Club News Sheet – No. 241 www.pattayabridge.com 17^th June 2007

My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 086 6089887

It is best to use my home number to contact me unless I am at the bridge club.

My e-mail is terry@pattayabridge.com or pattayabridge@yahoo.com

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Mon 11^th 1^st Janne & Per-Ake 59% 2^nd Kenneth & Phil 54%

Wed 13^th 1^st Terry & Dave 60% 2^nd Janne & Per-Ake 57%

Fri 15^th 1^st Phil & Philip 63% 2^nd Eddie & Robbie 62%

Bidding Quiz Standard American is assumed unless otherwise stated.

Hand A Hand B With Hand A you open 1♥ and partner responds 2♦, what do

you bid?

♠ A54 ♠ 43

♥ KJ1052 ♥ A1032 With Hand B LHO opens a weak 2♠ and partner bids 2NT,

♦ A10942 ♦ 109 what do you bid?

♣ - ♣ J8743

Hand C Hand D With Hand C partner opens 1♣ and RHO overcalls a weak 2♥,

what do you bid?

♠ K1053 ♠ KJ7

♥ A106 ♥ 5 With Hand D partner opens a short (could be two) 1♣: -

♦ AQ2 ♦ 643 (a) What do you bid?

♣ J76 ♣ A98652 (b) Suppose you choose 2♣ and partner bids 2NT, what now?

Hand E Hand F With Hand E RHO opens a weak 2♠, what do you bid?

♠ KQ8 ♠ A1096 With Hand F you are playing a short ♣ and so open 1♣ , but

♥ J8654 ♥ 10432 partner responds 2♣; what do you do now?

♦ AK3 ♦ AJ5

♣ A6 ♣ KJ

Bidding Sequences Quiz All of these sequences occurred this week

G 3NT dbl pass 3NT is gambling; dbl is penalties; what does pass mean?

H 2♠ 2NT 2♠ is weak, how many points is 2NT?

J 1♦ pass 2♣ pass How many points is 2NT?

2NT

K 1♦ pass 1♥ pass How many points is 2NT?

2NT

L 1♣ pass 2♣ pass 1♣ was a short ♣ (maybe2 cards).

2NT (a) What is 2♣ (how many points and how many ♣’s)

(b) How many points is 2NT?

The Club Championships The current standings are: -

Gold Cup = Best 30 Silver plate = Best 10 Bronze medal = Best 5

1816.8 Janne Roos 666.8 Janne Roos 350.4 Janne Roos

1737.9 Dave Cutler 647.2 Jan v Koss 340.2 Jan v Koss

634.5 Lars Gustaffson 336.2 Bengt Malmgren

630.9 Paul Savelkral 332.9 Paul Savelkral

627.1 Gunnar Barthel 325.6 Gunnar Barthel

Another silly double Board 16 from Wednesday 13^th

They keep coming, week after week. Here West made a take-out double with 10xxx and Axx in the unbid suits!

Dealer: ♠ -

West ♥ AQJ2 West North East South

E-W vul ♦ J1063 pass 1♣ pass 1♠

♣ AJ1083 pass (1) 2♣ (2) pass pass (3)

dbl (4) pass 2♠ (5) dbl (6)

♠ AK4 N ♠ Q106532 pass pass 3♥ (7) dbl

♥ 10874 W E ♥ 963 all pass

♦ A52 S ♦ K7

♣ 962 ♣ 74

♠ J987

♥ K5

♦ Q984

♣ KQ5

(1) West wisely passed with this totally flat hand.

(2) Despite what some books say, I have no objection with rebidding a 5-card ♣ suit, especially when playing a short ♣. Anyway, there is no sensible alternative as I will not bid 1NT with a void in partner’s suit and the hand is nowhere near worth a reverse.

(3) With 11 points and excellent ♣’s (so partner’s 5/6 card ♣ suit should run) I would bid either 2NT or 3NT.

(4) Having resisted the temptation to bid the flat hand twice, West finally succumbed. Now it’s not usually a good idea to let the opponents play peacefully at the two level, but double here really is a terrible bid with just 7 cards in the unbid suits. These 11 points are going to make just as many tricks in defence as offence and pass is clear. The only remotely sensible alternative is 2♥.

