Club News Sheet – No. 242    www.pattayabridge.com        24th June 2007

Mon 18th    1st      Chris & Per-Ake            58%           2nd    Bob & Eddie                            57%

Wed 20th    1st     Eddie & Jan                   64%           2nd    Bob & Terry                            60%

Fri  22nd     1st       Bob & Dave                   58%           2nd    Jan & Eddie                             54%  

                                      

         
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Bidding Quiz                           Standard American is assumed unless otherwise stated.

 

Hand A           Hand B           With Hand A it’s favourable vulnerability. Partner opens 1

and RHO overcalls 1, what do you do?

1072             102                                      

QJ753          A10876        With Hand B it’s favourable vulnerability. You open 1 and

62                 AKJ10          LHO overcalls 1. This is passed round to you, what do you do?

K108           J4

                       

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

 

K72              AQJ6            With Hand D you open 1 and LHO overcalls 1. This is   

K1085          9                   passed round to you, what do you do?

AKJ753        AK105

-                   Q943

 

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

 

J92               AKQ85        With Hand F you open 2 and partner responds 2, waiting.

4                   AKQ86        (a)  What do you bid?

AK542         AJ                 (c)  Suppose you choose 2 and partner bids a natural 3,

10876          5                        what do you bid now?

 

Hand G           Hand H           With Hand G you open 1 and partner bids 1, what now?

 

AQ87           KQ986                                      

OJ54            A10975        With Hand H you open 1 and partner bids 2. You bid 2

AK74           A8                and partner bids 3, 4th suit forcing. What do you bid?

5                  4                 

 

Hand J            Hand K           With Hand J you are dealer at favourable vulnerability, what

do you open?

43                 AJ4                            

43                 KQ               With Hand K partner opens 1 and you bid 2. Partner bids 2,

KJ1098654   1052             what do you bid now?

A                  AKJ86            

 

Hand L            Hand M          What do you open with Hand L?

 

A107653      A72              With hand M: -      

AKQ10        1074             (a) Partner opens a weak 2 and RHO doubles, what do you do?

A                  842               (b) Partner opens a Multi 2 and RHO doubles, what do you do?

A8                J1095

                                                     


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

 

 

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

1771.0  Jan v Koss                  650.5  Jan v Koss                    340.2  Jan v Koss

1744.5  Dave Cutler                 634.5  Lars Gustaffson             336.2  Bengt Malmgren

                                                630.9  Paul Savelkral                332.9  Paul Savelkral

627.1  Gunnar Barthel              325.6  Gunnar Barthel

 

 

 

Bidding Sequences Quiz            All of these sequences occurred this week

 

N     1      pass   2      pass       Is 3 forcing?

3      pass   3     

P      1      pass   1      dbl         Is 3 a strong hand or just competing?

2      2      3      3

Q     1      pass   1      dbl         Is 3 a strong hand or just competing?

2      2      pass   3

R     1      pass   1      dbl         What is the 2nd double?

2      2      3      dbl

S      1      pass   1      pass       What is 4, strong or shut-out?

4     

T      2      dbl                             2 is Multi, what is the double?

V     2     pass   2      pass       2 was waiting and the sequence is game forcing.

2      pass   3      pass       What is the 4 bid?

4     

 


This week’s silly double                                      Board 9 from Monday 18th

 

They keep coming, week after week, but this double is one of the silliest I’ve seen. East is obviously a fully paid up member of the ‘double to show an opening hand’ brigade and it got him way too high here

     

Dealer:             AQJ3                                         

North               AJ942                                        West          North         East(C)      South

E-W vul           Q6                                              -                 1              dbl   (1)      pass (2)

                        53                                              2             pass           2    (3)      pass

3   (4)      pass           3NT           pass

5                        N             K72                      4   (4)      all pass                

Q763              W    E          K1085                 

8                         S              AKJ753               

KJ109876                          -                          

                        109864                                      

-                                                

10942                                        

                        AQ42                                        

 

(1)   What did you bid with this East hand C in this week’s quiz? This really is a terrible take-out double, with a void in one suit and just Kxx in the unbid major. A 2 overcall is clear; it’s a nice hand but a two level overcall is quite adequate (showing about 11-17 points).

