00:01.6
00:03.0
Hi everybody.
00:03.1
00:10.4
A strange thing about Bridge is that the higher the contract,
00:10.5
00:13.1
often the easier it is to play.
00:13.2
00:18.0
So, if you are in a contract of 6NT or 7NT,
00:18.1
00:19.9
those hands are often very easy.
00:20.0
00:22.0
You take all your tricks,
00:22.1
00:23.1
and maybe you have to lose the lead once,
00:23.2
00:25.4
maybe you take a finesse,
00:25.5
00:27.4
and you make your slam
00:27.5
00:29.3
– or, if things don’t go well,
00:29.4
00:30.5
you go down in your slam.
00:30.6
00:33.4
But there’s normally not much to the play.
00:33.5
00:37.0
If you’re in a contract of 1 NT,
00:37.1
00:39.2
or 1H or 2H or 2C,
00:39.3
00:41.1
often those hands are harder
00:41.2
00:44.4
because you have to fight to establish tricks,
00:44.5
00:47.4
and you might lose the lead more often
00:47.5
00:48.8
and get it back more often.
00:48.9
00:52.3
But slams are often quite straightforward.
00:52.4
00:55.8
What often happens though is
00:56.1
00:57.2
that because we are in a slam,
00:57.3
01:00.7
we get excited and a bit panicky
01:00.8
01:04.3
and we forget to do the basic things.
01:04.4
01:07.1
Those basic things,
01:07.2
01:10.4
in an NT contract especially,
01:10.5
01:13.0
are just choosing your long suit and
01:13.2
01:15.3
just keeping on playing it.
01:15.4
01:20.2
This is a hand I just played on Sky Bridge Club.
01:20.3
01:23.9
I noticed a large number of players
01:24.0
01:25.9
in 6 NT go down.
01:26.0
01:31.5
I think that that might have happened
01:31.6
01:32.3
because a bit of panic set in.
01:32.4
01:42.1
So… Spades is the longest suit
01:42.2
01:44.3
(the one I have the most of in the two hands)
01:44.4
01:47.4
so I’m just going to keep playing spades.
01:47.5
01:52.2
As it happens, you’ll see,
01:52.3
01:55.2
East chose out.
01:55.3
01:57.3
That means West has got 2 spades left,
01:57.4
01:59.4
so I’m going to have to lose a spade.
01:59.5
02:01.4
But that doesn’t matter!
02:01.5
02:05.3
I'm going to lose a spade,
02:05.4
02:07.4
but now I’ve set up a spade.
02:07.5
02:09.9
I’ve lost one spade
02:10.0
02:14.4
but I’ve also established that 7 of spades
02:14.5
02:17.0
as a winner.
02:17.1
02:23.4
Whatever level you are at –
02:23.5
02:27.3
1 NT, 6 NT, 7 NT –
02:27.4
02:30.4
often, that’s all you have to do.
02:30.5
02:33.3
Just keep on playing that long suit.
02:33.4
02:39.1
It’s important to play that long suit early,
02:39.2
02:45.1
because if I’d panicked
02:45.2
02:46.9
and played my hearts and clubs and diamonds,
02:47.0
02:49.6
then what am I left with?
02:49.7
02:51.4
Eventually I’m going to have to play spades
02:51.5
02:54.4
but then I’d have no way of getting the lead back again.
02:54.5
02:59.6
So, if you’re in a slam,
02:59.7
03:02.4
you can relax a bit.
03:02.5
03:06.1
I’ve got an easy contract here…
03:06.2
03:07.4
most of the time.
03:07.5
03:11.9
Play a long suit and you’ll be fine.
03:12.0
03:13.4
Enjoy your slam!
03:13.5
03:15.7
Have fun with that hand,
03:15.8
03:17.5
and see you next time!
