July 2006

♠
♥
♦
♣

Editor: Matthew Granovetter

The Magazine for People Who Love to Play Bridge

In This Issue:
The World Mixed Pairs

The editor invites you to ride with him on this matchpoint roller coaster.
— Page 8

Also:

2 The Ten Commandments 28 The Wizards of Aus

of Partnership Bridge in Verona
by Ron Klinger
3 The Sound Opening Bid
and how to use it for top scores 29 Results: World Championships
by Pamela Granovetter
30 Building a Better Mousetrap
26 Bridge Yesterday The Keycard Trump Switch
“How I got fired”
by Paul Zweifel 31 How Sweet it Isn’t
On the last round of a champion-
ship you are trying to hang on....

NOTICE: Please share this issue of Bridge Today eMagazine with you partner. Better still, give him a
subscription of his own. You’ll be glad you did. He will thank you each month and he will become a better
player. Subscriptions are $33 per year for 12 monthly issues or packaged with a Bridgetoday.com $59.95
club membership. Thank you! — Matthew and Pamela Granovetter
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 2

The Ten Commandments of Partnership Bridge

— a guide for a successful, serious, partnership —

1. If we play it, we play it. If we have agreed to play something, we

make the system bid even if we don’t like it (we can change it later).
This includes discipline with point-count ranges.

2. If it’s not in the notes, we don’t play it. No “testing the waters”
at the table — we make an inferior bid that won’t be misunderstood
rather than a clever bid we haven’t discussed (we can improve the
system away from the table). If we have discussed something but did
not put it in the notes, we don’t play it.

3. Where it’s possible to elicit partner’s input in an auction, we do

so.

4. No discussion of errors at the table, in front of other people, or

behind partner’s back (except to a coach). Bad results should (and
will) be discussed away from the table later, when we can think more
clearly. However, it is OK to say “sorry” at or away from the table if
we wish.

5. Postmortems of all tournament hands are required. It is under-

stood that we are talking about the bridge and not about “fault” or
“charges,” etc.

6. Both partners are expected to put in maximum effort at the

table, to know the notes, to have eaten, to be well rested, etc.

7. Personal style and judgment are not partnership issues.

8. We have practice sessions once or twice per week, on a regular

basis, including postmortems on bad results or system problems.

9. We employ honesty in team comparisons. If we have had a bad

match or result, we say so to teammates, but without blaming part-
ner (ever). It is OK to say “my fault” or “sorry, we had a bad set” but
not OK to roll eyes or otherwise indicate that we are not happy with
partner.

10. If we have something to say to partner, we say it honestly, re-

spectfully and lovingly, or not at all.
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 3

The Sound Opening Bid

by Pamela Granovetter

Just as the light-opening-bid style has a the fact that we have promised defense, we
set of understandings that go with it (such have missed the point. Perhaps you can’t
as plenty of non-forcing and invitational teach an old dog new tricks — some part-
sequences, various inferences made from ners have played light opening bids all their
partner’s opening pass, etc.), so, too, does lives and are loathe to double contracts
the sound opening bid have a set of neces- that, when bid after the light-opening-bid
sary accoutrements. Having lost too many style, may be cold (we might even be talking
points over the years when accommodating overtricks!). However, playing this style, we
partners played this style with me without must double them for two- and three-trick
enough discussion, I have finally decided to sets, else we lose the big payoff, one that
define the standard sound opening bid itself more than compensates for the occasional
(which is not Roth-Stone) and the follow-up debacle of being “blown out of the auction”
bidding. after the initial sound pass.

I. The Sound Opening Bid Here’s an example from recent interna-

One easy way to imagine what a sound tional play:
opening bid looks like is to pretend re-
sponder has a nice-looking 10- or 11-count. West dealer
Opposite this, your sound opening bid will None vul
usually produce a decent play for game.
You, East, hold:
To be more precise, the minimum sound
opening bid is a hand with 11+-13- that: ♠J9432
(1) is unbalanced with concentrated hon- ♥ A 10 8 7 4
ors in the long suit(s); ♦6
(2) is balanced with at least 2-1/4 honor ♣Q2
tricks and strong spot cards, again with hon-
ors in the longer suit(s); West North East South
(3) includes defensive tricks. 1♥ 2♣ 4♥ 4♠
pass pass ?
II. Looking to Double Them
The importance of the defensive tricks East trusted North’s 2♣ bid more than
is crucial, because responder knows he can West’s sound 1♥ bid, and passed out 4♠,
double them to protect his side’s partscore believing that this was a sure plus whereas
at matchpoints, or to bring in points at the opponents might be on for 5♣. This
imps or rubber bridge. If we fail to double was a disastrous choice when the whole
them after the sound opening one- or two- hand was:
bid (more about the two-bids later) despite
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 4

West dealer North South dealer North (you)

None vul ♠8 All vul ♠Jx
♥K ♥ K J 10 x
♦ J 10 8 7 4 ♦ Q 10 x x
♣ A J 10 9 4 3 ♣ Q 10 x
West East West East
♠A7 ♠J9432 ♠xx ♠Q9xx
♥QJ632 ♥ A 10 8 7 4 ♥AQ9 ♥xxx
♦AQ2 ♦6 ♦AKJx ♦xxxx
♣865 ♣Q2 ♣Kxxx ♣xx
South South
♠ K Q 10 6 5 ♠ A K 10 x x
♥95 ♥xxx
♦K953 ♦x
♣K7 ♣AJxx

North-South’s 4♠ contract drifted down South West North East

four, +200 for East-West when the rest of 1♠ double pass 2♦
the field scored +420 in 4♥. It’s true that pass 3♦ double (all pass)
if they run to 5♣, you get only down three
instead of 4♠’s down four, but that’s still East ended up going for -1100. Had you
+500 for your side and a 2-imp gain at imps bid 1NT, you would have no doubt scored
or top score at matchpoints. some overtricks, for a nice +150 for yourself.
Which do you prefer? By the way, if West
Another way to miss the boat is to let passes 2♦, you will double that as well; the
them off the hook after partner has opened 3♦ bid was just icing on the cake.
the bidding and they step into the auction.
When our side opens the bidding and they III. Bidding Games
double or overcall, the first thing responder After partner’s sound opening bid, you
should consider is: “They just stepped into don’t need to use up your bidding space for
hot water and there might be a big number delicate non-forcing probing bids or dainty
for us!” Suppose, for example, that you hold game invitations. With a good 11-count,
something like: or even some 10-counts, you already know
♠ J x ♥ K J 10 x ♦ Q 10 x x ♣ Q 10 x. you have a good shot at game, and you take
it. Therefore, jump raises and preferences,
Partner opens 1♠ and RHO doubles. and 2NT “as a new suit” bids (e.g., 1♥-1♠;
This is not the time to bid 1NT! Just bide 2♣-2NT), are forcing, and you can bid your
your time and say pass! Fourth hand must games without giving the opponents the
bid at the two-level, and, with a good hand, extra useful information that fourth-suit-
the doubler might innocently raise (playing forcing or other slow bids gratuitously pro-
his partner for some of your stuffings). The vide, and you can explore for the best game
whole hand might be similar to: contract (or slams) by using forcing low-level
bids.
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 5

I had a disaster in the World Champion- ing (partner will pass only with a 5-3-3-2
ships in Verona last week when I couldn’t minimum), or 3♣ invitational. I didn’t like
make a 2-over-1 after my partner’s possibly 3♣ because of the poor spot cards and the
light opening bid with: queen-doubleton of spades (we might belong
in spades), so I settled for a semi-forcing
North dealer 1NT. The bidding continued:
North-South vul
♠Q2 West North East South
♥A95 — 1♠ pass 1NT
♦ 10 3 double pass 2♥ ?
♣KQ6532
Now what? I felt like I was stuck between
West North East South a rock and a hard place. A 3♣ bid now
— 1♠ pass ? would show a weak hand, and 2♠ certainly
didn’t do justice to this hand. So I made the
Playing sound opening bids, I respond “value bid” of 2NT, which was passed out.
2♣, happy to force to game with these The full deal was:
cards. As it was, I could bid 1NT semi-forc-

