Aaron Haspel

Matchpoint Maestro

May 042003

Both Vul
MPs
Dealer: East
Lead: J

	pama 10 8 8 4 8 6 5 3 2 9 8 7 6
sdivins K J 9 6 Q J 6 3 K J 4 K 3		crm Q 5 4 2 A K Q A Q 10 5 4 2
	Maestro A 7 3 10 9 7 5 2 A 10 9 7 J

West

1
4
5
Pass

North

Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass

East
1

4NT
5

Pass

South
Pass
Pass
Pass
Dbl

After a year of following Gerard I still slight some of his talents. Mostly we see him at IMPs; today, a little lesson in matchpoint strategy.

East/West reach five spades after a rather inelegant auction, which is generally how one reaches five of a major. It’s a nice hand for fourth-suit forcing. A possible auction over one spade might be two diamonds (forcing to game) — two hearts — three spades (showing four-card support) — four clubs — four spades (no diamond stop to cue bid) — all pass. (I should note that 3NT is the best contract, and that no table produced this auction or anything like it.)

However, West blasts to four spades over one spade, and East, with his maximum, Blackwoods and signs off in five spades when he finds out they’re off two aces.

Matters are in the maestro’s capable hands, and now matchpoint strategy enters the picture. The STCP™ would reason that if five spades is down it’s probably a good score anyway. But there are good scores, and there are Gee scores. Partner’s silence probably indicates a defensive trick, after all; and why score 90 when 100 is available? Gee doubles, and now it’s time to lead.

He knows they’re off the two aces he holds. He also knows they have a lot of points or they wouldn’t be investigating slam. What can his partner have? Figure a queen at most. West is marked for at least four spades and four hearts. East failed to raise hearts, indicating three or fewer, but probably not extreme shortness, otherwise he wouldn’t have been interested in slam, fearing wasted values in the heart suit. So unless partner has a red king, there are two chances to beat four hearts. Best is to lead a heart, playing partner for a stiff. Second best is to underlead the diamond ace, playing for something like KJx on the board opposite two small, and putting declarer to a tough guess.

As it happens, a heart lead doesn’t work. At the table Gee led the club jack, grabbed the trump ace on the first round, cashed the diamond ace, and shifted to hearts. That doesn’t work either.

One Large to the Winner

Apr 282003

Both Vul
IMPs
Dealer: West
Lead: J

	Maestro K Q 9 5 6 8 4 2 K Q 10 9 4
lil sister 7 4 3 2 Q 10 5 K 10 7 5 J 7		ttsum 10 6 A K 8 7 4 2 A Q 9 3 2
	charlie-nt A J 8 J 9 3 J 6 A 8 6 5 3

West
Pass
4

North
Pass
Pass

East
3

Pass

South
Pass
Pass

Today’s hand has nothing of interest in the play and little in the bidding. I wouldn’t open three hearts third-seat with East’s hand at any vulnerability, but I suppose I can understand the rationale. It helps to shut out the spades, and since par on the hand is four spades or five clubs down one, you can’t argue with the results. I wouldn’t raise to game with West’s hand either, but I guess that’s what you do if you know your partner bids that way.

There is, however, the post mortem. “Rumpler” and “gustav” appear from the gallery to engage Gee in what the diplomats call “a frank exchange of opinions.”

