Martin Cooper of White Rock receiving his American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) Life Master status, Courtesy photo

Bridge News:

This game was a special game to congratulate Martin Cooper from White Rock, who recently achieved American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) Life Master status.

This is a notable achievement that requires both skill and perseverance. To help make this event special, local bridge players feted Martin at a lunch in his honor at the White Rock Senior Activity Center.

Here is a very competitive hand from the March 10 game. This is board #16. West is the dealer, and E/W are vulnerable.

West is the dealer and has a reasonable 1♦ opening. North should pass and East bids 1♥ (looking for an 8-card major suit fit). South has a sound 1♠ overcall. West is likely to rebid 2♦, and North should raise to 2♠. When East rebids 3♦, South will likely compete to 3♠. This may end the auction unless East competes further to 4♦. If this ends the auction, it will work out very well for E/W, as they should lose only one heart and two clubs.

But the vulnerability may have a significant role to play on this hand. N/S are not vulnerable, and if they decide that E/W is likely to make 4♦, a sacrifice bid of 4♠ might be the best action, reasoning that 4♦ making is worth 130 to E/W (80 in trick scores and 50 for making a part score), while 4♠ down one costs only -50 (-100 if doubled). Bridge hands don’t get much more competitive than that!

With careful play on both sides, N/S can make 3♠, and E/W can make 4♦.

When this hand was played locally, one pair played in 4♠ doubled making 5, a 2nd pair played in 4♠ making 4, a 3rd pair played in 3♠ making 4, a 4th pair played in 5♦ down one, a 5th pair played in 4♠ down 1, a 6th pair played in 2♦ making 4 and a 7th pair played in 4♦ making 4.

The Los Alamos Duplicate Bridge Club games are held at the Betty Ehart Senior Activity Center (BESAC) Wednesdays starting at 12:45 p.m., and at the White Rock Senior Activity Center (WRSAC) Mondays at 12:45 p.m. Duplicate lessons are given at the BESAC on an occasional basis 10 a.m. until noon on Fridays when BESAC is open. Bridge players are welcome to participate. If you need a partner, or want to know if lessons are in session, please email Bobby Haynes at rsh@valornet.com, or Jerry Fleming at peanutcat@aol.com.