Our website is www.pattayabridge.com                             Club News Sheet – No. 269

Our blogsite is www.pattayabridge.wordpress.com                                 

My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 083 6066880                   6th Jan 2008

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

My MSN messenger ID is tj_quested@hotmail.com

         
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Mon 24th              1st=  Jim & Royd                    61%      

1st=  Gun & Lennart K           61%

Wed 26th N-S     1st    Magnus & Per-Ake        60%       2nd    Gun & Lennart K                 59%

                E-W     1st    Gerard & Derek             57%       2nd    Mieke & Harry                     56%

Fri    28th N-S     1st    Gun & Lennart K           57%       2nd    Bob & Jo                             56%

                E-W     1st    Dave & Royd                 63%       2nd    Paul S & Ursula                    57%

Mon 31st  N-S     1st    Gun & Hans                   61%       2nd    Lars G & Lennart K             59%

                E-W     1st    Jo & Dave                      62%       2nd    Kenneth & Per-Ake             59%

Wed 1st    N-S     1st    Phil & Tomas                 58%       2nd    Bob & Olaf                          54%

                E-W     1st    Arne F & Lars F            62%       2nd    Derek & Gerard                   55%

Fri 3rd       N-S     1st    Sean B & Terje              62%       2nd    Gun & Lennart K                 62%

                E-W     1st    Geo & Alan                    58%       2nd    Bob & Jo                             57%

                           

Bidding Quiz                           Standard American is assumed unless otherwise stated.

                             

Hand A           Hand B           With Hand A RHO opens 1, what do you bid?

                         

AQJ87          -

10                 AK73           With Hand B LHO opens 1 and this is passed round to you.  

K52              AKQ73        You double and partner bids 2, what do you do now?     

AQ93           A543

                       

 

Hand C           Hand D           With Hand C partner opens 1 and you bid 1. Partner bids

1NT (12-14), what do you bid?

K83              Q95                                     

K843            Q753            With Hand D partner opens 1 and you bid 1. Partner

K105            A65              raises to 2, what do you bid?

K86             K73

 

 

 

 

Bidding Sequence Quiz

 

E      1     pass   1      pass  

1      pass   2                What is the jump to 2, Natural and strong or 4th suit forcing?


The Club Championships

                         

Congratulations Dave. It’s all over now, with Dave getting a run of results over 60% over the last two weeks and eventually winning the Gold Cup fairly comfortably from Lewis in 2nd and Jan in 3rd. Janne Roos won the Silver Plate and Bengt Malmgren won the Bronze Medal. A total of 14 people scored enough to qualify in the Gold Cup and the top 15 for each competition are below. Complete championship results for 2007 are on the website.

 

 

Gold Cup = Best 30

Silver Plate = Best 10

Bronze Medal = Best 5

 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

 

1869.1 Dave Cutler

1855.6 Lewis Berg

1847.5 Jan v Koss

1836.4 Paul Savelkral

1816.8 Janne Roos

1810.2 Lars Gustaffson

1770.2 Bob Pelletier

1755.5 Per-Ake Rosequist

1748.7 Ivy Schlageter

1747.1 Wolfgang Foitik

1734.4 Sally Watson

1725.8 Phil Lovell

1706.7 Tomas Wikman

1703.1 Kenneth Johansson

-

 

670.5 Lewis Berg

666.8 Janne Roos

658.9 Dave Cutler

655.2 Jan v Koss

647.8 Lars Gustaffson

645.3 Paul Savelkral

644.1 Bengt Malmgren

643.7 Terje Lie

634.5 Derek & Gerard

627.1 Gunnar Barthel

625.0 Sean Burgess

624.3 Bob Pelletier

621.8 Per-Ake Rosequist

621.4 Ivy Schlageter

620.8 Wolfgang Foitik

 

 

350.4 Janne Roos

346.0 Lewis Berg

343.2 Bengt Malmgren

341.1 Jan v Koss

336.7 Paul Savelkral

335.2 Dave Cutler

333.4 Terje Lie

332.5 Lars Gustafsson

331.8 Derek & Gerard

325.6 Gunnar Barthel

324.7 Ursula Lehner

324.1 Sean Burgess

323.8 Gerry Hulbert

322.4 Per-Ake Rosequist

322.4 Clive Bell

 

 

 

Editorial

 

The 2007 year has been very successful. We’ve had a close Gold Cup competition and have finally found a very satisfactory venue with very reasonable prices for refreshments. But it seems that I do have to remind a few people that the Bowling Green is a restaurant/pub and as such their business is selling food and drinks. Please to not bring drinks in from outside.

