I hope there is a bridge historian among our gang who can shed light on one of the great mysteries of duplicate scoring for me.

WHY, OH WHY

Why the disparity in the suits? Who came up with “major” and “minor” suit scoring system? All four suits have 13 cards, ace through the deuce, yet game-scoring places undue emphasis on finding a “major” suit fit. This concept is preached universally, and although I agree with the it, why shouldn’t taking 10 tricks in a club contract be as profitable as 10 tricks in spades. This disparity has led me to make some of the most bizarre bids - even for me. In a sectional with computer-generated hands, I held: S-Ax, H-Ax, D-Ax, C-Axxxxxx. My aversion to the minor suits forced me to bid 1 NT (15-17). After partner invited with 2 NT, I bid the game. LHO led a major suit and dummy showed up with S-Qxx, H-Qxx, D-Jxx, C-Kxxx and I took 10 tricks for a top. Why? Most openers bid 1 Club, rebid 3 Clubs, and bid the game when partner supported. Ten tricks is all you can make in a club contract.

TRUST ME MARION

It’s Thursday afternoon at Wally Klugiewicz’s emporium and I am partnered with one of the best. Marion Ellingsen is a great bridge player with gracious table manners, and even when I screw up royally, she always keeps her cool. In fourth seat, red on red, I hold: S-xx, H-xx, D-xx, C-AKQJxxx. After LHO deals and passes, Marion opens 1 Diamond and RHO bids 1 Heart. I pass, and after LHO passes, Marion Bids 2 NT, promising 18-19 with a double stopper in hearts. RHO passes and I bid 6 NT. LHO guffaws, Marion gulps, and RHO squirms uncomfortably to make a lead. He tables a small heart and I table the dummy. A big smile creases Marion’s face as she takes the opening lead with a small heart. She runs my clubs and concedes a trick to the SA. Trust me Marion - trust me.

BELLEAIR BREEZES

Betty Grandoff puts on a great sectional at the Bellair DBC. The food is excellent and the competition is challenging. My late partner, Dan Cunningham, and I always enjoyed our trips there, to wit. In fourth seat, both red, I hold: S-AKxx, H-xxxx, D-xxxx, C-x. LHO opens 3 Clubs and Dan doubles. After RHO passes, I bid 3 Spades and Dan bids the game. RHO now bids 5 Clubs and Dan doubles. Dan plunks down the CA and dummy show up with: S-void, H-Kxxxxxx, D-Kxxxxx, C-Kx. Dan continues with a low club, won in dummy, Declarer leads a low heart and ruffs. Now she leads a low spade which I win and I play a low diamond which she ruffs! She leads another spade and Dan and I take three more spades, good for +800. LHO had opened with S-xxxxx, H-void, D-void, C-QJxxxxxx - YUK. We move to another table and Dan opens a Precision Club. With 17 HCP and five spades to the queen, I bid 1 Spade. After Dan jumps to 3 Spades, I use Blackwood and find we are missing one ace and one king, so I bid 6 Spades. LHO leads a red card and Dan tables a hand with 16 points and five spades to the jack. We have 33 points and are missing the ace and king of trumps. That’s the bad news, the good news is that the honors are split, or someone is on another planet. I win the lead in hand and plunk down the queen of spades. The LHO now goes into the Dance of the Seven Veils. He squirms, he twists, and he turns. Finally, he puts down the KS, and after I play low from dummy, RHO reluctantly tables the ace. I claim the rest and a contentious postmortem begins. The opponents bicker about second hand low, etc. LHO pleads the case that if he doesn’t take the king, I will plunk down the ace, making seven. RHO counters that If I had the ace-queen, I could get to dummy and finesse. Finally, LHO says, “I once saw Eric Rodwell make a play like that.” RHO points a finger at me and says, “Does he look like Eric Rodwell?”

Sincerely, Jim Somma {easycomments}