Club News Sheet – No. 181    www.pattayabridge.com   22nd April 2006

 

Mon 17th     1st   Ole & George                            59%       2nd    Paul Buscoe & Bjorn          58%

Wed 19th            No results as insufficient numbers due to Soncran

Fri    21st     1st   Dave Cutler & Jim(Can)             66%       2nd    Kees & Bjorn                     60%

                 

Bidding Quiz                           Standard American is assumed unless otherwise stated.

 

Hand A           Hand B           With Hand A you open 1♠ and partner responds 1NT, what do

you do?

♠ AKQJ7         ♠ A109

♥ Q                  ♥ A864            With Hand B partner opens a weak 2♦ and RHO bids 2♠, what

♦ K107            ♦ A1062          do you bid?

♣ K1083         ♣ K95

                       

Hand C           Hand D           With Hand C you open 1♣, LHO overcalls 1♦ and partner bids

1♠. What do you do?

♠ A62              ♠ Q8654

♥ A95              ♥ J7632           With Hand D it’s favourable vulnerability. LHO opens 1♦ and

♦ Q6                ♦ Q6                RHO responds 2♣, what do you do?

♣ K10632       ♣ 8

 

Hand E            Hand F            What do you open with Hand E?

 

♠ 3                   ♠ Q4

♥ 10753           ♥ K                  With Hand F RHO opens 1♣ and you correctly overcall just 1♦.

♦ KQ9742       ♦ KJ10873       LHO bids 1♠ and this is passed round to you, what do you do?

♣ J3                 ♣ QJ98

 

Bidding Sequences Quiz

 

G     1♦      p      1♥      2♣       what is dbl?

dbl

H     1♣     1♦    1♠                  Is 1♠ forcing?

J      2♦      2♠    dbl                 2♦ is weak, what is double?

K     1NT   2♠    dbl                 what is double?

 

There is no interference in the following sequences: -

L      1♠ - 2♦ - 2♠ - 3♣                  is 3♣ forcing?

M    1♠ - 1NT - 3♣                 is 3♣ forcing?

N     1NT - 3♣                         what is 3♣?

Bridge lessons

 

A few people have expressed interest in lessons, and so I’ll give lessons on Wednesdays and Fridays from 11.00 to 12.00. I usually concentrate on bidding but can discuss any topic.
A 1NT opener?                      I got my answers mixed up in early printings of news-sheet 180

 

♠ A10              ♠ AK2             The first hand here is Hand L from last week and I correctly

♥ A875            ♥ AJ1097        wrote that I opened 1♦ (with a 2NT rebid in mind) because I

♦ AQ1087       ♦ 852               considered it a bit good for 1NT. I incorrectly stated the same

♣ K5               ♣ K9               thing for the 2nd hand (Hand C last week). I would simply open 1NT to solve any rebid problem.                

 

 

                             

Values for 3NT – so bid it?                                 Board 1 from Monday 17th

 

 Now I can be quoted as saying to bid 3NT if that is a reasonable option. But it is not usually reasonable if you can describe your hand below the level of 3NT: -

 

Dealer:             ♠ AKQJ7                                       Table A

North               ♥ Q                                                West          North(A)    East          South

Love all            ♦ K107                                          -                 1♠              pass         1NT

                        ♣ K1083                                       pass           3NT (1)      all pass    

 

♠ 962                    N             ♠ 543                      

♥ AKJ1083       W    E          ♥ 9742                     Table B

♦ Q84                    S              ♦ A65                      West          North(A)    East          South

♣ 9                                        ♣ J75                       -                 1♠              pass         1NT

                        ♠ 108                                             pass           3♣   (1)      pass         4♣   (2)

♥ 65                                               pass           5♣             all pass

                        ♦ J932                                           

                        ♣ AQ642        

 

 

Table A:     (1)  What did you bid with this North hand A in this week’s quiz? North did not know what to do (neither 2♠ nor 3♠ are forcing) and so he punted 3NT.

Table B:     (1)  This North got it right. 3♣ is game forcing and describes the hand perfectly.