G: he could have made 11 tricks
G: but not after pulling all the trumps
lil sister: true
gustav: if he was off 2 spades and a club off the top, how can he make 5
Rumpler: there were ten tricks – no more, no less, on any lead, any play, and defense. where the heck does anyone see 11???
G: he could ruff one of our top clubs
lil sister: i counted 10 but that doesn’t mean anything
gustav: can’t make 11 with a crowbar
G: I repeat he could get 11 tricks
Rumpler: he has 6 H’s and 4 D’s – that is 10… period. one does not gain tricks by ruffing in the long trump hand… any novice knows that
lil sister: lets not argue… lets just have a good time
Charlie_nt: not always
Rumpler: ok gerard… teach me… HOW could he get 11?
G: typical case of bad players who make strong statements about what they dont know and become insulting to prove they are right! LOL
Rumpler: lol my tuchus… prove you can find an 11th trick
G: i don’t have to prove you anything
Rumpler: then don’t make silly statements or goofy post mortems
G: I am not paid to show you how to make 11
Rumpler: i will pay you $100 to show me an 11th trick
G: you are soooo rude and insulting!!! who do you think you are?
Rumpler: somebody who can count
G: LOL… no you can’t
Charlie_nt: ruffing in the long hand is a very useful technique
G: doesn’t matter, Charlie.. they think by being rude and arrogant they will win… has nothing to do with bridge
Rumpler: yeh – if you can ruff enough times to shorten yourself if reversing the dummy — otherwise…
Charlie_nt: or cross-ruff
Rumpler: i offered you $100 to show me how you can make an 11th trick as YOU said, put up or shut up gerard
G: you shut up, mister!!!!
Rumpler: you are a fraud

$100? I’ll go one better than that. Hell, I’ll go nine better. I’m offering $1,000, to Gerard or anyone else, for a line that produces 11 tricks. (I will not accept cooperative lines, such as North and South both tossing all of their spades.)

Hey, I promised a contest. I didn’t promise a winner.

The Hard Way

Apr 202003

N/S Vul
IMPs
Dealer: East
Lead: 9

	honeydo A K 8 6 J 5 3 J Q 9 8 6 2
churford 9 4 10 7 2 9 5 4 3 J 10 5 3		johnstrod 7 3 2 6 4 K Q 10 8 7 2 K 7
	Maestro Q J 10 5 A K Q 9 8 A 6 A 4

West

Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass

North

2
3
4
6

East
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass

South
2

Pass

Today Gee and partner reach a normal heart slam after a not half-bad auction, and West leads the nine of spades, won by Gee in hand with the queen.

Well now. You might just play the diamond ace, ruff a diamond small, assuming that if either defender had nine diamonds he might have been heard from, play the jack of trumps, and claim 12 tricks when both defenders followed. Since this loses only to all five trumps with West, for about 95%, you might just do this. But ask yourself: why do I write about Gerard and not about you instead?

The maestro first plays a trump to the jack. He plays another trump back to the queen. He cashes the ace of diamonds: it’s still not too late to ruff a diamond, cross back to hand with the ace of clubs (or even a spade, since they break), and claim.

He now leads a low club! Dummy’s queen loses to East’s king, and here’s the position:

	honeydo A K 8 3 — 9 8 6 2
churford 4 10 9 5 4 J 10 5		johnstrod 7 3 — K Q 10 8 7 7
	Maestro J 10 5 A K 9 6 A

The hand, amazingly, is still stone cold. If East returns a spade (as he probably should, since it’s just possible West is stiff and has a trump left) Gee can win in hand, ruff a diamond — yes, yes, bear with me here — and cross back to hand with the ace of clubs to pull the last trump. A diamond of course produces the same result. In fact East returned a club, which is no better. Gee can win in hand, pull the last trump, and set up the fifth club in dummy, unblocking his jack and 10 of spades under the ace and king, for his twelfth trick. At last the STCP™ can see the point of the maestro’s far-sighted play of winning the first spade in hand.

Coda

Gee wins the club return with the ace, pulls the last trump, and plays the five of spades to the ace, leaving himself one entry short.

Short Work

Apr 142003

Today, a special treat: a seminar from the maestro on short suit game tries. Why infer lessons from hand play when you can get them direct? I pause only to note Gee’s remarkable ability to employ both short- and long-suit game tries, depending on his holding. (A closely related matter has been previously discussed.) And now I yield the floor.

