{"id":66853,"date":"2023-05-29T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-29T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/funbridge.com\/blog\/?p=66853"},"modified":"2024-06-10T09:42:29","modified_gmt":"2024-06-10T08:42:29","slug":"bridge-problem-a-bad-bid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/funbridge.com\/blog\/en\/bridge-problem-a-bad-bid\/","title":{"rendered":"Bridge Problem: A Bad Bid"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Bridge<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
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An illustrious bridge champion and well-known journalist, Jean-Paul Meyer<\/strong> was one of the “greats” of the bridge world. <\/strong>With this bridge problem, rediscover the expertise of a player<\/strong> who left a lasting impact on people’s memories.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Your hand sitting South<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"Deal<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
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Bidding<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dealer<\/strong> East. Game all.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Deal<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
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Card play<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"Deal<\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Lead<\/strong>: ♦6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

North’s conclusion is probably hasty.<\/strong> With more sophisticated bidding, 4♠, which constitutes a preferable contract, would have been reached. However, your 3NT contract has good chances of success as long as you take some precautions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Solution<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"Deal<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
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So, South overcalled with 1NT after East’s 1♦ opening. Instead of signing off in 3NT, North would have been better off using Stayman<\/strong> with 2♣, which is available after a no-trump overcall just as it is over an opening. The 4♠ contract would have been bid and made without difficulty on the 3-2 trump break. On a ♦ lead against 3 No-Trumps, Declarer has to get to the dummy with the Ace of ♠ and play a small ♥. <\/strong>East, who definitely holds the Ace for his opening, cannot play it without giving South nine tricks. In hand with the King of ♥, Declarer then plays the King of ♣ and, having seen East’s 9, a small ♣ to the 10 to account for the (unlikely, certainly) case where West holds QJ32. In a pairs tournament, where every trick counts, playing in the wrong game would have been severely punished <\/strong>by scoring just 400 instead of 420 but, in an unscored game or a teams match, the loss will be less and will be transformed, every now and then, into a large benefit when the ♠ are breaking 4-1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n