South is faced with a difficult choice when he picks up his hand. His offensive potential is very good but he can't make a bid that would demand game. I think one heart would be the normal choice for most players.
West bids one spade. North shows his diamond suit and East raises spades. South wants to make a forcing bid at this point, and decides that an advance cue bid will work. Three clubs is certainly forcing and he does have first round control.
West continues to bid spades, North raises clubs and East pushes on to the spade game.
South could have doubled but he did not know if that was the correct action. He had to leave the decision up to North. His intent, if North pursisted in clubs, was to correct the contract to diamonds. This was not a problem because North showed his heart fit and South pushed on to slam.
West led the nine of diamonds but declarer was never taking this finesse. He called for the ace of diamonds. Trumps were extracted in two rounds and he trumped his small spade in the dummy before conceeding a diamond to score up the slam.
The hand was played thirteen times. Six pairs bid and made six hearts. Four pairs stopped at game. Two making six and two making five, obviously taking the diamond finesse at trick one. The other three pairs defended some level of a spade contract, doubled. Two of them scored eight hundred and one, only five hundred. This decision, to defend or bid on, is one of the most difficult you can face. When you have a long suit and lots of controls, try to buy the contract. When you have less distribution, elect to defend.
Unit 125 of the American Contract Bridge League held the Bucket State Sectional Bridge Tournament in Solon on November 3 - 5. The following players were successful in their respective events on November 4. Other results were listed last week, more will appear next week.
Flight A Pairs (25 pairs). Stratum A1. 1. Bernie Greenspan, Beachwood, and Paul Facinelli, Avon Lake. 2. Frank Aquila, Fairlawn, and Jerome Rolnick, Lyndhurst. Stratum A2. 1. Greenspan and Facinelli. 2. Jim Breckel, Medina, and Robert Dykes, Lakewood.
Morning Flight B Pairs (36 pairs). 1. Henry Essig, Westlake, and Chet Jain, Willoughby. 2. Lyn Joslyn and Shirley Veale, Hudson.
Morning Flight C Pairs (27 pairs). 1. Pamela Jones, Shaker Heights, and Barbara Cunliffe, Cleveland. 2. Dorothy Piovano, Medina, and Anne Hendricks, Cleveland.
Morning 299er Pairs (26 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Robert Carroll, Warren, and Bradley Sevcik, Boardman. 2. Flo Hinshaw, Ashland, and Sherry Rosenfeld, Cuyahoga Falls. Stratum B. 1. Paula Madvid and Evelyn Charna, Chagrin Falls. 2. Mike and Bobbie Varble, Solon.
Afternoon Flight B Pairs (26 pairs). 1. Donald and Helen Brock, Cuyahoga Falls. 2. Victor Vertes, Cleveland, and Marlene Zinamon, Beachwood.
Afternoon Flight C Pairs (18 pairs). 1. Alan and Maureen Koseff, Erie, PA. 2. William and Mary Roberts, North Ridgeville.
Afternoon 299er Pairs (26 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Sherry
Rosenfeld, Cuyahoga Falls, and Flo Hinshaw, Ashland. 2. Robert
Carroll, Warren, and Bradley Sevcik, Boardman. Stratum B. 1.
Rosenfeld and Hinshaw. 2. Emme Hawn and Kathleen Horan, Erie,
PA. Stratum C. 1. Edward Jasilionis, Lakewood, and Dean Lowery,
Solon. 2. Kathleen Sevcik, Boardman, and Rick La Manna, Stow.
Free bridge lessons will be held St. Michael’s Woodside, 5035
Mill Road, Broadview Heights, beginning Wednesday, December 6th
at 6:30 p.m. These lessons are sponsored by the Cleveland Whist
Club. There will be a one hour lecture by an area bridge
instructor, Frances Mulkins of North Ridgeville. This will be
followed by a game of bridge for the students.
Lessons will last for six weeks, covering the basics of
bidding and play of the cards. To sign up or for further
information, please call 440/353-6931.
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Bernstein is
a free-lance writer in Solon.
To reach Harvey Bernstein:
hjb0416@yahoo.com