The difference in duplicate bridge. Bridge Column for September 20, 2002, Harvey Bernstein Both sides vulnerable. South deals. North S: A 8 2 H: J 8 D: 8 6 5 4 C: A K 6 3 West East S: K 6 4 S: J 5 H: 6 5 4 H: 10 7 3 D: A 10 9 3 D: K Q J 7 2 C: 10 9 8 C: Q 5 2 South S: Q 10 9 7 3 H: A K Q 9 2 D: Void C: J 7 4 The Bidding: South West North East 1S Pass 2C 2D 2H 3D 4S Pass Pass Pass Many brdige players start playing "duplicate" bridge because they can usually find a game. They play well and have a good time, but they don't win, or at least, not very often. They see players doing strange things and scoring well, and yet, they know that their own bidding and play is solid. So, what's going on? The problem is that duplicate bridge is a different game than party bridge or rubber bridge. In the game of duplicate bridge, the score that you achieve on each hand you play is compared against all of the scores that were made by all of the other pairs sitting in the same direction. You will be given one matchpoint for each of the other scores that you beat, and one- half a matchpoint for a tie. If there are nine pairs in your section, the best you can do on any hand is to win eight matchpoints. On the other hand, you can't do any worse than zero, no matter how bad your score on the hand is. This means that you can't be satisfied with just making your contract. You have to be constantly aware of what is going on and then, take advantage of everything that you can. In many cases, it won't mean anything, but in some cases, it will. Today's hand is a perfect example. Four spades is the standard contract and I think that the lead of the ace of diamonds by West is also very normal. Declarer is fairly certain that he can make ten tricks, and if trumps behave, eleven tricks are likely. Declarer trumps the opening lead and leads a spade to the ace, with both defenders playing small spades. A small spade from the dummy brings the jack from East. Declarer plays the queen and West wins the king. A diamond return forces declarer to trump again. Here is where the duplicate player earns his score. West has made a very small error. He had a chance to return his last spade but he elected to return a diamond. On a spade return, declarer will make four spade tricks, five heart tricks, and two club tricks, for a total of eleven. The diamond return allows declarer to work a little magic. After winning this trick, he enters dummy with a high club and trumps another diamond with the his last spade. A club to the other honor is the entry allowing declarer to play the eight of spades, pulling West's last trump while he pitches a club. Declarer's last five cards are the ace, king, queen, (the jack in dummy) and the nine of hearts. All winners. The extra trick is the result of trumping a diamond with the last spade in hand and then using the last spade on the board to pull the defender's last spade. You now make five spade tricks instead of four. Taking advantage of the minor error and making an extra overtrick earns declarer a tie for top on the hand. It doesn't take many of these situations to move your score into a "winning" range. But you have to be alert and find the extra tricks when they come along, both on offense and defense, because the opportunity won't present itself all that often. _______________________________________________________ Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.