Friday the Rabbi Used Judgment

In 1965 Harry Kemelman won an Edgar Award for Best First Novel, Friday the Rabbi Slept Late, featuring the Rabbi David Small, which became a huge bestseller. If the Rabbi Small had been a bridge player the title might have been different.

Rabbi Leonard Helman, a mere 82 years young, suffers from Parkinson’s disease, but still engages his mind at the bridge table, trying to solve problems that can be just as taxing as your average murder mystery.

Here are a few interesting deals from the final of the Lebhar IMP Pairs on most of which some judgment was required:

Dealer: North Vul: None		North
		♠	K 8 4
		♥	5 4 3 2
		♦	J 5
		♣	A K 7 6
West				East
♠	10 6			♠	J 5 3
♥	A 6			♥	K Q J 10 9 8 7
♦	Q 10 9 8 7 6			♦	K
♣	9 4 3			♣	8 5
		South
		♠	A Q 9 7 2
		♥	—
		♦	A 4 3 2
		♣	Q J 10 2

West	North: Horton	East	South: Helman
	1♣	3♥	3♠
4♥	4♠	All Pass

With a big fit for a club suit that the bidding has suggested is likely to be natural and spades having being supported there is a strong case for South moving in search of a slam.

However, in an auction where bad breaks could be expected the Rabbi decided to take the conservative route. +420 was worth 2.10 IMPs.

Dealer: East Vul: Both		North
		♠	K Q J 9 5
		♥	9 5 2
		♦	Q J
		♣	J 7 3
West				East
♠	2			♠	7 3
♥	Q 10 7 6 4 3			♥	K 8
♦	A 9 6 5 3			♦	K 10 7 4 2
♣	Q			♣	A 8 4 2
		South
		♠	A 10 8 6 4
		♥	A J
		♦	8
		♣	K 10 9 6 5

West	North: Horton	East	South: Helman
		Pass	1♠
3♥	3♠	♠ 4	4♠
5♥	Pass	Pass	Dbl
All Pass

Facing a passed partner West’s overcall reminds me of a line from Horace’s Odes: ‘Oak and triple bronze encompassed the breast of him who first entrusted his frail craft to the wild sea.’

With such a defenseless hand I might have done better to bid a direct Four Spades, which at least emphasizes the powerful trump support.

As an aside, this deal is much easier for North/South if the opening bid is One Club. If East/West bid in analogous style the auction might go:

1cx-(2hx)-2sx-(3hx)-4sx-(5hx) and now, knowing of the secondary fit in clubs it is easier for North to go on to Five Spades.

Losing 850 cost a whopping 11.70 IMPs.

Dealer: North Vul: Both		North
		♠	9 7 6 5
		♥	7
		♦	J 10 7
		♣	A 8 7 6 4
West				East
♠	A Q 3 2			♠	K J 8 4
♥	Q J 4 3			♥	6 2
♦	Q 8 4 2			♦	9 6
♣	J			♣	K 10 5 3 2
		South
		♠	10
		♥	A K 10 9 8 5
		♦	A K 5 3
		♣	Q 9

West	North: Horton	East	South: Helman
	Pass	Pass	1♥
Pass	1♠	Pass	4♥
Dbl	All Pass

Let’s put the Rabbi’s rebid down to the enthusiasm of youth. I doubt West would have doubled Three Hearts, but he was happy enough to take a shot at four. This misadventure cost 9.06 IMPs.

Dealer: West Vul: Both		North
		♠	K 5
		♥	4
		♦	K Q 7 5 3
		♣	Q 10 7 3 2
West				East
♠	Q 10 8 7 6 4			♠	A J 9
♥	K 5			♥	A 10 8 6 3
♦	J 6			♦	A 4 2
♣	J 9 4			♣	A 6
		South
		♠	3 2
		♥	Q J 9 7 2
		♦	10 9 8
		♣	K 8 5

West	North: Horton	East	South: Helman
Pass	1♦	1♥	All Pass

Everyone had some sort of decision to make on this deal.

Should West open Two Spades?

Should North open?

If North does open what should East bid?

After East overcalls One Heart what should South do?

After East overcalls One Heart what should West do if South passes or bids 1NT?

Here are my suggestions:

Unless I had some strict rules about suit quality I would open Two Spades with the West hand. (Better still I would open with a Multicoloured Two Diamonds, but that is not allowed in any type of Pairs game.)

The absence of majors from the North hand is a major concern, even when one player has passed. That argues in favour of bidding on the North hand (a few players might be able to open 2NT to show the minors).

Once North opens East is awkwardly placed. You have to choose between One Heart and 1NT – I would prefer the latter, which at least gets across the high card values.

After East bids One Heart South should bid 1NT. Passing suggests that you are willing to defend One Heart doubled if partner re opens – and this is not the right sort of hand for that.

Finally, if South passes West should bid One Spade, and might consider bidding Two Spades over 1NT.

Failing to reach the spade game cost East/West 8.58 IMPs.

I’ll sign off with an illustration of how easy it is to make a mistake at this demanding game:

Dealer: East Vul: N-S		North
		♠	K 5 4
		♥	—
		♦	A 10 4 3 2
		♣	K J 9 7 5
West				East
♠	Q J 6			♠	10 8 7
♥	9 6 4			♥	A J 10 7
♦	K Q 8 7 6			♦	J 9
♣	4 2			♣	A 8 6 3
		South
		♠	A 9 3 2
		♥	K Q 8 5 3 2
		♦	5
		♣	Q 10

West	North: Horton	East	South: Helman
		Pass	1♥
Pass	2♦	Pass	2♥
Pass	3♣	Pass	3♠
Pass	3NT	All Pass

East led the ten of spade and when that held he continued the suit. Declarer won in hand and attacked clubs, playing one to dummy’s queen and then overtaking the ten with the jack. East won and played a third spade, so declarer won in dummy, cashed the long spade and played a diamond to the ace. Declarer cashed his clubs and this was the four card ending:

Dealer: Vul:		North
		♠	—
		♥	—
		♦	10 4 3
		♣	7
West				East
♠	—			♠	—
♥	—			♥	A J 10
♦	K Q 8 7			♦	J
♣	—			♣	—
		South
		♠	—
		♥	K Q 8 5
		♦	—
		♣	—

On the seven of clubs East made the fatal mistake of retaining the jack of diamonds. Now when declarer exited with a diamond on defender or the other had to surrender the ninth trick.