Youth Bridge

According to World Bridge Federation, the new definition for under 26 youth players-formerly Juniors are players born in 1984 or later. Under 21 youth players-formerly School Players are players born in 1989 or later.

Youth bridge is alive and well on the Internet. Most days there are many young players having fun on BBO. Canada’s own Daniel Lavee-The kid1 has been holding games on the net for interested juniors.

I watched this exciting hand at his table yesterday. 

Imp pairs. Board 23. Dealer South. Both sides vulnerable.

As South, you hold ♠ AKQJ6432 ♥ Void ♦ J876 ♣ J

What is your bid?

Snystrom-Samantha Nystrom opened one spade. She had a side four card diamond suit and as she own the boss suit, not worried about any heart or club preempts.

As West, you hold ♠ Void ♥ AJ107542 ♦ 1032 ♣ 1054

What is your bid?

Zind-Gordon Zind bid three hearts. Nothing wrong with making a book bid. Holding a seven card suit and no defense, jammed the auction.

As North, you hold ♠ 95 ♥ K98 ♦ KQ954 ♣ 987

What is your bid?

The Kid1-Daniel Lavee passed. Holding a good-bad hand for the auction, he decided to wait for more development.

As East, you hold ♠ 1087 ♥ Q63 ♦ A ♣ AKQ632

What is your bid?

Sabourin-David Sabourin made the great bid of five hearts! He could see their partnership may have a slam if Gordon held reasonable hearts and a spade control.

So far so good. What happened next was exciting to watch, well worth the price of admission.

Unlucky for David, that message got lost. Gordon passed five hearts.

Daniel, not in on the joke, made a speculative double. Can’t blame him, his partner opened the bidding. He had the king of trump behind the heart bidder and a possible trick in diamond.

David looking at the best hand at the table, not wanting to stampede the opponents into a five spade save with the blue card, passed. This was Imps after all.

The spot light was on Sam and she came to the rescue with a five spades bid. She must have remembered Kokish telling her repeatedly-never defend with a eight card suit and zero defensive tricks or maybe she picked up a tell-that five heart bid.

When this got back to David, he doubled five spades. He was right in a way, this was their hand for six hearts.

Sam, in five spades doubled, made eleven tricks for plus 850 and 10 imps.

 

Those that are interested in International competition, please check out this site. http://www.wbfyouth.org/