♠AK764 I like plus 600 rather than -100 (or +100

♥86 if you defended 4♦, or +150 if you stopped
♦642 in a club partscore). By the way, I do con-
♣AJ4 sider North’s 1♠ opening bid to be “sound”
♠95 ♠ J 10 8 3 but that was incidental, since partner wasn’t
N
♥KQJ7 W E ♥ 10 4 3 2 playing sound opening bids.
♦AKQJ85 S ♦97
♣9 ♣ 10 8 7 IV. “Good Playing Hand” Preempts
♠Q2 If your partner is going to force to game
♥A95 after your opening one-level bid with any
♦ 10 3 excuse, the sound opening bidder must
♣KQ6532 limit his hand by passing, or, with a long
suit, by opening a sound two- or three-bid. I
I’m sure my partner wasn’t pleased to no longer open at the three-level with hor-
watch me go down a trick in 2NT, with 5♣ rible preempts (except white vs. red opposite
cold, but this is the price you pay for light- a passed partner). I play “Trent Weak Two
opening bids. Playing sound openings the Bids” and my three-level opening bids show
bidding goes: good playing hands with less defense than
two-bids (the two-bids show good playing
West North East South hands with at least 1-1/4 defensive tricks).
— 1♠ pass 2♣ I have already written extensively about
double 3♣ pass 3 ♥ (stopper) Trent Weak Two-Bids, so I’ll demonstrate
(any) 3♠ pass 5♣ the effectiveness of this bidding style by us-
(any) ing a three-level opening-bid example.
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 6

Playing matchpoints, you are white vs. If you’ve been following my train of
red and your partner opens 3♦ in first seat. thought here, you have no problem taking
Second hand bids 3♥, and you hold: out the “double” card. Your partner has
shown a decent hand; from where will they
♠AKJ72 ♥54 ♦A4 ♣KJ87 be taking tricks? Admittedly the double is
not without risk, but my point is that you
What are your thoughts about this hand? should take advantage of the “good playing
A 3♠ bid, by the way, would be forcing. hand” style! The whole hand was:

♠Q3 suspect, but equal-vul preempts are better,

♥KQ8763 and red-vs-white preempts become “picture
♦863 bids,” showing seven-card suits and game-
♣A4 going hands. This is quite useful in that
♠84 ♠AKJ72 you shut them out of the bidding and give
♥J92 N ♥54 your partner a description of your hand at
W E
♦ K Q J 10 9 7 S ♦A4 the same time, with just one bid.
♣65 ♣KJ87
♠ 10 9 6 5 For example, suppose you hold:
♥ A 10
♦52 East dealer
♣ Q 10 9 3 2 East-West vul
♠53
Of course, this one is much more difficult ♥ 10 7 5 3
at imps. I do admit that “double” in this ♦974
case is, to put it mildly, an imaginative call, ♣AK92
but your partner put pressure on them with
the three-level rather than two-level open- West North East South
ing bid, and you should take advantage of — — pass 1♦
it! 3♠ pass ?

By the way, the idea of “good playing Partner has shown a very strong playing
hand preempts” applies with overcalls as hand with a seven-card spade suit, so natu-
well as opening bids. Preempting with yar- rally you raise to game, right? Then:
boroughs rarely works these days; nobody
is afraid to bid over them any more, and West North East South
you usually end up giving them a fielder’s — — pass 1♦
choice in the bidding or road map in the 3♠ pass 4♠ 5♦
play. A more useful treatment is to use the pass pass ?
preempts to show good playing hands in
accordance with the vulnerability. So white No problem, I assume; you double for a
vs. red preemptive overcalls are still a bit huge result when the whole hand was:
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 7

East dealer North 2. One-notrump rebids show 11-14. You

E-W vul ♠QJ2 should not leave partner to play a 4-2 fit be-
♥KJ864 cause your rebid shows a full opening bid.
♦32 With, for example,
♣753 ♠ x x ♥ A J x x x ♦ A x x ♣ Q x x,
West East open 1♥ and rebid 1NT over partner’s 1♠
♠ A K 10 9 8 7 4 ♠53 response.
♥AQ9 ♥ 10 7 5 3
♦J ♦974 3. Use 4-card majors for one-bid hands.
♣64 ♣AK92 With, for example,
South ♠ x x x ♥ A J x x ♦ A x x ♣ Q x x,
♠6 open 1♥ and pass 1♠. If you open 1♣ with
♥2 this hand, you won’t know what to do after
♦ A K Q 10 8 6 5 partner’s 1♥ response (a raise shows a full
♣ Q J 10 8 opening bid). You might actually miss a
game when partner has:
West North East South ♠ x x ♥ K Q x x x ♦ K Q x x x ♣ x,
— — pass 1♦ whereas if you open 1♥, partner raises to
3♠ pass 4♠ 5♦ game.
pass pass double (all pass)
4. Play 5-card weak two-bids, to handle
You score up a nice +500 when 4♠ hands where you have no rebid over part-
may go down (you can make 4♠ after two ner’s response. For example, with
rounds of diamonds, double dummy). At ♠ A K x x x ♥ x ♦ Q 10 x x ♣ x x x,
the table, East passed at every opportunity open 2♠ in third or fourth seat; if you open
and scored up +50 against 4♦ (to add insult 1♠ and partner responds 2♥, you will have
to injury, East-West didn’t get their club trouble limiting your hand (if you rebid 2♠,
ruff, but even +100 would be a poor result). partner will think you have a full open-
ing bid). After a weak two-bid, 2NT by the
V. Third/Fourth Seat Protection Bids passed hand is not forcing and shows 11-12
Finally, if it goes pass-pass to you, or HCP with honor-doubleton in your suit
pass-pass-pass to you, you should suspect (in other words, looking for 3NT), a new
that your sound-opening bid partner is the suit is non-forcing, and 3♦ (artificial) shows
one holding the goods. Therefore, you must the game try in your suit (because partner
open light in third/fourth seat to protect would have already opened 2♦ or 3♦ with
the partscore (in fact, you might even have a long diamond suit, so you don’t need it as
a game!). My rules are: a natural bid).

1. No semi-psyching with one-bids. You Notice that there is no casino point

won’t get away with it when partner passed counting here; it’s just too dangerous to pass
a maximum hand and goes jumping around out a hand opposite a sound-opening bid-
or doubling them. To open the bidding op- der!
posite a passed hand, you should hold at
least an ace, a king, and a queen.
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 8

The World Mixed Pairs

by Matthew Granovetter

Part I – Learning the System

My preparation for the World Mixed Bids is that with a singleton in the suit
Pairs Championships in Verona, Italy, was opened, responder must remove to another
to practice with my wife on BBO, to get her suit — from the fat into the fire — before
in shape for her date with Bob Hamman. the doubling starts or, just as bad, before
It turned out, however, that she was coach- they pass it out. This avoids a 5-1 fit and if
ing me. And a good coach she was, as you you pray hard, you may locate a better fit.
will see. My partner, Karen McCallum, had I had a book of King David’s Psalms with
no time to practice but did send me an old me at the table, a necessary ingredient when
convention card we played several years ago playing this method, I believe.
and 15 pages of notes, outlining her aggres-
sive Standard American system that she How do you win a Mixed Pairs? You play
plays with her other partners. Trying to act well and you play methods that produce oc-
like the senior partner, I suggested to her casional tops and you somehow enlist your
a compromise between her system and my opponents to work for you. There were
sound openings system. “Let’s play Black- three qualifying sessions and three final
wood and Stayman,” I suggested. “That’s sessions. I’ll show you the most interesting
fine with me,” she answered, “if you don’t hands, but keep in mind something that I
care if I don’t know what’s going on.” With told the Italian journalist who was kibitzing
that, I submitted to her system. the final session: This is not bridge — this is
matchpoints!
On the airplane I read the 15 pages. Basi-
cally, the system was this: Five-card majors, Early in the set I faced this problem. I
light openings, 14+-17 notrumps, and Mc- was West and held, vul vs. not:
Callum Weak Two-Bids. The last item is ♠ 8 ♥ A K 10 9 3 ♦ Q 10 9 ♣ K Q 8 3
the secret weapon that helped us win the
event. The opening two-bid in diamonds, South West North East
hearts or spades, not vulnerable, shows a pass 1♥ 1♠ 2♠
five-card suit and 4-to-10 points. If you 4♠ ?
have 11 points, you open one of a suit. If
you have 0-3 points, well … you are al- Notice we are at unfavorable vulnerabili-
lowed to open two as well! ty and they quickly bid to 4♠. My partner’s
cuebid has shown a limit raise or better in
“What do we do with a six-card suit?” hearts. I was not sure if my pass would be
I asked Karen as we sat down for the first forcing, inviting a bid from her. Perhaps,
round. since we open light, my pass is not forcing.
“We open three, one or two,” she said, So I pictured a limit raise, say the ♦A-J and
“depending on the shape, the vulnerability the ♣A, and figured we had a reasonable
and your mood….” chance of making 11 tricks. I bid 5♥ plan-
ning to discuss the situation later with her.
One of the basics of the McCallum Two- Everyone passed and the full hand was:
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 9

South dealer North I scored 650 for average plus.

