Club News Sheet – No. 192    www.pattayabridge.com        8th July 2006

 

       
to news-sheet main page to Pattaya Bridge home page
       

                              Winners                                                        Runners-up

 

Mon 3rd N-S   1st Kenneth & Peter            58%               2nd    Bob Short & Gerry             57%

              E-W   1st Kees & Linda Lyen        56%               2nd    Marten & Phil                     54%

Wed 5th            1st Chuck & Clive               60%               2nd    Dave & Phil                        59%

Fri    7th            1st Bill & Mike                    57%               2nd    Gerry & Tony                     56%

                 

Bidding Quiz                           Standard American is assumed unless otherwise stated.

 

Hand A           Hand B           With Hand A it’s love all and 1st seat. Do you open?

 

QJ                1096532       With Hand B partner opens 1 and you bid 1. Partner then    

AQJ75         -                   jumps to 3, game forcing. What do you bid?

9842             5

95                KJ7632

 

Hand C           Hand D           With Hand C partner opens 1, what do you bid?

 

KQ10842     106               With Hand D partner opens 1NT (15-17) and RHO bids 2 -

J1064           A10              Multi Landy, Showing an (undisclosed) single suited hand.

6                   K1098          (a) What do you bid?

AK               Q7532         (b)  What do you bid if you play Lebensohl?

 

Hand E            Hand F            With Hand E RHO opens 1, what do you bid?

 

76                 AKQ7         

107               KJ93            With Hand F you open 1 and Partner responds 1, what

AK832         K1096          do you bid?

AKJ9           9     

 

Bidding Sequences Quiz

 

G     1     2    2      pass     What is the 3 bid of the opponent’s suit?

3

There is no interference in the following sequence: -

H     1 - 1 - 3- 4            What is 4? Does it show 1st round control?

J      1 - 1 - 2- 3            What is 4? Is it forcing?

        4

 

 

 


KJxxxx is not 4 points when partner bids the suit!  Board 24 from Monday 3rd  

 

 Virtually everybody had problems with this deal: -

 

Dealer:             A                                                Table A

West                1083                                           West(A)     North         East          South(B)

Love all            AKQJ6                                       pass (1)      1              pass         1

                        A1084                                        pass           3             pass         5   (2)

pass           pass (3)      pass

QJ                     N             K874                   

AQJ75           W    E          K9642                  ‘Expert’ Table

9842                   S              1073                     West(A)     North         East          South(B)

95                                      Q                         pass (1)      1              pass         1

                        1096532                                     pass           3             pass         4    (2)

-                                                 pass           4    (4)      pass         5    (5)

                        5                                                 pass           7             all pass

                        KJ7632       

 

Table A:     (1)  Did you open this West hand A in this week’s quiz? Non-vul and with an outside 4-carder I think that 2 is reasonable as it’s a good suit. One player did actually open 2, but he was playing Muiderberg and it showed a weak five card ♥ suit with a 4 card minor.

(2)  What did you bid with this South hand B in this week’s quiz? 5 was the popular choice and one bid only 4♣. 4is reasonable if it is game forcing/slam seeking and that’s the way I would play the bid. When partner has show a strong hand with ’s this hand is not 4 points, it’s enormous! If you apply the well established points scheme for shortage after a fit is found (3 for a singleton and 5 for a void) that makes it a 12 count + a very bid plus for SIX card support! A small slam is certain after partner’s jump and you should be looking for the grand!

‘Expert’      (2)  Our expert realises this of course. 5 (Exclusion Roman Keycard Blackwood) is

 Table:              a strong possibility but he chose the rather more cautious approach of a 4 splinter – agreeing ’s and showing shortage (singleton or void) in ’s.

(3)   A splinter is usually followed by a cue bidding sequence and North simply cue bids his A.

(4)   And South now cue bids his shortage – showing a void.

(5)   And that’s all that North needs to know. The only possible loser can be in ’s and so 7 is on a finesse at worst and probably lay-down. Since North has only promised 4 ’s and South is looking for slam, it’s fairly safe for North to assume that South has decent ’s.

 

And what happened? 5+2 was the most popular score. One pair did bid to 6 and were not unhappy to be doubled with an overtrick. The bottom lines: -

-         Splinters can also be applicable at the 2nd round of bidding.

-         KJxxxx is not ‘just 4 points’ when partner has bid the suit.

-         If partner has bid two suits and you have a fit and a void in an unbid suit, that void is probably worth 5 ‘points’.

-         Don’t double a freely bid slam just because you have an ace and a couple of useless queens.

