Our website is www.pattayabridge.com Club News Sheet – No. 351

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My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 083 6066880 2^nd Aug 2009

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

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Mon 27^th 1^st Derek & Gerard 63% 2^nd Bob P & Robbie 59%

Wed 29^th 1^st Hans & Janne 75% 2^nd Dave & Paul Q 56%

Fri 31^st 1^st Janne & Terry Q 68% 2^nd Derek & Gerard 61%

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Bidding Quiz Standard American bidding is assumed unless otherwise stated.

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

♠ 765 ♠ A

♥ KQ83 ♥ K854 (a) What do you open with Hand B?

♦ A73 ♦ J853 (b) Suppose you open 1♣ and partner responds 1♠, what

♣ AJ5 ♣ AK108 do you bid now?

Bidding Sequence Quiz

C 1NT pass 2♣ pass What is 4♣ (and what would 4NT have been)

2♠ pass 4♣

D 1NT pass 2♥ pass What is 4♣

2♠ pass 4♣ (and what would 4NT have been)

E 1NT pass 2♥ pass 3♠ is a super-accept. What is 4♣

3♠ pass 4♣ (and what would 4NT have been)

Dave’s party and teams-of four

Every year Dave Cutler’s quiz team has a match against the Bowling Green. This year it’s on Wednesday 5^th August and Dave has organized a free buffet (free food – you pay for any drinks) starting when the bridge finishes at around 4.30 p.m. Every one is welcome. Dave’s quiz match starts at 8.30 and so there will be a bridge game from about 5.15 to about 8.15. If the numbers are convenient it will be a teams event, but don’t organize a team, just say you are an individual or a pair wishing to play and we will sort out the teams and format depending upon the numbers. After the teams event, anyone is welcome to join in the quiz.

Worth a reverse? Board 3 from Monday 27^th

E-W got into a slam with two losers off the top – who would you blame?

Dealer: ♠ Q1032 Table A

West ♥ J92 West(B) North East South

E-W vul ♦ Q94 1♣ (1) pass 1♠ pass

♣ Q96 2♥ (2) pass 4NT (3) pass

5♠ (4) pass 6♥ all pass

♠ A N ♠ K8764

♥ K854 W E ♥ AQ763 Table B

♦ J853 S ♦ 102 West(B) North East South

♣ AK108 ♣ 5 1♣ pass 1♠ pass

♠ J95 1NT (2) pass 3♥ (5) pass

♥ 10 4♥ all pass

♦ AK76

♣ J7432

Table A: (1) What did you open with this West hand B(a) in this week’s quiz? Some experts do advocate 1♦, with a 2♣ rebid in mind over 1♠, but they are in the minority. 1♣ is clear, you never miss a fit and have an easy rebid. 1NT is a very reasonable alternative and you certainly have no rebid problem.

(2) … that brings us here, what is your rebid having opened 1♣? What did you bid with this West hand B(b) in this week’s quiz? This hand has the strength (just about?) for a reverse into 2♥ but I don’t like it at all. I would like to have 5 ♣’s and also with a singleton (even an ace) in partner’s suit you should downgrade the hand.

(3) With a 9-card fit opposite a reversing hand, East decided to look for slam, this really is a bit too optimistic. Also leaping into Blackwood with a wide open suit (♦’s) is very bad, but East is interested in slam. This can better be done via cue bidding (bid 4^th suit to set up a game force, hopefully set ♥’s as trumps and then cue bid) but this East realized that West would have no idea what was going on. This East thought it easier to assume that West has a top ♦ honour or perhaps shortage in order to have the values/shape for his reverse.

(4) Two keycards and the ♥Q! No comment.

Table B: (2) This is best, and is the answer to question B(b).

(5) I guess it’s close between 2♥ and 3♥, but 4♥ will be reached either way.

And what happened? 6♥-1, 4♥+1 and 4♥= three times.

The bottom lines: -

- Downgrade a singleton in partner’s suit.

- A reverseshould show 5+ cards in the first bid suit.

