There are three essential ingredients in contract bridge: bidding, defense, and declarer play. I rank the ingredients in that order because everything I have read or my own personal experience says that is the correct order of importance. Accurate bidding allows you to reach the optimal contract, and, just as important, accurate bidding gives you the opportunity to double opponents for excellent results. The following hands focus on declarer play.

In a recent club game, I saw the results of the play of an excellent declarer (Jim Logan). Jim held: ♠ AJxx, ♥ AKQxx, ♦ Kxx, ♣ x, and in first seat he opened 1♥. After LHO passed, Jim’s partner made a Bergen raise (4 hearts and 7-9 HCP) and Jim bid the game. LHO led the ♠K and Jim won the ace, cashed three high hearts, and led to dummy’s clubs (AKQ10x). When the Jack dropped on the third club, Jim pitched his three small spades and led a diamond. RHO took his Ace and returned a diamond. Jim won the King and ruffed his last diamond. Four hearts making six was a cold top. Jim joked that I should put this deal in the Daily Recap. Jim, when you play that well, you deserve all my kudos.

Adam Kaplan is another favorite declarer of mine. He has the audacity of a gambler and the talent to match. The following hand demonstrates why overcalling with a poor suit may cost you dearly. We are red, they are white, in the finals of the bracketed knockout in the Sarasota Regional. In first seat, I hold: ♠ AKxxx, ♥ Qxx, ♦ xxx, ♣ Ax and I open 1♠ (yes, dear hearts, Precision players can open “normally”). Adam bids 2♣ (game forcing) and RHO opts for 2♦. With no convenient rebid, I make a forcing pass and Adam jumps to 3NT. Foolishly, RHO leads a small diamond which Adam gobbles up with the queen. RHO didn’t think Adam had a double stopper? Adam leads to ♠A and makes the excellent play of a low spade. His RHO jumps up with the queen, felling his partner’s jack, and he returns a diamond. Adam is in complete control. He wins the ace, cashes three spades, two top clubs, and the ♠A before leading towards the queen, It loses but it doesn’t matter; we are +600. Our partners (Scott Hiller and Lynne Cook) show that discipline is not a four-letter word. The bidding at their table goes the same, except Lynne doesn’t overcall 2♦ (watch out for those Michigan players). My hand bids 2NT over 2♣ and responder bids 4♠ with: ♠ 10xx, ♥ Axx, ♦ AQ, ♣ Kxxxx. Scott led a diamond and declarer had to lose four tricks (spade, diamond, and two hearts).

In an Open Pairs event in Sarasota, we are red, they are white and RHO opens 1NT (14-17). I hold: ♠ AJ, ♥ Jxx, ♦ QJ10xxx, ♣ Kx and I double (Meckwell - a long minor or both majors). Adam responds 2♣ (relay) and I show my diamonds. Adam mulls his options and finally bids 3NT! RHO almost comes out of her chair but finally passes. Okay Adam, tag you’re it. RHO leads a fourth-best spade and I table the dummy. Adam wins the jack and leads to the ♦K. RHO wins the ace and puts Adam on the board with a spade. Adam runs the diamonds, cashes the ♣K, leads a club to his ace, and cashes the ♠K. Three making four is a cold top. Adam held: ♠ Kxx, ♥ Kxx, ♦ Kxx, ♣ Axxx. In the postmortem, Adam envisioned my hand as a “good” 10-12 HCP since we are red, and his RHO must be busted which he was. Excellent analysis and declarer play - now you know why Adam is my favorite partner.

Sincerely, Jim Somma