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“COUNT ON ME, PARTNER”

Partners are very very reliable in not producing the hand you want them to have. When you need them to have a nice maximum for their weak no trump, they tell you as they put down dummy that they stole a point as their 11 count looked nice! You know that kind of partner? Come on, your love them really!

So when your partner opens 1NT (15-17) and you as East hold the following:

 AKJ65

AQ

 J6

 7652

you wonder how high you should go. He will probably have a good 14 count if you try for slam or a massive 17 count if you sign off in 4 or 3NT. “Murphy”. No, that’s not his name but the overriding law in these situations. You might be pretty sure he has the former when North enters the bidding:

West              North                        East                South

1NT                2                               ?

2 is a single-suiter somewhere. So, before signing off in game, you double and await developments. They are a pass from South who would probably more like to leave for a cup of coffee than take part, let alone try to be declarer in this hand, after which your partner jumps to 3.

Now, that did not seem like a mere 14 count. So, you bid 4, which asks for key cards (aces + K). He owns up to having 3, a healthy number. Your next ask (4NT) is for the trump queen and any kings outside diamonds. He owns up to holding the Q and the K but no K.

Let’s add up those high card points. Two aces, two kings (the red ones) and the Q. That’s 16. All great so far but all he can contribute after that is a lone jack… no nice Q. So, hoping that he has a doubleton spade or else can show unusual talent in the spade finesse department (another partnership trait…that of unsuccessful finessing!), you raise him to 7. His problem now!

On a good day this might make. On a real bad one, diamonds might prove to be North’s long suit! A heart is led and after the ace scores, partner plays one round of trumps and claims….

West                                      East

Q4                                        AKJ65

 K74                                     AQ

 AKQ873                              J6

 A8                                        7652

That jack turned into a queen. T’was the good not the wicked witch who cast her spell as the Q shifted from the North to the West hand in exchange for a lowly card.

That can surely be the only explanation as to how partner managed to emerge with an 18 count. No bridge player would ever miscount their points, would they? Who you may ask was West? We could start a “who did it” game by saying it was Barry. More than that I cannot say. Their partner had more to say: “keep miscounting, partner!”

Richard Solomon

Come on, you shy or serious bridge players…. Let’s all hear some of your amusing bridge stories. Like the above, they can even have a happy ending! I am awaiting …

Richard.Solomon@nzbridge.co.nz                  09 232 8494

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