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Different Systems: Different Contracts.

In theory, if we all played the same system and all bid the same way, we should reach the same contract, the only difference being the way we play and defend the board. Of course, bridge is much more interesting than that. I was intrigued by the following opening bid during the Fullarton Teams last weekend which led to a different contract from every other pair.

What then would be your choice if your partner opened 2NT showing 8 to 13 hcp and 6+ diamonds after the following short auction:

 

Both spade bids were natural. Your choice?

There is obviously a case for passing. The range is a little difficult to handle. Were partner close to maximum, then there must be a good chance of a slam. Honours in hearts would not be particularly useful while some form of club control would be mandatory if we went higher. Partner’s spade holding is a little unclear, with Q being rather useful at a higher level.

If you were planning on playing in spades, then you could, using Roman Key Card, check whether they have the Q, stopping at the dangerous 5-level if they do not.

Another factor is that partner should have some length in hearts which means they are quite likely to have a shortage in clubs.

Anticipating that some of partner’s high cards would be in diamonds, South, Ian Berrington, chanced slam, 6 rather than 6. Ian was to be semi-pleased with the dummy Graeme Tuffnell provided, more so when the opening lead was Q rather than a dangerous club. How then would you play 6 on the heart lead:

 

Ian ruffed the opening lead, played a spade to dummy and ruffed a second heart with A before exiting his remaining trump. West won but could do declarer no harm. Maybe it would have been better to lay down A at trick 2 to reduce the possibility of suffering a spade ruff. It would certainly have speeded up the play had Ian done so:

The overtrick would have been irrelevant but declarer could have drawn trumps and claimed very quickly.

Only two other pairs played in diamonds, both at the game level. Only one other pair reached slam, 6 after North opened 3. Being played by South, 6 had a chance, a good chance, of being defeated, as indeed did 6 if West could have found a club lead. Ironically, either 6-level slam played by the pre-emptor, North, is unbeatable because of the position of the K. So much for transfer pre-empts!

 

  a few more successful slams like this one and Graeme
and Ian would have been once more collecting the prize-money. 

Ian and Graeme were able to record 9 imps in when their opponents made all 13 tricks in their spade game. The pair who saw their opponents bid to 6 did not fare well. This pair took the sacrifice in 7 costing 1400.

 A poor result which need not have been had the club lead been found by West. How would you fare in playing the diamond suit correctly after a club lead from West in either contract played by South? Fortunately, Ian did not have that problem.

Just another boring flat board for you in 4 making 6 or 7? Not at 2 tables. Different systems or approaches: different contracts.

Richard Solomon

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