(2)   I would bid 1♠.

(3)   East has problems now, this shows a hand too strong to overcall 2 initially.

(4)   West correctly thought that it would play better in ’s.

 

And what happened? 4 went minus 3 so 300 away and a top for N-S even without a double by South. Other contracts were 2 by East and 3 by South making. The bottom lines.

-         A TO double is short in the suit opened and playable in the other three suits unless very strong.

-         Do not double ‘to show an opening hand’.


The re-opening double – part 1                           Board 16 from Monday 18th

 

There were a number of boards this week where a re-opening double when playing negative doubles featured.

     

Dealer:             AQJ6                                          Table A

West                9                                                 West          North         East            South(A)

E-W vul           AK105                                       pass           1             1              1NT   (1)

                        Q943                                         pass           pass           pass   (2)

 

53                      N             K984                    Table B

86                   W    E          AK1042               West          North(D)    East            South(A)

J8743                  S              Q9                        pass           1             1              pass (1)

J652                                   A7                        pass           dbl   (3)      all pass

                        1072                                          

QJ753                                       

62                                              

                        K108                                        

 

Table A:     (1)  What did you bid with this South hand A in this week’s quiz? This is obviously a sound 1NT bid but I prefer the bid chosen at table B. I believe that South was hoping that East would repeat hid ’s.

(2)   East very wisely kept quiet.

Table B:     (1)  Especially at this vulnerability, I much prefer this penalty pass. With these ’s sitting over the overcaller 1 doubled should net a nice score.

(3)  What did you bid with this North hand D in this week’s quiz? Double is ‘automatic’ here.

 

And what happened? 1NT made +1 for an average. 1 doubled went for 800 and a huge top to N-S.

The bottom lines.

-         At favourable vulnerability, look for the penalty.

-         Even a 1-level double can be very lucrative when you have a stack sitting over the overcaller.

-         Remember the automatic re-opening double; North’s double at (3) is a must when playing negative doubles.


The re-opening double – part 2                           Board 14 from Monday 18th

 

Another example from Monday

     

Dealer:             109543                                      

East                  532                                             West          North         East            South

Love all            42                                               -                 -                 pass (1)      1

                        732                                            1              pass (2)      pass           dbl   (3)

redbl  (4)    pass (5)      pass           2    (6)

AKQ82             N             -                           pass           pass           3    (7)      all pass

84                   W    E          1096                    

K8                      S              Q1097653           

AJ104                                K65                    

                        J76                                            

AKQJ7                                     

AJ                                              

                        Q98                                          

 

 

(1)   I would open 3, but it appears that nobody in the club did.

(2)   This hand is not good enough for a penalty and it’s also not good enough for 2 now. So the way to bid a very weak hand like this with 3 card support for partner’s major is to pass and then bid 2 over partner’s automatic re-opening double.

(3)   Automatic

(4)   I guess that West thinks that he can make 1 redoubled?

(5)   But this is wrong! North should make the same bid now as he would have made had there been no redouble. This pass shows a penalty hand and with zero points this hand is not good enough.

(6)   South did not trust his partner.

(7)   After 3 round of bidding East finally reveals his suit.

 

And what happened? 3 made +1 for a top to E-W, nobody else played in ’s. Scores were 2 by West =, 3 by West -1 and 2NT by North -1.

The bottom lines.

-         Non-vul and with a void, I would open this East hand with 3, but it looks like I am in the minority. I don’t know if people passed because it’s a bit weak or because there might he a good fit with partner.

-         If you pass an overcall, then partner will usually double; if RHO redoubles then ignore it and make the same bid as you would have with no redouble. So pass at (5) shows a penalty hand.

