My Small Bliss

It seems to talk about defense when you see the title at first glance. However, it is a blogger about the plan of play. Fortunately, I am the declarer and bring the contract home by the defender's mistake. Writing too much about protecting partner's entry in defense these days, which reminds me of the first deal which I have played in the National Youth Bridge Championship. Board 1 Vul: None Dealer: North East               North     East     South     West ♠ 9                    Pass     Pass      Pass       1♠ ♡ J732            Pass      1NT      Pass        3♠ ♢ KJT53         Pass       ? ♣ QJ6          Pass or 3NT? Pass? I am reluctant to accept. 3NT? It is really too high. Finally, I choose 3NT, a little bit high contract. Lead: ♡8 Trick     North     East     South     West    1           ♡T        ♡J        ♡8        ♡6    2          ♢2        ♢3       ♢8        ♢Q    3          ♣8          ♣J          ♣A           ♣2    4          ♡5        ♡2     

This is the deal in our weekly online training on 12th Feb, 2018. It seems to a normal game contract in the early stage, however it is quite intriguing in the endplay. Board 13 Vul: Both Dealer: North   North     South     1♢        2♣*    2♢*       2NT    3♣        3NT    AP 2♣: Game Forcing, do not promise ♣ suit 2♢: Waiting Lead: ♡5 Trick     North     East     South     West   1          ♡6         ♡7        ♡T         ♡5   2           ♣A           ♣2         ♣5         ♣T   3          ♣3          ♣9          ♣J           ♣4   4          ♣6           ♣K          ♣Q        ♡2   5        ♢2         ♢3        ♢K         ♢7   6        ♡8          ♠3          ♡A         ♡3   7        ♢5          ♢4          ♣8         ♡9   8        ♢6          ♠5          ♣7          ♢T The leading reliefs you. If the distribution of club is normal, the contract looks safe now. You could win 2♠, 2♡, 1♢ and 4♣. You win with the ♡T and drive out ♣K at once. East plays a small

This is another defense problem in our weekly online training on 5th Feb, 2018. Board 3 Vul: E-W Dealer: South     North     East     South     West                                  1♠          X      2♠           3♣       4♠         AP Lead: ♢A Trick     North     East     South     West    1         ♢3           ♢2        ♢8        ♢A    2                                                   ? You lead ♢A and your partner follows ♢2. How to defend? Would you continue to play ♢ or play a small ♣ what your partner has bidden or draw a trump as a negative defense? You have to consider several questions as followings: Q1: Where are the 4 winners? Q2: Who will hold singleton ♢, your partner or the declarer? Q3: If the declarer holds 3♢, will losers be discard at once? Q4: Is it necessary to play through ♣ immediately? Could the loser in ♣ be discard? Your partner bids 3♣, indicating that barely will he hold 4♡, otherwise he may bid X instead of 3♣. It is obvious that

It happened in our weekly online training on 5th Feb, 2018. Board 1 Vul: None Dealer: North North     East     South     West  Pass     Pass       1♠       Pass   2♠      Pass       4♠        AP Lead: ♣K Trick     1     2     3     4    1      ♣K  ♣6  ♣5  ♣J    2     ♣Q  ♣8  ♣3  ♠2    3     ♡7   ♡5  ♡J    ? West leads ♣K and the declarer ruffs on the second trick.  And now, what's your plan after winning with the♡Q? The declarer doesn't draw trumps in the early stage, but seems to establish the heart suit. The play routine is quite strange. What is the declarer doing? Just to enter to the dummy to finesse trump or something else? 'Who holds ♡A' becomes the key point in this deal. West is likely to hold ♡A. If declarer holds ♡A, he will establish long suit after drawing trumps. In any case, the declarer could always draw trumps first. Why does he play so strange? That is to say, the loser in ♢ couldn't be discard by heart. The declarer hopes the

This is an interesting deal that I have met in the 2018 National Youth Bridge Championship. Board 11 Vul: None Dealer: South         South     West     North     East           1♠         Pass       Pass      1NT*         Pass        2♣*        Pass       2♢*         Pass       3NT         AP        1NT: Balancing, 12-15p          2♣: Stayman          2♢: No major suit Lead: ♠J Trick     1     2     3     4    1      ♠J    ♠6   ♠5  ♠Q    2      ♣4   ♣7   ♣9  ♣2    3      ♡2     ? East wins with the ♠Q and plays a small club to dummy's ♣9. When you are marveling at the declarer's play, declarer plays ♡2 from dummy quickly. How to defend? It seems to be an unilateral defense by your partner, none of your business. Will you follow a small card casually? As we all know, "Second Hand Low, Third Hand High" is always normal in defensive playing. However, bridge is always full of exceptions. Sometimes 'Second Hand High' may make great trouble f

This is the second last deal in 1/4 Finals in the 2018 National Youth Bridge Championship. Board 13 Vul: Both Dealer: North East ♠ K6                       East      West ♡ AKJ2                    2♣         2♠ ♢ AKQ2                  2NT       3♠ ♣ A85                      4♣         4♢                                4NT       5♣                                 5♢         6♠                                  ? We fell behind 20 IMPS in the first segment of two segments knockout tournament. The score sheet of the second segment is as followings: Board 2: We chose a wrong from 3NT and 4♠ Board 5: No one would reach a small slam which only  26 points in sum without any singleton. Board 10: Make or not depends on the leading Board 11: Similar to Board 5. So it was impossible for teammates to get a small slam. NOW, THE SECOND LAST DEAL COMES!!! It reminds me of the situation that my friend faced in 2017 Michael Seamon JUSBC U26 USA2 Finals. Gambling or not, that i