One down is good Bridge

A Ditty from BridgeCast this week from Level 3. BridgeCast is Andrew's monthly subscription service, join him as he presents a daily deal. To find out more click here. It is also Rule thirteen, in Andrew's "Rules, Acronyms and Ditties" book which is, providing the inspiration, for his current series of Level 3 daily videos on BridgeCast.

It is almost always better to go down one in a contract than let the opponents make a contract. Simple as that. Therefore do not give the opponents a free ride in the bidding, try to push them uncomfortably high.

A. After:

be very reluctant to let the opponents play. Bid 2 ♠ with:

If the opponents let you play there and you go down one (about what you’d expect) that’s good bridge; for the opponents would surely be able to make a mere 2 ♥. If you push them up to 3 ♥, perhaps they will go down.

Down two (doubled? vulnerable?) is not good bridge though...

B. After 

almost never bid 3 ♠. Bear in mind that partner did not bid over 1 ♥; that his 2 ♠ bid was designed to go down one or to push the opponents up to 3 ♥. He has succeeded – don’t punish his enterprise.

Down one can also be good bridge in an uncontested auction. Making a game contract carries with it big scoring rewards and should be attempted with just a 50-50 (or even slightly worse) chance of making (at Duplicate Pairs you want slightly better odds). Going down one in a valiant effort to make such a game is good bridge.

On our deal East won trick one with ♥ Q and switched to ♦ 10 around to the weakness in dummy. Declarer won ♦ A and led ♠ Q. West won ♠ A and played ♦ K then ♦ J. Declarer ruffed, crossed to ♠ K drawing the opposing trumps, then ran ♣ 10. West won ♣ K and that was down one.

4 ♠ (doubled) down one was good bridge because E-W would make 4 ♥. [In 4 ♥] declarer (East) wins ♠ Q lead with ♠ A, draws trumps and knocks out ♦ A. He later leads towards ♣ K and because South holds ♣ A, ♣ K is promoted: just three losers.

You may say, “if North held ♣ A, 4 ♥ would not have made, so bidding 4 ♠ would not have been such good bridge”. Ah – but if North holds ♣ A, then 4 ♠ makes (N-S’s club finesse now working). And 4 ♠ doubled making is extremely good bridge!