(5) East bid his longest suit!

(6) South has sufficient values to be fairly sure that 2♠ will not make.

(7) And East decided to run when it was doubled.

And what happened? 3♥ doubled went 5 down for 1400 to N-S. Had West sensibly passed at (4) then 2♣ would have made +3 for a good score to E-W. At other tables N-S played in 2NT+1 and in 5♣ making.

The bottom lines.

- Don’t double with flat hands!

- With 11 points opposite an opener – invite.

Bidding Blackwood with a void Board 26 from Monday 11^th

I was asked how the bid this hand to 7♦ with an ace missing. There is little sense in bidding Blackwood with a void and there are actually two ways to get to the grand.

Dealer: ♠ J96 Table A

East ♥ 964 West North East(A) South

both vul ♦ - - - 1♥ pass

♣ AJ108742 2♦ pass 4NT (1) pass

5♥ (2) pass 6♦ (3) all pass

♠ K10 N ♠ A54

♥ AQ W E ♥ KJ1052 1^st Expert Table

♦ KJ8763 S ♦ A10942 West North East(A) South

♣ Q96 ♣ - - - 1♥ pass

♠ Q8732 2♦ pass 4♣ (1) pass

♥ 873 4♥ (4) pass 4♠ (4) pass

♦ Q5 4NT (5) pass 5NT (6) pass

♣ K53 7♦ (7) all pass

2^nd Expert Table

West North East(A) South

- - 1♥ pass

2♦ pass 5♣ (1) pass

5♠ (8) pass 6♣ (9) pass

6♥ (10) pass 7♦ (11) all pass

Table A: (1) What did you bid with this East Hand A in this week’s quiz? This East decided upon slam – quite reasonable. But what is not reasonable is to bid Blackwood with a void – when it transpires that there is one ace (or keycard) missing then you have no idea if it’s in your void suit or not. East has a number of sensible options here. He can bid 3♦ if you play that as forcing (it is in 2/1) or East can splinter or he can use Exclusion RKCB.

(2) Two keycards.

(3) With no idea if it’s the ♣A that’s missing or not, East settles for 6♦.

1^st Expert (1) This would be my choice, 3♣ would be natural and forcing so 4♣ is a splinter

Table: agreeing ♦’s, showing ♣ shortage and slam interest.

(4) A cue bid – showing the Ace.

(5) RKCB for diamonds.

(6) 0 or 2 keycards plus a void somewhere (obviously ♣’s).

(7) With a ♣ void opposite West confidently bids the grand.

2^nd Expert (1) This Expert decided to leap straight into Blackwood, but he has Exclusion RKCB

Table: in his armory. When 4NT would be RKC Blackwood, then a jump to a suit at the 5 level is RKCB showing a void in the suit bid. It asks for keycards outside the suit.

(8) Two keycards (outside ♣’s).

(9) Asking for kings (outside ♣’s)

(10) One.

(11) And East bids the grand. I prefer our 1^st expert’s sequence because in this 2^nd one East does no know that West has slam interest.

And what happened? The board was played 4 times on Monday. Three played in 6♦ and the 4^th stopped in 5♦ without making a slam try.

The bottom lines.

- Leaping straight into Blackwood is rarely a good idea, and bidding Blackwood with a void is definitely bad technique.

- I like the 1^st expert’s bidding as West has also shown slam interest when he cue bid his ♥A.

- The void responses to RKCB are written up on the web:

(Conventions > section 1 > Responding to Blackwood with a void).

- The alternative approach is Exclusion RKCB, which is a jump to the 5 level to show a void and ask for keycards outside the void suit. Exclusion Blackwood is briefly mentioned on the web (Conventions> section 1 > Exclusion Blackwood)

An Advantage of playing the short club Board 26 from Monday 11^th

Here’s another ♦ slam from Monday. Two pairs out of 4 bid it (but one did not count as they were sitting out).

