"Boston Molasses Disaster" by Marti Ronemus

Imagine this: An explosion in a molasses factory, sending 2,300,000 gallons of the sticky brown stuff rolling in a wave 25 feet high, at 35 miles per hour down the street, leaving puddles 2 to 3 feet deep in some neighborhoods. This happened in Boston in 1919.

I bring this up to put things in proportion. Those of us who live in the Northeast United States recently dug out from a ferocious snowstorm and were feeling pretty darn sorry for ourselves. Just be glad it wasn't molasses.

And in bridge also, things can always be worse, can't they? At least in bridge, most of us forget what happened soon enough. (Although there are those in Boston who still claim on a hot day they can smell the molasses.)

Our bridge theme today is un-sticking the bidding when it is about to die.

Question 1

Your Hand
♠ A 10 8 7 3
♥ 8 4
♦ K 7 4
♣ 9 8 7

Q: 1 - South:

South	West	North	East
-	-	-	1♥
p	2♥	p	p
?

A: 2♠: You weren't thinking of passing, were you? The opponents have shown minimum hands, so Pard is rated to have something. Surely he can find two-three Spades in his hand, don't you think? Pard will know you don't have much, certainly not 10 plus points, or you would have bid initially. If they have a fit, so do you. Does vulnerability matter? No. Just do it!

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 2

Your Hand
♠ A 5 4
♥ 8 6
♦ K J 6 5
♣ Q J 7 6

Q: 2 - South:

South	West	North	East
-	1♥	p	2♥
p	p	2♠	p
?

A: Pass: Enough is enough! Pard is balancing, not asking you to get in the act. Remember, he didn't bid the first time. He didn't magically find an Ace.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 3

Your Hand
♠ A 10 2
♥ 8 6 5
♦ Q J 2
♣ A J 9 8

Q: 3 - South:

South	West	North	East
-	1♥	p	2♥
p	p	2♠	3♥
?

A: Pass: Again, to bid over this is just asking to be swimming in molasses. Just where do you think you're going? Pard doesn't have 10 points.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 4

Your Hand
♠ A 10 9 2
♥ 8
♦ K Q 9 6 5
♣ 9 8 7

Q: 4 - South:

South	West	North	East
-	1♥	p	2♥
p	p	2♠	3♥
?

A: 3♠: The singleton Heart and the nine-card Spade fit make it okay for you to take another bid. If Pard is sane, he will pass no matter what.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 5

Your Hand
♠ 8
♥ 4 3 2
♦ K J 10 6
♣ A J 10 5 4

Q: 5 - South:

South	West	North	East
-	-	-	1♥
p	2♥	p	p
?

A: 2 No-trump: We didn't use Michaels Cue-bid our first chance to bid because it promises 5-5 in the minors. Using it now warns Pard there's something wrong with our hand and he will respond with caution. He'll also know we don't really have any desire to play No-trump, or we would have bid it the first time.

Ready for our hand?

Your result so far:

Open Question

Play this Hand

Now that you've bid five hands, let's see how your play goes.

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Overall Results

Your results: out of Average:

What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
More informations on our website: www.VuBridge.com

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