-         A splinter is usually followed by a cue bid if there is slam interest.

-         A cue bid of your splinter suit shows a void.


A Mini-Splinter                                                    Board 6 from Monday 3rd 

 

 A jump shift is usually played as a good strong suit. Some play weak jump shifts (see next page for a perfect example). But some players play a jump shift after a major suit opening as a mini-splinter. There is a page on the web and I plan to expand it soon. Anyway, this E-W pair apparently play mini-splinters: -

 

Dealer:             A976                                         

East                  AQ                                             West(C)     North         East          South

E-W vul           KJ1094                                       -                 -                 1            pass

                        J8                                               3    (1)      pass           3    (2)    pass

4   (3)      pass           4    (4)    pass

KQ10842          N             -                           4    (5)      dbl   (6)      4NT (7)    pass

J1064             W    E          K9732                  5   (8)      dbl   (9)      6    (10)  pass

6                         S              AQ                       pass           dbl   (11)

AK                                     Q109742            

                        J53                                      

85                                              

                        87532                                        

                        653             

 

(1)   What did you bid with this West hand C in this week’s quiz? With 4 card support there is little point in bidding ’s and I think that a 4 splinter is probably best (although some may like a better quality suit). This pair apparently play mini splinters and so 3 was a splinter in their system.

(2)   A cue bid, showing 1st round control.

(3)   A cue bid, showing 1st round control.

(4)   A cue bid, showing 1st round control.

(5)   A cue bid, showing 2nd  round control.

(6)   I’ve no idea why North doubled.

(7)   RKCB (1430). I’m not so keen on bidding Blackwood with a void, but East knows that West has the A.

(8)   1 key card playing 1430

(9)   I’ve no idea why North doubled.

(10)    Redouble is possible, but 6 scores more than 5 redoubled+1 (I looked it up).

(11)     I’ve no idea why North doubled.

 

And what happened? 4 +2 was a common spot. With trumps 2-2 and absolutely every card right for declarer 12 tricks are trivial. Quite how the declarer in 6 managed to go down baffles me.

The bottom lines: -

-         Splinters are great. They are usually followed by a cue bid.

-         I was asked how to bid this hand. Playing normal splinters it could go: -

1 - 4 - 4 - 5 - 6. where 4 and 5 are cue bids and East hopes that there is just one loser. However, 6 is not that great a contract on the E-W cards and stopping in 4 is prudent. If West chose not to splinter then it could go 1 - 1 - 2 - 4 - pass, which is a very reasonable spot.


A Weak jump shift                                               Board 1 from Monday 3rd 

 

 Another fairly popular treatment for the jump shift is weak – a six card suit that is too weak to respond normally (so 0-5 points). Note that this is not standard and needs alerting: -

 

Dealer:             Q2                                             

North               QJ109                                        West          North         East          South

Love all            Q95                                            -                 1              pass         2    (1)

                        AQ94                                         pass (2)      pass           pass (3)

       

A75                   N             109                      

K8                  W    E          A762                   

AK10642           S              J83                       

83                                      K1076                

                        KJ8643                               

543                                            

                        7                                                

                        J52              

 

(1)   A weak jump shift, showing a hand with 6 ’s and 0-5 points. The purpose of this treatment is pre-emptive, to make it difficult for the next player.

(2)   And it worked. This West was reluctant to come in at the 3-level.

(3)   East should probably balance here with a double.

 

And what happened? The 2 pre-empt worked. I saw this at more than one table and it usually went just one down for minus 50 and a good score to N-S. If E-W get into the bidding then they make a partscore (the computer says 4 makes) or they push up N-S.

The bottom lines: -

-         Weak jump shifts are interesting. But they are not standard and need alerting. Normal is to play strong jump shifts (good suit, good game forcing hand).

-         The weak jump shift is less effective if RHO understands balancing.

 

Passed out                                                            Board 15 from Monday 3rd 

 

Dealer:             K9743                                        This board was passed out at 4 of the 7 tables

South               K                                                on Monday. Do you think that anyone should

N-S vul            10642                                         have opened?

                        A32

West          North         East          South

52                      N             J6                         -                 -                 -               pass (1)

A1084            W    E          J92                       pass           pass (2)      pass

A98                    S              KQ7                    

K964                                 J10875           (1)  11 points and 9 cards in the majors. This hand

                        AQ108                                       conforms with the rule of 20 and I would

Q7653                                        certainly open 1as it contains both majors.

                        J53                                        (2)  In 3rd seat it is acceptable to open light and I

                        Q                                               would open 1; especially if you play Drury.

