Today's hand is a good example of the aggressive bidding that is very prevalent in competitive bridge. The North-South pair have reached a contract of four spades with the potential of losing four tricks; a spade, two hears, and a club. And yet, as the cards lie, there is only one lead that will defeat this contract.
After one club by North and one spade by South, North's one no trump bid says that he does not have more than 14 points and he does not have four spades. It also tends to deny six clubs, because if he had six clubs he might bid two clubs instead.
South's two diamond bid promises a four card diamond suit, a five card spade suit (or possibly six) and ten or more points.
With three small spades, North simply takes a preference back to the spade suit. South makes his last attempt to reach game by bidding three spades. I think that North should pass. If the king of clubs were the queen of spades there would be no question that he should bid the game, but with three small spades, he is putting the partnership on thin ice.
West has a very difficult decision to make. A small heart from under the king-jack will defeat this contract, but that is a very difficult lead to make. The seven of spades is safe and doesn't appear to give anything away. In fact, it gives away the timing needed to defeat the hand.
Declarer wins the ace and leads the five of clubs. What is West to do now? I think that with this holding it is correct to play the ace. The truth is, on this hand it doesn't matter. If he plays the ace declarer will have time to discard one of his heart losers on the king, and if he ducks, declarer never loses a club trick.
Was this a good game to be in? Probably not, except it made. Declarer had to be fortunate enough to get any lead other than a heart, find the outstanding trump split 3-2, and find the ace of clubs in the West hand. And yet, that's what happened. The hand was played 16 times and half of the pairs bid and made four spades. Most of the rest played in a spade partial making three or four.
To be competitive you have to be willing to take some
chances. This one worked out well.
----
Bernstein is
a free-lance writer in Solon.
To reach Harvey Bernstein:
hjb0416@yahoo.com
| Column Date | Date Emailed |
|---|---|
| March 26, 2004 | October 22, 2019 |
| March 18, 2001 | October 19, 2019 |
| September 11, 1994 | October 15, 2019 |
| March 3, 1996 | October 12, 2019 |
| April 26, 1998 | October 8, 2019 |
| December 9, 2005 | October 5, 2019 |
| October 21, 2005 | October 1, 2019 |
| April 2, 2004 | September 28, 2019 |
| October 11, 1992 | September 24, 2019 |
| June 3, 2005 | September 21, 2019 |
| November 15, 2002 | September 17, 2019 |
| September 17, 1995 | September 14, 2019 |
| June 23, 1996 | September 10, 2019 |
| July 8, 2006 | September 7, 2019 |
| May 5, 1996 | September 3, 2019 |
| March 28, 2003 | August 31, 2019 |
| June 17, 2006 | August 27, 2019 |
| January 22, 1995 | August 24, 2019 |
| October 17, 2003 | August 20, 2019 |
| December 19, 1993 | August 17, 2019 |
| September 15, 1996 | August 13, 2019 |
| November 5, 2004 | August 10, 2019 |
| September 6, 2002 | August 6, 2019 |
| December 27, 2002 | August 3, 2019 |
| July 23, 2004 | July 30, 2019 |
| August 6, 2000 | July 27, 2019 |
| May 12, 2007 | July 23, 2019 |
| November 25, 2006 | July 20, 2019 |
| January 1, 1995 | July 16, 2019 |
| November 27, 2008 | July 13, 2019 |
