Source: robinsbridge.blogspot.nl
How to be a lucky player
![Matthew Thomson and Peter Gill](http://csbnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Matthew-Thomson-and-Peter-Gill.jpg)
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].
![](http://csbnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/s.gif)
![](http://csbnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/h.gif)
![](http://csbnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/d.gif)
![](http://csbnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/c.gif)
![](http://csbnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/s.gif)
![](http://csbnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/h.gif)
![](http://csbnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/d.gif)
![](http://csbnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/c.gif)
![](http://csbnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/d.gif)
![](http://csbnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/c.gif)
![](http://csbnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/h.gif)
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.