Our website is www.pattayabridge.com Club News Sheet – No. 283

Our blogsite is www.pattayabridge.wordpress.com

My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 083 6066880 13^th April 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

Mon 7^th 1^st Ivy & Paul K 59% 2^nd Dave & Jean 58%

Wed 9^th 1^st Jean & Tomas 65% 2^nd Alan & Arnawood 60%

Fri 11^th 1^st Ivy & Dave 57% 2^nd = thee other pairs 54%

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Bidding Quiz

Hand A Hand B With Hand A LHO opens 1♣ and partner overcalls 1♠,

what do you bid?

♠ K95 ♠ 9

♥ K983 ♥ J93 With Hand B you open 1♦ and partner bids:

♦ 108 ♦ AKQ43 (a) 1♥, or (b) 1♠. What do you do in either case?

♣ A875 ♣ AQ105

Hand C Hand D With Hand C LHO opens 2♣ and partner doubles. RHO passes,

what do you bid?

♠ J10863 ♠ AJ8

♥ AQ764 ♥ AQ52 With Hand D suppose that you are playing primitive Standard

♦ 7 ♦ AKQ American so that 2♣ - 2♦ - 2NT is 22-24 and 2♣ - 2♦ - 3NT is

♣ 93 ♣ AJ2 25-27. You open 2♣ and partner bids 2♦, what do you bid?

Hand E Hand F With Hand E RHO opens 1♣, what do you bid?

♠ A8763 ♠ K42 Just for a change, we’ll have a couple of questions on the

♥ QJ ♥ J85432 Multi 2♦ (weak major, strong minor or strong balanced).

♦ AK42 ♦ J93 With Hand F you decide to open 2♦; what do you bid when

♣ J4 ♣ K (a) Partner responds 2NT? (b) Partner responds 2♠?

Bidding Sequence Quiz

G 2♣ dbl What is the double of the strong 2♣ opening, take-out or something else?

H 1♣ pass 1♥ pass

1♠ How many ♣’s is opener promising in this sequence; 2,3,4 or 5?

J 1♥ 1♠ 2♠ What is the 2♠ bid?

K 1♥ 1♠ 2♠ pass

3♣ Is 3♣ promising extra values or could it be a minimal hand?

L 1♣ 1♥ pass 3♥ Is 3♥ invitational or weak?

M 1♣ 1♥ pass 2♣ What is the 2♣ bid?

N 1♥ pass 2♦ pass

3♥ Is 3♥ forcing?

Double of a Cipher Bid is for a Lead Board 23 from Monday 7^th

Dealer: ♠ AKQ74 West(C) North East South

South ♥ K2 - - - pass

Both vul ♦ QJ65 pass 2♣ (1) dbl (2) pass

♣ A7 2♥ (3) 2♠ (4) pass 2NT

pass 3NT all pass

♠ J10863 N ♠ 95

♥ AQ764 W E ♥ 85 (1) This is way off the requirements for a 2♣

♦ 7 S ♦ A9842 opening, maybe they were playing Benjamin,

♣ 93 ♣ KQ106 but it’s still not good enough.

♠ 2 (2) What was your answer to Bidding Sequence G?

♥ J1093 This bid is simply showing ♣’s and is most

♦ K103 certainly not inviting partner to bid.

♣ J8542 (3) What did you bid with this West hand C in this week’s quiz? West incorrectly thought that he should bid.

(4) Having already shown a big hand, North could pass here in the hope of a reasonable penalty.

And what happened? 3NT is hopeless but West did not realize that the double of 2♣ asked for a ♣ lead. He led a ♥ and 3NT rolled home for a complete top to N-S. Two other N-S’s overbid to 3NT but they both went down.

The bottom lines: -

- A double of a strong 2♣ opening shows a ♣ suit and asks for a ♣ lead.