| June 24, 2006 | July 9, 2019 |
| June 7, 2010 | July 6, 2019 |
| June 7, 2010 | July 6, 2019 |
| April 14, 1996 | July 2, 2019 |
| November 18, 2006 | June 29, 2019 |
| May 27, 2005 | June 25, 2019 |
| December 22, 2007 | June 22, 2019 |
| September 16, 2006 | June 18, 2019 |
| February 9, 1997 | June 15, 2019 |
| December 25, 1994 | June 11, 2019 |
| February 13, 2000 | June 8, 2019 |
| December 16, 2005 | June 4, 2019 |
| November 5, 1995 | June 1, 2019 |
| January 3, 1999 | May 28, 2019 |
| September 2, 2006 | May 25, 2019 |
| May 28, 2004 | May 21, 2019 |
| December 3, 2000 | May 18, 2019 |
| February 13, 2004 | May 14, 2019 |
| June 5, 1994 | May 11, 2019 |
| November 15, 1992 | May 7, 2019 |
| October 22, 2004 | May 4, 2019 |
| August 30, 1992 | April 30, 2019 |
| August 26, 2005 | April 27, 2019 |
| September 30, 2006 | April 23, 2019 |
| April 12, 2002 | April 20, 2019 |
| June 30, 2010 | April 16, 2019 |
| June 30, 2010 | April 16, 2019 |
| February 7, 2003 | April 13, 2019 |
| January 27, 2007 | April 9, 2019 |
| April 17, 1994 | April 6, 2019 |
| June 9, 1996 | April 2, 2019 |
| January 17, 2003 | March 30, 2019 |
| March 4, 2006 | March 26, 2019 |
| May 6, 2005 | March 23, 2019 |
| April 22, 2001 | March 19, 2019 |
| August 12, 2005 | March 16, 2019 |
| April 10, 1994 | March 12, 2019 |
| September 24, 2000 | March 9, 2019 |
| November 29, 1992 | March 5, 2019 |
| June 18, 2004 | March 2, 2019 |
| May 7, 2004 | February 26, 2019 |
| March 17, 1996 | February 23, 2019 |
| August 6, 1995 | February 19, 2019 |
| May 2, 2015 | February 16, 2019 |
| April 30, 2004 | February 12, 2019 |
| December 12, 2003 | February 9, 2019 |
| March 26, 1995 | February 5, 2019 |
| September 2, 2005 | February 2, 2019 |
| December 8, 1996 | January 29, 2019 |
| June 3, 2001 | January 26, 2019 |
| June 26, 2010 | January 22, 2019 |
| June 26, 2010 | January 22, 2019 |
| February 18, 2010 | January 19, 2019 |
| February 18, 2010 | January 19, 2019 |
| May 19, 1996 | January 15, 2019 |
| March 14, 1999 | January 12, 2019 |
| March 17, 2007 | January 8, 2019 |
| April 13, 2010 | January 5, 2019 |
| April 13, 2010 | January 5, 2019 |
| August 20, 2004 | January 1, 2019 |
| February 25, 2001 | December 29, 2018 |
| December 16, 2006 | December 25, 2018 |
| May 26, 1996 | December 22, 2018 |
| June 27, 2010 | December 18, 2018 |
| June 27, 2010 | December 18, 2018 |
| July 22, 2001 | December 15, 2018 |
| May 16, 2003 | December 11, 2018 |
| October 7, 2008 | December 8, 2018 |
| November 12, 2000 | December 4, 2018 |
| October 31, 2003 | December 1, 2018 |
| May 12, 1996 | November 27, 2018 |
| April 2, 1995 | November 24, 2018 |
| December 1, 2013 | November 20, 2018 |
| October 10, 2009 | November 17, 2018 |
| July 5, 2002 | November 13, 2018 |
| February 28, 2003 | November 10, 2018 |
| September 10, 2004 | November 6, 2018 |
| May 10, 2002 | November 3, 2018 |
| April 21, 2007 | October 30, 2018 |
| December 23, 2005 | October 27, 2018 |
| May 9, 2003 | October 23, 2018 |
| October 11, 1998 | October 20, 2018 |
| May 6, 2001 | October 16, 2018 |
| February 1, 1998 | October 13, 2018 |
| March 25, 2006 | October 9, 2018 |
| October 2, 1994 | October 6, 2018 |
| March 11, 2001 | October 2, 2018 |
| August 16, 2002 | September 29, 2018 |
| December 26, 2003 | September 25, 2018 |
| November 7, 2003 | September 22, 2018 |
| April 8, 2001 | September 18, 2018 |