- It is acceptable to rebid 1NT with a singleton in partner’s suit, and this is often the best bid, especially with 1444 shape.

- Opening 1NT with a singleton A or K is allowed.

To answer the question (who’s fault), neither bid well. West’s initial 2♥ rebid made life very difficult for East in an unfamiliar partnership but East also overbid.

Worth a grand slam? Board 20 from Wednesday 29^th

Dealer: ♠ Q983 Table A

West ♥ 62 West North East South

Both vul ♦ AQJ5 pass 1NT pass 2♥ (1)

♣ AK10 pass 3♠ (2) pass 4NT (3)

pass 5♠ (4) pass 7♠ (5)

♠ J6 N ♠ 104 all pass

♥ Q10543 W E ♥ K9

♦ 86 S ♦ 10732 Table B

♣ J986 ♣ Q7532 West North East South

♠ AK752 pass 1NT pass 2♣ (2)

♥ AJ87 pass 2♠ pass 4♣ (6)

♦ K94 pass 4♦ (7) pass 6♠ (8)

♣ 4 all pass

Table A: (1) I prefer to use Stayman when 5-4 in the majors.

(2) A super-accept. With my regular partner I bid 3♥ here to show a weak doubleton but this had not been agreed.

(3) This is RKCB as ♠’s have been set as trumps.

(4) Two keycards + the ♠Q.

(5) 16 opposite a strong NT is usually only worth a small slam, even with a known 5-4 fit there are not the values to make the grand a good proposition.

Table B: (1) This South correctly bid Stayman.

(6) What was your answer to bidding sequence C? This South meant it as Gerber and I believe that this is the generally accepted meaning.

(7) West, however, apparently thought it was a cue bid and so he cue bid his ♦A.

(8) South did not really believe that West had no aces and so simply bid 6♠.

And what happened? 7♠-1, 6♠= four times.

The bottom lines: -

- After a major suit response to Stayman then 4♣ is Gerber and 4NT is quantitative.

- After a super-accept then trumps are set and 4♣ is a cue bid and 4NT is RKCB.

- A combined 32 points, with no long suit, is unlikely to be enough for a grand slam.

Dave’s Column Here is Dave’s first input about the play of the hand.

West East You are West, declaring in 4♥ after North had opened

♠ K4 ♠ 765 the bidding with 1♦. Plan the play on the ♦Q lead.

♥ AJ1096 ♥ KQ83

♦ K54 ♦ A73

♣ Q83 ♣ AJ5

Dave’s Column answer Board 1 from Wednesday 29^th

Dealer: ♠ AQJ3 Book bidding

North ♥ 72 West North East(A) South

Love all ♦ QJ92 - 1♦ dbl (1) pass

♣ K106 4♥ all pass

♠ K4 N ♠ 765 (1) What did you bid with this East hand A in this

♥ AJ1096 W E ♥ KQ83 week’s quiz? I would pass, this is hardly a

♦ K54 S ♦ A73 normal take-out double hand and it is not

♣ Q83 ♣ AJ5 strong enough for 1NT.

♠ 10982

♥ 54 Anyway, East is lucky when there is a ♥ fit.

♦ 1086 North leads the ♦Q, plan the play.

♣ 9742

This is what happened at two tables. The first West took his ♦K, cashed the ♥J and took a winning ♣ finesse to dummy’s ♣J. He led a trump to his ♥10 and a low ♦ towards dummy, winning the ♦A when North played the ♦2. Another ♦ went to South’s ♦10 and the ♠ shift created problems. After West ruffed the 3^rd ♠ he had to concede a ♣ trick for one down.

At the other table, West refused to take the ♦Q, allowing North to win the trick. He won the next ♦, drew trumps and took the winning ♣ finesse to dummy’s ♣J. After carefully cashing the ♦A, West cashed the ♣A and put North on lead with the ♣K. North was now end-played.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? 4♥+1, 4♥= and 4♥-1 three times.

Dave’s 2^nd Column Here is Dave’s 2^nd input about the play of the hand.

North South You are South, declarer in 4♥ and West leads the ♣K.

