BRIDGE
Not the points
Andrew Robson
`POINTS, SCHMOINTS'. Mary Bergen used this wonderful, Yiddish catchphrase as the title of a book, and players and teachers us it to partners and students who fail to understand that high card points are only a guide. There is no prize for holding points, only for making tricks. Witness this week's deal.
Dealer South Neither Side Vulnerable The Bidding South West North East 14, 14 pass 34 4V 44 6V(!) pass pass pass North, appreciating the value of his trumps and realising that partner was void in 4s, was only slightly optimistic in jump- ing to 6V over 44 with his meagre point- count. And though an initial ♦ lead would have scuppered the slam, South was in with a chance on 4A lead.
Declarer trumped the lead, crossed to VA, and led 43. East played low and his 46K held. He cashed VK and was relieved to see the even split, then led a second 4.. East overtook his partner's 40 with +A and returned ♦2. Declarer won ♦A, trumped a 4,, trumped a 4, then cashed his three established 4,s, discarding two diamonds and a 4 from dummy. All that remained was to cross-trump the last two tricks and he had made a slam with just fifteen high-card points. East-West, with the traditional values for game them- selves (25 points), had been completely routed.
But West had not lost his sense of humour. A kibitzer praised him for his failure to double the Slam holding 16 points. 'Points, schmoints', he replied.
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