 


The re-opening double – part 3                           Board 3 from Wednesday 20th 

 

Apparently this South does not have a clue how to play negative doubles.

     

Dealer:             KQ75                                        

South               QJ2                                            West          North         East            South(B)

E-W vul           7543                                           -                 -                 -                 1

                        AK                                             1              pass (1)      pass           2    (2)

pass           3NT (3)      all pass

AJ963                N             84                        

4                     W    E          K953                   

Q92                    S              86                        

Q1082                               97653                 

                        102                                            

A10876                                     

AKJ10                                       

                        J4                                              

 

(1)   This is another classic penalty pass hand (I did not have room in this week’s quiz). Pass (and pass partner’s automatic re-opening double) is obviously correct, especially at this vulnerability.

(2)   What did you bid with this South hand B in this week’s quiz? This South later explained that he did not understand the re-opening double. There are two solutions – either read up on it (it appears in just about every news-sheet and is clearly written up on the web) – or do not play negative doubles. I personally will not voluntarily partner anybody who wants to play negative doubles but does not understand the re-opening double.

(3)   North thumped the 3NT card on the table, exclaiming another 1100 down the drain.

 

And what happened? 3NT made +2 for about average. 1♠ doubled probably makes about 3 tricks so it would indeed have been 1100 away.

The bottom lines.

-         At favourable vulnerability, look for the penalty.

-         Even a 1-level double can be very lucrative when you have a stack sitting over the overcaller.

-         Remember the automatic re-opening double; South’s double at (2) is a must when playing negative doubles.

-         If you are intellectually challenged and incapable of understanding the re-opening double, then don’t play negative doubles.

 

 

 

Dave’s Column   Here is this week’s Dave input involving the best play for the contract.

 

West                East                  You are East, playing in 6. You win the trump lead and play a

4                   AKQ85        to the K and A. Back comes a trump, how do you continue?

J102             AKQ86     

Q98652        AJ              

KQ8            5

 


Dave’s Column answer                      Board 14 from Wednesday 20th

 

   

Dealer:             93                                               West          North         East(F)       South

East                  73                                               -                 -                 2             pass

love all              K107                                          2    (1)      pass           2    (2)      pass

                        A107643                                    3              pass           4    (3)      pass

5   (4)      pass           5    (5)      pass

4                        N             AKQ85                pass (6)      pass

J102               W    E          AKQ86         

Q98652              S              AJ                   Dave put this hand in as a play problem in 6,  

KQ8                                  5                    but at Pattaya bridge club we rarely get many

                        J10762                                 ending up in Dave’s predestined contract.

854                                       The board was played 4 times and the final

43                                         contracts were 6-2, 5=, 4+2 and 6-1.

                        J92                           Let’s start with an explanation of this strange auction: -

 

(1)   This E-W pair play 2 waiting and game forcing (2 is the negative).

(2)   What did you bid with this East hand F(a) in this week’s quiz? You always bid 5-5’s from the top down and 2 is correct, although I understand one player did bid 2.

(3)   What did you bid with this East hand F(b) in this week’s quiz? 3 is correct and game forcing. 4 is totally unnecessary and confusing if partner takes your bids seriously.

(4)   I was West and indeed confused. 3 would be natural and game forcing so 4 (sequence V) is a splinter agreeing ’s. I had no ace to cue bid and so cue bid the K.

(5)   Now I went into a huddle. This 5bid, a cue bid of a splinter bid, shows a void. If I were playing with Lewis then I would trust him explicitly and bid 7. But I was playing with an unfamiliar partner, I had trusted him last go but now it looked best to back down and to assume that he actually had ’s. I would, of course, have apologized profusely if he ended up as declarer in 5 with a 3-0 fit with 7 cold.