(2)  4♣ is obviously reasonable, but the auction is game forcing and it may be best to show the reasonable two card ♠ support.

 

And what happened? 3NT was bid twice and went 3 or 4 down. 4♠ was bid twice, making exactly and 5♣ made exactly.

 

The bottom lines: -

-     With a singleton in which partner has not shown any values it is best not to charge into 3NT if there is a good alternative.

 

A psyche?                                                             Board 25 from Monday 17th

 

I was asked about this hand twice on Monday. One pair complained when they considered that an opponent had psyched. Another player got confused about ‘automatic’ re-opening doubles.

 

Dealer:             ♠ A10952                                      Table A

North               ♥ 842                                             West          North         East          South

E-W vul           ♦ A54                                            -                 pass           pass         pass

                        ♣ QJ                                              1NT           2♠              pass (1)    pass

pass

♠ QJ6                   N             ♠ K84                     

♥ KJ9                W    E          ♥ AQ53                   Table B

♦ K7                      S              ♦ 632                       West          North         East          South

♣ AK986                               ♣ 743                      -                 pass           pass         pass (2)

                        ♠ 73                                               1NT           pass           2♣           2♦    (3)

♥ 1076                                           ? (4)

                        ♦ QJ1098                                      

                        ♣ 1052           

 

Table A:     (1)  East was unsure what to do here. I believe that he got confused with the similar situation when partner has opened 1 of a suit and would normally re-open with a double. Negative doubles do not apply over a 1NT opening and East’s best bid here is either to simply take the money with a double or bid 2NT.

Table B:     (2)  Third seat at favourable vulnerability – so anything goes? But N-S could not open a pre-emptive 2♦ as they played that as strong and so South passed.

(3)   But he decided to throw a spanner in the works here.

(4)  I don’t know what happened next, but E-W landed in 3NT minus 4 for a complete bottom after the devastating ♦ lead.

 

And what happened? E-W reported South’s ‘psyche’ to me. Fine, that’s what one should do if you suspect a psyche. I said that I did not consider it a psyche, but simply a light bid.

Here are my opinions: -

1-   South did not open, in 3rd seat at favourable vulnerability. Thus he has a weak hand.

2-   South then came in ‘under’ a strong 1NT opening. Why on earth would he do that with a hand that was not even worth a 3rd seat opening? The answer can only be that his ♦ suit is solid and he wants that suit led. He did not open 2♦ as they play that as strong.

3-   South knows that his partner has points, in fact North must have 9-11 pts on the auction. He knows that the opponents have game and he wants partner to lead a ♦ against any contract rather than find a lead from his scattered values. This was simply a good bid.

4-   Normally when you come in over a strong NT you have a strong hand, but that cannot be the case when you have already passes in 3rd seat at favourable vulnerability. This bid simply shows good solid ♦’s and a weak hand.

5-   In conclusion: South has advertised a weak hand with ♦’s. What has he got? – a weak hand with good solid ♦’s. That is not a psyche.

 

The bottom lines: -

I do not include myself in the club championships and try to make fair and unbiased decisions. It is clearly written in the club’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy rules (reproduced in news sheet 178) that ‘Disputing or arguing with a director’s ruling’ and ‘rudeness and profanity’ are  UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR. Any more and the perpetrator will be asked to leave.

Can 5NT be a sensible contract?                        Board 2 from Monday 27th March

 

 I was a bit short of material this week due to Soncran, so I dug this one up from my as yet unpublished archives: -

 

Dealer:             ♠ J93                                            

East                  ♥ AQ                                             West          North         East(D)    South

N-S vul            ♦ J                                                  -                 -                 pass         1♦

                        ♣ KQJ9543                                   pass           2♣             2♥    (1)    3♣

3♥              3NT           4♥            dbl

♠ K2                     N             ♠ Q8654                  pass           4NT (2)      5♥            pass (3)

♥ K1094            W    E          ♥ J7632                   pass           5NT (4)      pass         pass

♦ 75432                 S              ♦ Q6                        dbl   (5)      all pass

♣ A10                                    ♣ 8                         

                        ♠ A107                                         

♥ 85                                              

                        ♦ AK1098                                    

                        ♣ 762

 

(1)   What did you bid with this East hand D in this week’s quiz? I don’t like this 2♥ bid at all. Pass is fine, but at this vulnerability it’s obviously tempting to stick an oar in. I would bid 2♦ (or even 3♦) to show a weak major two-suiter.