Cover an honour with an honour? Board 8 from Monday 7^th

Dealer: ♠ K98 West North East South

West ♥ 532 pass pass 1♦ pass

Love all ♦ 654 1♥ pass 2♥ pass

♣ QJ73 pass (1) pass

♠ J75 N ♠ A4 (1) This is marginal between pass and an invitation,

♥ KJ96 W E ♥ Q1084 but East would obviously decline any invitation

♦ K107 S ♦ AJ983 anyway.

♣ K42 ♣ 86

♠ Q10632

♥ A7

♦ Q2 .

♣ A1095

And what happened? At our table there was a trump lead. South won the ♥A and lead another. Declarer won and cleared trumps ending in dummy (East). He needed to guess the ♦’s and so led the ♦J. His intention, if this was not covered or if South gave no tell-tale pause, was to overtake and then take the (losing) ♦ finesse. South, however, covered; and declarer got two ♠ discards on the good ♦’s. The bottom lines: -

- It is not automatic to ‘cover an honour with an honour’. South should have seen that there was no possibility of promoting a ♦ for partner and should not cover.

A Multi Mix-up Board 5 from Wednesday 9^th

As I have said in previous news-sheets, inexperienced or non-established pairs can often get mixed up when using the Multi 2 diamonds: -

Dealer: ♠ A93

North ♥ AQ6 West North East(F) South

N-S vul ♦ 652 - pass 2♦ (1) pass

♣ J1097 2♠ (2) dbl 3♣ (3) pass

4NT (4) pass 5♦ (5) pass

♠ QJ10 N ♠ K42 6♣ (6) dbl all pass

♥ K109 W E ♥ J85432

♦ Q107 S ♦ J93

♣ AQ43 ♣ K

♠ 8765

♥ 7

♦ AK84

♣ 8652

(1) The Multi two diamonds: weak with a 6 card major or strong with a minor suit or strong and balanced. Many would consider this suit unsuitable for a pre-empt.

(2) Showing a willingness to compete to 3♥ or more if partner’s suit is ♥’s or else to play in 2♠ if partner’s suit is ♠’s. 3♥ (a pre-emptive raise for either major) is a possibility but this bid gives a lot of information away to the opposition and West thought that East might not understand it anyway.

(3) What did you bid with this East hand F(b) in this week’s quiz? I believe that East got confused, thinking that West hand a hand similar to a 2NT enquiry, and responded accordingly. This is incorrect, West is not showing a strong hand and East should simply bid 3♥. 3♣ here shows a strong hand with a good ♣ suit.

(4) West thinks that East has a good hand with ♣’s and so bids RKCB.

(5) 1 or 4 keycards.

(6) West knows that it must be 4 keycards and so bids slam

And what happened? 6♣ doubled went down six for 1400 and a top for N-S.

The bottom lines: -

- The Multi is an amusing gadget but that does not mean it’s better than traditional weak twos.

- If you really want to play the Multi – then understand all of the sequences!

- I much prefer Benjamin twos to the Multi 2♦; no mix-ups.

It did not take me long to write this article – it is copied from news sheet 236 where the same East player made exactly the same erroneous 3♣ bid in exactly the same sequence with exactly the same partner and got exactly the same bottom. I remembered writing this up in May 2007; it seems that East does not have such a good memory.

If you really want to play the Multi Two Diamonds, it is written up, together with all of the sequences, on the website and is in the conventions folder.

Worth a Jump? Board 13 from Monday 7^th

Dealer: ♠ 9 Table A

North ♥ J93 West North(B) East South

Both vul ♦ AKQ43 - 1♦ pass 1♥

♣ AQ105 pass 2♣ (1) pass 2♠ (2)

pass 3♥ (3) pass 4NT (4)

♠ QJ86 N ♠ 105432 pass 5♥ (5) pass 6♥ (6)

♥ 105 W E ♥ 864 all pass

♦ 9852 S ♦ J7

♣ 932 ♣ 876 Table B

♠ AK7 West North(B) East South

♥ AKQ73 - 1♦ pass 1♥

♦ 106 pass 3♣ (1) pass 4NT (7)

♣ KJ4 pass 5♠ (8) pass 7NT (9)

all pass

Table A: (1) What did you bid with this North hand B(a) in this week’s quiz? I prefer the choice made at Table B.