E-W vul ♠ A Q 10 6 5
♥762 Since Pamela was playing with Bob Ham-
♦A32 man, I had the opportunity to compare
♣62 scores with her, and it turned out that their
West (MG) East (KM) system of four-card major openings did not
♠8 ♠43 fare as well. After 1♥-1♠, East bid 2♣ and
♥ A K 10 9 3 ♥Q85 then South jumped to 4♠. West bid 5♣ and
♦ Q 10 9 ♦KJ8 East could not be sure whether partner held
♣KQ83 ♣ A J 10 5 4 five hearts, so they rested in the inferior
South matchpoint spot, for +600.
♠KJ972
♥J4 I asked Karen at the end of the hand if
♦7654 my pass of 4♠ would have been forcing,
♣97 and she said yes, that any time we make a
game try and they outbid us, a pass is forc-
South West North East ing. So we now had that agreement under
pass 1♥ 1♠ 2♠ our belts.
4♠ 5♥ (all pass)

A few boards later I had my first taste of East dealer North

one of her two-bids, though it was a vulner- All vul ♠K6542
able one. I picked up: ♥98764
♠ Q J 10 9 7 ♥ A K ♦ A K J 5 ♣ A J ♦7
♣92
I was in third seat, all vul, and saw my West (MG) East (KM)
partner open 2♦. We were playing with ♠ Q J 10 9 7 ♠—
bidding screens and you can imagine my ♥AK ♥QJ53
surprise when the tray appeared on my side ♦AKJ5 ♦ Q 10 8 4 3 2
of the screen with the 2♦ card. That was ♣AJ ♣ Q 10 7
interesting! South
♠A83
We were playing six-card suit weak ♥ 10 2
two-bids vulnerable, albeit not the sound ♦96
playing hand (Trent) style. Still, I checked ♣K86543
the backs of the cards to make sure. I had
no idea if we had methods over vulner- She ruffed the ♠A and soon claimed
able two-bids that would allow us to locate 13 tricks. Seven was cold, but 6♦ was still
a spade control (though Blackwood would a good score. Most pairs began with two
locate the ♠A), so I simply leapt to 6♦. I passes to West, who opened 2♣. It then
knew this would scare her on the other side boiled down to West’s rebid. Those Wests
of the bidding screen, since she was obvi- that rebid 2NT failed to reach slam when
ously looking at a poor trump holding. She East bid Stayman followed by 3NT. Those
seemed calm after the ♠A hit the table on Wests, like Hamman, who rebid 2♠, saw
opening lead and right she was: partner bid 3♦ next and reached slam.
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 10

My partner said afterwards that to reach Opener Responder

seven, we would have to be able to diagnose 2♥ 2 NT
the ♥J, since without it, seven would not 3 ♣ = no singleton or club singleton
be a good contract. I did not ask my partner 3 ♦ = diamond singleton
if we could have diagnosed the ♥J in our 3 ♥ = spade singleton
system, since I was confident that we could
not. If any readers have any ideas, please Over 3♣, responder may ask with 3♦,
email me. and opener bids 3♥ with no singleton, 3♠
with a singleton club.
The first authentic McCallum weak two
emerged on board 11. But she was heavy I still say it was a bit lucky to make 4♥.
for her bid and that was not good! South led a diamond and North put up the
ace. If North puts in the 10, I think 4♥ can
South dealer North be defeated. Of course, I agree with the 2♥
None vul ♠KJ97 opening in fourth chair, holding the single-
♥3 ton spade. In fact, the system is designed for
♦ A 10 7 4 first, second and third seat, not fourth seat,
♣ 10 9 4 3 openings. I was learning the system and I
West (MG) East (KM) vowed to do better!
♠ 10 8 3 2 ♠6
♥A842 ♥ K Q 10 7 5 On board 13, I was looking at:
♦Q6 ♦K98 ♠J87642 ♥7652 ♦J9 ♣2
♣AJ6 ♣K875
South All vul, my LHO, Bobby Wolff, opened
♠AQ54 2NT. My partner passed and Judy (the
♥J96 widow of Norman Kay), his wife, jumped
♦J532 to 4♦, transfer to hearts. It went 4♥ on my
♣Q2 left and two passes back to me. Would you
consider bidding 4♠? What if you were not
South West North East vulnerable? What about those four small
pass pass pass 2♥ hearts facing partner’s singleton?
pass 3♥ (all pass)
Yes, I chickened out and passed. But I
You see, she had 11 HCP for her fourth- think I would have bid not vulnerable. We
seat opener and the system states 4-10. I was were laydown for game:
instructed afterwards that the invitational
response by a passed hand was 2NT, where-
upon she could show a singleton if she held
a maximum. This would have worked per-
Bobby
fectly, since she would have had to go past
Wolff
3♥ to show the singleton and we would
have been in game without my having to
evaluate the nice fit. Later I was told that
the way to show singletons over 2NT is to
condense the first step. It works like this:
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 11

North dealer North (Wolff) doubled!). Later we reviewed our system

All vul ♠A53 over their 2NT openings. Yes, really. My
♥AQ partner likes to play double of 2NT as a
♦ 10 3 2 one-suited hand and an overcall showing
♣AKQ54 a two-suiter with that suit and a higher.
West (MG) East (KM) Perhaps the system would not have helped
♠J87642 ♠KQ9 here, but it is interesting.
♥7652 ♥9
♦J9 ♦AKQ875 By the way, this was Pamela’s favorite
♣2 ♣J83 hand of the event. She was East and, with-
South out any unusual methods, she simply over-
♠ 10 called 3♦ when North opened 2NT. South
♥ K J 10 8 4 3 doubled to say “she took away my bid
♦64 (transfer to hearts)” but North converted
♣ 10 9 7 6 the double to penalty! South led her single-
ton spade to North’s ace, Pamela dropping
Wolff made 11 tricks in hearts, but what the queen. Playing declarer for K-Q double-
a nice contract 4♠ would have been (4♠ ton, North switched to a trump. The end.

On the next board against the Wolff’s,

the McCallum two-bid struck.

East dealer North Maybe I was meant to double on the way

None vul ♠ A 10 8 6 out, but I was too excited. (Next time I will
♥AKQ double!) Unfortunately, Karen led a spade
♦Q82 instead of the ♦J and I played low so as
♣A97 not to help him establish more spade tricks.
West (MG) East (KM) Wolff emerged with seven tricks, down two,
♠KQ943 ♠7 and a 72% score for us.
♥— ♥J8764
♦A763 ♦ J 10 5 4 At my wife’s table, they played 2NT and
♣QJ83 ♣K64 she led the ♦J, defeating that contract two
South tricks as well. Hamman pointed out that it
♠J52 was a good thing she was sitting East, and
♥ 10 9 5 3 2 not him, since he would have led a low dia-
♦K9 mond. Pamela agreed it was a good thing.
♣ 10 5 2
The McCallum two-bid struck again
West North East South on board 18, but I wasn’t sure at first if it
— — 2♥ pass struck them or us….
2 ♠* 3 NT (all pass)

*not forcing, showing 0-18 HCP and possibly short

hearts, usually five spades but could be four with a
singleton heart (yes, this is the full explanation)
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 12

South dealer North (MG) without an 8-card spade fit to protect us.

E-W vul ♠A4 She received a friendly ♥Q lead and scored
♥AK7 200, making three overtricks after driving
♦ J 10 9 4 3 out the ♠K and then the ♦A when East
♣K53 continued hearts. We scored 89%, since
West East many pairs played in 3NT down two after
♠76 ♠K982 a club lead from East, or 4ß, down two, by
♥ Q 10 ♥8654 South with a club lead from West. The auc-
♦A75 ♦6 tion at many tables was:
♣QJ8642 ♣ A 10 9 7
South (KM) South West North East
♠ Q J 10 5 3 pass pass 1 NT pass
♥J932 2♣ double 2♦ pass
♦KQ82 3♠ pass 3 NT (all pass)
♣—
Some bid 3♥ with the South hand, Smo-
South West North East len, and still landed in 3NT. Bob Hamman
2♠ (all pass) had a good suggestion: When Stayman is
doubled, play 2♦ as natural. Now diamonds
Opening lead: ♥Q come into the picture and the 5♦ game can
be reached easily. This sounds a lot better
The best spot is 5♦. As North, I passed than using 2♦ to show or deny a club stop-
2♠, since I assumed an average of about 7 per, don’t you think? The same idea can be
points for the 2♠ bid. Karen told me later I applied after a 2NT opening and the double
should have bid 2NT, but I don’t see why of Stayman at the three level.