| August 25, 1996 | September 15, 2018 |
| April 25, 1999 | September 11, 2018 |
| September 8, 1996 | September 8, 2018 |
| February 4, 2005 | September 4, 2018 |
| May 31, 2002 | September 1, 2018 |
| December 27, 1992 | August 28, 2018 |
| November 8, 1998 | August 25, 2018 |
| October 27, 1996 | August 21, 2018 |
| October 30, 1994 | August 18, 2018 |
| June 4, 1995 | August 14, 2018 |
| August 5, 2001 | August 11, 2018 |
| January 16, 2000 | August 7, 2018 |
| January 19, 2008 | July 31, 2018 |
| January 30, 2000 | July 28, 2018 |
| August 13, 1995 | July 24, 2018 |
| March 24, 1996 | July 21, 2018 |
| July 14, 1996 | July 17, 2018 |
| January 16, 2004 | July 14, 2018 |
| February 6, 2004 | July 10, 2018 |
| November 29, 2002 | July 7, 2018 |
| December 30, 2005 | July 3, 2018 |
| March 24, 2009 | June 30, 2018 |
| January 10, 1999 | June 26, 2018 |
| June 4, 2004 | June 23, 2018 |
| April 25, 2003 | June 19, 2018 |
| December 6, 2002 | June 16, 2018 |
| June 24, 2001 | June 12, 2018 |
| February 21, 2003 | June 9, 2018 |
| March 14, 2003 | June 5, 2018 |
| October 22, 2000 | June 2, 2018 |
| August 8, 2008 | May 29, 2018 |
| January 8, 1995 | May 19, 2018 |
| July 7, 1996 | May 15, 2018 |
| April 22, 2010 | May 12, 2018 |
| April 22, 2010 | May 12, 2018 |
| April 21, 2010 | May 12, 2018 |
| April 21, 2010 | May 12, 2018 |
| February 28, 1999 | May 5, 2018 |
| August 10, 2015 | May 1, 2018 |
| March 17, 2010 | May 1, 2018 |
| March 17, 2010 | May 1, 2018 |
| February 22, 1998 | April 24, 2018 |
| March 22, 2002 | April 21, 2018 |
| March 19, 1995 | April 17, 2018 |
| December 27, 1998 | April 14, 2018 |
| October 6, 1996 | April 10, 2018 |
| February 25, 2005 | April 7, 2018 |
| April 14, 2007 | April 3, 2018 |
| December 13, 1992 | March 27, 2018 |
| July 21, 2010 | March 24, 2018 |
| July 21, 2010 | March 24, 2018 |
| April 29, 2009 | March 20, 2018 |
| June 9, 2007 | March 20, 2018 |
| July 3, 1994 | March 13, 2018 |
| April 28, 1996 | March 13, 2018 |
| April 7, 1996 | March 6, 2018 |
| December 5, 1993 | March 3, 2018 |
| January 17, 1999 | February 27, 2018 |
| February 14, 2003 | February 24, 2018 |
| April 20, 1997 | February 20, 2018 |
| December 29, 1996 | February 17, 2018 |
| November 28, 2003 | February 13, 2018 |
| May 24, 2002 | February 10, 2018 |
| April 29, 2005 | February 6, 2018 |
| July 19, 2002 | February 3, 2018 |
| July 10, 1994 | January 27, 2018 |
| April 15, 2001 | January 23, 2018 |
| September 25, 1994 | January 20, 2018 |
| October 8, 2000 | January 16, 2018 |
| October 21, 2001 | January 9, 2018 |
| September 18, 1994 | January 2, 2018 |
| February 20, 2000 | December 30, 2017 |
| June 25, 2004 | December 30, 2017 |
| December 30, 2001 | December 26, 2017 |
| January 28, 2005 | September 26, 2017 |
| February 24, 2007 | September 23, 2017 |
| June 11, 1995 | September 19, 2017 |
| February 4, 2006 | September 16, 2017 |
| February 4, 2001 | September 12, 2017 |
| March 30, 2010 | September 9, 2017 |
| January 23, 2004 | September 5, 2017 |
| January 28, 2001 | September 2, 2017 |
| August 19, 2001 | August 29, 2017 |
| December 2, 2001 | August 26, 2017 |
| September 27, 2002 | August 22, 2017 |
| December 28, 1997 | August 22, 2017 |
| January 2, 2004 | August 19, 2017 |
| July 8, 2005 | August 15, 2017 |
| September 9, 2006 | August 12, 2017 |
| July 7, 2007 | August 8, 2017 |
| October 7, 2001 | August 5, 2017 |