♠ AJ3 ♠ 62 You win with the ♣A and after cashing the ♥A,K you

♥ A64 ♥ KJ9852 find that West has the ♥Q winner. Plan the play.

♦ KJ972 ♦ A83

♣ A9 ♣ J6

Dave’s 2^nd Column answer Board 3 from Wednesday 29^th

Dealer: ♠ AJ3 Book bidding

(North)* ♥ A64 West North East South

E-W vul ♦ KJ972 - 1NT pass 4♥ (1)

♣ A9 all pass

♠ Q95 N ♠ K10874 (1) With no tenace whatsoever, I simply cannot

♥ Q107 W E ♥ 3 understand this bid. The NoTrump bidder

♦ 64 S ♦ Q105 should be declarer and you achieve this by

♣ KQ1085 ♣743 simply transferring or by using Texas transfers

♠ 62 (4♦) or South African Texas transfers (4♣).

♥ KJ9852

♦ A83 Anyway, South is declarer and West leads the ♣K. Declarer

♣ J6 won with the ♣A, cashed the ♥A and another ♥ to his ♥K.

How should declarer proceed now that West has a trump trick?

After cashing the ♥A and ♥K South cashed the ♦A and finessed the ♦J losing to East’s ♦Q.

East returned a ♣ to West’s ♣Q and West made an excellent play. Instead of relinquishing control by cashing his high trump, he switched to a ♠, in search of the setting trick. Dummy took the ♠A and tried the ♦K but West ruffed and cashed the winning ♠ for one down.

How could South prevail in spite of the obstacles? After he wins his trump king he should lead a ♦ to dummy’s ♦K and another to his ♦A. When no ♦Q appears he leads another ♦ towards dummy’s ♦J. East wins his ♦Q as before, but with a big difference. After West wins his ♣Q and shifts to ♠’s, South is in control. With ♦’s already established, declarer wins dummy’s ♠A and leads a high ♦, discarding his losing ♠. West ruffs, but it’s too late and declarer makes his contract.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? 4♥= all five times.

(*) Note. In the actual deal at the club, South was dealer so that he could open a weak 2♥ and the hand gets played by South as intended.

Bidding Quiz Answers

Hand A: Pass. The hand has the wrong shape for a take-out double and is not strong enough for 1NT.

Hand B: (a) 1♣, there is absolutely no advantage in opening 1♦ and a ♣ fit may get lost. The equally good, perhaps better, alternative is to open 1NT.

(b) 1NT. It’s one point too much but a singleton in partner’s suit is bad. 2♥ (or 2♦) would be a reverse which I do not like as the hand is not good enough and lacks a 5^th ♣.

Bidding Sequence Quiz Answers

C 1NT pass 2♣ pass 4♣ has to be agreed, I play it as Gerber with my current

2♠ pass 4♣ partner. 4NT is then quantitative, inviting 6NT

D 1NT pass 2♥ pass 4♣ is RKCB or Gerber by partnership agreement

2♠ pass 4♣ 4NT is then quantitative, inviting 6NT

E 1NT pass 2♥ pass 4♣ is a cue bid with ♠’s agreed

3♠ pass 4♣ 4NT is RKCB for ♠’s.

Current club championship standings

	Gold Cup = Best 30	Silver Plate = Best 10	Bronze Medal = Best 5
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	1876.2 Janne Roos 1853.8 Hans Vikman 1832.4 Paul Quodomine 1776.3 Sally Watson	669.6 Janne Roos 667.7 Hans Vikman 649.0 Paul Quodomine 631.8 Sally Watson 619.9 Jeremy Watson 617.5 Bob Short 615.1 Lars Broman 614.1 Ivy Schlageter 609.2 Jean Wissing 607.6 Per Andersson	350.0 Janne Roos 350.7 Hans Vikman 333.3 Paul Quodomine 324.5 Sally Watson 321.8 Ivy Schlageter 321.7 Bob Short 321.7 Jeremy Watson 321.0 Per Andersson 316.9 Terje Lie 316.1 Lars Broman