 

Anyway, enough of the silly bidding, how do you play the hand in 6 after the start given overleaf? Here’s Dave’s input: -

If ’s break 4-3, one ruff will suffice to establish the suit. Suppose you win the 2nd trump, cash the A and ruff a . Since you are hoping for a 4-3 break you discard the J on the Q. You then return to hand with the A and draw the outstanding trump. Disappointment is in store. When you test the ’s they break 5-2 and you are going down. What went wrong?

There was only one entry to dummy – a ruff – and when you reached dummy you needed to know if the ’s were breaking. So, the best way was to cash two rounds of ’s before taking a ruff. When the 5-2 break comes to light you can the discard a on the Q and take the finesse for the contract.

 

The bottom lines: -

-     In declarer play, combine you chances.

-     An unnecessary jump in the middle of a game forcing auction is a splinter.

-     Trust partner – maybe, but only so far?

 


Trust partner?                                                      Board 2 from Monday 18th

 

Here is another example of a player making a silly bid. Had I been his partner I would have trusted his bid and ended up in a hopeless slam. That’s my problem – I believe my partner’s bids and it also explains why I often get 35% when partnering poor players. The individual lucked out on this deal as his partner simply did not believe him.

     

Dealer:             Q5                                             

East                  KQJ96                                       West          North         East            South(E)

N-S vul            Q10                                            -                 -                 2    (1)      dbl     (2)

                        AQ53                                         2    (3)      3NT (4)      all pass

 

A7                     N             K108643             

A8753            W    E          102                      

J97                      S              863                      

J92                                     K4                      

                        J92                                            

4                                                

AK542                                      

                        10876                                       

 

(1)   The dreaded Multi, this time a weak two in ’s.

(2)   What did you bid with this South hand E in this week’s quiz? Dbl is totally absurd of course and pass obvious. South apparently meant is as lead directing. Total twaddle.

(3)   Showing a hand willing to compete to 3 or more if partner has a weak hand. It does not show points, only ’s, and I would make the same bid without the two aces.

(4)   North asked the meaning of the 2 bid and was told that it contained some values and a willingness to compete in ’s. I only agree with the latter ½ of this statement. Anyway, North decided that partner probably did not have the 16+ points that a double of the Multi on the first round should show and so chickened out in 3NT. I would have bid 6NT, but then trusting partner is one of my problems.

 

And what happened? 3NT made +1 for a top; lucky South had the Jxx, but I suppose he took that into account when he doubled 2?

The bottom lines.

-         I have recently written up the defence to the Multi 2

(Conventions > section 3 > Defence to the Multi 2)

-         This South obviously has as much respect for my writings/bidding as I have for his bidding.

 


The disappearing trump trick                                                Board 4 from Wednesday 20th

 

How many trump tricks would you expect South to make on this deal? Two? Read on.

Dealer:             -                                                 West          North         East            South

West                K97432                                      1NT (1)      2    (2)      3    (3)      pass

both vul            AJ76                                           3              pass           4              dbl   (4)

                        K102                                         all pass

                       

Q754                 N             AK98             (1)  With good honours in both doubletons I

A6                  W    E          Q10                      think that a 1NT opening is fine

K8                      S              Q10543          (2)  Multi Landy – showing 5 ’s and a 4/5 card

AQ985                               73                        minor. 2 (so a single suited hand) is the

                        J10632                                       alternative.

J85                                       (3)  Stayman. After an overcall, a cue bid of the

92                                               overcalled suit is Stayman.

J64                                       (4)  Presumably saying what he thought of

West’s prowess as a declarer?

 

Onto the play. North led the 2 and West won South’s J with the Q. A low to the A revealed the 5-0 trump split and a low was led to West’s K and North’s A. At this juncture North decided to test declarer by offering him an overtrick by leading a low . But declarer did not think that North would be leading away from the K into a strong No Trump opener who probably has the A and so declarer got it wrong by playing the 10 (assuming

North had the J), West won South’s J with the A.

Dealer:             -                                           Declarer then exited with a to North’s K, won

West                974                                       the return with the A and ruffed a . He then

both vul            J                                            led to the Q and ruffed a .