You don’t win a pair event without a few and his partner the ace. So he decided to
friendly opening leads but this one was the start with the ♦K in order to hold the lead
friendliest of my bridge career. Consider if his partner held the ace, and give himself
your choice of leads with this West hand: a chance to shift to clubs, in case the de-
fenders could take ♣K, ♣A and a club ruff.
♠J9763 ♥87 ♦KJ75 ♣K8 It was a deep and careful analysis. Have
you been convinced, too?
South West North East
3♥ pass 4♥ (all pass) Well, it wasn’t quite the winning lead:

We were playing against a strong Turkish

player, who saw clearly that a diamond was
the best percentage lead, to set up tricks.
But he also considered the possibility that
declarer would hold a singleton diamond
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 13

South dealer North ♠ J 10 8 2 ♥ K 7 ♦ K 8 7 3 ♣ K 8 3

None vul ♠AK2
♥AQ9 West North East South
♦ Q 10 9 6 3 — pass pass 3♣
♣ A 10 3♦ 4♣ 4 ♠!
West East
♠J9763 ♠ Q 10 8 5 In “the system,” her pass on the first
♥87 ♥54 round had denied 4-10 points and a five-
♦KJ75 ♦A card spade suit (and certainly a six-card
♣K8 ♣QJ9642 spade suit), so she was confident that her
South 4♠ bid on the second round promised
♠4 only four of them. On an unlucky day, she
♥ K J 10 6 3 2 might have caught me with two or three
♦842 spades, and I might have passed, since I was
♣753 not yet fully aware of all the system nu-
ances. But today she found me with:
South West North East ♠ K 9 6 5 ♥ A 8 ♦ A J 10 6 5 4 ♣ 7
3♥ pass 4♥ (all pass)
So I passed with a smile (behind the
Opening lead: ♦K screen) and she scored up 420 and 77%.

I had no difficulty scoring 12 tricks after On the next round I had this opening-
that, for a 99% score. lead problem:

We finished session one with a 62.62% ♠ A ♥ A J 8 5 2 ♦ Q J 5 2 ♣ 10 7 3

score and eleventh position.
South West North East
Session Two 1♥ pass 1♠ pass
The first board of the second qualifier 1 NT pass 3 NT (all pass)
showed the system in action in another
way. Suppose you are East with these cards, What would you lead as West?
no one vul:
♠ J 10 8 2 ♥ K 7 ♦ K 8 7 3 ♣ K 8 3 A diamond seemed normal, but the coach
(Pamela) has me leading the queen from
West North East South these holdings, even though I don’t have
— pass pass 3♣ a spot card under the jack. The coach was
3♦ 4♣ ? right….

What is your call?

You might bid 4♦ or perhaps 5♦. You The coach,

might bring spades into the picture by mak- having a good time.
ing a responsive double. You hope partner
will bid a four-card major, and if he bids
4♥, you bid 5♦. My partner did none of
these things. She simply bid 4♠!
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 14

South dealer North A low diamond would not have been a

E-W vul ♠ K 10 8 7 4 success. On the ♦Q, declarer won in dum-
♥43 my (my partner playing low to discourage,
♦A3 denying the 10) and led a heart to the king.
♣AQJ2 In cases like this, I find it best to duck the
West East first round, which is what I did. Next came
♠A ♠Q9652 the ♠J. After winning the ace, I shifted
♥AJ852 ♥ 10 safely to a club.
♦QJ52 ♦9876
♣ 10 7 3 ♣864 Declarer tried another heart and saw
South East show out. I won the 6 with the 8 and
♠J3 played another club. He won in hand to try
♥KQ976 a spade next, but saw me show out. Declar-
♦ K 10 4 er now took two more club tricks and the
♣K95 ♦K for down one.

South West North East

1♥ pass 1♠ pass
1 NT pass 3 NT (all pass)

Opening lead: ♦Q

Two rounds later we faced an old friend,

Gabriel Chagas, of Brazil. His partner had
me puzzled on a hand. Watch over my
shoulder and see what I mean.
Gabriel
Chagas
All vul I pick up:
♠ K Q 10 ♥ K J 8 7 4 2 ♦ — ♣ J 9 6 3

One club on my right, and I overcall 1♥.

My usual style would be to make a weak
jump overcall with this hand to create more
headaches for the opponents, but my part-
ner would expect a lot less, so I bid one, not
two. Chagas raises to 2♣ on my left and my
partner cuebids 3♣. Next hand passes. I
now know partner is short in clubs from the
club bids on my right and left and I have
an easy game acceptance. I bid 4♥ and it
goes all pass. Chagas leads the ♣8 and this
is what I see:
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 15

East dealer North With most of my partner’s strength

All vul ♠9863 in diamonds, this won’t be as easy as I
♥Q63 thought. I’m off three obvious tricks, the
♦KQ92 ♠A, ♥A and a club trick. Plus I must get
♣ A 10 rid of my club losers and possibly prevent
the opponents from obtaining a spade ruff.
South It looks like Chagas has raised with four
♠ K Q 10 clubs to the 8 and that his partner started
♥KJ8742 with K-Q-x, so I can ruff out the suit with
♦— one ruff. I play the ♣10 from dummy and
♣J963 East wins the queen. After a little thought,
East shifts to the ♦5. This is not good. I was
West North East South hoping she held the ♦A and I could ruff
— — 1♣ 1♥ out that card for a spade pitch. I ruff the
2♣ 3♣ pass 4♥ diamond and lead a club to the ace followed
(all pass) by a spade to the 2, king and ace. Chagas
quickly returns a club. I ruff in dummy
Opening lead: ♣8 and the king drops, so my jack is now high.

This is the position: the spade finesse, and I do it. The 10 holds.
Now I’m OK. But when I lead a trump, I’m
North surprised when Chagas flies with the ace!
♠986 How many aces does he hold?! He returns
♥Q6 a club. I ruff with dummy’s queen, ruff a
♦KQ9 diamond and draw trump. The full hand is:
♣—
♠9863
South ♥Q63
♠ Q 10 ♦KQ92
♥KJ874 ♣ A 10
♦— ♠A7 ♠J542
♣J ♥A N ♥ 10 9 5
W E
♦ 10 8 7 6 4 3 S ♦AJ5
I now need to lose only the ♥A. Taking ♣8752 ♣KQ4
stock, Chagas has shown up with the ♠A ♠ K Q 10
and presumably the ♦A, which leaves East ♥KJ8742
with the ♣K-Q, ♥A, and two jacks. She has ♦—
opened some balanced 11 count with 1♣ on ♣J963
a three-card suit. So she cannot hold four
diamonds. This leaves Chagas with an origi- That shift to the ♦5 really had me crazy
nal holding of six diamonds and four clubs, for a while. Luckily my misplacing the aces
and either three spades and a heart void or did not affect the result. I see what she was
two spades and a singleton heart. I need the doing now. She was playing her partner for
latter, because I can’t pick up four trump to 10-x-x of diamonds, hoping to score two
the A-10-9 on my right. I guess I must take diamond tricks later.
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 16

On the second board against Chagas I I think the right technical and psycholog-
make a really dumb play. I open 1NT, 14+- ical play is to overtake with the 8 and lead
17, and my partner makes a great pass with a heart to the 10. If this loses and East finds
8 points.* Chagas leads a low club: a diamond shift, I hope that West started
with a doubleton honor in hearts. But East
North might return a club, not knowing how weak
♠J865 her partner’s clubs are. This would give
♥ A 10 8 4 me time to set up an extra trick in hearts if
♦J8 there are two heart losers.
♣Q97
Stupidly, I revealed the hand by cashing
South all the clubs, East discarding a spade and a
♠K74 diamond. Then I (even more stupidly) led
♥J762 a heart to the 8, playing West for honor-9-
♦ A 10 third. East won the queen and shifted to a
♣AK82 diamond. I played the 10 and when Chagas
won the queen, I dropped the jack from
I play the ♣7 from dummy and it holds dummy, trying to look like a guy with
as East follows low. How would you con- A-10-9 of diamonds. No dice. Chagas re-
tinue? turned the king of diamonds and now when
I led a second round of hearts and the 9
*Pamela also passed playing with Hamman — defi- came up, I inserted the 10 from dummy.
nitely a good matchpoint strategy. East won the king and I never saw my ♥A.
This was the full deal:

