You are playing at the local bridge club with a regular partner, and it feels like you are in contention going into the last round. Your new opponents will be Judy and Trudy, the twins you love to play against. When they sit down you pick up a great hand!
What is your opening bid?
It’s almost good enough for a 2 opening, but not quite. Judy passes on your left and your partner surprises you with a jump to 4 ! Is this a strong bid?
How many spades do you expect partner to have?
Trudy, on your right, is also quite shocked by the bid. Of all the nerve! But she passes and it’s back to you. Do you think there’s a reasonable chance for slam?
Partner’s hand is weak but it could be very useful. What is the best bid to proceed toward slam?
It would be embarrassing to reach a slam off two aces, so Blackwood is a wise choice. Partner bids 5 . How many aces does this show?
What is your final bid?
Now all you have to do is make it!
Quit
Judy leads a trump, and partner has about what you’d expect:
How many top tricks do you have (not counting ruffs)?
Trudy follows to the trump and you win in hand. Which suit will you lead at trick two?
Assume Judy wins and leads a second trump — the naughty girl. How many additional tricks can you now gain by ruffing?
This leaves you one trick short of your contract. Which suit(s) offer a chance for a 12th trick?
The long card in either suit might set up. In which hand do you win the second trump lead?
Trudy pitches a diamond. Dummy has few entries so your next lead is crucial. Which suit?
You ruff and cash both top clubs to discard a diamond from dummy. So far, you’re doing great!
This is what remains with the lead in your hand:
Which suit do you lead?
Bad news. Judy shows out, and you ruff. Which suit next?
Both follow, and you ruff. How many hearts are outstanding?
How many clubs… ?
You ruff a club to reach dummy. Which suit next?
You ruff with your last trump in hand, but this establishes the long heart in dummy. You next cash the A, and dummy is left with a pair of eights to win the last two tricks. Well done for a top score!
Poor Judy and Trudy were in the wrong place at the wrong time to get a bottom board through no fault of their own. The twins held:
© 2014 Richard Pavlicek
by Richard Pavlicek by Richard Pavlicek