Articles›Other Activities›A Grand Mistake
A Grand Mistake
Mon, Jan 16, 2023Gavin WolpertOther ActivitiesNews
I recently played in the Orlando Regional, and had a fun hand come up that should be a good learning lesson for everyone.
North
KQT9xx
Qx
Kx
xxx
South
Ax
AKJTx
AQ
AKxx
After a 2S opener by North, my partner and I managed to reach 7S by North. On the surface, 7S is a very good contract. All it needs is for the spade jack to fall, and we have a million tricks.
What actually happened was, after we bid 7S, East, who was on lead against 7S, doubled as fast as they could, so happy to have us down in their own hand in 7S. We had bid keycard, so we knew we were not off an ace, so there was some other reason that they have doubled. It had to be a trump trick! Trusting their double, we ran to 7NT, which they again doubled.
The lead was a heart. I won the lead in dummy (North), and immediately lead the ten of spades and when East played low, I finessed! East had Jxxxx of spades. In 7NT, I only needed 4 spade tricks to go along with 5 hearts, 2 diamonds, and 2 clubs. Making 7!
The bridge lesson of this hand is, don't double a slam or grand slam when you are only beating the contract because of your trump trick(s). Not only did the double push us from an un-makeable contract to a makable one, but it also told me how to make it.
The moral of this story can be found in what happened next.
As we scored up 7NX making, the partner of the doubler said, "that was one of the worst bids I've ever seen". This comment in my opinion was a much worse mistake than the original double. The doubler already knows how much their mistake cost, there is absolutely no reason to rub it in their face. Your results will improve, and you will feel better about yourself if you avoid making aggressive comments. Being a good partner is the most important skill in the game. Find a way to lighten the mood, take a break, whatever it takes. Don't pile on to the problem.
Comments
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If I could turn back the clock, I would tell my young self that "stop bitching and moaning about your partner's bad bid at the table." If I could turn back the clock, I will tell my young self that "do not afraid to call the director if you see someone being rude at the table, either to you, or to your opponent's partner". (especially calling director to stop opponent from berating his or her own partner would the so much fun.)
Gavin, Awesome article! This is such a great piece of advice: "Your results will improve, and you will feel better about yourself if you avoid making aggressive comments. Being a good partner is the most important skill in the game. Find a way to lighten the mood, take a break, whatever it takes..." I wish I had read that quotation before posting the article about being a good partner at the table for the D-9 website. (https://district9acbl.org/wp-content/uploads/Love-Your-Bridge-Partner-Option-2-.pdf) Yours would have been a great quotation for article. I will add your quotation to the article's comments section on my facebook page! Love all your tips and lessons, Gavin! Tracy
Thanks Tracy!
in asking responses, before key cards, how will bids go to show minimum and shortness?
We play a special system that isn't wide spread. At some point I will do a lesson on it. I am hesitant to do so because no one except my team plays this system so you will have an impossible time finding people who play it.
I guess your partner opens any 11 count with 5-card Major? If so ... don't you think his hand is strong enough to open 1♠? What do you recommend? What a great bridge success story - grats!
This hand is certainly strong enough to open 1♠ in my eyes. My partner was second seat, vul vs. not, which is our most sound seat for weak two bids. I guess he decided that because he was balanced this hand still fell into a weak two range.
The auction on this hand went as follows: 2♠ 2N 3♣ 3♦ 3♥ 4N 5♦ 5♥ 6♦ 7♠ 2N = asking 3♣ = non minimum 3♦ = asking 3♥ = no shortness 4N = keycard 5♦ = 1 5♥ = Do you have the queen of spades? 6♦ = I have the queen of spades + king of diamonds At this point I knew we were very close to 7♠. If my partner had 3 diamonds I could simply ruff the diamond for the 13th trick. If my partner had 3 clubs, I could ruff out the hearts and use my long heart to discard their third heart. My big fear was partner having three small hearts in which case we would need the heart finesse. I figured since hearts was my longest suit, it was more likely my partner had a doubleton heart. When 7♠ was doubled I knew there was no chance to make, so I bid 7N hoping to buy the queen of clubs or queen of hearts to make 7NT.