South dealer North machine situated in the playing area, to

None vul ♠J865 have a free cup of Lavazza coffee and wake
♥ A 10 8 4 up. I’d like to mention here that all the
♦J8 men sat North or West while the women all
♣Q97 sat East or South. The screens were set up
West East in such a way that a man and woman were
♠ A Q 10 9 ♠32 on each side of the screens. This led to a
♥95 ♥KQ3 rather social climate, and sometimes put the
♦KQ7 ♦965432 men off guard (a good excuse for mistakes
♣ J 10 6 3 ♣54 by the men, anyway). Of course, this did
South not bother me in the least. (Are you reading
♠K74 this, Pamela?)
♥J762
♦ A 10 We now had a series of lucky results
♣AK82 (lucky because the opponents misbid and
misplayed), but then ran into Sabine Auken,
So I took five tricks for down two! We partnering George Jacobs.
scored 21%. I went quickly to the espresso
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 17

I held this hand, at unfavorable, fourth chines at the table. The North player keyed
chair: in the result and the East player hit OK.
♠ A K 9 ♥ 8 3 ♦ K J 10 7 5 ♣ A Q 8 Then the current matchpoint percentage
appeared on the screen. These machines
Sabine opened 1♥ in third seat. I dou- were great and wireless! The only problem
bled and George jumped to 2NT, a limit with them was that if you scored poorly,
raise. Sabine rebid 3♥ and I had nowhere you saw your poor matchpoint result in-
to go, so that ended the auction. What stantly and it could depress you for the next
would you lead? board!)

I stuck with the robot lead of the ♠A Speaking of which, on the next board, I
and after that we were not going to defeat really hit bottom…. I held the West cards:
this:
East dealer North
North dealer North All vul ♠J72
E-W vul ♠865 ♥ 10 9 5
♥ K J 10 4 ♦J96
♦94 ♣AQ76
♣KJ52 West (MG)
West East ♠ Q 10 N
♠AK9 ♠J43 ♥743 W E
S
♥83 ♥A72 ♦ A 10 8 4
♦ K J 10 7 5 ♦862 ♣J842
♣AQ8 ♣ 10 9 6 3
South West North East South
♠ Q 10 7 2 — — pass 2♣
♥Q965 pass 2♦ pass 2 NT
♦AQ3 pass 3 NT (all pass)
♣74
I led the ♦4. Declarer played the jack
West North East South from dummy, my partner the 3 and South
— pass pass 1♥ the 2. Next came the ♠J to the 3, 6 and my
double 2 NT pass 3♥ queen. What would you play next?
(all pass)
This was the whole hand:
Opening lead: ♠A

If I shift to a trump, I think my partner

would return a spade, wouldn’t you? So
I shifted to a diamond at trick two. That
wasn’t such a great play. Declarer lost two
spades, one heart and one club trick for
+140 and an 87% result for them. (Another
interesting sidelight was that the event was
scored automatically on Bridgemate ma-
My partner, hard at work.
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 18

East dealer North On the next board I violated system by

All vul ♠J72 not opening 2♥ in second seat, no one vul,
♥ 10 9 5 with:
♦J96 ♠J75 ♥Q8632 ♦K93 ♣53
♣AQ76
West East Our opponents had a confusing Italian
♠ Q 10 ♠543 sequence to 5♣, making six, cold for 11
♥743 ♥QJ862 tricks in notrump as well, and the Italian
♦ A 10 8 4 ♦753 lingo began flying back and forth under the
♣J842 ♣93 screen. It was just as well I had not opened,
South since, though we held a combined nine-card
♠AK986 heart fit, we had only five tricks and even
♥AK 3♥ doubled would be a near bottom. We
♦KQ2 had instead a 96% score by doing nothing
♣ K 10 5 and not getting in their way.

I cleverly returned the ♦8 to preserve On the second board of the round, we

a diamond in partner’s hand. Sabine won, defeated an “impossible to beat” game for a
cashed all the majors, and squeezed me in 97% score. Keep your eye on the ♠7 in my
the minors to make the rest. I assume you hand:
cashed the ♦A to hold the contract to five,
right?

West dealer North This was not my best lead — a diamond

N-S vul ♠ 10 6 is better. Then if declarer plays hearts we
♥J9 can play trumps and defeat her.
♦ A 10 8 7
♣AKJ83 After the heart lead, I had to shift to
West East a diamond to knock out the ♦A before
♠732 ♠Q8 the clubs set up, to hold her to four, but I
♥A43 ♥ K Q 10 7 6 was afraid of the club suit, so I continued
♦QJ54 ♦K93 hearts. Now my partner had to shift to
♣962 ♣ Q 10 5 diamonds but she led back the ♠8 instead.
South Declarer can now draw trump and make an
♠AKJ954 overtrick. But destiny moved in.
♥852
♦62 Declarer won the ♠A, ruffed a heart, and
♣74 cashed two top clubs. Next came the ♣J.
When East played the queen, declarer was
West North East Sam sure I was overruffing, so she ruffed with
pass 1♣ 1♥ 1♠ the ♠9. I followed.
2♥ 3♣ pass 3♠
pass 4♠ (all pass) Next declarer tried a diamond to the ace
and a high club to throw her diamond. (I
Opening lead: ♥A know, I know, she forgot to pull trump. But
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 19

she thought I held the trumps behind her cussed the bid, so I wasn’t sure if she knew
from my partner’s ♠8 shift.) that I knew it was what we were playing.
This made for an interesting letter by me to
West dealer North my screenmate and she smiled when I wrote
N-S vul ♠ 10 6 her the explanation: “Natural or minors, not
♥J9 sure since we are playing for the first time
♦ A 10 8 7 in several years and we have not discussed
♣AKJ83 it, though I did see it in a set of old notes I
West East read on my plane ride to Verona.” Luckily
♠732 ♠Q8 I had the perfect two-way response to a bid
♥A43 ♥ K Q 10 7 6 that could be either 20-22 balanced or less
♦QJ54 ♦K93 than 12 with the minors:
♣962 ♣ Q 10 5 ♠ Q 8 7 3 ♥ A K 10 6 ♦ 7 2 ♣ J 8 4.
South
♠AKJ954 As you can see, if it was strong, my 3♣
♥852 bid would be Stayman, and if it was the mi-
♦62 nors, I would play the longer minor. What
♣74 good luck!

On the fourth round of clubs, my partner When it went all pass, we players on my
produced the ♠Q. Declarer overruffed with side of the screen knew it was the minors.
the king and cashed the jack. If you have
been following this, you will note that my Dummy
♠7 is high. We won that plus a diamond ♠A54
trick to set the contract. After this hand, ♥—
we knew destiny was on our side. Wouldn’t ♦ A J 10 9 8
you agree? ♣ Q 10 7 6 5

We scored only 55% at the end of the day, Me

and we found ourselves in 23rd place. ♠Q873
♥ A K 10 6
Session Three ♦72
The third qualifying session began at ♣J84
10:30 in the morning. I had lost my conven-
tion card by now, but my partner still had My LHO led a low heart to East’s queen.
hers. So we were 50% on that issue. Unfor- I discarded two spades from dummy and
tunately, having lost the card, I did not get led a diamond to the ace and a diamond
a chance to review it at breakfast. I have a to RHO’s king. He led a spade to the ace
good memory, however, and trusted my rec- in dummy and I ruffed a diamond low,
ollection of the 15-page notes I had read on the queen falling on my left. Now I led the
the airplane two days earlier. The session ♣8 to the 10, which held. Another club
started with a 2NT opening bid by Karen, saw East show out. But LHO inexplicably
which I alerted as possibly the minors and won the ♣K and cashed the ace from A-9
possibly natural, since though it was in doubleton, giving me an overtrick and a
those notes as the minors, we had not dis- 75% score. She must have been confused by
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 20

looking at the hand backwards, with the South dealer North

length in dummy or she was simply in a N-S vul ♠Q84
spell of some sort, perhaps wondering how ♥ A 10 5
two players could not know what system ♦Q87
they were playing and yet survive the bid- ♣AJ93
ding. (She did not know about our date
with destiny.) South (you)
♠ A J 10 6 2
On the next round, my partner made a ♥K843
good bid. She held: ♦ 10 2
♠ Q 8 4 ♥ A 10 5 ♦ Q 8 7 ♣ A J 9 3. ♣KQ

Vul vs. not, your partner opens 1♠ in You reach 4♠ with no bidding by the
first chair and RHO passes. What is your opposition. West leads a diamond to East’s
plan with this hand? jack. East continues with a low diamond
to his partner’s king and then West plays
Before I tell you what happened in the a diamond to East’s ace. You ruff. How do
bidding, try it as a play problem…. you continue?

