Thanks to Fred Eberlin of Lyndhurst for this interesting hand. Eberlin sat South. Pat Novak of Mentor held the North cards. The distribution of the South hand presents a bidding problem for many players. It is not uncommon to see a player open this hand one spade to show the five card major. Eberlin felt, correctly, that it was better to start with his six card club suit.
West made a one spade overcall and North bid two hearts. The bid of a new suit by an unpassed hand is forcing unless there is a partnership agreement to the contrary. Eberlin rebid his club suit, showing six cards in that suit. Novak took the bull by the horns and bid four no trump which was Roman Key Card Blackwood. Responder counts his aces and the king of the agreed upon trump suit. By jumping to four no trump from the three club bid, Novak established clubs as the trump suit. Five clubs indicates zero or three key cards. Five diamonds indicates one or four key cards. Five hearts shows two key cards and denies holding the queen of trump. Five spades, Eberlin's bid, shows two key cards AND the queen of trump.
Novak assumed that Eberlin did not hold the ace of spades as one of his key cards. I am not sure if she had the right to make that assumption, but as it turned out, she was correct. The grand slam was an easy play for a top board.
The hand was played nine times. Six pairs got to a six club contract, one pair bid five clubs, and one pair bid three no trump. Excellent evaluation during the bidding was the key to bidding the grand slam.
Eberlin hosts three duplicate bridge games every week. Wednesday and Friday (12:30 p.m.) at the Orange Senior Center, 32205 Chagrin Blvd., Pepper Pike, and Thursday (6:45 p.m.) at the Solon Senior Center, 35000 Portz Parkway, Solon. For more information or reservations, call (440) 461-4963.
Congratulations to the following local players who have achieved new levels of success in their bridge careers.
Bernie Greenspan of Beachwood has passed the 2,500 master point level and is a gold life master.
Marlene Zinamon of Beachwood, Diane Wasserman of University Heights and Jacquelyn Thiese of Stow have passed the 1,000 master point level and are silver life masters.
James Novak of Solon, Jeanne Winters of Cleveland, Mary Anne Kriesen of Mentor and Laurel Robinson of Fairlawn have passed the 500 master point level and are bronze life masters.
Diane Peltz of Solon and Leo Mann of Lakewood have satisfied
all of the requirements and are now life masters.
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Bernstein is
a free-lance writer in Solon.
To reach Harvey Bernstein:
hjb0416@yahoo.com