Our website is www.pattayabridge.com                             Club News Sheet – No. 309

Our blogsite is www.pattayabridge.wordpress.com                                 

My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 083 6066880              12th Oct 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 6th        N-S 1st   Linda Lyen & Terry            =      Bob P & Tomas                             57%

                    E-W 1st   Janne & Hans V   62%       2nd    Alan & Dave                                  55%

Wed 8th        1st  Oli & Peter Lux            58%       2nd    Dave & Royd                                 58%

Fri 10th         1st  Lewis & Paul Q            69%       2nd    Bob S & Gerry                               63%

       
bridge news sheets to news-sheet main page Bridge conventions No Trump bidding book
   
Pattaya Bridge Club to Pattaya Bridge home page
       
recommended bridge books reviewed to bridge book reviews to bridge conventions to No Trump bidding
   
   
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Bidding Quiz                    Standard American bidding is assumed unless otherwise stated.

 

Hand A           Hand B           With Hand A everybody is vulnerable. Partner opens 1 and

RHO overcalls 1NT, what do you bid?

KQJ1096     KJ103

65                 KQ73           With Hand B partner opens 1. (a) What do you bid?        

-                    KJ                (b) Suppose you bid 1 and partner bids 1NT, what now?

87652          AQ2                                    

 

Hand C           Hand D           With Hand C partner opens 2NT (20-21), what do you do.

 

64                 8

109742         873               With Hand D you open 1 and LHO overcalls 1NT. Partner

974               AJ6432         bids 2, what do you do?

1075            AQJ

 

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

 

J64               AQ107                                

A84              93                 With Hand F LHO opens 1 and RHO bids a weak 2, you

Q742            AK3             double. Partner bids 2, what do you do now?

AJ8              KQ109       

 

Hand G           Hand H           With Hand G RHO opens 1 and LHO bids 1. Partner doubles:

(a)  What do you bid if RHO passes?

1062             QJ875          (b)  What do you bid if RHO bids 1NT?

J953             AQ2          

95                 Q5               With hand H partner opens 1 (4+) and you bid 1. Partner then

J1043           432              bids 1NT, what do you bid?

 

Bidding Sequence Quiz                                

 

J      1NT   pass   4     pass      

        4      pass   4NT                       4 is Gerber, what is 4NT?

K     1     pass   1      pass      

        1      pass   2                          What is 2? – Natural or 4th suit forcing?

L      1      1NT   2                         Is 2 weak, invitational or forcing?

M    1      1NT   3                         Is 3 weak, invitational or forcing?

     


Editorial

Club rules: We have more regulars returning now, so I’ll just remind them of a few of club rules. Psyching is not allowed at this club. You may open 2NT with a singleton, a 1NT overcall may be made on almost any shape (including a void) if it is with the defined range (usually 15-17 or 15-18), and we now allow a 1NT opening to be made with a singleton ace or king. 1NT opening bids may be made with +- 1 point outside the expected range. Other general bids should be near to the expected range; the free bid of 1 made with two-point hand G(b) is not in the spirit of play at our club.

About movements: We have more people now and there are alternatives when we have 7 or 7½ tables. On Monday we had exactly 7 tables and I understand that Jeremy asked why we did not play a 7 table Howell, 2 boards a round, with everybody playing everybody – perfect.

I agree, in a perfect world but our room is a little cramped for 7 tables especially when half of the people have no idea where to go to. I do use this movement when 6½ in order to avoid a 4-board sit-out. Two board movements are a pain. On Wednesday we had 7½ tables and the 8-table movement involves a 4-board sit-out (or else only 24 boards). So I had previously devised a 7½ Mitchell ‘revenge’ movement with only 3 boards a round in order to avoid a 4-board sit-out. This worked a treat and we managed 30/27 boards. When we get more than 8 table (very soon) we will expand into the main clubhouse section which is also air-conditioned. Movements with 8+ tables are no problem at all.

Dave’s hands: Every Wednesday Dave sets two boards from a book of which I have a copy. After the play ends he tells me which pages the boards are and I write them up. Should Dave be playing and become declarer on one of his pre-set boards then he gets his partner to play the hand (they are all declarer play problems). This adds a bit of something different to the news-sheets. Dave has now used nearly all of the hands in the book but Cheryl/Don have donated a bridge calendar which I believe he will be using from now until it runs out in 3½ years time!

