Editorial by Paul Bowyer
Welcome to the seventh edition of V-Blue, the e-magazine for those “experienced learners” of the wonderful game of bridge.
In this issue there are four series. In two of them we are looking at how to make tricks by ruffing – in fact by a welter of ruffing. The play we are focusing on in here is the crossruff – a useful play but one that many players indulge in a little too often. Maybe this series may clear the clouds away from your thinking. As ever, VuBridge, your ever-attentive bridge teacher, will be by your shoulder, guiding you along the right path.
When you have worked your way through these twelve interesting deals you may like to head for the two “General Series” of six and four hands respectively. The first series has been written by our prolific guest author from England, the famous writer David Bird. There’s no theme to these half a dozen deals and the level of difficulty varies from hand to hand. That’s precisely as it should be of course – when playing the game in practice some hands are easy and some... aren’t.
The final set of four deals comes as two pairs of hands. There is a connection between the first two deals and the last two. What is it? We’re not telling...!
We also have a quiz for you to try. Ten questions on Blackwood – maybe the most used and abused of all bridge conventions. There’s plenty for you this edition – enjoy!
Series #2173 - The crossruff - Part I (SA)
This set of six deals is (nearly) all about the crossruff. This play is when you make your trumps separately by ruffing your losers in both hands - dummy and the closed hand.
Many players enjoy this area of the game - often they enjoy it too much! It is important to know when it is the right play to ruff in both hands and when it is not.
The feature of the crossruff is that you do not draw trumps - you use as many of your trumps as possible to ruff losers. If you use this play when you shouldn't (when you should be drawing trumps) you will end up with egg on your face.
Quiz: Blackwood & when to use it
This quiz is all about using 4NT to ask for Aces. This bid (the Blackwood convention) is used when there is an agreed trump suit and when the number of Aces partner has will illuminate the level to which you should bid. In a previous quiz 4NT was used as a quantitative raise of No-trumps - partner was expected to advance to 6NT or to Pass depending on his hand.
So how do you know if 4NT is Blackwood or not? Well, it's all down to knowing if you can get out of the auction at the five-level if there are insufficient Aces. If you haven't agreed a trump suit you can't put on the brakes...
Blackwood & when to use it: click here
Series #2174 - The crossruff - Part II (ACOL)
This series of six deals continues the theme of the crossruff. This play is when you make your trumps separately by ruffing your losers in both hands – dummy and the closed hand.
Remember, the crucial feature of the crossruff is that you do not draw trumps – you use as many of your trumps as possible to ruff losers. If you use this play when you shouldn't (when you should be drawing trumps), well... You know what happens!
This set of four deals concentrates on declarer play. The hands, though, are in two pairs, there being a link between Hands 1 & 2 and an link between Hands 3 & 4.
Whether that helps you find the winning play on each deal is not easy to say, however.
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