Lets Play a Bridge Hand Jim Berglunds Bridge

Let’s Play a Bridge Hand Jim Berglund’s Bridge Lesson 2 1

Contract 3 NT Dealer S Vulnerability N-S NORTH ♠ 3 2 ♥ 5 4 3 ♦A 4 3 2 ♣K Q J 7 SOUTH ♠A K ♥A K Q 2 ♦ 8 7 6 5 ♣ 6 5 4 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH P P P 1 NT P 3 NT P P Opening Lead ♠Q P Questions? 1. How many tricks do you have to win? 2. How many ‘top tricks’ do you have? 3. Where are you likely to win the extra tricks? 4. What needs to work for you to succeed? 5. Did their bidding give you any clues in how to proceed? 6. What does the opening lead tell you? 9 6 2 or 3♣’s or 4♥’s ♣A onside or ♣’s, or ♥’s have to be 3 -3 No West probably has the QJ 10 of spades Yes, if you aren’t 7. Are there communication problems? careful Lead to the ♣K; come back 8. What should you try, first? and lead to the ♣Q. Why? 9. Is there any advantage in ducking the opening lead? No 2

Contract 4 ♥ Dealer S Vulnerability N-S NORTH ♠ 10 7 2 ♥J 10 8 6 ♦ 5 2 ♣ A 6 3 2 SOUTH ♠ J ♥A K Q 9 5 ♦A K 6 4 ♣ 9 7 4 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 1♥ 1♠ 2♥ 2♠ Opening Lead ♠A 4♥ P P P Questions? 10 1. How many tricks do you have to win? 8 2. How many ‘top tricks’ do you have? 3. Where are you likely to win the extra Ruff 2 diamonds high tricks? 4. What needs to work for you to East must not over-ruff succeed? No 5. Did their bidding give you any clues in how to proceed? West probably has 6. What does the opening lead tell you? the AK of spades 7. Are there communication problems? 8. What should you try, first? 9. Is there any advantage in ducking the opening lead? No Pull 2 rounds of trumps, then play diamonds No 4

Contract 4 ♥ Dealer E Vulnerability N-S NORTH ♠ 8 7 2 ♥ Q J 10 7 2 ♦ 5 2 ♣ A J 3 SOUTH ♠ A 4 3 ♥ A K 6 4 ♦ A 4 ♣ K 10 4 2 WEST P NORTH EAST 2♦ SOUTH 1 S 1 NT P 3♥ Opening Lead ♠ 5 P 4♥ P Questions? 10 1. How many tricks do you have to win? 8 2. How many ‘top tricks’ do you have? 3. Where are you likely to win the extra Club hook? tricks? 4. What needs to work for you to Finesse the ♣Q the right way succeed? East likely has all 5. Did their bidding give you any clues in the missing points how to proceed? 6. What does the opening lead tell you? West probably has the KQ of spades No 7. Are there communication problems? 8. What is your strategy? 9. Is there any advantage in ducking the opening lead? Pull trumps, then play Ace and a small diamond No 6

Trick # On Lead 2 nd 3 rd 4 th 1 E ♠ 5 ♠A ♠K ♠ 2 2 S ♥A ♥ 9 ♥ 2 ♥ 3 3 S ♥K ♠ 6 ♥ 5 ♥ 7 4 S ♥ 6 ♠ 9 ♥Q ♥ 8 5 N ♦ 2 ♦ 3 ♦A ♦ 10 6 S ♦ 4 ♦J ♦ 5 ♦ 6 7 W ♠Q ♠ 7 ♦ 7 ♠ 4 8 W ♠J ♠ 8 ♦ 8 ♠ 3 9 W ? 10 Win the rest… West has to lead to your K 10 of clubs or give you a sluff & ruff 7

WEST P NORTH ♠A K 2 ♥A J ♦A 8 7 6 ♣Q 7 3 2 SOUTH ♠ 4 3 ♥K 6 4 2 ♦ 4 ♣A J T 9 8 5 NORTH EAST SOUTH 1♦ P 1♥ 2 NT P 4♣ P 4 NT P 6♣ Questions? 1. How many tricks do you have to win? 2. How many ‘top tricks’ do you have? 3. Where are you likely to win the extra tricks? 4. What needs to work for you to succeed? 5. Did their bidding give you any clues in how to proceed? 6. What does the opening lead tell you? 7. Are there communication problems? Opening Lead 5 12 10 Heart Ruffs Clubs can’t be 0 -3 with the K offside No West probably has the KQ of spades No Finesse and pull trumps, then 8. What is your strategy? play to ruff 2 hearts. If worst case, finesse the Heart Jack 9. Is there any advantage in ducking the No opening lead? 8

Trick # Note that the combined N-S hands only hold 26 points. By recognizing the value of his distribution, after N shows at least one club control, South bids Gerber (4 C), asking for Aces, to find the solid slam On Lead 2 nd 3 rd 4 th 1 W ♦K ♦A ♦ 2 ♦ 4 2 N ♣ 2 ♣ 6 ♣ 8 ♣ 4 3 S ♣A ♠ 5 ♣ 3 ♣K 4 S ♥ 2 ♥ 3 ♥A ♥ 5 5 N ♥J ♥ 7 ♥K ♥ 9 6 S ♥ 4 ♥Q ♣ 7 ♥ 8 7 N ♦ 8 ♦ 3 ♣ 5 ♦ 3 8 S ♥ 6 etc Win the rest… Making 7! 9