feb.indd

English 47 Brian Zietman Out of the 10 tournaments we run weekly at the Jerusalem Bridge Center, only one uses IMP scoring – the players seem to prefer Top-Bottom (It is called matchpoints in the rest of the world). The different scoring method dramatically changes the way you play the hand. In Top- Bottom every card is so important because it may give you that vital overtrick, so that 650 can be a top when everyone else is scoring 620. Everyone is scrambling to make 3NT instead of 5 in a minor, and if you get to that 5 in a minor you might as well bid 6, because 5 plus one in a minor scores less than 3NT plus one. Doubles of part scores are commonplace, because everyone is striving for the magic 200 of one down doubled vulnerable, which is almost always worth more than any part-score that you can make. Purists will argue that IMP scoring gives a more accurate result because players have to bid accurately and make sure that they make their games and slams. Here is a set up deal to test your skills in Top- Bottom as opposed to IMP's. You are West. The bidding is simple: 1NT – 3NT. ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ AK3 A85 K32 K876 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 987 432 AJ54 AQ5 The lead is the Queen of Spades. You win the fi rst trick before the defense attacks your precarious Heart holding. You count your tricks - two tricks in Spades, one in Hearts, two in Diamonds and three in Clubs – a total of 8 tricks. To make your contract you need to make one more trick in either Diamonds or Clubs, but in Top- Bottom every overtrick is vital and you take risks to make an overtrick or two. You are hoping for a 3-3 break in Clubs and a 3-3 break in Diamonds with your left hand opponent holding the Qxx in Diamonds. If all goes well, you make 11 tricks, share a top score with a few others and that's it. If the clubs don't break 3-3, you try the Diamond fi nesse, and even if the fi nesse loses they may still break 3-3. If both Diamonds and Clubs are 4-2 AND the diamond fi nesse is wrong, you will go down complaining about your bad luck. You will probably get an average score, because the rest of the fi eld will be thinking along the same lines. Here is the deal you hope for in Top-Bottom: ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ QJT5 KJ6 Q76 T93 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ AK3 A85 K32 K876 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 987 432 AJ54 AQ5 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 642 QT97 T98 J42 Now for the strategy at IMP's (teams): Your goal is fi rst and foremost to make your contract and that means 9 tricks. You win the Ace of Spades as before and play theAce and Queen of Clubs – opponents follow suit. You have the same 8 tricks and the extra trick in clubs is still possible but if you make 3 tricks from Diamonds then that is suf fi cient to make your contract even if the Clubs don't break 3-3. If you make 4 you don't mind, but it will only improve your score by the smallest margin. You do everything possible to avoid going down. The Strategy of Top- Bottom vs IMPs