                        ♣ -                                           This was the 4 card ending and South stated that

he had two of the remaining tricks, so one down.

Q7                     N             K9                  Normally after somebody has made an incorrect claim,

-                     W    E          -                     the director should be called. The director was actually

-                          S             105                at the table but he did not want to waste everybody’s

98                                      -                     time and so simply ignored South’s remark.

                        J1063                                   He led a which he ruffed with the K, South

-                                           underruffing perforce. A was led from dummy and

-                                            maybe South was regretting his words and double?

-                                           It does not matter what he does, but he ruffed

with the 10 which West over-ruffed. The 9 was

ruffed with the 9 and overruffed with the J. West’s remaining card was the 7 which beats the 6

 

And what happened? 4 doubled making scored a top (790) to E-W. West simply said to South “looks like you don’t get two tricks, eh?”  North was not impressed (with anybody). He suggested that having got the ’s wrong, declarer could have safely finessed the J. That statement is untrue and the location of the J is irrelevant anyway as declarer has just one to lose from there on. The bottom lines: -

-         A penalty double of a freely bid game with three points is pushing it.

-         Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.

-         Intermediates are sometimes very important, especially in the trump suit. The ♠ 9 and 7 were key cards.

-     Even the worst of declarers sometimes pulls a rabbit out of the hat?

 

A classic splinter by opener                                Board 7 from Wednesday 20th 

 

Just one pair out of 4 found the excellent slam on this deal.

     

Dealer:             9653                                           Table A

South               102                                             West(G)     North         East            South

Both vul            Q                                                -                 -                 -                 pass

                        AK9832                                     1              pass (1)      1              pass

4      (2)    pass           pass   (3)    pass

AQ87                N             K42                     

OJ54              W    E          AK763                 Table B

AK74                 S              J5                          West(G)     North         East            South

5                                        Q74                     -                 -                 -                 pass

                        J10                                             1              pass (1)      1              pass

98                                               4     (2)    pass           4NT   (4)    pass

1098632                                     5      (5)    pass           6      (6)    pass

                        J106                                          

 

 

Table A:     (1)  A weak 3 is a possible alternative.

(2)   What did you bid with this West hand G in this week’s quiz? The hand is worth game and possibly slam opposite a suitable hand. 4 here shows a good hand, about 18-19 points, but the bid is not as good as the bid chosen at table B.

(3)   East should probably look for slam, but there are the AK off the top if partner does indeed have a balanced hand!

Table B:     (2)  This is the best bid. It shows a hand with 4 cards support, shortage and interest in slam.

(4)  Partner’s 4 splinter is much more informative that the 4 bid at table A. With the knowledge that there is just one loser at most (it may be a void) East looks for slam. He has no ace to cue bid (4 is a sign-off) and so RKCB is best

(5)  Two keycards and the Q. If West had a void he would bid 5NT to show 2 keycards and a void. 5 by East would then enquire about the Q on the way to the grand slam.

(6)  East can confidently bid the small slam, fairly sure that there is just the one loser.

 

And what happened? Everybody made the obvious 12 tricks.

The bottom lines.

-         Splintes are fun, and they also accurately describe your hand!

-         Splinters may be made by either opener or responder. A splinter is an unnecessary jump, it agrees partner’s last bid suit and shows shortage (singleton or void) in the suit bid.

-         It’s best not to splinter with a singleton ace (partner will devalue the king) and you should treat such a hand as balanced.

-         When partner’s response to RKCB says nothing about the trump queen, then the next available bid (not trumps or NoTrumps) asks about the trump queen.

 

 

 

 


Understanding 4th suit forcing                                 Board 11 from Friday 22nd

 

An easy 6 slam (+1) was missed on this board; what went wrong at Table B?