(2)   North wants to protect his ♠AQ (obviously he places East with the ♥K on the auction and as partner has supported ♣’s it’s reasonable to place him with the ♣A. This hand is thus worth 8 tricks as declarer but perhaps only one defending, so North elected to bid 4NT.

(3)   Having doubled last time there is no reason to do so again. Indeed, double here would say that South definitely wants to defend and it’s not sure with this hand.

(4)   Not quite so easy this time. But North decided to declare in 5NT.

(5)   West obviously doubled opposite a two-level overcall!

                       

And what happened? 5NT made exactly for +870. 5♥ doubled would have gone only 3 down according to Deep Finesse and so North got it right.

The bottom lines: -

-         The East hand does not have the values (or shape) for a two level overcall.

-         Compare this East hand with the South hand on the previous page. In my opinion 2♦ was a reasonable overcall then, but 2♥ is not with this East hand. Why? Suit quality!

-         A pre-emptive 2♦ or 3♦ (showing both majors) at (1) would be fine.

-         AQ (usually) needs protecting when LHO has overcalled the suit, so try to be declarer.

How do you reach 4♠?                                         Board 27 from Friday 21st

 

I was asked how 4♠ can be reached with these E-W cards: -

 

Dealer:             ♠ Q4                                              Table A

South               ♥ K                                                West(C)     North(F)    East          South

Love all            ♦ KJ10873                                     -                 -                 -               pass

                        ♣ QJ98                                          1♣             1♦              1♠    (1)    pass

pass (2)      2♦    (3)      2♠    (4)    3♦

♠ A62                   N             ♠ K109873              3♠              all pass      

♥ A95                W    E          ♥ 1084                    

♦ Q6                      S              ♦ A5                        Table B

♣ K10632                             ♣ A5                        West(C)     North(F)    East          South

                        ♠ J5                                               -                 -                 -               pass

♥ QJ7632                                      1♣             2♦    (5)      2♠            pass

                        ♦ 942                                             pass (6)      pass

                        ♣ 74                                             

Table C

West(C)     North(F)    East          South

-                 -                 -               pass

1♣             1♦              1♠            pass

2♣   (7)      pass           2♠            pass

4♠              all pass

       

 

Table A:     (1)  This is fine, nowhere good enough for a strong 2♠.

(2)   What did you bid with this West hand C in this week’s quiz? I personally would bid 2♠ but that’s my style. If you promise 4 card support with 2♠ then 1NT and 2♣ are reasonable alternatives. Pass is not (reasonable) of course as partner’s 1♠ response is forcing.

(3)   What did you bid with this North hand F in this week’s quiz? Obviously the hand has values to bid again (especially in the balancing seat) – but I would pass as West had passed a forcing bid and E-W may well have game in a major.

(4)   I’m not sure exactly how the bidding went from here on but E-W failed to find the comfortable 4♠ game despite being given a 2nd chance.

Table B:     (5)  I assume that this was meant to be weak? It’s far too good and 1♦ is correct.

(6)  Now this really is poor. LHO’s weak jump overcall has actually made your rebid easier. Partner has bid at the two level, thus showing 10+ points and 5+ ♠’s and his bid is most certainly 100% forcing. 3♠ is very clear here opposite a known 5 card suit.

Table C:     (7)  Finally a good auction to the good game.

 

And what happened? Just 3 out of 6 pairs bid the easy game.

The bottom lines: -

-         Sequence H is forcing.

-         If an opponent has passed a forcing bid, think twice about coming in! – especially if you are short in the majors.

