How would you evaluate the North hand. Should you make a take-out double of three clubs or just overcall three diamonds? When partner bids three spades after your take-out double should you pass or make a second bid?
I think that the take-out double is correct because you would prefer to play the hand in your partner's better major suit than in your diamond suit, but I think that you should pass the three spade bid. You just don't have enough to move forward.
The problem here, of course, is that the contract is four spades. Do you have a plan to make this contract? You have to lose a club on the opening lead and you will lose one or two spades, depending on the location of the high honors. So your plan should include trying to NOT lose a heart trick.
You call for the seven of clubs to trick one. East, trying to convince partner to switch to a heart, drops the queen. You follow small. Partner, thinking that the queen is also singleton, continues with a second club. You trump with the four and East plays the deuce.
The king of spades comes next. East wins the ace and plays the king of hearts. He probably should have cashed the queen of spades before leading the heart, but he wanted the trump entry to cash his heart trick.
You win the ace of hearts and play three rounds of diamonds, pitching your second heart on the jack of diamonds as East follows suit. Now you trump a heart in hand and lead your last club, trumping with the nine of spades. East can score his queen of hearts whenever he wants, but that will be the last trick for the defense.
A less than perfect contract should not be the prelude to a less than perfect play. Don't let your emotions show the defenders that thay have any chance at all. Bidding is based on judgement and often you will find yourself in over your head. As your play improves, these contracts will become the ones you talk about when the game is over.
The Summer North American Bridge Championships were held in Nashville, TN from July 19 - 29. Congratulations to the following area players who were successful in their respective events. Additional results will appear next week. July 20.
Angie Knechtges of Grafton and her partner were 6th in Stratum B in the First Friday Open Pairs. Susan Stark of Cleveland and Bernard Heyman of Pepper Pike were members of the team that finished second in Bracket 1 of the First Friday Compact Knock-Out Consolation Teams. July 21.
John Bacon of Lakewood was a member of the team that was first in Bracket Six of the Music City Knock-Out Teams. John and Jerri Harper of Beachwood were members of the team that finished second in Bracket Eight of the Grand Old Oprey Knock-Out Teams. Donald and Katy Moyer of Silver Lake finished third in Bracket Twelve of the same event. July 22.
Niel Waletzky of Shaker Heights and Phillip Becker of Beachwood were members of the team that finished seventh in the Evening Board-A-Match Teams. Jan Assini of Aurora and Frank Aquila of Fairlawn were members of the team that finished in a tie for sixth in the Flight A Swiss Teams. Kenneth Kranyak of Bay Village, Martin Baff of Beachwood, and Don and Kathleen Sulgrove of Twinsburg were tied for 18th in the same event. Karl Zaman of Strongsville was on the team that finished fifth in Stratum B of the Stratified B/C/D Swiss Teams. July 23.
Angie Knechtges of Grafton was a member of the team that was first in Bracket Four of the Countrytime Knock-Out Teams. Peta Moskowitz of Cleveland, and Brenda Goldberg of Shaker Heights were sixth in Stratum C of the Afternoon Side Pairs. Kenneth Kranyak of Bay Village was on the team that finished sixteenth in the National Senior Swiss Teams. July 24.
Peta Moskowitz of Cleveland and Brenda Goldberg of Shaker Heights were on the team that finished second in Bracket Five of the Compact Knock-Out Consolation Teams. July 25.
Jan Assini of Aurora was a member of the team that finished third in Bracket One of the Knock-Out Teams. Dot Rock and Kurt Rusch of Mayfield Heights were third in Stratum C of the Senior Stratified Pairs.
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Bernstein is
a free-lance writer in Solon. To reach Harvey Bernstein: hjb0416@yahoo.com