G: yesterday I began explaining what help suit game try was
G: but got interrupted by someone who thought it was better to make jokes than to be respectful of you people
G: so i start it again today
Student: Someone had a good idea, hide the table Gerard that way jokers stay out
G: when you play, you hear constantly about help suit game try, short suit game try and long suit game try
G: what is it?
G: that’s what I will cover for you now
G: those who heard the beginning yesterday, I am sorry, but you will hear it a second time now
G: often you are in a situation such that you are not sure if you can play game or not
G: example:
G: you are sitting with 16 points
G: you open 1S, your partner responds 2S
G: you have game or not?
G: who knows
G: your partner shows 6-9 points traditionally
Student: well, we assume pard doesn’t have 10 points
G: and if you add your 16 points to that
G: you have a total of between 22 and 25 points
G: with 22 points, there is no game
G: with 25 there maybe a game
G: and that’s what you want to find out
G: most of the time though
G: you can use help suit game try
G: to figure that out
G: if you have the feeling that you are only 1 trick away from making game
Student: wait, how do you know if you have that feeling?
G: would be a pity not to end in game
G: card distribution
G: you have 15 points, in the example I gave earlier
G: in this case, it would suffice that you know that your pd has 9 points to add up to 25 points and play in game
G: but…
G: what if his 9 points are not placed correctly and your hands do not mesh well
G: you might end up going down in 4S
G: and that’s what you want to avoid
G: the old way was
G: you open 1s, partner bids 2s, you rebid 3s
G: that was asking your partner to bid 4S with 9 points and pass with less
G: in modern bridge, that method is not the best
G: you use help suit game try
G: and that will cover 2 things
G: one the point count and two the cards distribution
G: the idea is to find a hidden trick
G: what’s a hidden trick?
G: it’s a trick you might or might not make
G: like Kx or Qx
Student: right, that’s when the opps have 9-card fit
G: Kx may make if the K is not in from of the A
G: same with Qx
G: if opps cards are placed in a favorable way, you may make the Q
G: but it seldom happens so…
G: what you want to know is if partner has the other honor
G: if you have Qx in your hand and partner has Kx…
G: that’s a sure trick
G: which you did not know you had
G: and that’s what the “help suit” comes from
G: you say to your pd you have the K or the Q
G: and ask your partner if he/she has the other one
G: example
G: 1S-2S
G: 3C (I have K (or Q) of club… do you have the other one?
G: if yes, your partner can go to 4S safely
G: you will most likely make the contract
G: if your partner does not have the missing K or Q
G: then he has to answer negatively
G: and there are several ways to answer negatively
G: the first way… is to simply rebid spade
G: like in 1S-2S
G: 3C-3S
G: that means… not only I do not have the missing K or Q but I don’t have anything else to allow you to think we can make game
G: now…
G: if you do not have the specific card asked for in that specific suit
G: and the top of your range
G: then you can, maybe show a suit where you have a possible hidden trick
G: example
G: 1S-2S; 3C-3D
G: 3D means:
G: I do not have the missing K or Q of club but I have top of my range AND also either the K or Q of D
G: and is asking the 1S bidder if he has the other cad
Student: what if you have the ace in the clubs suit?
G: I’ll get there in a second
Student: ok
G: if the 1S bidder has the other card, he can safely bid 4S knowing his partner has 9 points and a hidden trick… unhidden
G: that contract of 4S will make
G: now
G: let’s suppose the 1S bidder does not have the other card
G: he has in turn to make a negative response
G: and it works the exact same way over again
G: 1S-2S; 3C-3D; 3H
Student: what if you have 18 points?
G: then you do not have the problem anymore
Student: 18+6 = 24?
G: you always have 24 points at least
Student: how do you know if you have enough for game?
G: same method will work
G: but what may be different is the interpretation of pd’s response to the help suit game try
G: to a neg response by the partner, you can then bid 3NT, showing a strong hand
Student: we’ll play 3nt?
G: 1S-2S; 3C-3S; 3NT
Student: ok so what if you’re in 3nt and pard only has 6 points?
G: if partner does not have 7+, he will pass
G: else bid 4S
Student: pass 3nt?
G: with 18 points, 3NT is likely to make
G: you asked earlier
G: what about aces
G: and I will add Jacks
G: do they count?
G: my answer is NO
G: they do not count
Student: G, what if they lead the suit that i need help in at 3nt?
G: first of all
Student: won’t i be down like the Titanic?
G: no, because you do not use the same kind of HSGT
G: if you intend to play in NT, you use Long Suit game try
G: if you intend to play in a suit contract you use Short Suit game try
G: the idea being that you do not want to be ruffed in that suit if you plan on playing in a suit contract
G: and you do not want to be shortened too much in that suit if you plan to play in NT
G: 17+
Student: pard will pass with 6 opps will double and i’m down 500?
