Bridge News:

Here is a challenging hand from our March 31 game. Can you and your partner reach a slam on this hand? This is board #1. North is the dealer, and no one is vulnerable.

North is the dealer and should open 1, as the hand is too strong to open with 1NT. With East and West passing throughout, South has a natural response of 1. North’s natural rebid is 2NT, showing 18-19 high card points (HCP). So what do you do now with the South hand? There could be enough strength in the two hands to bid and make a slam. A 3 bid at this point is reasonable, showing at least a 5-card suit (the 1 bid only promised 4). North should raise to 4, after which South takes control of the auction. A timid South might pass, but with a playable heart suit, support for openter’s club suit and two doubletons, the hand could very well make a slam. After finding that the partnership is missing no aces, 6 is worth a try.

When the hand is played, once the spade finesse works, the hand cannot be beaten, even if declarer loses a trick to the Q.

When this hand was played locally, one pair played in 4 making 7, two pairs played in game in notrump making 6, and a 4th pair played in 2 making 6.

The Los Alamos Duplicate Bridge Club games are held at 12:45 p.m., Wednesdays at the Betty Ehart Senior Activity Center, and at 12:45 p.m., Mondays at the White Rock Senior Activity Center. Duplicate lessons are given from 10 a.m. to noon on Fridays on an occasional basis when BESAC is open. Bridge players are welcome to participate. If you need a partner, or want to know if lessons are in session, please email Bobby Haynes at rsh@valornet.com, or Jerry Fleming at peanutcat@aol.com.