June 1999

What is Bridge "Experience" ?

Some of us are playing Bridge for years and years, but do we learn? Or do we just plod on and make the same mistakes over and over again?

On this theme, it is most gratifying to feature the following two hands. The first was played all the way back in 1965, and the second was played just a week ago, but will definitely remain in the player's memory for the next 30 years!

 

Carl Hultman (we met on OKB) wrote in:

"Here is my favorite all-time hand (before I knew better).

"Rubber Bridge for 2 cents a point in Atlanta, GA, about 1965.

"After a lengthy sequence we reached 7NT and I received the D-Q lead."

      Dummy
    S- AQ2
    H- K975
    D- AKxxxx
    C- - -

     

    My Hand
    S- xx
    H- AQ864
    D- x
    C- AKQJx

Carl continues:
"I won the D lead and played a heart to my hand (WRONG) now I could not handle J10xx on my right. What now? Well I hooked the spade, cashed the Diam K played heart to my hand. I ran the clubs and luckily they broke 4-4 and on the 5th club LHO had to hold the Diamond so I then pitched dummy's, RHO had to hold the Heart so the 2 of spades won the 13th trick!!

"5 clubs, 3 hearts, 2 diamonds, and 3 spades all because I did not know the correct heart play. Have not made that mistake since. $45 hand not much now but a lot for me then.

"Lessons learned in play are retained better than those from books !!

"Carl Hultman"

A nice hand, Carl, and a special thanks for sharing your great lesson in card combinations!
 

Yes, the right way to play the combination

K975 opposite AQ864 is the KING first (guard against J10xx); whilst
K975 opposite AQ1064 is the ACE first (Jxxx in either hand)

 

The scene: South African Nationals
When: Mid-June, 1999
Play: Teams-of-Four

We were pitted against players from Zimbabwe who we met for the first time. One of the players had a bad cold, and there were tissues and handkerchiefs appearing in rapid succession from his pockets. I moved my chair slightly away from him in case I caught a germ.

(Hand rotated 90%)

North, South were Tom Bourdillon and Andrew Brooke resp.
West, East were Abby and Sid, the writers.

This was board 9:         (In the other room 4H made +1)

  Tom
S- 98532
H- A3
D- A7
C- QJ85

 

Andrew
S- 7
H- KQ10986
D- KQ5
C- AK4

Contract: 6H-.
Lead: S-K.

Andrew was in 6H- and received the lead of the S-K, and a spade continuation.

He ruffed, and promptly played a trump to the ace and a trump to his king and was rudely awakened to the 4-1 split (J752 on his right).

At this stage Andrew's sniffs promptly disappeard (!!), and he went into "think-tank" for a full 5 minutes, then played zip, zip, zip, at lightning-fast speed:

D-K, D-A, spade ruff, C-A, C-K, and another club to the lady. He now played the C-J and announced: "Give up?"

"Yes" was the meek reply, for I was truly trump-couped. If I discard my diamond, Andrew does like-wise, and the ensuing spade "finesses" me.

+1430.

 

The other two hands were:

    Abby
S- KQ106
H- 3
D- J9432
C- 632 		    Sid
S- AJ4
H- J752
D- 1086
C- 1097
Andrew announces with some relish: "Up to this stage I have only read about this, er, er, Trump Coup. Now I have effected one!"

And yet another handkerchief routinely appears.....

 

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