Too hot – too cold. On Friday I had conflicting complaints from two players sitting one meter apart. One said it was too hot and the other said it was too cold; they also had a disagreement over whether a fan should be turned on or not. In my opinion the temperature was perfect. Anyway, I have now made up three notices that I will place on three particular tables (two under the air conditioning and labelled ‘Cold Table’ and one in the corner labelled ‘Warm Table’). Do not complain if you choose to take a stationary seat at one of these tables.

My computer broke down for four days over the new-year holiday and so last week’s news-sheet was not produced and this is a double issue. There are a few hands left over for next week as I ran out of time – 4 days down time created havoc for me and I have a huge backlog of things to do.

I would like to remind people that the yearly membership is now due. It’s 1000 bht for a year, 600 bht for 6 months or 150 bht for a month. The playing fee is 100 bht for members and 150 bht for non-members.  


Bidding again having doubled – part 1                Board 11 from Monday 24th 

 

If you have a choice between a double or overcalling in a 5-card major, which should you choose? I have strong opinions here and I set them out in the ‘bottom lines’.

 

Dealer:             AQJ87                                        Table A

South               10                                               West          North(A)    East            South

Love all            K52                                            -                 -                 -                 pass

                        AQ93                                         1              dbl   (1)      3    (2)      pass    

pass           3    (3)      pass (4)      pass   (5)

105                    N             K9632                  pass

KQ975          W    E          J843                    

A943                S              8                          ‘Expert’ Table

K2                                     1087                   West          North(A)    East            South

                        4                                                 -                 -                 -                 pass

A62                                            1              1    (1)      3    (6)      pass

QJ1076                                       pass           dbl   (7)      pass           4/5   (8)

J654                                           pass

 

Table A:     (1)  What did you bid with this North hand A in this week’s quiz? It has opening values + and is short in the suit opened, so this player doubled. It was not a happy ending and I give my opinions when our experts get it right (of course).

(2)   This is best played as weak with 4 ’s after a double.

(3)   North now realized that he has a suit, but if he wishes to mention it, it has to be at the three level now.

(4)   East knows it’s going down, but does not double as N-S may well have a minor suit to run to (indeed, they can make game in either minor).

(5)   North unjustly criticized this pass – see my comments below.

‘Expert’      (1)  Our expert North makes the best bid of course. Showing the 5-card suit is

 Table:              much better than a fatuous double.

                  (6)  This jump after an overcall is best played as pre-emptive.

(7)   But North has absolutely no problem now. He has already shown his 5-card suit and this double now is take-out.

(8)   Whether South bids game or not they will get a good score.

 

And what happened? 3 went down three for a near bottom. North criticized South’s pass at (5), saying that since he has doubled South should have bid ’s. This is ‘doing a C….’ (immediately blaming partner for one’s own mistakes). North is totally to blame; his double followed by a bid shows a very good overcall, not necessarily playable in any other suit. North should simply have bid as the experts did.

The bottom lines: -

-         If you double and then bid a suit, that shows a single-suited hand which is too strong to simply overcall.

-         With a 5-card major, it’s usually best to overcall rather than double.

-         Do not blame partner for your own mistakes.

 


Bidding again having doubled – part 2                Board 3 from a while back.

 

This board is not actually from Pattaya bridge Club, but from another ocassion when I had the misfortune to partner a particularly unpleasant player who continually erroneously criticised everybody at the table.

 

Dealer:             642                                             West(me)   North         East(B)       South

South               109                                             -                 -                 -                 1

E-W vul           1096                                           pass           pass           dbl             pass

                        K10976                                     2    (1)      pass           4    (2)      all pass

 

J10952              N             -                     (1)  This hand is not good enough for a penalty

J62                W    E          AK73                   pass or a 1NT bid, so 2 is the only real option.

