Saturday, February 18, 2006 6:55 AM

Hand Evaluation – Balancing ( Reading the situation )

PITBULLS:

The is a Bridge expression called “Bidding the table” you should all know about. This expression derives from being at the Bridge table & being aware of what is happening. This entails noting table position , who is a passed hand , who is not , who is vulnerable & who is not . Bidding the table also is being aware of the implications of opponents taking pre-emptive action. Bidding the table is a form of balancing.

A Tormentee & an experienced player held the same cards at a sectional last night. The auction went Pass-Pass-3♠ everybody vulnerable. From “being at the table” , what information has been presented thus far ? You have a passed hand to your left with a 3^rd seat pre-empt ! An average passed hand contains 0 to 12 HCP with a median of 6 HCP . You have a 3^rd seat pre-empt to work with. The opponents have pretty well announced for you that you “own this auction” . Another expression for this realization is “table presence” .

OK what happened at both tables differs greatly between the tormentee at the player at the other table. They both held ♠AJ ♥KJ109x ♦A9x ♣xxx , the experienced player “bid the table” but the Tormentee did not . He doubled 3♠ with this hand at the other table. Under other circumstances , he would never double a 3 level pre-empt with this hand forcing partner to the 4 level. Why did he do it this time ? The opponents by their bidding gave him the “green light” . He is in effect making a pre-balance because the opponents have informed him that his partner had values !!

OK, the tormentee passed this hand so the passed hand upped the ante to 4♠. At her table , her partner now doubled 4♠ from the other side. The spade pattern must be 7-3-2-1 on this auction with the doubler holding the singleton. By doubling , her partner is “bidding the table” that a passed hand with a 3^rd seat pre-empt are in game ! When they have all the 10 HCP’s in spades , we are playing with a 30 HCP deck. At the other table , his partner with that hand bid 5♥ & made it for +650. The cards as expected were in the non pre-empters hand so the finesses as predicted , did work. At her table , the tormentee decided to convert for penalty & take her plus.

Rather than lead blind , the Tormenee led the Ace of trump to look at the board. Excellent lead for two reasons . Her & her partner overpower them in HCP , so a trump lead is called for & you get to look at the board to plan your defense. She has 13 HCP , her passed hand partner doubled at the 4 level , so her side must have nearly all the outstanding HCP’s outside the spade suit. The board hit with ♠xxx ♥A ♦Qxx ♣KJ1098x , everybody followed to the 1^st spade. This confirms the trump pattern as 7-3-2-1 . Now what ? Well you cannot stop a heart ruff but there is a dangerous 6 card club suit looming as a source of tricks . This is a danger signal ( L in Kantars LSD ) suit length in reading the dummy. Time to cash out. So you lay down your diamond Ace so partner encourages in diamonds with his KJ & you cash 3 diamond tricks . This is one down already but if the pre-empter has two clubs you are picking up +800. If only one club , you are picking up +500 which is an excellent result.

What happened at our table was a disaster. Ignoring the danger of a 6 card club suit on the board, the tormentee continued spades. Holding the diamond Ace , she can get away with her gamble though. Declarer won the spade as I discarded a heart. He led a club , thought a moment & went up King . I had AQx of clubs as announced on the auction so I won my club Ace . I now panicked due to the club suit so returned the deuce of diamonds from my KJ52 so we can cash our 3 diamond tricks . The tormentee in a doubled game contract & a cash out situation dictated by the long suit on the board inserted the diamond 9 .Declarer won it , ruffed out my club honour so making 5 doubled for –990 instead of +500 our way. This result did not match point well L .

Bidding the table involves table presence. Being aware of what is going on. Using all the information passed hands & pre-emptive bidding have given you. This information guides you how to defend a hand. If their bidding dictates that the opponents cannot hold certain cards , they do not have them. Being at the table also determines how you bid.