G: in what case Paxman?
G: you have 18 points and your pd has 6 points?
Student: 1s-2s-3c-3s-3n-x they lead a club
Student: 18 + 6 = 24 and we’ve identified weakness in club suit
G: may happen, yes
Student: maybe if we don’t alert it they won’t figure out to lead a club?
G: this is a game, Paxman
G: things dont always live up to your expectations
G: there are cases where you go down in 3NT with 18 points
G: 28 points
G: happened this morning
G: there are always extreme cases
G: that’s why it is a game
G: but you can’t fix all the cases
G: look at it this way
G: if you play 20 hands
G: and you have 1 bad hand because of an extreme case
G: first… others will have the same problem
G: that hand may not be that bad afterall
G: ok
G: go back to your example
G: 1S-2S: 3C-3S
G: here you have 18 points
G: more exactly, suppose that here you have 18 points
G: your partner has 6 points
G: ok
G: now let’s go back to your other question
G: Aces (and Jacks)
G: your aces have already been counted as tricks
G: can’t count them twice
G: your jacks can not make a trick in a suit contact other than by a miracle
G: in NT, on the other hand, the J are useful
G: but, more to prevent opps from running the suit than as a HELP to find a hidden trick
G: Js are used to stop a running suit by the opps most frequently
G: aces are already counted
G: so, the only 2 honors that are of interest in Help Suit Game Try,
G: Short and Long are actually the K and the Q
G: so, the only difference between LSGT and SSGT is the length of the suit that the asker has
G: that suit should not be anymore than 3 cards
Student: how long does it have to be for LSGT?
G: for try in suit contract
G: and minimum 4 cards in LSGT
Student: what if you have xxxx in clubs? couldn’t you use HSGT?
G: for NT contracts
Student: why be in NT when we’ve found 8-card major fit?
G: no… to ask for help in a suit
G: you tell your partner you have either K or Q in that suit
G: planning to play in NT, the minimum you should have in the suit you need
help is Qxxx
Student: well, i guess i see, but i sure as heck don’t want to play 3nt
Student: with an 8 card major fit
Student: my mother raised me better than that
G: the partner does not need 4 cards
G: only the one who asks does
G: think
G: you have 4 cards in the suit
G: your partner has a singleton in the suit
G: that’s 5 cards
G: you are safe because othe opps can never have more than 8 cards
Student: what if they’re all on one side?
G: that’s the worst possible situation
G: well, you would have heard the opps bidding
Student: if pard has one i want to play in a suit so i can ruff my losers?
Student: not if they have no points
G: we talked about the same thing yesterday in the case of HSGT for a suit contract
G: you have to know where you want to play
G: in an auction like 1c-1S; 2S-3D
Student: well, for my money, i ain’t playing 3nt with a spade fit
G: do you want to be in NT or in S?
Student: uh, spades?
G: sure
Student: right
G: so you ask 3D with a 3 or less D suit and containing the K or the Q
G: else.. don’t ask
Student: what if you have xxxx in diamonds and want help?
Student: you know, like 4 losers, like down 1?
G: 3D is short suit help try
Student: but what if i don’t HAVE a short suit
G: then you have to use other methods
G: not Help suit game try
Student: any examples?
G: we are dealing with HSGT subject now
G: the other methods we can see in other workshops
G: but let’s do 1 subject at a time
G: now
G: what do we do with this auction?
G: 1S-2S: 3S
G: what would be 3S?
G: there is no agreement
G: it’s purely quantiative
G: I have 18 points, no Q nor K in a short suit
G: do you have 7+ or not
G: sorry 15 points
Student: 18 or 16?
G: 16+
G: 16-19
Student: what about 17?
G: in this case 19 would be too much… I typed that too fast
G: you would use another method with 19points
Student: such as?
G: with 19 points?’
Student: yep
G: calculate and tell me what to bid
G: 1S-2S you have Q9
G: partner has 6
G: think you have a game
G: there
G: so what would you bid?
G: 1S-2S: ?
G: 4S
Student: game?
G: right?
Student: sure
G: if you attend my classes on captain/crew, you would learn a lot about what to bid in these cases
G: and similar ones that come up frequently
Student: is that free too?
G: no… those are paying
G: anybody had questions?
Student: i still don’t understand that hand QJT9xxx where you preempt 3s, and ended up in 6S X
Student: i would think you are crew and not captain
Student: how much is cap/crew seminar
G: you can’t think… you know or you dont know… if you don’t know, come to the seminar or buy Bridge is a Conversation
G: 3 classes $10 per class
Student: i’m kind of tapped out this month
G: i played last night with a student against Dcorn and beat him
G: my student is only an intermediate/adv player… cobra4
G: only because of captain/crew stuff
G: cobra4 was my student and partner for the game
G: over 2 hours
G: and they could not get us
Student: is that better for your stat?
G: yes, but who cares??
Student: about stats?
Student: i clicked on you, your stats aren’t there
G: they are never there, never were and never will :)
G: if there is a subject you would like to treat, please let me know and we will do it
Student: i am interested in squeeze plays and coups