(2) 4^th suit forcing – in order to set up a game force and find out more about partner’s hand.

(3) Denying a ♠ stop and showing the three (possibly two) card ♥ support.

(4) RKCB for ♥’s.

(5) Two keycards but no ♥Q.

(6) South has no idea that North has 15 points (it could well be 11) with such good (in context) ♥’s and so very reasonably signed off in 6♥.

Table B: (1) This North got it right, 16 points is borderline for a game forcing jump to 3♣, but the good suits, singleton ♠ and J9x in partner’s suit make it good enough in my opinion and it’s what I bid at the table.

(7) RKCB for ♣’s. Note the neat use of RKCB here – South wants to know about the ♣Q even though there is no question of them being trumps!

(8) Two keycards + the ♣Q.

(9) With a known 16+ points opposite including the ♣Q South has no problem bidding 7NT.

And what happened? 13(+) tricks are cold in ♥’s or NoTrumps. Two pairs bid 7NT and two stopped in 6♥.

The bottom lines: -

- Upgrade a hand with reasonable support for partner’s suit. This North hand is a case in point. Swap the majors so that the hand is ♠J92 ♥9 ♦AKQ43 ♣AQ105, so a similar problem to bidding quiz B(b), and I would not jump to 3♣ at (1) with a singleton in partner’s suit. And note that the ♥Jxx are crucial to ensure 13 tricks.

Raising Partner’s (Major Suit) Overcall Board 26 from Wednesday 9^th

Dealer: ♠ A8763 Table A

East ♥ QJ West North(E) East South(A)

Both vul ♦ AK42 1♣ 1♠ (1) pass 2♠ (2)

♣ J4 pass pass (3) pass

♠ QJ N ♠ 1042 ‘Expert’ Table

♥ A1072 W E ♥ 654 West North(E) East South(A)

♦ QJ S ♦ 97653 1♣ 1♠ (1) pass 2♣ (2)

♣ Q10632 ♣ K9 pass 4♠ (4) all pass

♠ K95

♥ K983

♦ 108

♣ A875

Table A: (1) What did you bid with this North hand E in this week’s quiz? This simple overcall is correct. A double is a poor bid because partner may well respond in ♥’s and then you are fixed as a ♠ bid would then show a much stronger hand.

(2) What did you bid with this South hand A in this week’s quiz? This 2♠ bid is incorrect as it shows a weak raise, generally around 5-9 points.

(3) North did think for a while, but ‘foolishly’ decided to trust partner.

‘Expert’ (2) Our experts play any ♠ raise here as weak, with three decent trumps and good

Table’ intermediates this hand is worth a constructive raise and the correct bid is 2♣ - an Unassuming Cue Bid showing a sound raise to 3♠.

(4) North now has an easy 4♠ Bid.

And what happened? One pair bid and made 4♠, other results were 3♠+1, 2♠+2 and 2♠+1.

The bottom lines: -

- If partner overcalls in a major and RHO passes, then any raise to 2,3 or 4 of partner’s suit is pre-emptive. With a sound raise to the three level or better, cue bid the opener’s suit.

- The Unassuming Cue bid is fully described in the conventions folder and on the website

Worth Three NoTrumps? Board 4 from Monday 7^th

Dealer: ♠ Q53 Table A

West ♥ J9874 West(D) North East South

Both vul ♦ 6542 2♣ (1) pass 2♦ pass

♣ Q 3NT (2) all pass

♠ AJ8 N ♠ 964 ‘Expert’ Table

♥ AQ52 W E ♥ 63 West(D) North East South

♦ AKQ S ♦ J103 2♣ (1) pass 2♦ pass

♣ AJ2 ♣ 108654 2NT (3) all pass

♠ K1072

♥ K10

♦ 987

♣ K973

Table A: (1) What did you bid with this West hand D in this week’s quiz? This 2♣ was this pair’s strongest bid.