South dealer North My partner’s lead-inhibiting diamond bid

N-S vul ♠Q84 got West off to a trump lead. I was able to
♥ A 10 5 draw trump and discard two diamonds on
♦Q87 the clubs, losing two heart tricks for +650.
♣AJ93
West East At most tables (including my wife’s) after
♠93 ♠K75 a 2♣ response, West led a diamond. After
♥72 ♥QJ96 three rounds of diamonds, most declarers
♦K953 ♦AJ64 (including Hamman) ruffed and led trumps
♣76542 ♣ 10 8 from their hand, not willing to risk their
South contract by leading a heart to dummy. That
♠ A J 10 6 2 ♥A appears to be needed later as an en-
♥K843 try for two discards on the clubs. Declarer
♦ 10 2 does not know that the ♣10 is falling, nor
♣KQ that the spade finesse is working. To play
any other way would be to hope the ♠K
South West North East is onside and that the ♣10 falls doubleton,
1♠ pass 2♦ pass hardly likely.
2♥ pass 3♠ pass
4♠ (all pass)

Opening lead: ♠9
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 21

My partner played this next one nicely: the queen and East did not overtake. West
switched to hearts. Declarer won the king,
South dealer North ruffed a diamond, and led a spade to the
All vul ♠ K 10 9 4 9, playing restricted choice. When East
♥K7 showed out, she led a heart to hand and
♦J85 took another spade finesse, drew trumps
♣AQ63 and claimed the rest in clubs. Making 12
West East tricks was worth an 82% score.
♠Q632 ♠J
♥J5432 ♥Q98 On the next hand I opened 2♥ in second
♦AQ4 ♦ K 10 9 7 6 3 seat, no one vul, with:
♣8 ♣ 10 5 4 ♠ K 10 ♥ 10 9 7 5 3 ♦ A 9 7 5 ♣ 10 7
South (KM) (I was a maven by now and had no fear.)
♠A875
♥ A 10 6 When partner responded 3♦, which is
♦2 natural and invitational, I raised to 4♦, but
♣KJ972 we rested there. West led a trump. Partner
held:
South West North East ♠ A 9 3 ♥ 8 ♦ K Q J 10 2 ♣ K 9 8 2
1♣ 1♥ double 2♥
2♠ pass 4♠ (all pass) Remember, she had to remove 2♥ with
her singleton. Even though the ♣A was
Opening lead: ♣8 onside, she could make only 10 tricks, for
+130, a 43% board.
She won in hand, cashed the ♠A, saw
the jack fall, and then led the ♦2 to set Then came an interesting slam, though
up a dummy reversal. West went up with we played game and overtricks were key:

North dealer North Suppose the bidding went as shown.

E-W vul ♠KJ64 How would you play it after the ♥2 trump
♥K965 lead to the 5, 8 and jack?
♦—
♣A8532 I think you must set up dummy, so duck
♥2 a club (to East if you can) at trick two, win
South the trump return in dummy, play ♣A
♠A32 and ruff a club, ruff a diamond and ruff
♥AQJ7 another club if necessary. Then take the
♦AQ84 spade finesse and draw the last trump. You
♣ 10 6 score three spade tricks, six heart tricks, one
diamond and two clubs. This was the whole
South West North East hand:
1 NT pass 2♣ pass
2♥ pass 4♦ pass
4 NT pass 5 NT pass
6♥ (all pass)
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 22

North dealer North At my table, my partner bid only 4♥

E-W vul ♠KJ64 over 2♥, so we played game and I received
♥K965 a friendly diamond lead. I then ruffed two
♦— diamonds in dummy and ended with 12
♣A8532 tricks that way for above average.
West East
♠Q987 ♠ 10 5
♥42 ♥ 10 8 3
♦K9753 ♦ J 10 6 2 The next board was a beautiful “squeeze
♣Q4 ♣KJ97 without the count.”
South
♠A32
♥AQJ7
♦AQ84
♣ 10 6

East dealer North You must cash your tricks — that’s all
All vul ♠KQ86 — but in the right order. Win in dummy,
♥ Q 10 7 6 3 cash the other club, lead a heart to hand
♦Q4 and cash a second heart to make sure they
♣AK break. Then cash the ♣Q, discarding a dia-
West East mond from dummy. Now run the last three
♠32 ♠ J 10 9 4 hearts, coming down to five cards:
♥J95 ♥84
♦876 ♦ A K 10 9 ♠KQ86
♣J8653 ♣ 10 9 4 ♥7
South ♦Q
♠A75 ♣—
♥AK2 ♠32 ♠ J 10 9 4
♦J532 ♥— N ♥—
W E
♣Q72 ♦87 S ♦AK
♣J8 ♣—
West North East South ♠A75
— — pass 1♦ ♥—
pass 1♥ pass 1 NT ♦J53
pass 3 NT (all pass) ♣—

Opening lead: ♣5 On the ♥7, East must let go of a dia-

mond. So you lead a diamond and make
How do you play this one as South? 12 tricks. My partner did not do this, but
we scored 63% for making 660, beating the
pairs in 4♥ making five.
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 23

On board 12, I was able to bring home a Maybe I should have allowed partner to
game that eluded others…. declare 3NT, but with a void I decided to
play it in hearts rather than notrump. On
East dealer North the club lead I played the jack from dum-
N-S vul ♠Q965 my, ruffing the king. Then I drew three
♥3 rounds of trump and led the ♠K, playing
♦872 West for jack-third or fourth, as there was
♣QJ982 nothing else to play him for. East did well
West East to hold up until the third round, but then
♠J83 ♠A74 was a bit endplayed. I had pitched the ♦2
♥ 10 9 7 ♥842 on one of my trump leads, and perhaps
♦ A 10 6 4 ♦Q3 this induced East to shift to the ♦Q. West
♣543 ♣ A K 10 7 6 won my king with the ace and thought her
South partner held the jack, so she returned a low
♠ K 10 2 diamond. This gave me an overtrick. The
♥AKQJ65 8 won in dummy and I pitched the ♦9 on
♦KJ95 dummy’s high spade.
♣—
If East leads the ♣A after winning the
West North East South ♠A on the third round of spades, I can
— — 1♣ double ruff and lead the ♦K to make the contract,
pass 1♠ pass 3♥ playing East for the doubleton queen or
pass 3 NT pass 4♥ doubleton 10. Since East did not open 1NT,
(all pass) West is more or less marked with the ♦A,
because East has already shown the ♠A and
Opening lead: ♣3 ♣A-K. So the ♦K play is the right play as
well as the winning one. Anyway, we scored
93% for making five, while making four
would have been worth 81%.

The winning team in

the Rosenblum Cup
was (L to R after the
trophy): Kyle Larsen,
Rose Meltzer, Geir
Helgemo, Roger Bates,
Tor Helness and Alan
Sontag (missing from
photo). We’ll report on
this event in the next
issue.
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 24

On board 16, I did not follow system and hearts or diamonds and spades. I didn’t see
neither did my partner. We scored poorly as how this would be a good thing unless my
a result. partner held hearts with me — otherwise
we would get to 3♣ or somewhere else more
West dealer North (MG) terrible if she were 2-2 in hearts and clubs.
E-W vul ♠A8 They were vulnerable and I had a good
♥A854 lead (I thought), so I passed.
♦A6
♣K6542 Meanwhile, in the South seat, my part-
West East ner could have bid 2♦ in the balancing
♠ K Q 10 ♠6532 position to show the majors on her 4-point
♥ K 10 ♥97 hand. She could assume that I held a good
♦ K Q 10 4 2 ♦J87 hand, since the opponents had stopped in
♣ Q 10 8 ♣AJ93 1NT (and we did not have a penalty double
South (KM) available). But she did something she rarely
♠J974 does — she passed and later said how she
♥QJ632 regretted it.
♦953
♣7 I led a club, but it was not the success I
had hoped for. Declarer drove out the ♦A,
West North East South and I shifted desperately to hearts, so de-
1 NT (all pass) clarer made nine tricks and we scored 23%.
If either of us had bid, we would make a
Our system over 1NT was this: Double heart partscore, probably 170, for 82%.
to show the red suits or black suits, 2♣ to
show clubs and hearts or diamonds and The last round of this session was against
spades, 2♦ to show the majors, and 2NT our friends Bill and Rozanne Pollack. I
to show the minors. This means I would held:
have to bid 2♣ if I bid, to show clubs and ♠ Q 10 5 2 ♥ K Q J 6 4 2 ♦ 8 7 ♣ 6

I opened 3♥ in first chair, no one vul

(my choice was one or three, since 2♥
would usually show only five hearts), and
partner raised to 4♥. My RHO doubled
this and when I passed, Rozanne, on my
left, thought very briefly and passed as well.

