In a recent club game, I had the great pleasure of having Charlotte Kartsonis as my partner. We didn’t set the world on fire but we had a pleasant afternoon. One hand that stood out for me was defending a 3NT trump contract. In first seat, Charlotte held: S-Kxx, H-Qxx, D-Qxx, C-J10xx, and passed. LHO opened 1 Diamond, I passed, and RHO bid 1 Heart. LHO bid 2 Clubs, RHO bid 2 NT, and LHO bid 3 NT. Charlotte led a low spade and dummy showed up with 3-2-4-4 pattern and opening count. I held: S-QJ10x and the king of diamonds. On the low spade lead, I played the S10 (lower of equals). Declarer held off and I continued with a low spade. Declarer played low again and Charlotte made the excellent play of cashing the king to unblock the suit and led her last spade. Declarer finally took his ace, lost a diamond finesse to my king, and I took the 13th spade. That was all for the defense as declarer took the rest. Holding declarer to 9 tricks was worth 5.5 MP’s on a top of 8 (68.75%). Leading the CJ allows declarer to take 10 tricks. While putting the cards back into the holder, declarer asked Charlotte why she led a low spade from Kxx. Charlotte said, “I know Jim is the only one who has at least four spades.” Now there’s a partner I can be very nice to at all times.

 

If you read the bridge column in the St. Pete Times, you can appreciate the wisdom of not overcalling with weak suits. That’s one way of being nice to your partner. The column in question had East overcalling 1 Spade with six to the 10 and the two minor suit kings. South declared in 3NT, and West, who knows his partner’s penchant for weak overcalls, led a fourth best heart. Dummy had: S-Qxx, H-Ax, D-AQxxx, C-Qxx, and South held: S-AKJ, H-Qxx, D-xxx, C-Axxx. Declarer took the heart in his hand, and suspecting East’s minor suit holding, played the ace and a low diamond. East won per force and returned a heart but declarer had 10 easy tricks. Now, go back to the bidding. If East passes, N-S will probably conduct a “normal” 1D-2NT-3NT auction and West will lead his fourth best heart. After South finesses in diamonds; East will win and clear the hearts. South will have to lose another diamond and three hearts and go down.

 

Another way to be nice to your partner is not to put them in an uncomfortable position. For example; RHO opens 1 Heart and you double with: S-Kxxx, H-A, D-Kxxx, C-Kxxx. After LHO passes, partner bids 1 Spade, and RHO passes. Although you have a good 13 HCP and four trumps, don’t even think about raising to 2 Spades. Don’t forget, you “forced” partner to bid and they could be holding as little as four spades to the queen. The most dangerous person at the table is the LHO who could be holding an opening hand. Don’t penalize your partner for doing what you forced them to do. Now, that’s being nice.

 

 

Sincerely, Jim Somma{easycomments}

 

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