(2) And the 3NT rebid (I hate this) showed 25+

‘Expert’ (1) Our experts play Benjamin twos and they also know to deduct a point for a totally

Table: flat 4333 type hand. So this West opened 2♣ which is not the strongest bid.

(3) And the 2NT rebid showed 22-24, what is what this hand is worth.

And what happened? Everybody! Overbid to 3NT. At my table they went one down when my partner held up the ♣K till the 3^rd round. 3NT made twice when South presumably failed to do this.

The bottom lines: -

- Downgrade a totally flat 4333 type shape by one point.

- A system where you have to rebid 3NT to show a (genuine) 25+ point hand really sucks – partner has no room to sensibly try Stayman/transfers. Play Benjamin twos or Multi 2♦ or Kokish Relays.

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

North South You are South, declarer in 3NT, plan the play on the ♠7 lead upon

♠ 103 ♠ K5 which East plays the ♠A and returns the ♠9.

♥ Q109 ♥ AK2

♦ AJ1097 ♦ Q543

♣ Q43 ♣ AK62

Dave’s Column answer Board 11 from Wednesday 9^th

Dealer: ♠ 103 West North East South

South ♥ Q109 - - - 1♣

Love all ♦ AJ1097 pass 1♦ pass 2NT

♣ Q43 pass 3NT all pass

♠ QJ8742 N ♠ A96 West leads the ♠7 against your 3NT contract;

♥ 543 W E ♥ J876 East wins with the ♠A and returns the ♠9,

♦ 6 S ♦ K82 plan the play.

♣ J98 ♣ 1075

♠ K5

♥ AK2

♦ Q543

♣ AK62 .

Count your tricks. You have 8 top tricks; 1 ♠, 3 ♥’s, 1♦ and 3 ♣’s and need but one more trick to secure your contract.

That extra trick can either come from the ♦ finesse or a possible 3-3 ♣ division. If you could only try one you would try the finesse as that’s a 50% chance whereas a 3-3 split is only 36%. But when you can try both…

Play 3 round of ♣’s and see if they break 3-3, if they do then you have 9 tricks and do not need the ♦ finesse. Only if ♣’s do not divide evenly should you then try the ♦ finesse.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? Nobody made 3NT exactly of course. Results were 3♦+2, 4♦+1, 3NT-2 and 3NT+3.

The bottom lines: -

- If you have a finesse and also a 3-3 split option, try the 3-3 split first if you can try both.

- Don’t play in 3♦ or 4♦ is 3NT is a reasonable proposition.

- Open 1♣ when 4-4 in the minors.

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

West East You are West, declarer in 4♥ and North leads the ♠A,K and a

♠ 962 ♠ 875 3^rd ♠ to South’s ♠Q. South then leads a ♣, plan the play of the

♥ AKJ1043 ♥ 62 trump suit.

♦ KJ ♦ AQ652

♣ A5 ♣ KQ10

Dave’s 2^nd Column answer Board 12 from Wednesday 9^th

Dealer: ♠ AKJ4 West North East South

West ♥ 5 1♥ pass 2♦ pass

E-W vul ♦ 9843 3♥ (1) pass 4♥ all pass

♣ 9432

♠ 962 N ♠ 875 This is the bidding from Dave’s book and was

♥ AKJ1043 W E ♥ 62 also the bidding at our table. Note that the 3♥

♦ KJ S ♦ AQ652 jump at (1) is forcing (sequence N)

♣ A5 ♣ KQ10

♠ Q103 Anyway, you are in 4♥ and North plays the ♠AK

♥ Q987 followed by a ♠ to South’s ♠Q. South then leads

♦ 107 a ♣, plan the play.

♣ J876

You have no more losers outside trumps and so the problem is easy – how to play this ♥ suit for no losers?

