Being Lucky


This is from todays "Daily Celebrity Challenge". As above, the expert passes on South and E/W reached their game in spades. To keep it to 4, you need to lead hearts. On the table, they made 6.

I was pondering long if I should bid 3♣, and finally decided for it. Surprisingly, I was allowed to play that undoubled for -100. Of course, this is lucky. And I do think that Lia on West should show some action. But what? We are already over 2NT, 3NT is missing the heart stopper, 3♠ is just preemptive, 3♦ looks like a long suit, and the cuebid in 4♣ is already too high. My feeling is that a double in this situation should show strength and an option to play a game if partner has just a little bit.

This is another hand from todays challenge. Acol allows to open this 1NT, and it effectively blocks E/W out of their game in spades for -50. On the other side, the bidding went as follows.

Then there as another lucky hand.

The expert simply said the game in hearts. The double is explained as take-out. So, I thought I can settle for a game later. I was very surprised by the actual outcome.

Kommentare

Kommentar veröffentlichen

Beliebte Posts aus diesem Blog

Series - The Mistakes I make in Bridge

Bild
This bidding got me stranded in 2♠ because of Acol. That's actually not bad. You cannot make it against good leads. But neither can you make 1NT, the contract you might reach by downgrading the hand to a weak 1NT. On almost all other tables, the bidding started with a strong 1NT and continued to a good heart contract for E/W by the bidding below. In that case, the "blocking" value of 1NT fails, and the direct mentioning of a spade suit works out to be superior.   But I spoiled that advantage by going down twice. Actually, I could have made the contract after the lead of ♣K. It is always tough to play 1 4-3 fit, and this is no exception. I started with a heart won by East who followed with a trump to prevent ruffs. I now can ruff only one heart at the table. The best line of play is to drive out the ♣Q now. If West takes it on the first round and returns a trump, you can play clubs to dummy and continue it. If he ducks one round, you need to find the finesse in diamonds t...
Mehr anzeigen

Series - The Mistakes I make at Brige

Bild
This is a nice one. You reach 4 ♥ , and West starts with the ♠8. If the trump finesse fails, you count 10 likely tricks, including one ruff of a spade at the table. But then there is also the chance to cash the ♣K for an overtrick. Easy. You are glad to combine all these options, and start a simple plan.  Cash the lead and make the finesse in hearts which fails. Another spade comes from West. When you notice that you are going to lose two trump tricks, you collect your tricks, ruffing one spade at the table at the end, and set all hopes to the club finesse which fails. One down. Everybody played like that, including me. You certainly spotted the way to make the contract? Of course. You could leave West with two trumps and throw him in after you trumped your space and cashed your  ♦ Q. Is this difficult to see at the table. Maybe. But you will definitely see West's 4 spades and hearts. When he discards the  ♦ J on  ♦ Q, the coup is very likely to work.
Mehr anzeigen

Series - The Mistakes I make at Bridge

Bild
2NT are not makeable, but if you go down only once, you are good against 2♠ by opponents. 2 ♥  would be a nice contract and just make with good play, but opponents won't let you play that easily nowadays, not even the robot Lia. The lead was ♠5, East following with the ♠Q and won in the hand. Due to severe communication issues this hand cries for a try to let the opponents play into the finesses. So, I correctly played the  ♥ A followed by a small one won by West, who cashed  ♥ K too, the followed with the ♠10  because everything else helps the declarer even more. At that point, I went for the clubs, but the diamonds actually work, playing for one honor doubleton at East. Check it out.
Mehr anzeigen