Bridge News:

Below is one of the 21 hands played in the Los Alamos Duplicate Bridge Club’s Sept. 4 game.

Before reviewing the bidding and play, try to visualize how the bidding might proceed, and then how the hand should be played.

East was the dealer.

Opening bids in a major suit, hearts or spades, generally promise 5+ cards. Holding at least 13 points, West opens with 1♠. North has a sound 2♣ overcall. East can either bid 3♠, a limit raise showing 10-12 points and at least three trumps, or just bid the 4♠ game.

North’s Opening Lead is probably the ♣K, the top of a sequence. Declarer (West) should count his/her losers. On this hand, probably one heart, one diamond and possibly 2-3 clubs. That’s 4-5 losers, too many. So, declarer makes a plan to rid himself/herself of some of those losers. Losing clubs can be ruffed (trumped) in dummy, so it is too early to draw trumps.

With this plan in mind, declarer wins the ♣A and proceeds to ruff a club. A trump is led to the Ace and another club is ruffed. A heart is led to the Ace and declarer’s last club is ruffed. Now dummy’s ♦3 is led, North winning the Ace. Whatever North leads now, declarer will win and draw all the opponents’ trumps. The only other loser declarer has is a heart, so he/she will take 11 tricks. When this hand was played locally, all four East/West pairs found the 4♠ game. Three of the declarers make 11 tricks, and the other settled for 10 tricks.

The Los Alamos Duplicate Bridge Club has been in existence since the 1950’s. Our games are held at the Betty Ehart Senior Activity Center (Wednesdays starting at 12:45), and at the White Rock Senior Activity Center (Mondays at 12:45). Bridge players are welcome to participate. If you need a partner, please e-mail Bobby Haynes at rsh@valornet.com, or Jerry Fleming at peanutcat@aol.com.