     

Dealer:             AJ4                                             Table A

South               KQ                                             West          North(K)    East            South

Love all            1052                                           -                 -                 -                 1

                        AKJ86                                       pass           2             pass           2

pass           4NT (1)      pass           5   (2)

1073                  N             52                         pass           6              all pass

8642               W    E          J3                        

K743                  S              QJ96                     Table B

103                                    Q9752                 West          North(K)    East            South(H)

                        KQ986                                       -                 -                 -                 1

A10975                                      pass           2             pass           2

A8                                              pass           3    (1)      pass           3  (3)

                        4                                                pass           4    (4)      all pass

 

Table A:     (1)  What did you bid with this North hand K in this week’s quiz? Using Blackwood works here as partner has two aces; but Blackwood is not usually a good bid with a wide open suit as the opponents may have two ’s off the top if you get a response with one ace missing.

(2)   3 keycards.

Table B:     (1)  This North had the answer! The best bid 3, 4th suit forcing. If partner has a stop he will bid 3NT and you can then comfortably bid the slam.

(3) What did you bid with this South hand H in this week’s quiz? 4th suit forcing asks you to clarify your hand, and showing a stopper in the 4th suit is always the top priority. This South decided to show his 5th – that would be correct if he did not have a stop.

(4)  North confidently bid just 4, in the full knowledge that there were probably two losers off the top and the rest of the field would be going down in slam.

 

And what happened? The rest of the field all bid and made slam with an overtrick.

The bottom lines.

-         The 1st priority in responding to 4th suit forcing is to show a stop in the 4th suit.

-         It is usually unwise to bid Blackwood with a weak suit.

 


Understanding the Multi                                     Board 1 from Friday 22nd

 

My advice is, if you don’t fully understand the Multi 2 – then don’t play it!

     

Dealer:             QJ10986                                    Table A

North               A65                                            West          North         East            South(M)

Love all            K10                                            -                 2              pass           3    (1)

                        63                                              dbl             pass           4             pass

pass           pass

K                       N             543                      

J986               W    E          KQ2                     Table B

AQ765               S              J93                        West          North         East            South(M)

A72                                    KQ84                  -                 2    (2)      pass           pass (3)

                        A72                                            dbl             pass           3             pass (4)

1074                                           pass           pass

842                                            

                        J1095                                        

 

Table A:     (1)  What did you bid with this South hand M(a) in this week’s quiz? One should always raise a pre-empt with 3 card support and 3 is clear. This had the effect of pushing E-W too high and is what pre-empting is all about.

Table B:     (2)  The dreaded Multi 2.

(3)   What did you bid with this South hand M(b) in this week’s quiz? Exactly the same applies when playing the Multi 2 - South must raise the pre-empt and 3 (showing 3 card support for both majors) is correct. The opponents would then have got too high in 4.

(4)   North suggested that South should raise the pre-empt with 3. That’s reasonable I suppose but not of much value once both opponents have got a bid in. It’s obviously far more effective to bid 3 at (3).

 

And what happened? 3 was just one down for a good score to E-W. 4 was two down for a good score to N-S.

The bottom lines.

-         If you insist upon playing the Multi – then understand it!

-         The 3 bid opposite partner’s Multi 2 is clearly written up in the page on the Multi in the conventions folder and on the web (Conventions > Section 1 > Multi 2).

-         When partner pre-empts, always raise the pre-empt when holding 3 card support.

 


Understanding Pre-empting                                 Board 3 from Friday 22nd

 

I’ve said it numerous times in the news-sheets – pre-empt to the limit first go and never bid again. This South took the club record when he bid 3 times without a squeak from partner – the last time at the six level!

     

Dealer:             J109875                    

South               J9                                               West          North         East            South(J)

E-W vul           32                                               -                 -                 -                 3    (1)

                        QJ5                                            3NT           pass           4              5    (2)

5              pass           pass           6    (3)

AK                    N             Q62                      dbl             all pass

A87                W    E          KQ10652            

AQ                     S              7                          

K109763                           842                     

                        43                                              

43                                              

KJ1098654                                

                        A                                               

 

(1)   What did you open with this South hand J in this week’s quiz? Especially at this vulnerability I would open 5. 4 is a bit feeble (and I like to play that as Namyats anyway). This 3 bid is simply pathetic.

