Story by Brian Rowarth (BBO: BushbyBry)
I was very much a beginner, but I was in the teaching profession and learned how to play bridge in the staff room after lunch each day. We used to cut for partners and often had two or three tables for the best part of an hour's bridge.
One day, I picked up a hand with 34 points and didn't really have much idea what to bid. I decided to bid 7NT! My partner's hand went down, and he had just two points: the Queen of Clubs. Unfortunately, I couldn't get to it because I had the doubleton A-K of clubs! He also had a doubleton diamond, so whether or not I made my 7NT depended on the diamonds splitting 3-3. They did, and I made my 7NT.
This was more than 60 years ago, and I remember it as though it were yesterday. I am still playing bridge, but no hand has come close to the one I have described.
The hand was:
♠ AKQ
♥ AKQ
♦ AKQxx
♣ AK
Some time later, when I was interviewed for another teaching post, I was asked what I would be remembered for in the staff room. I mentioned the above episode, was called for a second interview, but didn't get the job!
After taking early retirement from the teaching profession, I was asked by many people in our village if I would teach them to play bridge. I ran bridge lessons in the village hall for three years, and we now have a thriving bridge club in the village that has been running for nearly 30 years.
I am sure I've never held a hand as good as this.
You have 11 top tricks, and a 4-3 or 42 break in diamonds will see you home.
Any 2c auction might leave you in game if partner has very little, so I'd just bid 6NT
hi
i think you are ducking the real problem. if partner has 6 spades or hearts (or even only 5) you would prefer to be in 7 of his major. so open 2 clubs.
He will likely respond 2D. is 3 clubs now forcing?
(yes. 2 clubs forces till 3M or 4m, so 3 C is your next bid).
if pd now bids a M, bid 7 in that suit, (he has 5+). Otherwise 7NT!
Rodvenn
I wonder if anyone has ever been dealt a hand where they had all 40 points? Imagine if that ever happened? Seems almost impossible but I guess it could happen. I'd most likely hit the closest convenience store and play the lottery!
Then you'd be holding 16 cards. Not possible. 37 us the max.
You don't necessarily need an entry to partner's hand. If partner has 2 diamonds and they split 3-3, as on this hand, or partner has more than two diamonds, then the grand slam is a very good bet. And I don't know of any way that a beginner could find out partner's diamond length.
If you want the gory details...
There are eight diamonds outstanding; the probabilities for the various distributions are:
3-3-2 Split: 31.11% - works even if partner has the doubleton
4-3-1 Split: 29.87% - works unless partner has the singleton, i.e. in 2/3 of cases
4-2-2 Split: 22.40% - works if partner has 4, i.e in 1/3 of cases
5-2-1 Split: 11.20% - works if partner has 5, i.e in 1/3 of cases
The remaining distributions are much less likely - e.g. 5-3-0 is 3.59% - and are still favourable in 1/3 of cases.
So our odds are 31.11% + 2/3*29.87% + 1/3*22.4% +1/3* 11.2% plus the rest and total about 65%
In order to see whether these odds are sufficient, we need to evaluate the benefit of risking the grand slam against the (almost) certain small slam. It seems that Brian was playing rubber bridge, which makes it a little trickier to calculate.
Let's say that making the slam would win the rubber in two; then you are risking 750 points difference between grand and small slam bonus against, if you go off in the grand, losing 190 for the tricks; 750 for the slam; 700 for rubber and 100 penalty (total 1740). So you should bid the grand if the odds are better than 1740/(750+1740) or about 70%.
Mathematically, the small slam is marginally the better bid; as a beginner, picking up that hand, with the chance that the opposition make a mistake, I think the grand is an excellent opening.
After all, if it works, you've got a story for life 🙂
I might have bid 6NT, after taking the first trick, I would have lead a low diamond, hoping that the opposite hands had 4-2 split in Diamonds. would hate to throw away a sure small slam, If the missing diamonds were split 5-1 or 6-0, you would be down either bid
Great reading your Terrific hand. Just a beginner.
What is wrong with 2C
2 diamonds then what with. 34 go all the way or kick yourself You will never get a hand like that again. If the queen had been in diamonds you would have just claimed 7nt
The one who knows goes. A hand like that deserves 7nt b/c it will never happen again. If you bid 2 clubs ptn will bid 2 dia. then what are you going to bid? Blwd maybe but you have all the aces and kings
Good on 'ya!
