Over the past few years, the Bridge Club has held a greater number of teams games than there used to be, but players still have difficulty in changing the mindset when playing teams as they are so used to playing pairs bridge.

As a declarer in a teams game, the focus is entirely on making the contract and overtricks are a secondary bonus, whereas at pairs it is all about making as many tricks as you can whether you are in a part score hand or in a game contract.

As such, bidding, declarer play and defence are all actually simpler at teams.

Teams bidding differs in a few ways from pairs bidding:

• There is less of a fight at the part score level as the risk/reward is very different

• One reaches for the most makeable contract as opposed to the highest-scoring one (at pairs there is often a reach to play in NT as it is higher scoring than playing in a suit)

• Players stretch into vulnerable games as again the reward is greater – you are, for instance, either +420 or -50 non-vul, but plus 620 but still only -100 vulnerable, making that more attractive

• You avoid at all costs going for a huge penalty – at pairs if you go for a big number all you give up is about 4 per cent of your ultimate total, assuming a 24 board game. At teams you can play well for seven hands but one big minus score on the eighth hand could lose you the match!

Today’s hand is all about the right declarer play, first in teams and then in Pairs. See Figure 1.

You are sitting South and open one diamond, West overcalls one spade, partner bids three diamonds and you, with your 18 points, venture a dicey 3NT which is going to be all about the quality of partner’s diamond suit.

West leads the Jack of hearts which should start the alarm bells ringing as he is clearly sitting there with the Ace–Queen of spades. You win and lead a low diamond and West plays the ten – what now?

At teams this is a no-brainer – you don’t mind West having the diamond King as he can’t hurt you in spades, so you play the Ace intending to give him his King next. Bingo!

See the full hand in Figure 2.

You now actually make 13 tricks for a great score!

And how would you play this at pairs? Hmm …. a lot trickier!

With a combined 28 HCP, you must assume that most of the field, but not all, will be in 3NT. Taking the finesse gains only when West has exactly K10 doubleton of diamonds … if he has K109 there is still a diamond loser.

It’s a really tough decision, but I think I will go with the field and take the finesse – not a success on this hand! But you take your chances at pairs, and sometimes you end up with egg on your face! That’s the game ….

Correction: Last week I wrote that Judy Bussell was on the third placed Team in the Open Teams – it was, in fact, Judy King. Well done!

• David Ezekiel can be reached at davidezekiel999@gmail.com

BRIDGE CLUB RESULTS

Friday, November 3

1. Joseph Wakefield-John Burville

2. Lorna Anderson-Joyce Pearson

3. Stephanie Kyme-Diana Diel

Monday, November 6

North/South

1. William Pollett-Linda Pollett

2. Joyce Pearson-Joseph Wakefield

3. Judith Bussell-Diana Diel

East/West

1. Aida Bostelmann-Sheena Rayner

2. Lorna Anderson-Heather Woolf

3. Martha Ferguson-Judy King

Tuesday, November 7

1. Malcom Moseley-Mark Stevens

2. Heidi Dyson-Sharon Andrews

Wednesday, November 8

North/South

1. Stephen Cosham-Rachael Gosling (Tied 1st)

2. Tony Saunders-Molly Taussig (Tied 1st)

East/West

1. Patricia Siddle-Diana Diel

2. Tracy Nash-Desmond Nash

Thursday, November 9

1. Margaret Way-Miodrag Novakovic

2. John Burville-Makiko Rogers

3. John Glynn-Rachael Gosling