She led the ♣Q and this is what I saw:

Rozanne and Billy Pollack

Bridge Today • July 2006 page 25

Dummy he played low. I played the 10, which won.

♠J8 I led another spade to the jack and king,
♥A7 and Bill (East) returned a trump. I won
♦AKJ53 and drew the last trump from West as East
♣ 10 8 5 2 threw a club. It was clear to me that East
♣Q had started with four spades to the ace-
MG king and two hearts. I led a diamond to the
♠ Q 10 5 2 king and ruffed a club, West playing the 9.
♥KQJ642 East still had the ♣A-K, so he started with
♦87 ♠A-K-x-x and ♣A-K-x-x-x, two hearts and
♣6 two diamonds. Where was the ♦Q? I con-
tinued with trumps, leading the jack and
The ♣Q held, and West shifted to a the last trump. West threw the ♣J and then
trump. This prevents me from ruffing a a spade. East threw the ♣K and on the last
spade. I won in dummy and led the ♠8, trump the ♠9. This was the position when
hoping East would rise with the king, but I led a diamond up:

Dummy monds to the queen, she might be more

♠— inclined to feel safe about the trump shift. I
♥— went with the odds in the end and finessed
♦AKJ the jack. This was the whole hand:
♣
Dummy
MG ♠J8
♠Q5 ♥A7
♥— ♦AKJ53
♦8 ♣ 10 8 5 2
♣— Rozanne Bill
♠764 ♠AK93
West was down to three diamonds (from ♥853 ♥ 10 9
an original holding of four). East was down ♦Q942 ♦ 10 6
to one diamond (from an original holding ♣QJ9 ♣AK743
of two) and the ♠A and ♣A. The odds MG
favored the finesse by two to one, since ♠ Q 10 5 2
West had started life with four diamonds ♥KQJ642
and East two. But East had shown strength ♦87
and made a takeout double of 4♥, with a ♣6
doubleton diamond. Had he done that with
two small diamonds? Plus 590 was worth 92%.

On the other hand, West with four small We ended the session with 62.77%, which
diamonds can see that the queen might be put us in fifth place overall, a 60.15% aver-
dropping and might not find the shift to age. This earned a small but handy carry-
trumps at trick two. Looking at four dia- over to the finals. See you in the next issue.
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 26

Bridge Yesterday

How I got fired

by Paul Zweifel

Once, long ago, I used to play bridge for ously, seven solid diamonds and, you may
pay, and I helped a lot of unworthy part- as well assume, the aces of hearts and clubs,
ners become Life Masters. But one day, one or the hand is unmakeable. Also, the hand
of these partners became so disgusted with can’t be made if declarer has two low clubs
my defense that he fired me forthwith, an- along with the ace. So assume his hand is:
nouncing that he was going to find a part-
ner who “knew how to play bridge.” Here South
was my hand: ♠3
♠ K Q J 10 9 7 6 ♥ Q 9 2 ♦ — ♣ K 3 2 ♥Axx
♦AKQJ982
Playing against an expert pair with both ♣A5
sides vulnerable, I opened three spades. It
went pass, pass, five diamonds, raised to six. If you thoughtlessly play a second spade,
I led the king of spades to see in dummy: declarer will ruff, cash the ♣A and then
draw trumps, ending in dummy. He then
North discards his losing club on the ♠A, ruffs a
♠A854 club and arrives at the following end posi-
♥ K 10 3 tion:
♦ 10 6 5 ♠8
♣964 ♥ K 10 3
West ♦—
♠ K Q J 10 9 7 6 ♣9
♥Q92 N ♠J
W E
♦— S ♥Q92 N
W E
♣K32 ♦— S
♣K
West North East South ♠—
3♠ pass pass 5♦ ♥Axx
pass 6♦ (all pass) ♦QJ
♣—
Opening lead: ♠K
When declarer plays the ♦Q, you are
The spade was ducked, East and South forced to discard a heart; a spade discard ob-
both following. What do you play now? viously sets up dummy’s ♠8 as the twelfth
trick, while discarding the ♣K not so obvi-
Evidently declarer ducked the spade lead ously leads to an easy double squeeze: You
partially for fear that it would be ruffed, have to hold the spade and partner has to
but also to rectify the count for a possible hold a high club, so neither of you can hold
squeeze. What does declarer hold? Obvi- hearts.
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 27

♠8 But my partner couldn’t understand the

♥K3 squeeze. He steadfastly maintained that
♦— I had thrown the hand away with the
♣9 heart shift, and fired me forthwith! I never
♠J played for pay again; if I was going to be
N
♥Q9 W E inhibited from making the great play just to
S
♦— keep a customer, it wasn’t worth it.
♣K
♠— Some comments:
♥Axx
♦J 1. The reconstruction of declarer’s hand
♣— was pretty easy. It doesn’t really take an
expert to do it, but it’s something that the
On the last trump, the ♦J, you’re forced defender has to think to do. Having said
to discard another heart, and now a heart that, perhaps that’s one of the differences
to the king picks up your queen, and unless between an expert and a merely competent
partner holds the ♥J and ♥9, you are dead! player: The expert stops to think.

So your correct play at trick two is obvi- 2. The heart play at trick two would
ous: Play a heart (the queen is best). This have actually lost the hand if declarer’s
ruins the double squeeze, and unless de- heart holding had been precisely A-J stiff.
clarer holds the ♥J, the slam will go down. But that’s against the odds, by better than
(In other words, partner only needs the ♥J, 15-to-1. So play the odds.
not the J-9, so you’ve doubled your chances
of defeating the slam.) 3. To break up a double squeeze, always
attack the “B” suit, the suit with threats
It turned out that declarer held the against both defenders. This removes a vital
♥A-J-x, so my play of the queen made entry.
it easy for her, but being an expert she
would have made the hand anyway on the 4. Don’t play for pay, it ruins the fun! If
squeeze. you need the money, get a legitimate job. If
North you’re intelligent enough to be a bridge ex-
♠A854 pert, you’re intelligent enough to be a CEO,
♥ K 10 3 or whatever.
♦ 10 6 5
♣964
West East
♠ K Q J 10 9 7 6 ♠2
♥Q92 ♥8765
♦— ♦743
♣K32 ♣ Q J 10 8 7
South
♠3
♥AJ4
♦AKQJ982
♣A5
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 28

The Wizards of Aus

by Ron Klinger

The Unlucky Experts (and the Lucky Ones)

Imagine that a pair bids to game with no a spade back would now be best for the
opposition bidding, the trumps break evenly defense. Instead, West gave East a club ruff
but the contract goes eight down. How and East played another diamond.
could that be?
Lazer ruffed with the ♠K, ruffed the
Take a look at this hand from the Rosen- ♥Q in dummy and led a spade. With the
blum Cup, in Verona, round 6. trumps now 1-1, he had his game for +620.

