Hand evaluation is an art that takes a great deal of time to master. Here is a good example of an expert approach to that skill. The East hand is worth twenty high card points. The hand was played 16 times. Those players who elected to open two no trump all had negative scores. The players who opened one club did much better.
This auction led to a top score for East-West. A good question would be "Why didn't East double the final contract?" The answer can be found at one of the other tables where East did double and West bid four spades, which was doubled and had no chance.
In the long run, when all of the strength of a partnership is in one hand, it is much better to go for the plus score that you know you can get instead of doubling and giving partner a chance to bid out of the fear that the contract may make. Also, it is often very difficult to defend when partner can never get on lead to help.
Evaluate your big hands by asking yourself how the hand would play if partner has no points and no useful distribution. If you could still take a lot of tricks, make a strong bid. If you would struggle opposite a bad hand, be conservative. Your results will improve as your ability to evaluate these hands improves.
District Five of the American Contract Bridge League held the Rock and Roll Regional Bridge Tournament in Independence on January 10 - 14. The following players were successful in their respective events on January 12. Other results appeared last week, more will be listed in future columns.
Two-session Stratified Pairs (65 pairs). Stratum A. 1. John Tscholl, Canton, and Roni Atkins, Pittsburgh. 2. Arlene Port and Trudy Cohn, Pittsburgh. Stratum B. 1. Susan Stark, Cleveland, and Bernard Heyman, Shaker Heights. 2. Jack and Vicki Goodykoontz, Morgantown, WV. Stratum C. 1. Eileen Schley, Cuyahoga Falls, and Gerri Owens, Silver Lake. 2. John Veldhuizen, Bay Village, and Joseph Price, Lorain.
Morning Bracketed Knockout Teams. Bracket 1 (7 teams). 1. Lloyd Loux, Westlake, Jim Bachelder, Columbus, Rick Kaye, Bingham Farms, MI, Robert Sulgrove, Spring Valley, Richard Rudolph, Westerville, and Michael Cassel II, Roseville, MN. 2. George Cotterman, Barnesville, Dan Roseberry, Dover, Jim Overcasher, East Canton, and Fred Schenker, Pittsburgh. Bracket 2 (7 teams). 1. Ken and Mary Cornelius with Sharad and Shobhana Joshi, Ann Arbor, MI. 2. Pat Denapoli, Peggy Kainz, Helen Johnston, and Bea Woodman, Windsor, ON, Canada.
Evening Stratified Swiss Teams (24 teams). Stratum A. 1. William Holt, Sewickley, PA, Robert Quinlan, Pittsburgh, Jean Prior, Bethel Park, PA, and Robert Park, Gibsonia, PA. 2. Sophie Novak, Solon, Jean Joseph, Cleveland, Duane Seelinger, Mentor On The Lake, and James Novak, Solon. Stratum B. 1. Carol Ann Kuhlke, North Canton, Brad Helman, Canton, Michael Stahr and Jayne Fleming, Stow. 2. Don Baumbach, Toledo, Debbie Nisius, Waterville, Lynn Chinella, Holland, and George Welch, Jr, Perrysburg. Stratum C. 1. Russell Peffers, Richard Risser, and Walt Norris, Mount Vernon, and Larry Kennedy, Mansfield. 2. Keith and Flora More with John and Virginia Gajar, Ann Arbor, MI.
Morning Side Game (13 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Jeremy Williams, Reynoldsburg, and Jerome Williams, Westerville. 2. Ken Gee, Regina, SK, Canada, and Preston Carlisle, Ogdensburg, NY. Stratum B. 1. Williams and Williams. 2. Jean Joseph, Cleveland, and David Donald, Vineyard Haven, MA. Stratum C. 1. Williams and Williams. 2. Martin Seltzer, Columbus, and Suman Agarwal, Hilliard.
Afternoon Side Game (30 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Dave English and John Reed, Chagrin Falls. 2. Gail Hastings, Verona, PA, and Louis Joseph, Pittsburgh. Stratum B. 1. English and Reed. 2. Charles Lyon, Akron, and Tom Martin, Hudson. Stratum C. 1. English and Reed. 2. Charles and Barbara Bisesi, Berea.
Evening Side Game (20 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Gail Hastings, Verona, PA, and Louis Joseph, Pittsburgh. 2. Thomas and Julia Kennedy, Levering, MI. Stratum B. 1. The Kennedys. 2. Barbara Grzegorzewski, Meadville, PA, and David Donald, Vineyard Haven, MA. Stratum C. 1. Carol Leroux, St. Catherine, ON, Canada, and Arlene Dick, Toronto, ON, Canada. 2. Flo Tito and Mary Jo Johnson, Latrobe, PA.
Afternoon 299er Pairs (16 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Russell Peffers, Mount Vernon, and Richard Risser, Mansfield. 2. Georgia Dixon, Cleveland, and Frances King, Shaker Heights. Stratum B. 1. Dixon and King. 2. Eugene Wetzel, Twinsburg, and William Bruck, Solon.
Evening 299er Pairs (12 pairs). Strata A & B. 1. Judith and Marvin Shapiro, Akron. 2. Paula Madvid and Evelyn Charna, Chagrin Falls. Stratum C. 1. Madvid and Charna. 2. David and Lucy Poeppelman, Ottawa.
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Bernstein is
a free-lance writer in Solon. To reach Harvey Bernstein: hjb0416@yahoo.com