Dealer: ♠ 982 West North East(A) South

South ♥ 654 - - - pass

both vul ♦ J95 1♦ (1) pass 1♠ pass

♣ J862 1NT (2) pass 6♦ (3) all pass

♠ J N ♠ AK1073 (1) Guaranteeing 4 ♦’s.

♥ KQ74 W E ♥ A10 (2) 2♦ is the alternative.

♦ K8632 S ♦ AQ104 (3) When I was East I simply bid 6♦. When

♣ K95 ♣ Q3 Janne was East he asked for keycards - I

♠ Q654 guess he was looking for a grand?

♥ J983

♦ 7 And what happened?

♣ A1074 6♦ scored a top, the other two pairs played in 3NT.

The bottom lines: -

- When playing 5 card majors there may be problems when you open 1♣/♦ as it may be just 3 cards. My personal preference is to play a ‘short ♣’ so that a 1♦ opening always promises 4+ ♦’s. I.e. I only lie in one suit (1♣) rather than ‘better minor’ when either a 1♣ or 1♦ opening may be a lie.

- Janne/Per-Ake play 4 card majors and every opening is natural. It’s up to you but I personally much prefer 5 card majors and I refuse to play 4 card majors in conjunction with a strong No Trump. I have written up all about the failing of this combination on the web (Conventions > section 1 > Dutch Acol).

An adjusted score Board 6 from Wednesday 13^th

There was a problem at this table when a conventional bid was mis-defined.

Dealer: ♠ 1093

East ♥ J43 West North East South

E-W vul ♦ 1062 - - pass 2♠ (1)

♣ Q653 dbl (2) pass 4♥ (3) 4♠ (4) 5♥ (5) all pass

♠ 74 N ♠ J8

♥ A10965 W E ♥ KQ97

♦ AK875 S ♦ J43

♣ 9 ♣ KJ104

♠ AKQ652

♥ 2

♦ Q9

♣ A872

(1) This bid was alerted

(2) But West doubled anyway. He planned to bid 3♦ over a 3♣ response to show a red two-suiter.

(3) East asked what the 2♠ opener was and was told by North that it was weak, (Muiderberg) with 5 ♠’s and a 4 card minor. So East reasonably bid game.

(4) South then waved his convention card around and bid 4♠. It was thus clear to all of the table that North had explained the 2♠ bid incorrectly.

(5) West has a good hand for ♥’s and so bid 5♥.

And what happened? 5♥ went two down; 4♥ should make (with the ♦10,9 missing declarer’s only play in the ♦ suit is to drop a doubleton ♦Q) – I suspect that he was put off by the shenanigans and it did not seem important as 5♥ was down anyway. At the other two tables the results were 3♠ -2 and 4♠ doubled -2. N-S thus got a ‘top’. The director had not been called (because he was sitting West) and so he now put on his directors hat: -

South insisted that his 4♠ bid was quite in order and was not influenced by his knowledge that partner thought that he had weak hand. This may or may not be true, but he had apparently shown 11-15 points and a 6 card ♠ suit with his opening bid but now, after East and West had both shown strength and partner apparently weak, he decided to bid 4♠ all on his own. It’s totally irrelevant that I don’t like the convention, but this South hand is too strong for the bid anyway. Whether South should bid again and whether his decision to do so was influenced by his knowledge that partner thought that he had a weak hand is all of little importance. The problem was North’s incorrect explanation and the rules are fairly clear here. If I was not at the table I would rule that North’s incorrect explanation had injured E-W and that E-W should be given 60% and N-S 40%. But as I was playing at the table I did not impose the full weight of the law and simply averaged the board.

The bottom lines.

- If an incorrect explanation is given, then an adjusted score may well be in order.

- You are not allowed to let your partner’s explanation of a bid affect your subsequent bids; you have to assume that he knows the system even if he has said something else to the opponents.

- Thus South is obliged to pass at (4) but an adjusted score is in order anyway.

- Established pairs should really know what their two level bids are!!

The 2NT rebid Board 27 from Friday 15^th

How many points is a 2NT rebid by opener? – It depends upon the sequence.