In order to understand the play of this trump suit you must understand the difference between this trump holding and ♥AKJ10x opposite ♥xxx.

Notice that in both cases you have all of the missing honours except the ♥Q, but in one case the suit is divided 6-2 and in the other 5-3. This difference is that in the latter case you can lead a high honour and still be able to take two finesses if necessary because you remain with two ♥’s in dummy. In other words you can cater for a singleton ♥Q with North as well as ♥Qxxx with South.

Unfortunately you cannot do both with 6 opposite 2. If you lead a high honour first you do pick up a stiff queen to your left, but alas you will not be able to pick up Qxxx on your right. As Qxxx on your right is 4 times more likely than a singleton queen to your left, you should finesse it immediately. Win the ♣ return in dummy and lead a low ♥ to the ♥J. When this holds enter dummy with a ♦ and repeat the ♥ finesse.

The bottom lines: -

- With AKJ10xx opposite xx take the first round finesse.

- With AKJ10x opposite xxx cash the ace first and then take the finesse.

And what happened at the Pattaya bridge Club? Only one declarer made 4♥. At two tables I believe that declarer cashed the ♥A after the opponents had taken their three ♠ tricks. At the other two tables N-S played low to encourage and declarer played the ♠6 on the first round – thus leaving North in doubt about the ♠Q and he switched to a ♦. At one table Declarer then simply played ♥AK, three rounds of ♣’s (discarding a ♠) and then two more rounds of ♦’s - discarding his last ♠ when the 3^rd ♦ was ruffed. He thus made the contract, losing just 1 ♠ and two trumps. At the 4^th table the declarer tried something similar but went wrong when he tried a 3^rd round of ♦’s before the 3^rd round of ♣’s. When this was ruffed he had no entry to the top ♣ in table and went one down.

Bidding Quiz Answers

Hand A: 2♣. An Unassuming Cue Bid showing a sound raise to 3♠ (or better).

Hand B: (a) 3♣. The singleton ♠, decent support for partner and two good suits make this hand just about worth a game forcing jump to 3♣.

(b) 2♣. This time it’s different. The singleton in partner’s suit is bad and so the hand is not worth a jump.

Hand C: Pass. Partner is not asking you to bid – he is simply showing good ♣’s.

Hand D: 2NT. Knock off a point for the totally flat 4333 type shape; this applies equally well for strong hands as well as weaker ones. Playing Benjamin twos also open 2♣ and rebid 2NT, showing 22-24. This hand is not worth a game forcing 25+ point bid.

Hand E: 1♠. This is very simple, if you start with a double you will have problems when partner responds 1♥.

Hand F: (a) 3♣, showing a good weak 2♥ opening (3♥ shows a bad 2♥ opening and 4♣

shows a strong ♣ hand)

(b) 3♥, showing a weak 2♥ opening (3♣ shows a strong ♣ hand).

Note. This question F is copied verbatim from News-sheet 236.

Bidding Sequence Answers

G 2♣ dbl dbl shows ♣’s, it most definitely does not invite partner to bid when RHO has opened with a strong 2♣.

H 1♣ pass 1♥ pass Opener could well have just three ♣’s (but not two). It most

1♠ certainly does not promise five as one player thought.

J 1♥ 1♠ 2♠ 2♠ shows a sound raise to 3♥ or better.

K 1♥ 1♠ 2♠ pass I take 3♣ as a cue bid (♥’s are agreed) and showing extra

3♣ values and slam interest (3♥ is weak and 4♥ just game values).

L 1♣ 1♥ pass 3♥ 3♥ is a weak pre-emptive raise

M 1♣ 1♥ pass 2♣ The 2♣ cue bid shows a sound raise to 3♥ or better (Unassuming Cue Bid).

N 1♥ pass 2♦ pass The jump to 3♥ is forcing when playing Stand American -

3♥ It is only invitation when playing Acol where the 2♦ response promises just 8 points.