This hand is interesting because of the auction and the play. Let's look at the auction first. Two clubs is a game forcing opening bid. Two diamonds is simply a waiting bid. Two hearts is the strong hands suit. Three hearts is agreement for the heart suit and shows some values. With a weaker hand North would bid four hearts.
South now makes a "cue" bid. Three spades shows first round control of the spade suit. This bid also asks North to bid any controls that it might have. Four diamonds shows a control in that suit - that would mean an ace, king, or void. Five clubs by South is another "cue" bid. Five hearts indicates that North has nothing else to say. Six diamonds is yet another "cue" bid. Six hearts again states that North does not have any other controls and this becomes the final contract.
West starts with the king of clubs. Declarer can count eleven tricks. The twelfth will have to come from a long diamonds or the spade finesse. The first trick goes to the ace of clubs. Declarer cashes the ace of hearts and sees that he will have to draw three rounds of trump.
The ace of diamonds is next. Then the three of hearts is overtaken by the seven in the dummy. The king of diamonds provides a discard for the four of clubs. The jack of diamonds is led and the three of spades is discarded. West wins the queen of diamonds and leads a fourth diamond. The ten is played from dummy and East trumps with his last heart. Declarer is able to over trump but then has to return to dummy and try the spade finesse, which fails. Down one.
Unlucky? Not at all. Just not completely thought through. When declarer enters dummy with the seven of hearts he needs only to lead the jack of diamonds and discard the four of clubs. West wins but can do no harm. No matter what is returned, declarer can pull the last trump with the queen of hearts and cash two good diamonds for spade pitches, making six.
It is unlikely that the queen of diamonds will fall under the king, so the play of the jack is correct, just not very obvious. When you find yourself making these plays, you will know that your game has improved.
Unit 125 of the American Contract Bridge League held the Silver Bowl Sectional Bridge Tournament in Solon on August 3-5. The following players were successful in their respective events on August 4.
Two session Open Pairs (30 pairs). Stratum A1. 1. Bernie Greenspan, Beachwood, and Paul Facinelli, Avon Lake. 2. Don and Kathleen Sulgrove, Twinsburg. Stratum A2. 1. Greenspan and Pacinelli. 2. Patricia Novak, Mentor, and Davis Bonner, Chillicothe.
Knock Out Teams. Bracket I (7 teams). 1. Robert Werner, Chagrin Falls, Anne O'Donnell, Gates Mills, Robert Carroll, Warren, and Bradley Sevcik, Olmsted Falls. 2. Marlene Zinamon, Beachwood, Sol Libman, Lyndhurst, Victor Vertes and Harrison Fuerst, Cleveland. Bracket II (6 teams). 1. Carol Helderlein, Akron, Marilyn Bolender, Wadsworth, Retha Lakins and Barbara Wallman, Massillon. 2. Vivien Sevin, Lyndhurst, Gayle Singer, Moreland Hills, Ellen Miles, Beachwood, and Judy Solganik, Shaker Heights.
Morning Flight B Pairs (18 pairs). 1. Shirley Lundstrom, Cuyahoga Falls, and Barbara Schidlowski, Kent. 2. Mary Gleghorn, Stow, and Nancy Evans, Cuyahoga Falls.
Afternoon Flight B Pairs (14 pairs). 1/3 Tie. John and Jerri Harper, Beachwood; Kermit Wolford, Aurora, and Charles Ladiha, Vermilion; Shirley Lundstrom, Cuyahoga Falls, and Barbara Schidlowski, Kent.
Morning Flight C Pairs (29 pairs). 1. Judith Rolnicki, Brunswick, and Steven Wolotsky, Lakewood. 2. James Wise, Cambridge Springs, PA, and Thomas Ritter, Erie, PA.
Afternoon Stratified C/D Pairs (30 pairs). Stratum C. 1. Fleur Howard, Gates Mills, and Laura Ross, Solon. 2. Dilip and Smita Maniar, Mentor. Stratum D. 1. Howard and Ross. 2. Georgia Dixon, Cleveland, and Frances King, Shaker Heights.
Afternoon 299er Pairs (26 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Vi Mills and Jean Perko, Solon. 2. Cathy Weber, Chagrin Falls, and Judy Kaye, Aurora. Stratum B. 1. Weber and Kaye. 2. Dee Kursh and Roslyn Fanaloff, Shaker Heights. 2. Melinda Berke, Strongsville, and Dean Lowrey, Solon
----
Bernstein is
a free-lance writer in Solon. To reach Harvey Bernstein: hjb0416@yahoo.com