Exactly what I would have done. There is no sure thing but you were close enough to take the risk. He who dares ....
Very reasonable bid --- odds favour making the 7N
I would have started with a strong 2 clubs 22 plus pts
2c bid didn't exist then
Bravo pour le 7SA ! Ouf pour le partage 3-3 des Carreaux...
Et ensuite, le plaisir d'enseigner ce jeu merveilleux est une source de satisfaction.
I once had a hand all red 8 diamonds and 5 Hearts. Partner opened 1 spade (it was nearer a weak 2 than one opening) As you can guess She repeated 2 spades and insisted she had no tolerance for either of my suits. It did not end well.
In the 1980s I was holding pretty much nothing when partner bid 1 diamond and opponents bid strongly until my partner reached 4 diamonds doubled. He had been "walking the dog" with 10 diamonds and nothing else for a top.
Wow! What a hand! Kudos to you Brian for your quick thinking as a learner. Well done!
I've never forgotten my first hand in club competition - in an open tournament our club was hosting, after I had had four lessons! I was roped in as a replacement, as was my partner. We were new to each other and I was dealer. I couldn't add fast enough, the table urging me to bid (no-one knew I was a green learner), went 1H as longest suit, everyone passed. I made 7H! I thought I should be in game if partner supports...partner passed, having low points. I've never forgotten that circumstance; I remember having aces, two kings and hearts but little else. 26 points I counted afterwards, enough to go to game at least! 😀 I still love playing Bridge. I'm counting faster too. Best card game ever!
What should have been your opening bid?
My first hand, as a beginner, playing with my newly wed husband at Ucla. I didn't want to be there. There were hundreds of people.
I was south, east passed and my husband opened one spade. West passed and I doubled. Of course both hands went up as well as yelling, "Director." I wanted to disappear.
The director came to the table and asked my husband what he thought I meant by my bid. My very funny husband answered: "I think she thinks she can set me."
Well everyone laughed and we went on with the game.
I basically play safe. I would have bid six NT as spades heart and club suis are blocked. Only possible entry in partner’s hand could be a diamond queen which would enable me to make 6 NT. Hoping that dummy would produce both Q &J of diamond is against all odds. Even Doyle ton DQ with suitable division is against reasonable odds.
You don't necessarily need an entry to partner's hand. If partner has 2 diamonds and they split 3-3, as on this hand, or partner has more than two diamonds, then the grand slam is a very good bet. And I don't know of any way that a beginner could find out partner's diamond length.
If you are interested in a more detailed calculation...
There are eight diamonds outstanding; the probabilities for the various distributions are:
3-3-2 Split: 31.11% - works even if partner has the doubleton
4-3-1 Split: 29.87% - works unless partner has the singleton, i.e. in 2/3 of cases
4-2-2 Split: 22.40% - works if partner has 4, i.e in 1/3 of cases
5-2-1 Split: 11.20% - works if partner has 5, i.e in 1/3 of cases
The remaining distributions are much less likely - e.g. 5-3-0 is 3.59%, and are still favourable in 1/3 of cases.
So our odds are 31.11% + 2/3*29.87% + 1/3*22.4% +1/3* 11.2% plus the rest and total about 65%
In order to see whether these odds are sufficient, we need to evaluate the benefit of risking the grand slam against the (almost) certain small slam. It seems that they were playing rubber bridge, which makes it a little trickier to calculate. Let's say that making the slam would win the rubber in two; then you are risking 750 points difference between grand and small slam bonus against, if you go off in the grand, losing 190 for the tricks; 750 for the slam; 700 for rubber and 100 penalty (total 1740). So you should bid the grand if the odds are better than 1740/(750+1740) or about 70%.
Mathematically, the small slam is marginally the better bid; as a beginner, picking up that hand, with the additional chance that the opposition make a mistake in the play, I think the grand is an excellent opening.
After all, if it works, you've got a story for life 🙂
Lovely, it made me smile
amazing hand and well done for deciding to teach.
i have had the privilege of "coaching" a few partners with whom i played and thoroughly enjoyed sharing my limited experience 🙂
Well what did you bid ?
And what were the 2 undisclosed cards
Brian: pretty interesting! What is the name of your club and if someone can play in your club virtually??
Thank you.
Very cool and interesting!
6nt