BRIDGE News:
We held a Club Appreciation game on Oct. 27 and participated in the ACBL-wide Instant Matchpoint game on October 29.
Martin Cooper and Jerry Fleming were open winners on Monday, and Jan Barnes and Reggie Fuchs were 1st in flight B. Steve Kemic and Jennifer Young were 1st locally in the Wednesday game.
This is board #21 from our October 27 game. North is the dealer and N/S are vulnerable.
Today’s hand is challenging to both sides. North is the dealer and I like a 1♦ opening. Why? Although there are only 11 high card points (HCP), there is a 5th diamond, a good spade suit and a singleton heart. The vulnerability and an 8-card suit should prompt East to bid 4♥! A bullish South will likely find a 5♦ call, but many will pass the 4♥ bid. In either event, East’s 4♥ call almost demands a 6♥ call by West. The vulnerability should keep N/S from sacrificing at 7♦, as they should be down 4 doubled, for -1100, where E/W making 6♥ is just worth -980 for N/S.
Declarer must play this 6♥ contract very carefully, as he/she has two losers. You’ll likely get a diamond lead, which you ruff. A heart to the King eliminates the opponents’ heart suit. Now win the ♠A and ruff a spade. Lead a club to the King and ruff another spade.
Lead another club to the Ace and ruff a 4th spade. Your 5th spade is now good, so lead a small heart to the dummy and discard your 3rd club on the long spade. Contract made!
The Los Alamos Duplicate Bridge Club games are held at the Betty Ehart Senior Activity Center (BESAC) starting at 12:45 p.m., Wednesdays, and at the White Rock Senior Activity Center (WRSAC) at 12:45 p.m., Mondays.
Check out the Los Alamos Duplicate Bridge Club’s new website at www.ladbc.net to learn what it’s all about, contact the club to get involved, join the fun, and much more.
Perhaps you’ve seen the old card game “Bridge“ mentioned in a book or seen it being played on the Orient Express in an old Agatha Christie black-and-white movie. Maybe you’ve even tried to play it in the remote past with Mom and Dad (or even more likely Grandma and Grandpa) around the kitchen table. Well, it hasn’t quite gone the way of the typewriter or film cameras, yet – and, in fact, it has a substantial Free-on-the-Internet presence. LEARN TO PLAY BRIDGE!
That being said, it is a game that needs new and younger Face-to-Face players and, here in Los Alamos the local club is ready to bring you on board with nighttime, after work or weekend, FREE lessons, and playing opportunities.
We have four locations available – the game store in White Rock, the Mesa game store on Central here in Los Alamos , the Los Alamos Public Library, or Smith’s Market! What we need from interested folks is some indication of interest and what day of the week and location would be most convenient. Please reach out to Neill Goltz at 641.236.1170 (neill.goltz2@gmail.com) or Bobby Haynes at 505.753.3249 (rsh@valornet.com) with your questions and preferred time and location!