Source: robinsbridge.blogspot.nl
How to be a lucky player
This is the title of the new book by Matthew Thomson, Australian professional bridge player. As mentioned previously here, Matthew is the best player I’ve partnered – totally by lucky chance (for me, that is, not for him).
The book is basically an extreme version of the hand evaluation techniques I’ve always tried to follow (I learned a lot that day). Here it is in a nutshell:
- aces are good;
- more aces are better (any hand with two aces is a good hand);
- intermediates in your long suit are important;
- honors in partner’s suit are golden;
- the 5431 shape is magic, especially when you have a 4-4 fit with partner;
- when all your cards are working, bid more, and you will likely get lucky [no, not that kind of lucky].
KJ73 
K876 
Q62 
K2 or 9653 A632 K AT64? What about in third seat?I opened the first one 1 as dealer on the grounds that I had two four card majors, and if partner bid 2, I would have something decent for him and if he made an inverted raise of diamonds I would be able to rebid 2NT without undue embarrassment. Otherwise, I considered this hand very marginal. Partner, with a 20-count and five hearts, bid all the way up to 7 and made it for a 91% board. Would we get to seven if I’d passed? Partner said no.
I also opened the second hand, although I was in third seat. Would I open it in first or second seat? I think so, based on how much luck it generated this time. The next player passed and partner bid 1. RHO now came in with 1 and I raised to 2, promising four trumps. Partner, with 10 QJ75 AQJ5 9532 now jumped to 4. The lead was the spade ace (a trump would have been better) and, if I recall, another spade. Partner played it very nicely for eleven tricks and a 98% board.
Now that’s what I call getting lucky.