Dealer: ♠ KJ7

South ♥ 5 West North(D) East South(F)

Love all ♦ 643 - - - 1♣ (1)

♣ A98652 pass 2♣ (2) pass 2NT (3)

pass 3NT (4) all pass

♠ 52 N ♠ Q843

♥ A986 W E ♥ KQJ7

♦ KQ1087 S ♦ 92

♣ 103 ♣ Q72

♠ A1096

♥ 10432

♦ AJ5

♣ KJ

(1) Playing a short ♣, so maybe only 2 ♣’s if exactly 4432 shape (as here).

(2) What did you bid with this North hand D(a) in this week’s quiz? With 6 ♣’s and a singleton, 2♣ is obvious and clearly better than 1NT.

(3) What did you bid with this South hand F in this week’s quiz? Partner’s 2♣ bid shows 6-9 points and 6 ♣’s. He has bid 2♣ in the full awareness that you may have just two ♣’s and pass is clear. 2NT here (sequence L) shows 18-19 points, i.e. a hand too strong to open 1NT.

(4) What did you bid with this North hand D(b) in this week’s quiz? With a maximum for his bid and the crucial ♣A North has a clear raise to 3NT.

And what happened? 3NT went two down for a clear bottom. 2♣ makes 10 or 11 tricks.

The bottom lines.

- When you open 1♣/♦ and partner raises to 2♣/♦ then a 2NT rebid shows a big hand.

- This is absolutely bog standard page 3 beginners stuff; so I was somewhat surprised by the comments by two of the club’s leading players. One said that he had only recently realized that it showed a big hand; the other said ‘it depends upon the system’.

- The 2^nd opinion is partially correct I suppose. Sequence L 1♣ - 2♣ - 2NT shows 18-19 points when playing a strong NT unless you play inverted minors. But playing a weak NoTrump then it’s a good 16+. But either way it is most certainly not 13 points.

- Whether you play a natural 1♣, better minor or a short ♣ is irrelevant for sequence L – if responder bids 2♣ then he knows what system you are playing (if natural then he may have just 4 ♣’s, if better minor then he has 5 ♣’s and if a short ♣ then he usually has 6 ♣’s)

- There is a page on the website all about the 2NT bid and this exact sequence L is written up in section 5.4 – it was specifically written a few years back for this actual South player when he asked me to write about the 2NT bid and I personally gave him a copy!

- It’s on the web, (basic bidding > The 2NT bid).

- Note that sequence L is one case for playing a strong NT rather than a weak one; playing a weak NT you may need to stretch 2NT with a good 16-17 points and may go down opposite a minimum, whereas playing a strong NT you simply open 1NT.

Show your suit or a stopper? – part 1 Board 18 from Friday 15^th

RHO opens a weak two – do you show a suit or a stopper in his suit?

Dealer: ♠ KQ8

East ♥ J8654 West North(E) East South(B)

N-S vul ♦ AK3 - - - pass

♣ A6 2♠ 2NT (1) pass 3♣ (2)

pass 3♥ pass 4♥ (3)

♠ AJ9652 N ♠ 107 all pass

♥ 7 W E ♥ KQ9

♦ QJ62 S ♦ 8754

♣ 95 ♣ KQ102

♠ 43

♥ A1032

♦ 109

♣ J8743

(1) What did you bid with this North hand E in this week’s quiz? Should you show your 5 card ♥ suit (bid 3♥) or show your two ♠ stops (bid 2NT). If North was opener I would open 1NT and with these great ♠ stops and poor ♥ suit I think that 2NT is better than 3♥.

(2) What did you bid with this South hand B in this week’s quiz? Partner’s 2NT overcall is 15-18, just the same as 1NT over a one level opening, and South should pass – there is not enough for game. But this South thought that 2NT showed more and so he tried Stayman …

(3) … and then bid game.

And what happened? Luckily for South, North was maximum with 5 ♥’s and the contract made on the nail. Other contracts were 1NT+2, 2NT-3 and 3NT-1.

The bottom lines.