(Seminar Credit: Vulture)

Apr 082003

Dear Dr. Robert,

If Gee doubles you in a contract, should you automatically redouble, applying the extended Bones Principle, and would that then be alertable?

—Greedy Gus, Galt’s Gulch, USA

Dear GeeGee,

No you should absolutely not automatically redouble just because G doubled you, but you should be on the alert for the situations in which it is most advisable. Consider the disadvantages of a forced Bones Principle redouble. For one, it is very difficult to play the hand when you don’t know who has what, as is the case when Gee has entered the bidding. Many a trick has been lost by opponents who thought they knew where the cards were, only to have the planned line of play go up in smoke as Gerard had one of his, shall we say, “less than conventional” doubles. The Bones Principle redouble also tends to frighten Gerard’s partners into leaving. You can’t keep piling up the IMPs if the game doesn’t continue now can you? Better to win 8 IMPs per hand in which you are doubled than 12 IMPs once. Nonetheless, there are situations in which judicious use of the blue card can be most profitable against Gerard. It is high time to redouble when:

You have issued a Bones double to Gerard, only to see your (apparently inexperienced partner) pull it and be doubled by Gerard. You must protect the equity that you have just lost on the board because of your partner’s poorly timed flight of brilliancy.
Gerard doubles in front of you when you were about to bid more anyway. Need I comment further?
Gerard was in spec discussing my editor during the previous hand. You know that his blood is now boiling until he goes on a cig break, and he may tend to be a little too quick to double, at which time you should take full advantage.
On the last hand. It’s now or never, hombre.

