One of the most difficult contracts to get to in duplicate bridge is the minor suit slam. The reason is simple. Tricks won at a no-trump contract (after the initial book of six) are worth 40 for the first trick and 30 for each subsequent trick. The same tricks won at a minor suit contract are only worth 20 points each. Three no-trump, making four, will score as 130 points plus the game bonus. Five clubs, or diamonds, making six, will only score as 120 points plus the game bonus. At other forms of competition, the difference is not important and pairs should try to bid the safest game. At matchpoint duplicate, the difference is huge.
Modern standard bidding does not really provide an easy way to evaluate the possibility of a minor suit slam after partner has opened one no trump. Using old fashioned methods, three diamonds would be forcing and slam invitational. Today, that bid is either weak or game invitational showing five to seven points and a six card suit with two of the top three honors.
The player sitting South had a real problem. He decided to just "go for it" and bid four clubs, the Gerber convention, asking for aces. If partner only had one ace, the plan was to stop at four no trump. When partner responded four spades, showing two aces, South asked for kings. At this point he was committed to slam.
The opening lead was the three of clubs and the hand was over in short order. What is interesting is what might happen if West leads a heart. Declarer will have to determine which way to take the club finesse. The best line of play would be to try and get a partial count on the hand. The only real information available is that each defender started with at least two spades, at least three hearts, and that West had three diamonds and East only one. This, of course would mean that East had more unknown cards than West, and in this case, playing East for the queen of clubs would work.
Six diamonds, making six, was worth a tie for top on the board. Three no-trump, making five was a little below average. One pair made six and that score was a little above average. While risky, bidding this slam proved to be the right decision.
Andy Halpern of Orange will resume his 299er duplicate bridge game at Temple Bethaynu, 27900 Gates Mills Blvd., Pepper Pike, this Monday at 12:15 P.M. For reservations, partnerships or other information, call (216) 464-3553. The game recaps will be available at the clubs website. http://andysdbc.eiffet.com
District Five of the American Contract Bridge League held the All-American Regional Bridge Tournament in Independence on May 22 - 28. The following players were successful in their respective events on May 22. Additional results will be listed in future columns.
Evening Stratified Pairs (44 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Bernard Heyman, Shaker Heights, and Susan Stark, Cleveland. 2. Sam Den, Mentor, and Subramania Krishnamurthi, Naperville, IL. Stratum B. 1. Den and Krishnamurthi. 2. James Pivarski, Jr., Munroe Falls, and Philip MacFarlane, Parma.
Evening 299er Pairs (6 pairs). 1. James Lewis, Sheffield Lake, and Woodrow Ban, Hudson. 2. Mike and Bobbie Varble, Solon.
First Bracketed Knock Out Teams. Bracket 1 (9 teams). 1. Martin Baff, Beachwood, Lloyd Loux, Westlake, Marjorie Baldwin, Akron, Jim Bachelder, Columbus, Richard Rudolph, Westerville, Robert Sulgrove, Spring Valley. 2. Phillip Becker, Beachwood, Kenneth Kranyak, Bay Village, Kumar Bhatia, Pepper Pike, and Don and Kathleen Sulgrove, Twinsburg. Bracket 2 (16 teams). 1. Stanley and Molly Jaffe, Beachwood, William Collis and Naresh Shah, Lexington, KY. 2. Jerome Yeamans, Lorain, W. Thomas Stahl, Vermilion, Dodie Beckman, Canton, MI, and Sheila Fasbender, Arcadia, IN. Bracket 3 (16 teams). 1. John Kirsits, East Amherst, NY, Nan Denn, Lewiston, NY, Ken Meier, Orchard Park, NY, Dorothy May, Cheektowaga, NY. 2. Frank Scali, North Ridgeville, John Cahill, Chagrin Falls, David Rodgers, Broadview Heights, Dave Rolland, Cleveland, and Sylvia Barsotti, Hendersonville, NC.
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Bernstein is
a free-lance writer in Solon. To reach Harvey Bernstein: hjb0416@yahoo.com