Board 20 North At the other table:

West dealer ♠654
Both vul ♥— Matthew Valerie
♦ K Q 10 6 5 3 2 Mullamphy Cummings
♣ Q 10 8 West North East South
West East pass 3♦ pass 3♠
♠Q2 ♠A7 pass 4♥ (all pass)
♥ J 10 9 8 5 ♥K7632
♦J ♦A9874 North found the expert bid of 4♥, show-
♣KJ632 ♣9 ing spade support and heart shortage. The
South trouble is that an expert bid is no longer an
♠ K J 10 9 8 3 expert bid if partner does not read it. Thus,
♥AQ4 North was left to play in the 3-0 fit.
♦—
♣A754 Cummings (East) led the ♣9, ducked to
the king. Mullamphy (West) shifted to the
At one table the bidding was uneventful: ♠2 to the ace and Cummings returned the
♠7. Declarer took the “marked” finesse
West North East South and West’s ♠Q scored. A club was ruffed
pass 3♦ pass 3♠ by East, who shifted to a trump, ducked to
pass 4♠ (all pass) West. After another club ruff, East played
the ♦A. South ruffed with the ♥Q. The
Opening lead: ♣3 ♥A was South’s only other trick for -800
and 16 imps away.
Declarer, Warren Lazer of Australia,
played the ♣Q and continued with the For the Mullamphy team that did not
♦Q, ace, ruff. A heart was ruffed in dum- quite make up for the previous board
my, followed by the ♦Q, discarding a club. where East-West had a lucky outcome:
West ruffed and a spade to the ace and
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 29

Board 19 North
South dealer ♠ 10 Results: World Championships
E-W vul ♥K543
♦ 10 9 6 5 Open Pairs
♣9643 Zhong Fu and Jie Zhao of China
West East
♠A5 ♠QJ973 Imp Pairs
♥J6 ♥ A Q 10 9 7 Tezcan Sen and Okay Gur of Turkey
♦Q72 ♦A
♣KQJ875 ♣A2 Women’s Pairs
South Irina Levitina and Kerri Sanborn of New
♠K8642 York
♥82
♦KJ843 Mixed Pairs
♣ 10 Karen McCallum, of New Hampshire,
and Matthew Granovetter, of Cincinnati
At one table Cummings-Mullamphy bid
and made game. At the other table: Senior Pairs
Nico Klaver and Roal Ramer of the
South West North East Netherlands
pass 1♣ pass 1♠
pass 2♣ pass 3 ♥ (1) Rosenblum Teams
pass 3♠ pass 4♣ Rose Meltzer, Kyle Larsen, Alan Sontag,
pass 4♦ pass 4♥ and Roger Bates, of the USA, teamed with
pass 4 NT pass 5 ♦ (2) Geir Helgemo and Tor Helness of Norway.
pass 5♠ pass 5 NT
pass 7♣ (all pass) McConnell Women’s Teams
Carlyn Steiner, Marinesa Letizia, Janice
(1) 5+-5+ majors, game-force Seamon-Molson, and Tobi Sokolow, of the
(2) 0 or 3 key cards for spades USA, teamed with Tatiana Ponomareva and
Victoria Gromova of Russia.
Opening lead: ♣4
Seniors Teams
Declarer drew trumps and ran the ♥J. Victor Markowicz of the USA, four play-
With both major-suit finesses working, ers from Poland, and one from Israel, Sha-
declarer was able to pitch the diamond los- lom Zeligman
ers after setting up the fifth heart, and the
grand slam came home for +17 imps. I am For complete information about the tour-
unsure about the meaning of some of the nament, with lots of wonderful photos, go
East-West bids and I daresay East-West were on the Internet to Swan Games:
not sure of them either.
http://www.swangames.com/main/index.html
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 30

Bulding a Better Mousetrap

by Matthew Granovetter

Switching Trump Suits in Keycard

Blackwood Auctions

You can ask for keycards in one trump honors. But if his hand was something like
suit, but play in another trump suit — as- ♠ A K x x x ♥ A x x x ♦ x ♣ Q x x,
suming you have previously bid that suit, seven notrump would still be laydown but
or if the suit is higher than your agreed the response of two keycards would leave
trump suit. You set one suit as trumps just responder in doubt. Perhaps by jumping
to find out about the king or queen of that to 4♦ to set diamonds as trump, Berkow-
suit, even though you have no intention of itz would be able to subsequently learn
playing in that suit. about all the right cards, but my guess is
he wouldn’t have enough room, which is
Here are two examples from the World why the raise to 3♥, though imperfect, is a
Open Pairs Championships in Verona last practical way to get the information he was
month. hoping for.

Cohen Berkowitz The other hand from the Pairs was this:
♠A9832 ♠6
♥AKJ82 ♥Q73 Opener Responder
♦7 ♦ A K Q J 10 9 2 ♠82 ♠AKQJ965
♣Q5 ♣AK ♥A632 ♥J
♦ A Q J 10 ♦K765
1♠ 2♦ ♣K92 ♣A
2♥ 3♥
3♠ 4 ♠ (Keycard for hearts) 1♦ 1♠
4 NT (0-3) 7 NT 1 NT 2 ♦ (gf checkback)
2♥ ?
Here Berkowitz raised 2♥ to 3♥ with no
intention of ever playing a heart contract. Here responder wants to know about aces
He did it only to set up keycard black- and then more if opener has two aces. Us-
wood with hearts as trump, so he could ing the suggested approach, responder bids
locate the ♥K. Cohen then cuebid 3♠ and 3♦, setting diamonds as trump even though
Berkowitz’s 4♠ bid was keycard blackwood he has no intention of playing in diamonds.
for hearts — they play one bid above the On this deal, opener will show two keycards
trump suit as the keycard ask, regardless of and the ♦Q in reply to KCB, and responder
previously bid suits. When Cohen showed can bid 7NT. If opener denies the ♦Q,
0 or 3 keycards with his 4NT response, perhaps responder can ask for kings, learn
Berkowitz bid 7NT. about the ♣K and ask further for the ♣Q.
That’s a more complicated matter. But by
In this case the 3♥ raise worked charm- setting diamonds as trumps, responder made
ingly well, since Cohen had both heart it easier to learn what he needed to know.
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 31

How Sweet It Isn’t

by Pamela Granovetter

Try these two bidding problems from the

last round of the Women’s Pairs Final in Ve-
rona. You are playing a “very-light opening
bid” style. Depending on your answers, you
will be first, second or third in the event.

1. East dealer 2. West dealer

East-West vulnerable None vul

You, West, hold: You, East, hold:

♠62 ♠ J 10 5
♥ 10 8 3 ♥ Q J 10
♦Q8 ♦J842
♣865432 ♣A97

West North East South West North East South

— — 1♠ pass 1♣ 1♦ 1 NT 4♥
pass double pass pass pass pass ?
?

Gold Med- Silver

alists in the Medalists
Women’s Yan
Pairs: Huang
Kerri and Yan
Sanborn Hong
and Irina Wang
Levitina
Bridge Today • July 2006 page 32

Solutions Notice that in clubs, North can lead

trump to prevent a heart ruff. But in
1. Did you pass? If so, you won the wom- spades, South cannot lead trumps, to pre-
en’s pairs and a(nother) gold medal! If not, vent a diamond ruff, without sacrificing a
you’re down to a silver medal.... The whole trump trick.
hand was:
2. Did you double? If not, you’re down to
East dealer North a bronze medal (better than nothing). Janice,
E-W vul ♠4 aware of the extremely light-opening-bid
♥AQ965 style of Auken, passed out 4♥ despite hold-
♦AJ6 ing two sure defensive tricks.
♣ K Q 10 9
West (Sabine) East (Janice) West dealer North
♠62 ♠ K Q 10 7 5 3 None vul ♠A642
♥ 10 8 3 ♥J4 ♥—
♦Q8 ♦974 ♦ A Q 10 7 5 3
♣865432 ♣A7 ♣ J 10 8
South West (Sabine) East (Janice)
♠AJ98 ♠Q987 ♠ J 10 5
♥K72 ♥K6 ♥ Q J 10
♦ K 10 5 3 2 ♦K96 ♦J842
♣J ♣K532 ♣A97
South
West North East South ♠K3
— — 1♠ pass ♥A9875432
pass double pass pass ♦—
2♣ double (all pass) ♣Q64

Janice Seamon-Molson and Sabine Auken West North East South

were leading the field going into the last 1♣ 1♦ 1 NT 4♥
round. Janice had already won a gold medal (all pass)
for the Women’s Teams event.
Collecting 50 was worth 62% but dou-
On this board, they had a chance to bling for +100 would have been worth
clinch first place. Most of the field opened almost 100%! Was there any solace? Yes. The
2♠ with the East hand, but Janice found a bronze medal evened out Janice’s trophy
one-bid, and East-West were slated for an case. She now has a nicely symmetrical col-
71% score (other North-South’s were collect- lection of two gold medals, two silver med-
ing 800 against 2♠ doubled, or scoring 920 als, and two bronze.
or 980 in slam). However, Sabine Auken
chose to “rescue” with 2♣, and this went By the way, the winners of the event,
down 1100 for a 3% score. Bye-bye first Kerri Sanborn and Irina Levitina were the
place. only pair doubled in 4♥. They scored zero
on the board but hung on to win.