The Robson Touch
Andrew Robson OBE is England’s best known bridge player. Andrew has represented England for some 30 years. His many competitive successes include winning the World Youth Team Championships, the European Championships, and the Gold Cup on no fewer than eight occasions.
INTERESTING HEART COMBINATION
It appears you as declarer need a fourth Club trick to make this 6 Diamond slam. Or do you? WNES1♦2♦(12♥(2)4♠(3)5♣(4)Pass6♦(1) Michaels, showing five-five in the majors. West would probably pass if vulnerable. (2) Showing Diamond support and a stopper in Hearts.(3) East knows…
GRAND CONUNDRUM
A conundrum. See if you can make 7 Hearts on the King of Diamonds lead, East petering with the nine to show a likely doubleton. W N E S 1♥ Pass 4NT(1) Pass 5♣(2) Pass 5NT(3) Pass 6♣(4) Pass 7♥(5)…
Finesses, finesses
“I should have taken the Club finesse”, said declarer ruefully after going down in this 6 Spades. W N E S 1♠ Pass 4NT(1) Pass 5♦(2) Pass 6♠ (1) Roman Keycard Blackwood agreeing Spades.(2) One or four of the five…
HOW TO AVOID GUESSING
The best way to guess the location of a missing Queen is to enlist the help of the opposition, and so not to guess at all. W N E S 3♣(*) 3NT (*) In the modern tournament game, the seventh…
WEST’S MISSED CHANCE
W N E S 1♣ 1♠ 1NT 2♠ 3♥ Pass 4♥(1) Pass 6♥(2) (1) Sensible choice. 3NT looks fraught as partner is virtually marked with a Spade void.(2) One high Heart opposite and the slam rates to have decent play.…
Nurturing the 9
This 3 No-Trump from a world youth bridge championship under 21’s defeated most declarers. However, count your winners and you are well-placed to succeed. W N E S 1♠ Pass 1NT Pass 3NT(*) (*) 3♦ is possible but would suggest a…
DUCK OR NO DINNER
If a good declarer plays (to) a King early in the play, they want you as the defender to take your Ace. It follows that you should probably duck. W N E S 1♦ Dble Pass 2♥(*) 3♦ 4♥ (*)…
AVOIDING THE GUESS
W N E S 1♥ Pass 2♦ Pass 2NT(*) Pass 3♦ Pass 3♠ Pass 6NT (*) Best played as 15-19 and forcing to game facing a Two-over-One response. West led the 9 of Spades v your 6 No-Trumps, you beating East’s…
SPOTTING THE SPOTS
On this deal from a top tournament, I heard of no declarer who made 4 Hearts, although a couple of declarers were heard muttering into their cappuccinos about missing a chance. W N E S 1♠ Pass Pass 2♥ Pass…
WHY YOU PRE-EMPT
You do not pre-empt primarily to keep the opponents out of the bidding. In fact, as soon as your left-hand opponent bids (over your pre-empt), you’re happy. Now, the main upside of pre-empting – namely forcing the opponents too high…
NO STONE UNCOVERED
With 30 high-card points, you would expect North-South to make 3 No-Trump comfortably. Plan the play on the Jack of Clubs lead. W N E S 2NT Pass 3NT You have eight top tricks and several chances of a ninth…
DISSECTED AT THE PIAZZA
Some bridge players hate post-mortems. Personally, I love them – and my team routinely goes through every deal played that day, chewing over the instructive points and learning from our mistakes. Here is an East-West disaster from the World Bridge…
PLAN CHANGE
W N E S 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass 4♥ Pass 5♦(1) Pass 6♥(2) (1) Ace showing cue-bid – South has great controls and is just worth a slam try.(2) Plenty in reserve, a clear acceptance. West leads the…
DOUBLE UPPERCUT
An uppercut is a technique of trump promotion. Take this layout of trumps: ♠ 5432 ♠ J6 ■ ♠ Q7 ♠ AK1098 If West leads a suit in which East and declarer are both void, and East ruffs with the Queen, declarer can overruff…
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