Rule of Thumb

Apr 082003

Both Vul
IMPs
Dealer: West
Lead: K

	teeta A J 8 6 K 7 5 2 A 4 2 10 6
fun1 10 9 7 3 A 10 9 8 3 9 K 7 4		Maestro K 5 Q 6 K 10 8 3 A J 9 8 2
	lfisher Q 4 2 J 4 Q J 7 6 5 Q 5 3

West
Pass
Dbl

North
1

Pass

East
2

Pass

South
2

Pass

Gee’s brilliant bidding and declarer play sometimes overshadow his equally brilliant defense. Even the Chronicles have not given it the attention it deserves.

Today, then, features the maestro in an unaccustomed supporting role, in which he manages to steal the spotlight nonetheless. We reach 2DX after what might be considered a normal auction. West’s negative double is reasonable, but it puts the maestro in a tough spot. 3C and 2H both make, but 200 figures to be an excellent score on a part-score hand, and I can’t severely fault the gambling pass.

Gee here might have been well advised to use the rule of thumb I myself often employ on opening lead: pull the card closest to thumb. Instead he begins the defense with one of the two cards that let the hand make, the spade king. (The trump king also does the job.) Declarer wins the spade ace and plays the trump ace and another trump.

Gee ducks the second trump — winning doesn’t help — as West discards a heart. Declarer now leads a heart from dummy, ducked by West, and wins the heart king. Now it’s all over: another trump from hand will restrict the trump losers to one, plus a heart and a three clubs. Making two.

But no! Declarer, apparently losing the trump count, plays two more rounds of spades. Gee ruffs in on the third round, and has only to cash his master trump to prevent the club ruff and beat the contract. He cashes the heart queen, which his partner shrewdly elects not to overtake. Strike one. He cashes the club ace, on which his partner discourages. Strike two. And he continues with the club jack, covered by the queen and king. Strike three: West is forced to concede the club ruff for the eighth trick. Batter out.

The Long and the Short of It

Apr 022003

E/W Vul
MPs
Dealer: East
Lead: K

	peterw 7 3 Q 8 5 K 10 9 K 10 9 7 4
kimtm K Q J 6 2 10 9 Q 4 3 2 6 2		mick 9 5 4 J 6 4 3 8 7 Q J 5 2
	Maestro A 10 8 A K 7 2 A J 6 5 A 8

West

Pass
Pass

North

3NT

East
Pass
Pass

South
2NT
Pass

Today’s guest columnist is the legendary O_Bones, who needs no further introduction. Over to Mike:

There are plays that are basic to all STCP’s™, the holdup being one that Gee here executes flawlessly. That he subsequently obviates its very raison d’etre is irrelevant. West, kimtm, leads the spade king, continuing the suit until Gee correctly wins the third round, a maneuver that will either exhaust East of the suit or render it harmless by virtue of a 4-4 split. Counting his top tricks, an exercise that he frequently performs correctly, Gee finds that he is one short. A 3-3 break in hearts would yield a ninth trick, but as Gee is an expert he knows percentages well, and a finesse is better than a 3-3 split by nearly five to three odds. He rightly decides, therefore, to look for the extra trick in the diamond suit, and since the finesse can be taken either of two ways, the odds favoring it must, he reasons, be even better than normal. Confidently he plays a diamond to dummy’s king, and floats the ten on the way back. Astounded, West gathers in the diamond lady and cashes two more spades, the lowly deuce administering the coup de grace of the setting trick.

The ubiquitous STCP™ would, of course, lead a low diamond from hand at trick four, inserting the nine or ten and not caring a whit if it lost to East, who would either have no more spades, leaving the danger hand entryless, or, if holding a spade, have found the suit to be 4-4, and not dangerous at all. With the finesse winning, the STCP would now reenter his hand with a rounded top, repeat the diamond hook, and garnish ten tricks. Experts of a different ilk than Gee, having gotten this far, would along the way have played the heart 8 to hand, unblocking as a matter of technique. Upon seeing the ten or nine appear from opening leader, and the other honor popping up when a low heart is led to the lady, our hypothetical expert would apply the Principle of Restricted Choice, playing the last heart to the 7, hooking against the jack, and bringing in eleven tricks. Gee, ever cognizant of opportunities to reinvent the bridge wheel, has found a three-trick “compression play,” paying Hamman homage to the coiner of the term. Speaking of principles, the hand is a perfect example of the reason why your scribe invented the Bones Principle, as it is colder than a penguin’s rectum on a line that any intermediate…er… STCP™ would find, even while somnambulistic.