J52                    S              AKQ73          (2)  What did you bid with this East and B in this           

J2                                       A543                   week’s quiz? Partner has promised nothing and

                        AKQ87                                      3 (or 2) is best, showing a very strong

Q854                                          hand. This actual 4 bid is too much as

84                                               partner has promised absolutely nothing.

Q8                                                    

 

And what happened? North led a and obviously the contract is hopeless. If declarer ruffs then he loses control and is unable to draw trumps and then run the ’s. Declarer actually ducked the first and South returned a trump. Declarer won with the J and the desperate contract would now actually have made if the trumps broke 3-3. They did not so the result was minus one. East then declared to the whole room how bad her partner was, being unable to make 4 when dummy has 20 points and a void. I suggest she reads up on bidding (and manners) rather that criticizing everybody in sight.

The bottom lines: -

-         If you double and partner responds with a non-jump then he may well have a worthless hand.

-         With a very good hand you can double and then raise partner or else cue bid the opener’s suit, but to bid game you really need 9 tricks in your own hand.

-         Do not blame partner for your own mistakes (doing a C….).

 

 

 

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

 

West                East                  You are East, playing in 4 and South leads the Q, plan the play.

J73               AKQ1084                           

K2                6                                           

872               AKJ                                     

107432        A65

                                                               

                                                     


Dave’s Column answer                      Board 26 from Wednesday 26th    

 

   

Dealer:             962                                             South leads the Q against 4 by East.

East                  A954                                          How will you play?

Both vul            1065                                          

                        KJ8                                            You have 9 easy ticks and one way to try for

                                                                              a 10th is to take the finesse. That’s only a

J73                     N             AKQ1084            50% chance though, and would fail as the card

K2                  W    E          6                          lie. A better idea is to try to set up the ’s,

872                    S              AKJ                      hoping for a 3-2 break. If no luck comes from

107432                              A65                     that direction you can fall back on the finesse,

                        5                                                 thereby combining two chances instead of

QJ10873                                   relying on just one. How should the play go?

Q843                                         

Q9

 

The first point is that you should play low from dummy at trick 1. If you make the mistake of covering the Q with dummy’s K, North will win and defeat the contract by switching to ’s – (the defenders would be able to set up the Q before you have established the ’s). So you play low to the first and ruff the 2nd round of ’s. You then draw just one round of trumps with the A.

Now you continue with the A and another . If North wins and plays a through, you rise with the A. You then draw a 2nd round of trumps and play another . There is nothing the defenders can do. You win North’s return with the K and cross to the J, drawing the last trump. You then discard the loser on dummy’s established ’s.

Do you see what would go wrong if you draw a 2nd round of trumps before playing on ’s?

North could return 3rd round of trumps when he gained the lead, removing dummy’s entry before the ’s were set up (this is what happened at at least one table at the Pattaya Bridge Club).  

 

And what happened? Just one pair out of seven made 4.

The bottom lines: -

-         Sometimes you have to develop your main side suit before drawing trumps.

 

 

 

 

Dave’s 2nd Column Here is Dave’s 2nd input involving the best play for the contract.

 

North               South           You are North, playing in 6 and East leads the Q, plan the play.

AJ5               762                      

AKJ1096     Q5                                       

54                 AK963

K6               A74

                                                                       


Dave’s 2nd Column answer         Board 27 from Wednesday 26th   

 

   

Dealer:             AJ5                                       How do you play in 6 when East leads the Q?

South               AKJ1096                                  

Love all            54                                         You are unlikely to get two tricks and so should

                        K6                                       aim to set up dummy’s suit.     

You should win the lead with the K, preserving

K1084                N             Q93                dummy’s A for later in the play. If you draw three      

83                   W    E          742                 rounds of trumps next you would waste an entry           

Q1082               S              J7                    that dummy’s Q represents. You could then set          

952                                    QJ1083          up and enjoy dummy’s ’s only if they broke 3-3.        

                        762                                       To succeed against a more likely 4-2 break you        

Q5                                        must play on ’s before drawing trumps. Play just

DUMMY ®    AK963                                 the A and then continue with the two top ’s.

A74                                      Ruff a with the K, noting the 4-2 break, and

return to dummy with the Q. You can then ruff another with a high trump, setting up dummy’s last . After drawing the outstanding trump you cross to the A to throw one of the losers on the established .