- With two stoppers in RHO’s overcalled suit it’s usually best to bid No Trumps rather than introduce a suit unless you have values for game.

Show your suit or a stopper? – part 2 Board 21 from Friday 15^th

Partner opens and RHO overcalls – do you show a suit or a stopper in overcaller’s suit?

Dealer: ♠ AQJ4

North ♥ - West North East South(C)

N-S vul ♦ J973 - 1♣ 2♥ (1) 3NT (2)

♣ K9843 all pass

♠ 98 N ♠ 762

♥ Q43 W E ♥ KJ98752

♦ K1054 S ♦ 86

♣ 95 ♣ 5

♠ K1053

♥ A106

♦ AQ2

♣ J76

(1) A weak jump overcall. I would bid 3♥, or even 4♥ at this vulnerability.

(2) What did you bid with this South hand C in this week’s quiz? Should you show your 4 card ♠ suit (bid a negative double) or show your ♥ stop (bid 3NT). In my opinion this is the exact opposite of question C. Here the ♠ suit is quite respectable and there’s only one ♥ stop. You should double and only try 3NT (maybe with 3♥ to see if partner has a little ♥ help) if partner denies ♠ support.

And what happened? 3NT went 4 down. It makes if South has the wit to hold up the ♥A twice but it’s scoring badly anyway as two other were in 4♠ making. The fourth was in 3NT making.

The bottom lines.

- With just one stopper in RHO’s overcalled suit, show your own 4 card major.

- Note the differences between this decision by South and the decision by North in the previous article. With the previous Hand E North does not know that there are game values and so had to make a decision (show his ♥’s or bid No Trumps). But with this Hand C South knows that there are game values and he can do both (show his ♠’s with a negative double and then try for or bid 3NT next go if there is no ♠ fit).

- If an opponent is known to have a weak hand and a long suit and you are playing in NoTrumps – then hold up the ace!

Bidding Quiz Answers

Hand A: 4♣. A splinter agreeing ♦’s, showing slam interest and ♣ shortage. A reasonable alternative is 5♣, Exclusion RKC Blackwood. 4NT is a poor bid because if there is just one keycard missing you don’t know if it’s the ♣A or not. Charging into Blackwood is rarely a good bid and certainly not with a void.

Hand B: Pass. Partner’s 2NT is 15-18 and you do not have enough to try for game with 3♣ Stayman.

Hand C: Double, negative and showing 4 ♠’s. You have values for game but I don’t like 3NT with just one ♥ stop, especially as there may be a 4-4 ♠ fit. You get another chance to try for 3NT if no ♠ fit materialises.

Hand D: (a) 2♣, obviously. 1NT is absurd with a singleton ♥ and even if it’s a 6-2 ♣ fit that’s where you want to play if partner is weak.

(b) 3NT. Partner’s 2NT bid shows a balanced 18-19 and you easily have enough for game.

Hand E: 2NT, 15-18. I think it’s more important to show these two good ♠ stops than to show the weak ♥ suit with a 3♥ overcall. I would open the hand 1NT and certainly feel that a 2NT overcall is best after RHO has opened with a weak 2♠. This is the complete opposite of Hand C and you cannot do both (show the stops and show the ♥’s) as your side probably does not have game values and you probably will not get another bid.

Hand F: Pass. Partner has 6 ♣’s, 6-9 points and no 4-card major. A 2NT bid by you now would show 18-19 points, i.e. a hand too good to open 1NT.

Bidding Sequence Answers

G 3NT dbl pass pass means that responder believes that 3NT may well make, he has a stopper in all suits and an entry to partner’s long minor.

H 2♠ 2NT 2NT is 15-18 with good ♠ stop(s).

J 1♦ pass 2♣ pass 2NT is 12-14. Partner has forced you to bid at the two level.

2NT

K 1♦ pass 1♥ pass 2NT is 18-19. Partner has only promised 6 points.

2NT

L 1♣ pass 2♣ pass (a) 2♣ is 6-9 with usually 6 ♣’s opposite a possibly short ♣.

2NT (b) 2NT is 18-19. Partner has only promised 6 points.