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A Lighter Look

A “SPECTACULAR” START......or "Jumping Jack Flash"

First board of the day. Lots of laughter. Friendly opponents. A day of Pairs ahead. All good. You’ve even got a good hand too! A strong no-trump. You are North.

So, off you go and partner uses Stayman.

Oops… did you really look at your hand? 5 card spade suit. It’s OK…your hand is balanced…and you have even got a bid for a 5 card suit and a maximum….it’s a sort of “minimum” maximum hand. So, you reply 3Spade-small and when partner signs off in 3NT, you have survived a little indiscretion as you would probably have opened 1Spade-small had you really looked at your hand.

So, they start with a heart and you kind of have entry issues as this is what you see:

 

 
A Q 9 5 4
Q 9 5
K J 7
A 9
   
N
W   E
S
   
 
K
A K
Q 10 8 4 2
J 8 7 5 4
West North East South
  1 NT Pass 2 
Pass 3  Pass 3 NT
All pass      

 

You really want to set up one of dummy’s minors and from what you can see, diamonds look a little better. So, low diamond to the king and East’s ace. Back came another heart and we are rapidly losing contact with dummy. So, Diamond-smallQ and although everyone follows, no Diamond-smallJ appears. They had better break 3-3. So, a low diamond and West plays the 9. Oh dear…a bit ominous. What shall I throw? Probably a spade.  I kind of need that small club. I really need Heart-smallQ. A final fan of my hand and out it pops…the"jumping"  Diamond-smallJ. That’s a good card to throw!

I still had my spade entry to dummy and proceeded without further incident to make 12 tricks!

These were the four hands if you are at all interested.

   
     
   
North Deals
Both Vul
A Q 9 5 4
Q 9 5
K J 7
A 9
8 7 6 3
10 8 7 2
9 5 3
Q 10
 
N
W   E
S
 
J 10 2
J 6 4 3
A 6
K 6 3 2
 
K
A K
Q 10 8 4 2
J 8 7 5 4
West North East South
  1 NT Pass 2 
Pass 3  Pass 3 NT
All pass      

 

 

A few hands later, I discovered that I had left in the morning with my wife’s glasses! Now, I know who to blame!

"Spectacular"!

Happy face with glasses.png

Richard Solomon

Come on now…how about sharing some of those lighter moments at the bridge table with the rest of us. The only stipulation is that they must be true…and preferably happened recently. Send the story to”A Lighter Look” at Richard.Solomon@nzbridge.co.nz   or just phone me on 09 232 8494 and tell me the story.

 

 

 

 

 

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