 

 

Don’t pre-empt with a 4 card major                    Board 25 from Friday 21st

 

 

Dealer:             ♠ 3                                                 Table A

North               ♥ 10753                                         West          North(E)    East          South(B)

E-W vul           ♦ KQ9742                                     -                 2♦    (1)      2♠            2NT (2) 

                        ♣ J3                                               3♠              pass (3)      pass         4♦

all pass

♠ KJ42                 N             ♠ Q8765                 

♥ QJ2                W    E          ♥ K9                       

♦ J3                        S              ♦ 85                         Table B

♣ 8752                                  ♣ AQ104                 West          North(E)    East          South

                        ♠ A109                                          -                 pass (1)      pass         1NT (4)

♥ A864                                          pass           2♣   (5)      pass         2♥

                        ♦ A1062                                        pass           3♥    (6)      all pass

                        ♣ K95                                          

     

Table A:     (1)  Did you open with this North hand E in this week’s quiz? 2♦ is a poor bid when you have a 4 card major and pass is far better.

(2)   What did you bid with this South hand B in this weeks quiz? Double would be for penalties - negative doubles do not apply when partner has opened with a pre-empt and partner’s pre-empt presumably denies 4 ♥’s anyway. I assume that this 2NT was Ogust and is fine.

(3)   After RHO bids 3♠ North passes to show a minimum.

Table B:     (1)  This North correctly passed.

(4)   A clear 1NT opener. You knock off a point for the 4333 type shape but two 10’s and good intermediates are easily enough compensation.

(5)   This good shape and excellent ♦ suit made it worth a bid.

(6)   And the hand improves immensely when a 4-4 ♥ fit is located. An invitational 3♥ bid is probably best but I would not argue with 4♥.

 

And what happened? N-S at Table A made 4♦ but scored badly as most pairs played in ♥’s. One pair did find 4♥ but 3♥ +1 scored well anyway.

 

The bottom lines: -

-     Don’t pre-empt with an outside 4 card major.

Bidding Quiz Answers

 

Hand A:     3♣. Game forcing and leaving your options open (3NT, 4♠ or 5♣).

Hand B:      2NT, especially if you play it as Ogust. Note that double here would be penalties and so not a good bid.

Hand C:     2♠ (with 1NT and 2♣ as equally good options). Partner’s 1♠ bid is forcing and you cannot pass.

Hand D:     Pass (or 2♦ or 3♦ to show a weak major two-suiter). The hand is not good enough and the wrong shape for a 2♥ or 2♠ overcall.

Hand E:      Pass. A 2♦ pre-empt opening is a poor bid with a 4 card ♥ suit.

Hand F:      Pass! LHO’s 1♠ bid was forcing; RHO has passed a forcing bid. You have the values to come in again but the odds are that the opponents can make game in a major – so don’t give them a 2nd chance. Just out of interest, the opponents have an easy 4♠ and Deep Finesse says that 6♠ is making.

 

 

Bidding Sequences Quiz answers

 

G     1♦      p      1♥      2♣       what is dbl? This one is very interesting and up to partnership

dbl                                   agreement. Traditionally it shows ♣’s but it is very sensible to play it as similar to a negative double and showing 4 ♠’s. If you play support doubles then it shows 3 ♥’s.

H     1♣     1♦    1♠                  Is 1♠ forcing? Absolutely.

J      2♦      2♠    dbl                 2♦ is weak, what is double? Penalties. Negative doubles do not apply when partner opens with a pre-empt.

K     1NT   2♠    dbl                 what is double? Penalties. Negative doubles do not apply when partner opens 1NT.

 

 

There is no interference in the following sequences: -

L      1♠ - 2♦ - 2♠ - 3♣            is 3♣ forcing? Absolutely. A new suit at the 3 level by an unlimited hand is 100% forcing.

M    1♠ - 1NT - 3♣                 is 3♣ forcing? 3♣ is known as a high reverse and is game forcing.

N     1NT - 3♣                         what is 3♣? Up to you, there are various options. In SAYC it shows an invitational (to 3NT) hand with 6 ♣’s with two honours and is passable. Most players do not play this(!) and with a scratch partner I would take it as a good hand and forcing. There are also a few conventional meanings (both minors weak, splinter etc.) and all of the possibilities are discussed in the NT bidding book on the web.