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Young players just love bridge. 

for Junior, Intermediate and Novice players.....and others, especially those younger in age. 

Better than 50-50.

Last Sunday afternoon, a small group of young players enjoyed an on-line session on Real Bridge. This was organized by NZ Bridge Board Member, Anna Kalma. This was the first such session aimed at providing a place where young players could enjoy a relaxed few hands together.

“Young” means “youth” and anyone in their 20’s or younger would be most welcome, (maybe even if you look about that age!) irrespective of their level of ability. One who played was one of our most  promising young players, Jack James. He submitted today’s hand from that first session.

 

You have a standard Acol auction with East’s 1NT rebid showing 15-17 hcp. West can therefore close the auction with 4 knowing that their partner has 2 or 3 cards in spades and that they have enough hcps for game.

North leads 4 with J being played from dummy. South wins this trick with A and returns a second club to North’s K. North plays a third round of clubs with South following suit and dummy’s Q winning this trick.

West starts to draw trumps and plays Q with North contributing J. On the second round of spades, declarer plays A but North discards 4. K is now played with North discarding 2. South still has the high 10.

What should declarer play next?

At this point, West has lost 2 club tricks and has a certain spade loser to come. They still have the possibility of a diamond loser as well.

Note, while inserting 9 on the second round of trumps would have been a great play, West would have had egg on their face had North held J10 and had false-carded with J on the first round of trumps.

Over then to Jack.

50-50

“ West now has two different 50% lines in playing A, and 10 to the J.  If this finesse works, then they can use dummy’s K to discard the potential diamond loser.

Likewise, they have the option of just taking the diamond finesse.

Better than 50%

A slightly better line is to play 10 to the K and 9 back to the A to catch a doubleton Q in either hand. Should this not eventuate then declarer can take the diamond finesse.

Much better than 50%

However, there is an even better line.

 

 

West can simply exit a fourth trump to South. If South had the only remaining club, 9, nothing is lost as West can ruff and return to one of the above lines. But in this actual layout, South is actually endplayed as early as trick 7 when they win 10.

South must lead either into the AQ or lead a heart and pick up the Q wherever it is, thus providing a certain discard for declarer’s possible and indeed actual losing diamond.”

Of course, North could have made it harder for the declarer by switching to a diamond at trick 3. Realistically, then, West would need to play trumps for no loser. However, that did not happen and West still needed to find the best way to make their contract, with the diamond finesse failing and the position of the Q unknown.

Calling young or "young at heart" players

So, if you know any youth players or “youthful looking” players, make sure they are aware of the next session this coming Sunday, October 20^{th, 4.00pm until 6.00pm}…(please arrive a few minutes early) and on future Sundays after that. To re-emphasize, these sessions are for young people to get together and play a few deals of bridge, irrespective of ability. Come on, give them a try. The link for this Sunday is:    

https://oceania.realbridge.online/du.html?p=241020223967&q=Youth20oct  

 

Richard Solomon

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