRIDGE CLINIC

(By

“Horatius.”)

AUCTION Alertness is essential for both Declarer and opponents and as we have already seen, the conventional line of play is sometimes the least beneficial. Here is a hand from 1 a New York tourney:

West was playing No-Trumps and North opened with the 6 of Hearts, an awkward lead for the Declarer, because it promises to set up four tricks immediately. East’s King took the trick and then the five Club tricks were run off, with the lead left in West’s hands. He lead a Spade and North put up the Queen, which East refused to cover. South reasoned that the Declarer’s plan was to make North lead again, so he put in his King of Spades. Now, the fact that the Declarer refused the Spade trick showed he was not frightened of the Hearts; this is how South reasoned it, anyhow, and this meant that the only unstopped suit was Diamonds. South, thereupon led Diamonds to the Deciare’s satisfaction, because he at once reeled off four Spade tricks after making the Ace of Diamonds—five over. West refused the Spade because he wanted North to lead the Heart s again or the Diamonds. He did not want a Heart lead from South; but his refusal to take the Queen of Spades suggested that he was not frightened of the Hearts. South thought North had led from Queen high and that West had the Ace. If South had held off he would probably have led the 6 of Spades in view of Dummy’s holding and this would have put the Diamond or Heart lead in East’s hand, and the Declarer could have been held to three. If South had boldly led the Hearts after taking the Spade North would have made four in that suit, and the contract would have been held to two over.

In this hand, North was playing Six Diamonds:

East led the 5 of Spades, which helped the Declarer. Against a Little Slam bid conventional leads are usually risky. Here South had bid Clubs and in the circumstances that suit offered better prospects than trumps or Hearts because, North had bid Hearts. The 10 of Clubs would have forced South’s Ace and the Queen of Clubs would have forced West’s King for a ruff by North, but North’s position is hopeless. If after making trumps and Clubs, he must lose tricks and he cannot squeeze East. Actually, North put the Jack on East’s lead and it held. Then the Ace of Clubs was led, and the Queen. West’s King was put in and North ruffed it. Two rounds of Diamonds followed, the Queen falling, and then Ace and King of Spades, with South discarding a heart on the King of Spades. The Ace and King of Hearts were led and the third Heart was ruffed by South, whose Jack of Clubs made, North discarding the last Heart. East trumped this, but North claimed the last two tricks with trumps. The Spade lead made the Slam possible. Often the leading of trumps by the defence is condemned in round terms, but there are times when it is essential. Here is a case:

East dealt and bid One Heart, South calling One Spade. This was daring and West doubled. The double was passed and West opened with the 8 of Hearts, East taking with the Jack. Now, Dummy has three Spades and can cut off the Hearts, West’s double showed Q-x-x or J-x-x-x and, presumably tricks in side-suits, otherwise he would not have gone for penalties on a bid of One. Then if West has three Spades, South has five; if West has four, South has four and obviously will seek a cross ruff. The obvious play is to lead

Spades and cut down the Declarer’s chances of ruffing. Instead of taking this line East led the Queen of Clubs, which made! Surely thismeantytrouble ? But East persisted with another Club, and this one South ruffed, followed by a Heart, leaving the lead with East. Even now the position could be retrieved by a lead of trumps, but East continued Clubs, and South ruffed. The 10 of Hearts sent the lead back to East, North discarding a Diamond. East and West made Ace and King of Diamonds, but South could make his high trumps separately on cross ruffs. If East had led trumps twice South would have made five tricks at most. Instead, East helped South to establish the crossruff position and win the double contract, a difference of ,268 points.

CONTRACT What should you do to the psychic bidders? That is-a questlbn asked frequently in Britain, and. in America. The answer is: Punish them! Not by rules, but in play. The psychic bidder is a bluffer, and if you catch him you can make the- business costly to him. Of course, you must always weigh the cost against game chances for your own side, but if the penalty is big you can give away something to “swat” -the psychic bidder. Usually the weapon against the psychic is the pass and the double. Here is a case in point, taken from play: ,

West was dealer and N-S were vulnerable. West, properly bid One Spade, and North (Mrs Sims, a noted psychic bidder) said Two Hearts. East promptly doubled and South rescued with Three Clubs, which West doubled. South flew to Three Diamonds but West doubled this also, and the contract was set for 1800 points. E-W could make game in Spades, so the psychic bid by North cost 1400 at least. Here is another punishment:

Neither side vulnerable and East dealt. He opened the bidding fairly with One Diamond, South passing and West calling One No-Trump to show 1£ Honour Tricks. He should have bid the Hearts. He didn’t and North (Mr David Burnstine, also a psychic hound) called Two Hearts. East smiled inwardly and left it to West who doubled. North went down five tricks, 1000 points, and E-W could have made Five No-Trumps (175 -I--400) so the psychic bid cost 425 points. In the next case we have something different—a psychic allowed to have his own way:

N-S were vulerable and South was the dealer. The bidding went: —

West made his contract and game, losing two Spades, one Heart, one Diamond and one Club. At first glance one would be inclined to blame North for a risky double of Two Spades, but the real culprit was South. He holds five Diamonds to A-Q and as soon as North doubles Two Diamonds (for penalties) he must know West’s bid was a psychic. When North doubles the Two Spades, South knows this is a dangerous suit, and he should go for Four Diamonds. This is not a Forcing Bid, of course, and North would go to Five Diamonds, which can be made—in fact the Little Slam can be made in Diamonds with the cross ruffing. South should have realized the position, taking advantage of the inferences which he alone was in a position to read. Actually West’s bidding was impudent, but it succeeded.

S. W. N. E. 1st Rd. IH 2D! Dbled No. 2nd Rd. No. 2S Dbled No. 3rd Rd. No. No. — —