| October 17, 1993 | August 1, 2017 |
| February 27, 2004 | July 29, 2017 |
| January 13, 2007 | July 25, 2017 |
| March 15, 2002 | July 22, 2017 |
| February 18, 2006 | July 18, 2017 |
| June 18, 1995 | July 15, 2017 |
| February 7, 1999 | July 11, 2017 |
| November 1, 1992 | July 8, 2017 |
| March 29, 2010 | July 4, 2017 |
| February 22, 2002 | July 1, 2017 |
| February 27, 1994 | June 27, 2017 |
| December 5, 2003 | June 24, 2017 |
| April 29, 2001 | June 20, 2017 |
| February 11, 2001 | June 17, 2017 |
| June 17, 2001 | June 13, 2017 |
| August 28, 1994 | June 10, 2017 |
| May 4, 2015 | June 6, 2017 |
| October 8, 2004 | May 30, 2017 |
| July 30, 2000 | May 27, 2017 |
| October 28, 2008 | May 23, 2017 |
| June 14, 2002 | May 20, 2017 |
| March 5, 2004 | May 16, 2017 |
| July 30, 2004 | May 13, 2017 |
| March 7, 1999 | May 9, 2017 |
| September 6, 1998 | May 6, 2017 |
| June 11, 2004 | May 2, 2017 |
| October 5, 1997 | April 29, 2017 |
| April 26, 2009 | April 29, 2017 |
| September 1, 2007 | April 25, 2017 |
| January 6, 2007 | April 22, 2017 |
| March 12, 2000 | April 18, 2017 |
| August 2, 2002 | April 15, 2017 |
| May 14, 2000 | April 11, 2017 |
| December 10, 1995 | April 8, 2017 |
| March 9, 1997 | April 8, 2017 |
| January 12, 1997 | April 8, 2017 |
| July 17, 1994 | April 4, 2017 |
| April 22, 2005 | April 1, 2017 |
| July 29, 2006 | March 28, 2017 |
| March 29, 2010 | March 25, 2017 |
| May 30, 2003 | March 21, 2017 |
| July 15, 2006 | March 18, 2017 |
| December 10, 2004 | March 14, 2017 |
| February 11, 2005 | March 11, 2017 |
| September 8, 2007 | March 7, 2017 |
| October 7, 2005 | March 4, 2017 |
| July 2, 2000 | February 28, 2017 |
| October 29, 2004 | February 25, 2017 |
| October 4, 1998 | February 21, 2017 |
| April 15, 2006 | February 18, 2017 |
| March 18, 2005 | February 14, 2017 |
| September 3, 1995 | February 11, 2017 |
| June 25, 2000 | February 7, 2017 |
| November 12, 2004 | February 4, 2017 |
| January 11, 2002 | January 31, 2017 |
| October 4, 2002 | January 28, 2017 |
| July 9, 2000 | January 24, 2017 |
| December 14, 1997 | January 24, 2017 |
| May 28, 2000 | January 21, 2017 |
| December 20, 1992 | January 17, 2017 |
| October 10, 1993 | January 14, 2017 |
| September 20, 1998 | January 10, 2017 |
| December 7, 1997 | January 10, 2017 |
| September 19, 2003 | January 7, 2017 |
| April 4, 1999 | January 3, 2017 |
| October 13, 2007 | December 31, 2016 |
| May 20, 2001 | December 27, 2016 |
| November 11, 2006 | December 24, 2016 |
| February 2, 2008 | December 20, 2016 |
| July 23, 1995 | December 17, 2016 |
| April 1, 2006 | December 13, 2016 |
| May 20, 2005 | December 10, 2016 |
| May 7, 2000 | December 6, 2016 |
| January 31, 2009 | December 3, 2016 |
| September 5, 2003 | November 29, 2016 |
| February 18, 2001 | November 26, 2016 |
| October 31, 1993 | November 22, 2016 |
| October 15, 1995 | November 19, 2016 |
| July 2, 2004 | November 15, 2016 |
| August 4, 2007 | November 12, 2016 |
| May 21, 1995 | November 8, 2016 |
| August 19, 2005 | November 5, 2016 |
| August 5, 2005 | November 1, 2016 |
| February 17, 2007 | October 29, 2016 |
| May 22, 2012 | October 25, 2016 |
| September 30, 2005 | October 22, 2016 |
| December 6, 1998 | October 18, 2016 |
| March 19, 2008 | October 15, 2016 |
| March 3, 2007 | October 11, 2016 |
| February 1, 2015 | October 8, 2016 |
| April 3, 1994 | October 4, 2016 |
| June 17, 2005 | October 1, 2016 |