(2)   What he should have opened last go. But it’s of no use now as the silly opening has allowed the opponents to exchange information.

(3)   To quote North, who perhaps is even more emphatic about expressing his opinions than myself: ‘No matter what the outcome – that bid is Totally, TOTALLY ridiculous’.

 

And what happened? 6 doubled was 1100 away for a ‘totally’ deserved clear bottom.

The bottom lines.

-         When you pre-empt, decide how high you want to go and bid at that level and never bid again unless forced/invited by partner.

-     It appears that this South clearly has little comprehension of pre-empting, and I would suggest that he partnered the South from the previous page – but they are the same person!

 

The 2 opening                                                    Board 15 from Friday 22nd

 

Dealer:             KJ                                              West          North         East          South(L)

South               J94                                             -                 -                 -               1    (1)

N-S vul            10742                                         all pass

                        10743

(1)  What did you open with this South hand L in

942                    N             Q8                        this week’s quiz? It’s far too good for 1 which

8762               W    E          53                         stands a real chance of being passed out. This

KQ8                   S              J9653                    hand is 10 playing tricks and is easily worth

J62                                     KQ95                  a 2 opener.

                        A107653                                   

AKQ10                                And what happened? Two out of four played in

A                                          the ultra safe 1 making 12 tricks.

A8


Nearly an adjusted board                                    Board 6 from Monday 18th

 

An adjusted score was avoided at this table as I happened to be kibitzing and sorted out the situation before it got too far.

 

Dealer:             865                                             1st attempt

East                  AQ4                                           West          North         East            South

E-W vul           975                                             -                 -                 1              3  (1)

                        K643                                         pass   (2)   

         

A942                 N             K                          2nd attempt

KJ9653          W    E          10872                   West          North         East            South

J3                        S             AKQ42                -                 -                 1              3 (1)

5                                        Q82                     3              3              pass   (3)    pass

                        QJ1073                                      4     (4)     all pass

-                                                

1086                                          

                        AJ1097                                     

 

1st go:         (1)  This N-S pair play some sort of two-suited overcall system and the bid was alerted.

(2)   West asked what 3 was and was informed that it showed ’s and ’s. Obviously he passed. But the gestures by South made it clear to all present that he had made the wrong bid. I happened to be watching and I like the easy solution. Rather that award E-W an adjusted score I simply told West and South to take their bids back and for South to make the correct bid.

2nd go:        (1)  3 apparently showed ’s and ’s in their system

(3)   With 4 ’s East should obviously bid 4.

(4)   Luckily for East, his partner found the best spot all by himself.

 

And what happened? Everybody was in 4, either making or making +1 but for some reason it was doubled at two tables.

The bottom lines.

-         Know your system?

 

 

 


Double and bid again – strong or competing?          Board 5 from Monday 18th

 

     

Dealer:             AJ3                                            

East                  K                                                West          North         East            South

N-S vul            KJ10875                                     -                 1              pass           1

                        J64                                             dbl     (1)    2              2    (2)      3

pass   (3)    pass           pass          

Q                       N             109862                

109862           W    E          AQ75                  

A94                    S              63                        

K985                                 32                       

                        K754                                         

J43                                            

Q2                                             

                        AQ107                                      

 

(1)   A bit light for a double (especially in the Sandwich seat) but it does have nice shape and intermediates and the vulnerability is favourable.

(2)   A free bid, so showing around 6-9 points and 4 ’s.

(3)   West decided to pass because he thought that double and bid again shows a strong hand. But that’s not so when competing and I discuss it further below. West has 5 ’s and so the Law says to compete with 3. There’s no danger – N-S are both limited and E-W are non-vul.

