First at lunch time bridge TB and AP won a very topsy-turvy week. The Deal of the Week was undoubtedly a very improbable auction to 4♥, doubled and off five.
After lunch I had my weekly Bridge Club with about ten 2nd and 3rd year boys. It's an informal club, with the focus on having fun. I hope if any of them really like it they can come back and learn properly. I've got them on to full bidding pretty quickly, and a sort of simplified scoring. The scoring is important to them, as they were always keen to know who was winning. This week I introduced the double and the redouble, and things quickly got out of hand.
After school I went across town to Hutchesons Grammar School, where John DiMambro runs a proper bridge club. There's even an associated mini-bridge club at the primary school. What a great setup. There's folders of notes he's prepared for his pupils, all with associated wallets of deals and print outs. It was very impressive.
It took me an hour to get there, so I didn't have much time in the club. I saw the seniors were being coached by Ronald Gaffin, then headed down the room to the juniors. I joined a table of three, and me and a 1st year pupil had a really horrible auction to 4♠, based on a 4-3 fit, 21 points and several misunderstandings. Shockingly, we made the game, which I think made for a very poor teaching point, and might have set back that table several months of learning how to bid properly.
Then I joined the next table up, which was playing a series of hands on the theme of Opening 1NT and Stayman. Here's the full deal and auction.
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The pupils were sitting North and South. I sat West, opposite a teacher. The pupil sitting South opened a strong 1NT, and his partner replied with 2♣ Stayman. After the 2♠ response North bid an invitational 2NT, and South immediately accepted and bid a game. He bid it so quickly I'm not sure if he even checked if he was maximum, or if he just likes to bid games. Could he back up his confidence?
Even though South had shown four Spades with his 2♠ bid, I had to lead a Spade. Without much thought I lead the ♠K - we'll come back to that opening lead. The spotlight was now on South. He rapidly called for the Ace. Did declarer know what he was doing, or was he simply grabbing his Ace? John DiMambro came over and checked that declarer had counted his tricks (he had), and that he had a plan (he had). Declarer described exactly how many top tricks there were (seven), and what the best suit was to get two more (Clubs). I went off to talk to the next table, but when I came back declarer had indeed bagged nine tricks, taking the Club finesse twice. Well played!
Now let's come back to that opening lead. This is the Spade suit:
| ♠ A 8 | ||
| ♠ K Q T 7 x |  | J 9 |
| ♠ x x x x |
On this particular layout leading the ♠K would have been fine. If I get back in I can lead the ♠Q, and my ♠7 will be a fourth round winner. But, what about on other layouts? Remember, from the auction I know that South has got four Spades. If my partner has the ♠J then of course leading a low Spade would be much better. For example:
| ♠ A 8 | ||
| ♠ K Q T 7 x |
 | J x |
| ♠ 9 x x x |
Here I have to start with a low Spade. If I begin with the ♠K then declarer ends up with a second stopper. But what about when declarer has the Jack? I'd hate to give away a trick by leading low. You can just about come up with a situation where it's best to start with the King:
| ♠ x | ||
| ♠ K Q T 7 x |
| 9 8 x |
| ♠ A J x x |
But even then it's not looking good for the defence. I think then, on balance, I'm convinced that a low lead is best. So I've learnt something at Hutchie today as well.
Thanks to Hutchesons school for a very warm welcome at their Bridge Club. I look forward to meeting their future stars across the table!
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