 

And what happened? Those who bid played in 2 or 3, making 9 or 10 tricks.


The most abused convention out there               Board 22 from Monday 3rd 

 

 I’ve said it a number of times in the news-sheets – the Unusual NoTrump (UNT) and Michaels cue bids are the most abused conventions around. They are frequently mis-used with the wrong shape or with a totally incorrect point range. Here is an example from Monday with both (wrong shape and wrong points).

 

Dealer:             Q2                                             

East                  AJ2                                            West          North         East          South(E)

E-W vul           1096                                           -                 -                 1            2NT (1)

                        108543                                      pass           3             3            pass

pass           4             4            pass (2) 

J10                    N             AK98543             pass           5   (3)      all pass

K96543          W    E          Q8                       

Q4                      S              J75                       

762                                    Q                        

                        76                

107                                            

                        AK832                                      

                        AKJ9          

 

(1)   What did you bid with this South hand E in this week’s quiz? A 2 overcall is fine, with the intention of bidding 3 later is possible. 2NT (the UNT) is a very poor bid with this hand. It is far too good for a pre-emptive 2NT bid (which should be weak and 5-5 in the minors) and it is nowhere near good enough for the very strong type (which I play as game forcing)

(2)   Perhaps South should double here – to show more defence that his pre-empt suggested.

(3)   North believed South and so made the unnecessary sacrifice.

 

And what happened? 3 makes, 4 would have gone one down, 5 was minus two and scores about average when it was not doubled.

The bottom lines: -

-         UNT is 5-5 or 6-5 in the minors, not 5-4 or 6-4.

-         UNT is a pre-empt, so around 6-10 points.

-         Some players play that UNT followed by a bid shows a very strong hand. I like this treatment but by very strong I mean just that – game forcing.

-         The UNT is the most abused convention out there.

 


Intermediates Count                                            Board 22 from Friday 7th 

 

 West upgraded his hand because of decent intermediated on this deal. East had superb intermediates, and if he too had upgraded then an easy 3NT would have been reached that was missed by all of the field: -

 

Dealer:             KQ8                                           Table A

East                  QJ8765                                      West          North         East(D)    South

E-W vul           A74                                            -                 -                 pass         pass

                        A                                                1NT (1)      2    (2)      2NT (3)    all pass

 

AJ9                    N             106                       ‘Expert’ Table

K92                W    E          A10                      West          North         East(D)    South

QJ652                 S              K1098                  -                 -                 pass         pass

K10                                   Q7532                 1NT (1)      2    (2)      pass (3)    2    (4)

                        75432                                         pass           pass (5)      2NT (6)    pass

43                                               3             pass           3NT (7)    all pass

                        3                                                

                        J986            

 

Table A:     (1)  With a 5 card suit and decent intermediates, this west decided to upgrade his hand to a 1NT opener.

(2)   A single-suited hand - playing Multi Landy.

(3)   What did you bid with this East hand D(a) in this week’s quiz? An invitational 2NT is 8-9 points, so OK? I don’t think so. This hand is NOT 9 points, it’s more like 11! Just look at those three 10’s and the intermediates. Lacking more sophisticated methods, the value bid here is 3NT.

‘Expert’      (3)  Our experts, of course, have more sophisticated methods, and Lebensohl is one

 Table:              of them. So East simply passes for now so that he will find out which long suit North has. Double would be equally effective with the same result.

(4)   An automatic relay over the 2 bid.

(5)   I have a single suited hand.

(6)   Lebensohl, forcing opener to bid 3.

(7)   Showing values for 3NT and also a stop (slow shows).

 

And what happened? 3NT is solid on any lead, nobody bid it. Now I understand that it’s difficult if West did not open 1NT (most would not) but after the 15-17 1NT opening it should easily have been reached.

The bottom lines: -

-         Intermediates count.

-         K432 is 3 points. K1098 is 4+ points, especially in No Trumps.


A Comedy of Errors                                             Board 11 from Friday 7th  

 

 N-S got in a mess here because of a ludicrous bid by East. But then they were let off the hook by an even more ludicrous bid by East later.

 

Dealer:             1096                                          

South               AQ1087                                     West          North         East          South(F)

Love all            52                                               -                 -                 -               1

                        A76                                            pass           1              2    (1)    2    (2)

pass           3              pass         4   (3) 

542                    N             J83                       pass           pass (4)      dbl   (5)    4    (6)

54                   W    E          62                         all pass

84                       S              AQJ73                 

Q108432                           KJ5                     

                        AKQ7         

KJ93                                         

                        K1096                                       

                        9                 

 

(1)   To be fair, East is a beginner. He knew that he needed 11 points and a 5 card suit to overcall at the two level, I guess I omitted to teach him that you do not overcall in the suit that LHO has opened (and promised at least 4 cards in – N-S play a short ).

