Slippery Par

Continuing to mine the rich vein of hands that came from the latest Simultaneous I'd like to introduce you to the notion of par. You might think that the par contract would be even-handed, fair to both sides. And so, in some ways, it is. However, unlike the solidity of par at, say golf, par at bridge is fickle. You may reach the par contract only to find yourself with a poor score – or a surprisingly good one.

As bridge is a game made interesting by incomplete information, we try to do what is best in the long run. It's easier to make nine trick in no-trumps or ten in a major than eleven in a minor; therefore clubs and diamonds are prejudiced against by bidding systems. This can have the effect that even when they represent the best contract, that state can be hard to reach, but freed of those constraints, it becomes easier:

N-S Vul.
Dealer North
  • K4
  • QJ972
  • KJ4
  • Q107
  • QJ762
  • A3
  • 1098
  • A62
N
W
E
S
  • A8
  • K865
  • Q2
  • J9843
  • 10953
  • 104
  • A7653
  • K5
West
North
East
South
—
1
Pass
11
Pass
1NT2
Pass
Pass
X
Pass
2
All Pass

1) Artificial - denying five spades, akin to a natural no-trump
2) Either balanced 11-13 or 4♠ and 5♥

When the opponents appeared to give up on their potential spade fit, West felt he might be being cheated so he re-opened, hoping his partner would read him for a few spades. Two clubs was not unwelcome and 'no double, no trouble'. +110 in clubs was par spot but 75% for East-West. North-South could do little; even 2♥ if doubled was too high.

Normally of course, we like to have a stop in the opponent's suit for no-trumps, but if you adopt a more liberal approach in the auction…

N-S Vul.
Dealer North
  • AKQ74
  • K5
  • Q5
  • QJ52
  • 95
  • Q1086
  • K1083
  • A96
N
W
E
S
  • 82
  • A32
  • AJ74
  • K1073
  • J1063
  • J974
  • 962
  • 84
West
North
East
South
—
11
1
Pass
22
X
2NT
All Pass

1) Artificial – either 17+HCP any shape or 11-13, no major
2) Showing a diamond raise

East was under the impression West was asking about a club stop and so felt able to bid 2NT (maybe she felt she had a good overcall for her methods too!). As North I worried I had hid my spade suit under a bushel but my partner produced the knave as his opening shot. Unfortunately the first five tricks were all we could take – when East cashed her winners I was squeezed between clubs and hearts. Still –120 wasn't the worst score we were powerless to prevent - that belonged to East playing three hearts – but it didn't score us many matchpoints, beating all those who played in diamonds.

Published Saturday 4.Nov.2006