IMPROVE YOUR PLAY

With Larry Matheny

 

The form of scoring in a Pairs event must be considered during the auction.  Before bidding a game you must decide if 3NT is best, perhaps four of a major, or even a lowly minor suit game.  

 

Scoring:  Matchpoints (Pairs)

#13-52

Dlr

E

Vul

E/W

S

97

H

A94

D

AJ764

C

A72

S

 653

H

 J432

D

 982

C

 J93

http://northerncoloradobridge.com/images/pad.bmp

S

 84

H

 1086

D

 KQ103

C

 KQ105

 

S

AKQJ102

H

KQ5

D

5

C 

864

 

 

  West

 North

East

South

 -      

-

 Pass

 1S

    Pass

2NT

 Pass

 4S

    Pass

   Pass

   Pass

  

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

   

  

  

 

 

 

 

   

       

   

Bidding:  North’s 2NT bid showed 13-15 high card points along with a doubleton spade.  Sitting South I knew my hand with the solid spade suit would be a good dummy for 3NT, but I also considered the spade game.  I finally let the singleton diamond sway me into bidding 4S.

 

Play:  West led a low heart and I stopped to analyze the hand.  I had 11 top tricks: 6 spades, 3 hearts, 1 diamond, and 1 club.  These same tricks were available to those in 3NT so I needed an overtrick.  I decided to work on the diamond suit.  I won the heart in my hand followed by the ace and a diamond ruffed with a high trump.  Next I led the 2 of spades to dummy’s 9 in order to ruff another diamond.  I drew the rest of the trumps and then led a heart to dummy’s ace.  A third diamond ruff found that suit dividing 4-3 and the jack of diamonds became my 12th trick.  The ace of clubs provided the entry.

 

I made the right decision because those in 3NT had to settle for 11 tricks.  However, an opening club lead would have removed a vital dummy entry and I would have wished I had bid 3NT.  Matchpoints is a difficult game.

 

Copyright ©2013 Larry Matheny