(2)   South asked the meaning of 2, and was told ‘natural’. Obviously he should simply double and take the 800 on offer for an easy total top. However, he chose to bid on as if there had been no intervention.

So that brings me to question F. What would you bid with this South hand F if there had been no overcall? The correct bid is 4 - a splinter agreeing ’s and showing a singleton or void. This would then have led to the comfortable 6 contract. Showing the suit here, although it is game forcing, simply confuses the issue.

(3)   South meant this a splinter showing a singleton. That would have been the case last go but it is not now. I would take it as a cue bid showing 1st round control and agreeing ’s, probably with just 2 card support. Since the A is presumably with RHO then 4NT, RKCB, would be the best bid here.

(4)   North was confused, He had the A and he was also totally baffled by his partner’s failure to double 2. Since he had no idea what was going on he passed.

(5)   Obviously 4 would have been a totally ridiculous contract, and East presumably felt sorry for N-S and so doubled them.

(6)   Phew!

 

And what happened? N-S scored a joint top in 4 +3 when East decided not to take his A when declarer led up towards the K in dummy. Nobody bid 6.

The bottom lines: -

-         Don’t overcall in a suit that LHO has promised 4 cards in.

-         Don’t double the opponents in a ridiculous contract when they have a good spot (slam even!) in another suit.

-         Don’t double the opponents when RHO has passed a clearly game forcing bid.

-         A splinter is ALWAYS a jump and is usually a singleton. If it’s a void then the splinter bidder cue bids it later.

-         A non-jump when a suit has been (sort of) agreed is a cue bid and shows 1st round control, either a void or more commonly the ace.


Bidding Quiz Answers

 

Hand A:     Pass is obviously fine. But I won’t argue if you chose 2, with a decent suit and an outside 4-carder the weak 2 is acceptable.

Hand B:      4. A splinter agreeing ’s and showing shortage (singleton or void). 4 is reasonable if you both know that it is forcing and slam seeking (slow arrival). 5, Exclusion Roman Keycard Blackwood (thus showing the void at once) is also possible but with few high card points I prefer the slowly slowly approach of the 4 splinter (and cue bid ’s to show a void if partner cues in ’s or ’ next). If you/partner are unsure about a 4 splinter here then you could simply bid 6; 5 is plain pathetic.

Hand C:     4. A splinter agreeing ’s and showing shortage (singleton or void). This is probably better than 1 as you have a known 5-4 fit and that’s the strain that you want to play in.

Hand D:     (a)  3NT. Lacking more sophisticated methods (Lebensohl) 3NT is the value bid. This hand, with these glorious intermediates, is far too good for a feeble 2NT.

(b)  Pass (or double). Playing Lebensohl you can wait to find out which long suit RHO has; it’s probably a major. If it’s ’s then you bid 2NT next go followed by 3NT to show values for 3NT and a stop. If it’s ’s then bid 3NT next go to show the values but denying a stop. Slow shows. In the unlikely event that it turns out to be a minor suit then you can happily double (penalties).

Hand E:      2, and bid 3 later if the opportunity arises. The hand is totally unsuitable for a double with just 2 ’s. Do NOT attempt to show both suits with 2NT (The Unusual NoTrump, UNT) as this hand is far too strong. If you play that the UNT is weak or very strong if you bid again (a common practice that I approve of) then this hand is nowhere near good enough for the strong type.

Hand F:      4. A splinter agreeing ’s and showing shortage (singleton or void). There is absolutely no reason to introduce this suit as you have a known 4-4 or better fit.

 

 

Bidding Sequences Quiz Answers

 

G     1      2   2     pass     What is the 3 bid of the opponent’s suit? It is primarily asking

3                                   partner to bid 3NT with a stop (A Western Cue bid). An alternative is to play DAB, which asks for a ½ stop.

There is no interference in the following sequence: -

H     1 - 1 - 3- 4            What is 4? Does it show 1st round control? I would play this as a splinter agreeing ’s and showing a singleton (possibly void) in ’s. 3 would be 4th suit but holding a genuine suit you bid 3 (4th suit) followed by 4 next go if you really want to show ’s when partner has shown an enormous minor-suited hand.

J      1 - 1 - 2- 3            What is 4? Is it forcing? 4 is obviously 100% forcing.

4                                   What it means is by no means certain, I would assume the A or a void agreeing ’s.