 

And what happened? Nobody bid the slam but three out of seven made 4+2.

The bottom lines: -

-     Sometimes you have to develop your main side suit before drawing trumps.

 

 

 

 

Bridge Cryptogram                            Each letter denotes a specific letter in the alphabet.

 

 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

__

__

__

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__

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__

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__

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__

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2

14

1

1

 

11

10

6

14

 

11

17

15

14

 

20

10

26

 

4

9

5

  __

__

__

__

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__

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__

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__

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18

4

9

26

11

 

7

17

18

18

17

12

17

 

23

26

9

11

24

14

 

25

1

13

23

  __

__

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__

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__

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__

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.

24

10

1

11

 

25

13

7

 

9

6

 

20

10

13

26

 

12

14

17

26

5

 


4333 Type Shape – part 1                                    Board 30 from Wednesday 26th 

 

Same old theme, but people still ignore my words of wisdom.

 

Dealer:             1072                                           Table A

East                  A62                                            West(C)     North         East            South

Love all            J4                                                -                 -                 1              pass

                        Q742                                         1              pass           1NT           pass

3NT (1)      all pass

K83                   N             A95                     

K843             W    E          QJ                        Table B

K105                 S              A9873                 West(C)     North         East            South

K86                                   J105                    -                 -                 1              pass

                        QJ64                                          1              pass           1NT           pass

10975                                         2NT (1)      all pass

Q62                                           

A9                                                     

 

Table A:     (1)  What did you bid with this West hand C in this week’s quiz? This raise to 3NT is way over the top.

Table B:     (1)  This West got it right. Knock off a point for the totally flat 4333 type shape and the hand is only worth an invitation.

 

And what happened? Three pairs overbid to 3NT and went one or two down. Two pairs stopped nicely in 2NT making exactly.

The bottom lines: -

-         Knock off a point for the totally flat 4333 type shape.

 


4333 Type Shape – part 2                                    Board 16 from Wednesday 26th 

 

And here we go again.

 

Dealer:             872                                             Table A

West                K6                                              West          North         East(D)      South

E-W vul           10732                                         1             pass           1              pass

                        J106                                           2    (1)      pass           3    (2)      pass

4    (3)      all pass

A64                   N             Q95                     

J1098            W    E          Q753                    Table B

QJ                     S              A65                     West          North         East(D)      South

AQ42                                 K73                    1             pass           1              pass

                        KJ103                                        2    (1)      pass           pass (2)      pass

A4                                             

K984                                         

95                                                     

 

Table A:     (1)  This is a decent hand in support of ’s, but not quite worth 3.

(2)   What did you bid with this East hand D in this week’s quiz? It has the infamous 4333 type shape and I would pass. If you think it’s worth a try for game then 3 (help-suit game try) is better than 3.

(3)   West has a clear accept opposite a try for game.

Table B:     (2)  This East got it right – knock off a point for the totally flat 4333 type shape.

:                      

And what happened? Two pairs stopped nicely in 2; two pairs somehow stopped in 3 (quite how one can stop in 3 baffles me as if either makes a try the other has a clear accept); and two overbid to 4 both going one down.

The bottom lines: -

-         Deduct a point for the totally flat 4333 type shape.

 

 

Bidding Quiz Answers

 

Hand A:     1. You have a 5-card suit, so bid it. If you double and then later bid ’s that will show a much stronger hand and very good suit.

Hand B:    3. This shows a very strong hand. 2 is an alternative for more experienced players. 4 is an overbid as partner may well have nothing. But if you do decide to overbid to 4 and partner indeed has nothing and goes down, then you simply say ‘sorry partner’ instead of criticizing him as one player did.

Hand C:    2NT. Knock off a point for the 4333 type shape. An invitation is quite enough with this totally flat hand.

Hand D:    Pass. Knock off a point for the 4333 type shape. Note that if you feel it’s worth an effort (I don’t) then you should bid 3 (a help suit game try) rather than 3.

 

Bidding Sequence Answers

 

E      1     pass   1      pass         This is up to partnership agreement, but ‘standard’ is that

1      pass   2                      1would be natural and forcing and 2 is 4th suit forcing.