As the setting trick was cashed the maestro stated, inverting yet another post mortem, “The direction in which I took the finesse was short to long.”

Summary
1. Do not hook into danger hands.
2. Do learn restricted choice.
3. Post mortems are for changing feet.

Mar 312003

It’s been a while:

G: O_Bones is so malicious and devious, that he makes me vomit!
Spec #1: what brought that up?
Spec #2: oh my
Spec #3: devious?
Spec #2: left field central
Spec #4: from out of the blue?
G: someone told me to have a look at aaron’s website
Spec #2: [Spec #4]? u did that?
G: supposedly because it was turning around and becoming nicer
G: so I went and read the latest comments
Spec #3: oh my
G: can’t believe how devious, mean people can be
Spec #4: uh, no
Spec #5: why should he say that for every one if something against him except if he is sick man
G: message to Mike Dorn!!!
Spec #6: where is aaron’s web site?
Spec #2: he’s gonna get upset and have to stop…
G: NEVER FING YOURSELF IN FRONT OF ME mIKE 4
Spec #2: huh?
Spec #7: yep, he’s getting upset
Spec #8: fing?
Spec #2: thx [Spec #7]
Spec #5: finger:}}lol
Spec #7: don’t mention it
Spec #8: fang?
G: the fucking asshole pretentious and thinks-he-is-god cretin!
Spec #8: now THAT I unnerstood
G: I am getting out of here!

Safety Last

Mar 282003

Both Vul
IMPs
Dealer: East
Lead: 10

	mih 8 7 6 5 2 J 6 5 2 10 A K Q
ksvaii A Q J A Q 8 4 3 A K 6 5 3		Maestro K 4 K 10 9 7 Q 7 4 3 2 10 8
	amincu 10 9 3 — J 9 8 J 9 7 6 5 4 2

West
2

Dbl
Pass
Pass

North
Pass
Pass
Dbl

East
2

6NT
Pass

South
4

Pass
Pass

Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.
—Ludwig Wittgenstein

It is with trepidation that I ignore Wittgenstein and attempt an analysis of today’s hand.

West opens a lightish 2C, and the maestro replies with 2D, which is — waiting? negative? diamonds? Whereof one cannot speak…

South’s 4C vulnerable is a death wish. He catches a miracle dummy and goes for only 500 on accurate and 200 on the probable defense. West doubles, which, with no suits having yet been bid by his side, sure looks like takeout to me. Now you might figure North to bid some number of clubs, but North is a disciple of the “give ’em enough rope” school, he passes, and it’s hard to argue with the result. Six in either red suit is cold, but Gee, mindful of the significance of the extra 10 points at IMPs, and sure that his partner’s double promises not only a club stopper but a club stopper that’s safe to lead through, shoots 6NT. West can’t do anything but pass, for the captain has spoken. North doubles and prays.

Do I lead a club on this auction? Probably. But South reasons, understandably, that if North had club tricks he would have supported clubs, and he throws the 10 of spades on the table.

All is in the maestro’s capable hands. Can he find the two-way safety play in hearts and take thirteen top tricks? He wins the spade in hand and leads a diamond to the board. Both defenders follow; so far so good. He plays four more rounds of diamonds, ramping up the suspense; North tosses all of his spades. With the specs on the edge of their seats, the maestro slaps down the king of hearts, carefully catering to South’s possible 1-4-3-7 holding. South shows out, and it’s all over.

One must be silent.

Mar 282003

“I don’t need signals pard.”

Permalink March 28, 2003 No Responses »

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