The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

By Kees Tammens

Maybe you know the movie called ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’. Kibitzing a junior championship always reminds me of that beautiful film. Juniors seem to play with their gun loose in the holster. They shoot at every opportunity. This creates plays that can be categorized in the three categories in the title of the movie. I would like to suggest that we make up a series of articles in which hands, boards, bids and plays can be nominated. The bulletin editor will be the judge and finally will give away the awards. The first three entries:

The GOOD

The pair that reached 6§ on a hand where the rest of the field went down in 3NT.
(please tell the bulletin editor your names)

	ª J 9 7 © 10 9 7 4 ¨ K 10 7 6 § 10 5
ª A 10 8 5 4 © A Q 6 ¨ 8 § A K Q 2		ª 2 © K 3 2 ¨ Q 9 5 3 2 § J 9 7 6
	ª K Q 6 3 © J 8 5 ¨ A J 4 § 8 4 3

Even the vugraph commentators thought that 6§ was impossible on a trump lead and that even 5§ was difficult. The screen showed that a trump was led at the only table that reached slam and still produced 1370.

Sometimes bridge is an easy game. A club for the nine, spade to the ace and a spade ruff, heart to the ace and a second spade ruff. Now a heart to the queen and a third ruff with §J. Now a diamond and North/South can not prevent declarer to ruff the second diamond, draw trumps and enjoy the thirteenth spade as his twelfth trick. What’s the problem?

The BAD

N/S Vul. Dealer South.
	ª 9 6 © 10 6 3 ¨ A K 7 6 3 § J 9 6
ª J 8 7 3 © Q 9 8 7 5 4 ¨ - § A 4 2		ª K Q 10 5 4 2 © - ¨ 9 5 2 § Q 10 5 3
	ª A © A K J 2 ¨ Q J 10 8 4 § K 8 7

West	North	East	South
-	-	-	1¨
1©	2¨	2ª	3ª
4ª	5¨	Pass	Pass
Dblee	All Pass

West led ª7 for queen and ace. Three rounds of diamonds were followed by a small heart for jack and queen. West played a second spade, ruffed by South, who went to dummy with ©10 to play §6, East §3, South §K and West §A. A club came back for two down. But what was worse, §3 or §K instead of §8?
(Of course the writer of this article risks getting hurt by angry juniors.)

The UGLY

As the trainer of Dutch juniors I was completely devastated by one very ugly board.

N/S Vul. Dealer West.
	ª 5 © 2 ¨ K Q 7 6 4 3 2 § K J 6 2
ª K Q 9 7 6 4 3 © 10 8 6 3 ¨ - § Q 5		ª A 2 © Q J 7 4 ¨ A J 10 9 8 5 § 9
	ª J 10 8 © A K 9 5 ¨ - § A 10 8 7 4 3

With the Netherlands East/West

West	North	East	South
4ª	Pass	Pass	Dble
Pass	5¨	Dble	5©
Dble	6§	Dble	All Pass

The lead was ªA followed by a small diamond, ruffed with §7 and over-ruffed with §Q for one down. It turned out that I was not the only one who was hit by a bullet, as there was also Schelte Wijma, the npc, who was sure to get a big result on this board.

West	North	East	South
Pass	3¨	Pass	Pass
3ª	Pass	Pass	Dble
All Pass

South took his gun and shot at 3ª, a contract that could not be beaten. Maybe the only fortunate thing was that this story could receive the ‘Ugly’ award.