| August 27, 1995 | September 27, 2016 |
| January 28, 2010 | September 24, 2016 |
| October 14, 2005 | September 20, 2016 |
| May 13, 2001 | September 17, 2016 |
| May 5, 2015 | September 13, 2016 |
| January 26, 2010 | September 10, 2016 |
| October 25, 2002 | September 6, 2016 |
| September 2, 2001 | September 3, 2016 |
| February 3, 2015 | August 30, 2016 |
| April 27, 1997 | August 23, 2016 |
| April 26, 2002 | August 23, 2016 |
| January 19, 1997 | August 23, 2016 |
| October 29, 1995 | August 20, 2016 |
| June 12, 1994 | August 16, 2016 |
| July 9, 2008 | August 13, 2016 |
| February 12, 1995 | August 9, 2016 |
| October 15, 2004 | August 6, 2016 |
| September 12, 2003 | August 2, 2016 |
| July 29, 2005 | July 30, 2016 |
| October 24, 1993 | July 26, 2016 |
| October 10, 2003 | July 23, 2016 |
| September 16, 2005 | July 19, 2016 |
| December 13, 2002 | July 16, 2016 |
| April 18, 2003 | July 12, 2016 |
| January 2, 2000 | July 9, 2016 |
| June 28, 2002 | July 5, 2016 |
| October 25, 1998 | July 2, 2016 |
| September 27, 1998 | July 2, 2016 |
| May 13, 2006 | June 29, 2016 |
| July 2, 2010 | June 28, 2016 |
| February 19, 1995 | June 28, 2016 |
| November 25, 2001 | June 25, 2016 |
| February 9, 2010 | June 21, 2016 |
| April 29, 2006 | June 18, 2016 |
| September 9, 2001 | June 14, 2016 |
| June 4, 2000 | June 11, 2016 |
| November 18, 2001 | June 11, 2016 |
| January 30, 2004 | June 7, 2016 |
| March 28, 1999 | June 7, 2016 |
| May 20, 2006 | May 21, 2016 |
| August 19, 2006 | May 21, 2016 |
| August 20, 2000 | May 17, 2016 |
| March 12, 1995 | May 14, 2016 |
| February 11, 2006 | May 10, 2016 |
| August 30, 1998 | May 7, 2016 |
| September 11, 2010 | May 3, 2016 |
| March 8, 2002 | April 30, 2016 |
| August 27, 2000 | April 26, 2016 |
| May 16, 2008 | April 23, 2016 |
| December 21, 1997 | April 19, 2016 |
| December 2, 2005 | April 19, 2016 |
| April 18, 1999 | April 19, 2016 |
| February 15, 1998 | April 19, 2016 |
| July 29, 2001 | April 19, 2016 |
| April 13, 1997 | April 19, 2016 |
| April 1, 2014 | April 16, 2016 |
| November 4, 2001 | April 12, 2016 |
| September 13, 2002 | April 9, 2016 |
| March 19, 2000 | April 2, 2016 |
| March 1, 1998 | March 29, 2016 |
| March 24, 2007 | March 26, 2016 |
| December 6, 1992 | March 22, 2016 |
| September 16, 2001 | March 19, 2016 |
| October 14, 2006 | March 15, 2016 |
| March 21, 2003 | March 12, 2016 |
| April 9, 2004 | March 8, 2016 |
| November 5, 2000 | March 5, 2016 |
| July 22, 2005 | March 1, 2016 |
| July 14, 2007 | February 27, 2016 |
| October 18, 1992 | February 23, 2016 |
| July 9, 1995 | February 20, 2016 |
| May 3, 2015 | February 16, 2016 |
| September 11, 2010 | February 13, 2016 |
| September 10, 1995 | February 9, 2016 |
| January 24, 1999 | February 6, 2016 |
| August 6, 2004 | February 2, 2016 |
| May 7, 1995 | January 30, 2016 |
| December 17, 2004 | January 26, 2016 |
| July 16, 2000 | January 23, 2016 |
| May 6, 2006 | January 19, 2016 |
| November 1, 2002 | January 16, 2016 |
| December 1, 2007 | January 9, 2016 |
| September 3, 2000 | January 5, 2016 |
| June 25, 1995 | January 2, 2016 |
| May 19, 2007 | December 29, 2015 |
| October 28, 2006 | December 28, 2015 |
| November 17, 2007 | December 27, 2015 |
| May 26, 2014 | December 26, 2015 |
| April 30, 2000 | December 25, 2015 |
| October 9, 1994 | December 24, 2015 |
| November 27, 1994 | December 31, 1969 |