 

And what happened? 3 made +2 for a top to N-S. All other N-S’s bid too high and went down. The bottom lines.

-         Obey the law in competitive situations.

-         A 3 bid at (3) (sequence P) does not show a big hand. West has already shown his two-suiter and if he wants to make a game try he should double (sequence R). Had South passed then 3 would indeed be showing a big hand and inviting game (sequence Q).

 

Bidding Sequences Quiz Answers

 

N     1      pass   2      pass       3 is invitational with 3 ’s. It’s only forcing if you play

3      pass   3                    two-over-one; OK Kenneth?

P      1      pass   1      dbl         3 is just competing double would show a strong hand).

2      2      3      3

Q     1      pass   1      dbl         3 here is a strong hand and inviting 4.

2      2      pass   3

R     1      pass   1      dbl         The 2nd dbl here is a strong hand and inviting 4.

2      2      3      dbl

S      1      pass   1      pass       4 is strong; 18-19 points with no shortage (else splinter).

4     

T      2      dbl                             The direct double of a Multi is best played as 16+ points.

V     2     pass   2      pass       2 was waiting and the sequence is game forcing.

2      pass   3      pass       The 4 bid is an unnecessary jump and so a splinter agreeing

4                                        ’s and showing shortage.
Bidding Quiz Answers

 

Hand A:    Pass, and pass partner’s subsequent automatic double for penalties. Especially at this vulnerability, going for the penalty is better than 1NT.

Hand B:    Dbl. Partner almost certainly has a stack and you will get a very juicy penalty. If you chose 2 then read up on the ‘automatic re-opening double’ or else do not play negative doubles.

Hand C:    2. Double, with just 3 ’s and a void in ’s is terrible. The hand is not good enough to double and then bid ’s which shows a very strong hand.

Hand D:    Dbl – ‘automatic’. You are playing negative doubles and partner is very likely to have a penalty hand.

Hand E:    Pass. Yes I know it’s totally obvious – so why is it in the quiz? Because one player actually doubled “for a lead”. The direct double of a Multi 2 shows 16+ points.

Hand F:     (a)  2, always bid 5-5 top down.

(b)   3, the sequence is game forcing and so there is absolutely no need to bid 4.

Indeed, I take a 4 bid as a splinter agreeing ’s and showing shortage.  

Hand G:    4, a splinter agreeing ’s and showing shortage.

Hand H:    3NT. The first priority in responding to 4th suit forcing is to show a stopper in the 4th suit. 3, to show a 5th and thus the shape is incorrect as it denies a stop.

Hand J:     5. With this excellent 8 card suit 3 is far too feeble. It’s a 6 loser hand and at this vulnerability the Rule of 2,3,4 says to bid 5. The theory being that partner provides just one trick and you assume that the opponents have a vulnerable game (600+). So you expect to make 8 tricks and can afford to go 3 down doubled (500) and so should open 5. If partner does not have a trick (as in this case) then the opponents have slam. If you are a chicken, then open just 4. I don’t know the word for a 3 opening, what is something that has not yet developed into a chicken egg?

Hand K:    3, 4th suit forcing. You have values for a 6 slam but Blackwood is not usually a good idea with a weak suit. So bid 3, the 4th suit, and partner will bid 3NT if he has the A or the K and you can then bid the slam with the knowledge that there are not two losers off the top.

Hand L:    2. This hand is 10 playing tricks and well worth your strongest bid. It is generally accepted that you should open 2 when 1 trick short of game (and I like at least 16 points). This hand easily qualifies.

Hand M:   (a)  3, raise the pre-empt immediately.

(b)   3, raise the pre-empt immediately. You don’t know which major partner has but with 3 cards in each you don’t care. Pass is the lazy bid of somebody who does not understand the basics of pre-empting and/or the Multi 2. This 3 bid is written up on the sheet on the Multi Two Diamonds and is in the conventions folder and on the web.

 

 

Bidding Sequence Answers are on the previous page