TIP OF THE MONTH

Be Wary of Letting the Opponents Uncover a Spade Fit.
Adopt Cautious Part-score Tactics with Short Spades.

By Andrew Robson

When the opponents stop bidding at the one level, you should be loth to let them play undisturbed.

The opposition would have kept bidding if their hands were strong, so your partnership must hold almost half the high cards or more. If that's the case, you should generally attempt to find a playable contract or at least push the opponents a level or two higher.

However, a word of warning: when the high cards are evenly spread, the part-score battle is likely to be won by the side holding the highest-ranking suit, spades. If you are short in that particular suit - beware!

Dealer: South. Love All.     J 6 5 3   K 10 8 7   6   10 7 5 4     Q 9 8   J 9 5   K J 9 7   K J 8   10 4   A Q 6 4 2   Q 10 8   Q 3 2     A K 7 2   3   A 5 4 3 2   A 9 6

West	North	East	South
			1
Pass	Pass	1 (1)	1
2	2	Pass	Pass
3	Pass	Pass	3
End
(1) Ill-advised with just two small spades. Swap his majors and a 1 bid would be clear-cut.

A 1 contract by South would not have fared well, probably ending up down one. But East protected with 1 and North-South's spade fit was unearthed. Despite West boldly pushing his opponents to 3, the contract could not be beaten.

West led the 5 to the 7, Q and 3. East switched accurately to the 4 and declarer won with the K. He cashed the A, trumped the 2 with the 5, crossed to the A, trumped the 3 with the 6, trumped the 8 with the 2, trumped the 4 with the J, trumped the 10 with the 7, cashed the A, and conceded the last three tricks. He had scored no fewer than seven trump tricks, to go with the minor-suit aces. Part-score made.

And before you say: 'Big deal - just a part-score swing.' such swings really are important at all forms of bridge; not merely duplicate (even though they are especially vital there).