One of the first things a declarer must do is plan how he will play the hand to obtain the desired goal.
In a suit contract how can you get rid of a sure loser in your hand or dummies to achieve your goal. There are three ways: dump it, trump it or finesse it. If you can’t finesse it or trump it, then you’re left trying to dump it. Do you have a long suit in either hand on which to dump the loser? If yes, you must plan your play. When do you pull trump.
How can you control your transportation to achieve this “dump”?
In order to predict how your long suit is split between the opponents, there is a mathematically based probability called the Odd/Even guideline. If an Odd number of cards is missing the cards are likely to be split as evenly as possible (e.g. 3/2, 2/2). If an even number is missing then the cards are likely split one card away from even (e.g. 3/1. 4/2). Using this metric can help you plan your play to allow dumping.
Our Friday, Aug. 31 Evergreen game winners were: N/S 1st Shirley and Ron Jeffers, 2nd Becky Creekmore and Dick Brisbin, 3rd Ruth Bowles and Marie Pugh; E/W tied for 1st/2nd Fern Albracht and Judy Gealy with Patsy Reynolds and Lawana Ford, 3rd Marnie and Charles Buchta.
Featured is board # 18 from the Aug. 31 game
N/S vulnerable East dealer

NORTH:
S Q 9 2
H 4 3 2
D K T 9 7 4
C K J

WEST:            EAST:
S K J T 5 4      S 8 7 6
H T 8 7            H A K Q J 9 6
D 8 6                D 2
C A Q 8            C 6 5 2

SOUTH:
S A 3
H 5
D A Q J 5 3
C T 9 7 4 3

Ruth Bowles and Marie Pugh had the best score N/S bidding and making 5DN while Judy Gealy and Fern Albracht bid and made 3HE+1 for best E/W score.
Winners at our first “Bridge at Rufty” game, Wednesday, Sept. 5 were: N/S 1st Carol Bachl and Judy Gealy, 2nd Nancy Brandt and Tom Johnson, 3rd Mack Brown and Marvin Jones; E/W 1st Jean Hill and John McLaughlin, 2nd Anita Graham and Wayne Pegram, 3rd Marnie and Charles Buchta.
Hope you all had fun and will enjoy Wednesdays.