Today's not a regular Saturday bridge column features a game in which the simulation and I were able to get together on a proper contract for six tricks.
With 23 high card points, a long Club suit, and the wrong distribution for a No Trump bid, I open with Two Clubs. Partner bot responds with Two Diamonds on seven high card points and five Diamonds. From among the available choices I essay Two No Trump, which the simulation characterizes as "invitational" in a variety of ways, and the partner bot responds with Three Hearts, something the simulation describes as a signal of strength in the minors. That gets interesting with no Hearts in Hand, and my response of Three Spades is similarly idiosyncratic, but gives the bot several options, and Four Diamonds follows. That, the simulation tells me, is a serious bid (the ones that are intended as signals or cues get highlighted with a red border). I bid a game of Five Clubs and the bot overcalls with Six Diamonds.
In previous experience with the computers, I've often found myself in an impossibly optimistic contract. But not this time. Because the North bot declared Diamonds, the lead is in East: ♣7, bottom of a sequence. Perhaps attacking Hearts might have sufficed to set the contract.
The closed hand is North: with proper play there are four good Spades, and the Three a candidate discard on the long Club suit controlling the board. There are no Hearts in hand, but it might be prudent to lead the two from the board and trump them in hand.
There are four Diamonds headed by the Seven outstanding. The fourth row of Pascal's Triangle tells us that eight of the sixteen possible combinations of four cards will be three to one side. I'm going to want two in hand to take care of the Hearts. In Clubs the board assures no losers in the hand, but I'd better not find myself in a position where I'm leading those little ones.
Win the opening lead with the ♣Q on the board, lead the ♦6 back toward the ♦8, there's no reason to cash the high ones when the little ones suffice, then lead the ♦5 to the ♦J with West showing out. The odds are that East will hold more than two Hearts, lead the ♥Q and trump it with the ♦9; then the ♣10 to cash the ♣K followed by the ♥10 trumped with the ♦10.
Now I require six of the remaining seven tricks. The lead is in the hand.
In hand there are ♠ K J 9 7 3, ♦ K, ♣3.
On the board, ♠ A Q, ♦ A Q, ♣ A 5 4.
There's nothing quite so frustrating as having potential winners and not being able to activate them. This time, no problem: ♣3 to the Ace; ♣5 to the ♦K (and just in time with East pitching a Heart); ♠9 to the Ace; two rounds of Diamonds draw that outstanding ♦7 with the two low Spades discarded; now cover the ♠Q with the King and the ♠J picks up two Hearts (including the Ace) and that little Club.
Plus One, and it's Oktoberfest time.
5.10.19
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)


No comments:
Post a Comment