This hand came up during a Swiss team match and there is a very good lesson in an otherwise simple hand. After the three diamond opening bid, South made a take out double. North considered the possibility of converting the double to penalties but made a good decision to bid four clubs.
It would have been easy to just bid four hearts but South decided to ask for aces. Five diamonds promised one ace. East made a lead directing double. South was planning on stopping at five hearts, but a diamond lead was inviting, and six hearts ended the auction.
Had West ignored her partner and led the ace of clubs, the contract would have been down one. On the actual lead twelve tricks were easy. The slam was not bid at the companion table and that was the difference in the match.
Doubles during an ace asking sequence are lead directing. Do not demand a lead without a good solid reason. That being said, if you are on lead against a slam contract and you have an ace that you think will cash - you have to consider leading it first and then leading partner's suit. I have often heard the explanation "I was trying to set this contract by two tricks". That is all fine and well, but you have to set it one before you can set it two.
District Five of the American Contract Bridge League held the All-American Regional Bridge Tournament in Independence on May 23 - 29. The following players were successful in their respective events. Additional results will be listed in future columns.
May 23.
Charity Pairs (34 pairs). Strata A & B. 1. Susan Stark, Cleveland, and Bernard Heyman, Shaker Heights. 2. Eva Lefton, Cleveland, and Harriet Adelstein, Chagrin Falls. Stratum C. 1. Marilyn Cagin, Cleveland, and Phyllis Levin, Moreland Hills. 2. Susan Hill, Rochester, NY, and Michele Griffin, Penfield, NY.
May 24.
Bracketed Knock Out Teams. Bracket A. 1. Peter Grover, Aurora, Richard Fleischman, Beachwook, Joel Woolridge and Dan Gerstman, Buffalo, NY. 2. Don and Kathleen Sulgrove, Twinsburg, Phillip Becker, Beachwood, Kumar Bhatia, Pepper Pike, with Kenneth and Laurie Kranyak, Bay Village. Bracket B. 1. John Bernard, Pittsburgh, Carol Bolen, Ginsonia, PA, Hugo Churchill, Allison Park, PA, and Michael Fezar, Moon Township, PA. 2. James Novak, Solon, Chet Jain, Whilloughby, Alex McCrea, Shaker Heights, and Subramania Krishnamurthi, Naperville, IL. Bracket C. 1. Lawrence and Carol Wise, Chagrin Falls, Chantal Whitney, Shaker Heights, and Lesley Green, Lakewood. 2. Karen Wagner, Wooster, Gwen Gerber, Dalton, with Ronald and Ursula Brown, Allison Park, PA.
Two Session Stratified Pairs (84 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Pat Chisholm, Macedonia, and Marjorie Baldwin, Akron. 2. James and Barbara Klein, Pittsburgh. Stratum B. 1. Mary Ann Morrell, Cleveland, and Judith Watjen, Bay Village. 2. Virginia Young, Hudson, and Richard Burgess, Chesterland. Stratum C. 1. Jean Sulzberger, Aurora, and Marjorie Zimmerlin, Chagrin Falls. 2. Shirley Kmet and Xenia Culiner, Akron.
Morning Pairs (8 pairs). 1. Robert Quinlan, Pittsburg, and Constance Hoechstetter, Corapolis, PA. 2. Bob Bartko, Aurora, and John Wang, Beltsville, MD.
Afternoon Pairs (36 pairs). Strata A & B. 1. Victor Vertes, Cleveland, and Marlene Zinamon, Beachwood. 2. Vivian Shanafelt, Medina, and Doug Henderson, Rocky River. Stratum C. 1. Shanafelt and Henderson. 2. Judy Hanna, Chagrin Falls, and Martha Thompson, Cleveland.
Evening Pairs (34 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Brent Gibbs, Toronto, ON, Canada, and Walter Galloway, Willowdale, ON, Canada. 2. Ernest Larsen, Broadview Heights, and Arthur Ehrler, Cleveland. Stratum B. 1. Larsen and Ehrler. 2. Betsy Wilson and Karl Zaman, Strongsville. Stratum C. 1. Steven Wolotsky, Lakewood, and Judith Rolnicki, Brunswick. 2. Margaret Graham, Saint Clairsville, and Patricia Sprowls, Washington, PA.
Afternoon 299er Pairs (18 pairs). 1. John and Betty Wright,
Vermillion. 2. Ellen Miles, Beachwood, and Julie Stein, Chagrin
Falls.
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Bernstein is
a free-lance writer in Solon.
To reach Harvey Bernstein:
hjb0416@yahoo.com