Here is an excellent example of the difference between duplicate bridge and other forms of bridge competition. If you look at all four hands, the best and safest contract would be five diamonds. If you were playing rubber bridge or some form of team competition, it would be fairly easy to arrive at that contract.
Matchpoint duplicate is scored differently. After a hand is played at each table, the results are compared. For each pair that you do better than, you receive one matchpoint. For each pair that you tie, you get one-half of a matchpoint. Your matchpoint score on each hand is than added up and the pair with the most matchpoints is declared the winner.
It's a pretty simple process, but the scoring creates some differences in the way that people play the game. After South opened the bidding with one spade and rebid two hearts, it would seem reasonable for him to raise diamonds at his third turn. He knew, however, that ten tricks in a heart contract would score more than eleven tricks at a diamond contract. His third bid was a distortion of his distribution. He was showing a hand that was five-five in the major suits. North, with three hearts, raised this bid to game.
The opening lead was the queen of spades and declarer was in control. He played the top two spades, discarding a club from the dummy. At trick three declarer played a low heart from the South hand and when West followed low, called for the eight from dummy. So long as the outstanding hearts broke no worse than four-two, he was sure to come to ten tricks.
East wins the jack of hearts and starts playing clubs. The defense can take two tricks but can do no further damage. Had they started with clubs at trick one, a third club would force declarer to trump in the South hand and would, in fact, defeat the contract. Declarer's play of the second top spade (in order to discard a club from dummy) was the key play that allowed him to make his contract.
There was some risk, but the reward was a top board. Try to keep the scoring in mind when you are playing matchpoint duplicate.
The Cleveland Whist Club (Unit 125 of the American Contract Bridge League) is hosting the annual Vichell League team competition at ST. Michael’s Woodside, 5025 East Mill Road, Broadview Heights. The first session will be held this Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. and then on 9/27, 10/18, 11/8, and 11/29. The competition continues in 2007 on 1/24, 2/14, 3/28, and 4/25.
You may enter a team or you may join an existing team. Brackets are formed based on the teams average number of masterpoints and each team plays all of the other teams within its bracket. This is an excellent way to gain experience at extended match team play. Call (440) 729-2392 for additional information.
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Bernstein is
a free-lance writer in Solon.
To reach Harvey Bernstein:
hjb0416@yahoo.com