“What did you do on board 16?” Unlucky Louie asked me.
Some of us had repaired to the club lounge after a duplicate. Aspiring players can benefit from discussing the deals after a session, learning from their good and poor results and digesting the comments of experienced players.
“North-South played at three diamonds, plus 110,” I replied. “I opened one heart as East, South doubled, my partner bid two hearts and North tried three diamonds, passed out. We couldn’t beat it. I might have made three hearts with good guessing.”
“We played at three clubs,” Louie said. “I overcalled two clubs as South; I wanted better spade support to double. When West raised to two hearts, my partner competed with three clubs. He expected me to have a six-card suit for a two-level overcall.”
Against three clubs, West led the deuce of hearts, and East won and returned a low heart. Louie ruffed and drew trumps, but then he had none left. When West took the ace of diamonds, the defense cashed three hearts. Down one.
“I didn’t like partner’s three-club bid with K-8,” Louie told me.
North’s bid was reasonable, and Louie could make his contract. On the second heart, he pitches a spade instead of ruffing. He ruffs the third heart, draws trumps and loses to the ace of diamonds. West has no more hearts, and Louie can win any return and take his nine tricks.
Post-game gatherings — socializing with other players and learning from the deals — are part of the fun of duplicate. Many ACBL-affiliated clubs have games for players at all skill levels.
West dealer
E-W vulnerable
NORTH
S J 7 5
H 10 6 5 3
D K J 10 4
C K 8
WEST
S Q 10 6 4
H Q 7 2
D A 6
C 10 9 5 2
EAST
S K 9 3
H A K J 9 8
D 8 7 2
C 7 6
SOUTH
S A 8 2
H 4
D Q 9 5 3
C A Q J 4 3
West North East South
Pass Pass 1 H 2 C
2 H 3 C All Pass
Opening lead — H 2
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