The Club Championships

Here are the latest standings in the club competitions. Hans V is slowly consolidating his top spots and Janne Roos has now joined the Gold Cup race. Lewis is moving up in the minor competitions but needs 5 more scoring results to qualify for the Gold Cup competition.

 

 

Gold Cup = Best 30

Silver Plate = Best 10

Bronze Medal = Best 5

 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 

1848.5 Hans Vikman

1837.9 Dave Cutler

1820.5 Sally Watson

1797.4 Bob Pelletier

1783.8 Janne Roos

1782.5 Ivy Schlageter

1718.5 Jan v Koss

 

670.0 Hans Vikman

661.8 Dave Cutler

661.1 Jeremy Watson

661.1 Sally Watson

643.7 Lewis Berg

642.7 Ivy Schlageter

642.0 Lars Gustafsson

636.1 Bob Pelletier

634.3 Derek & Gerard

632.3 Janne Roos

 

 

347.2 Hans Vikman

342.3 Dave Cutler

341.1 Jeremy Watson

341.1 Sally Watson

336.9 Lars Gustafsson

335.3 Ivy Schlageter

333.5 Lewis Berg 

328.5 Derek & Gerard

327.4 Tomas Wikman

326.2 Bob Pelletier

...


Check on Aces                                                     Board 10 from Monday 6th

 

The Blackwood and Gerber conventions were invented for very good reasons – one of them being to stop bidding a slam with two aces off the top. No less than three out of seven pairs reached hopeless slams with these N-S hands:

 

Dealer:             KJ103                                        Table A

South               KQ73                                         West          North(B)    East          South

Love all            KJ                                              -                 -                 -               1

                        AQ2                                           pass           6NT (1)      all pass

 

9875                   N             64                        Table B

J9642             W    E          A105                   West          North(B)    East          South

A107                  S              984                      -                 -                 -               1

10                                      98765                  pass           1    (1)      pass         1NT (2)

                        AQ2                                           pass           4   (3)      pass         4    (4)

8                                                pass           4NT (5)      all pass

Q6532                                 

KJ43                                   

               

Table A:     (1)  What did you bid with this North hand B(a) in this week’s quiz? A decent 19 points opposite an opener is often slam, but jumping straight there is very silly because:

(a)    It may go down (two aces missing).

(b)   A suit slam may be better.

(c)    There may well be a grand slam.

Table B:     (1)  This North got question B(a) right by simply bidding his hand, this enables partner to show hers and any possible extra values, and enables any possible fit to be found.

(2)   2 is the alternative, but I have no problem with this 1NT bid found by my partner. This hand has a couple of tenaces and any contract is probably best played from this hand. The problem is that partner may place you with 2-3 ’s.

(3)   What did you bid with this North hand B(b) in this week’s quiz? Partner’s 1NT response has made life very easy – use Gerber to check on aces.

(4)   One ace.

(5)   Obviously this is a sign-off. I believe that a couple of players mistakenly think that 4NT asks for kings – maybe they are amongst those who reached the silly small slam?

 

And what happened? 6NT-1 twice; 6-1; 5NT=, 5=, and 4NT= twice.

The bottom lines: -

-         The responses to 4 Gerber are: 4 = 0 or 4; 4 = 1; 4 = 2; 4NT = 3.

-         After the response to 4 Gerber, 4NT is a sign-off and 5 asks for kings.

 


5-3 fit or No Trumps?                                          Board 12 from Wednesday 8th 

 

Dealer:             A63                                            Table A

West                J1063                                         West          North         East(H)    South

N-S vul            KJ6                                            1             pass           1            pass

                        Q105                                         1NT           pass           2   (1)    pass

2    (2)      pass           4            all pass

1092                   N             QJ875           

K54                W    E          AQ2                    Table B

A832                  S              Q5                       West          North         East(H)    South

AK6                                   432                      1              pass           1            pass

                        K4                                              1NT           pass           2NT (1)    pass

987                                            3NT           all pass

10974                                  

J987                                    

               

Table A:     (1)  What did you bid with this East hand H in this week’s quiz? This pair play New Minor Forcing and 2 was asking about opener’s major suit holdings. But I don’t really like this bid.

(2)  Three ’s. There are other variations of NMF to show a maximum.

Table B:     (1)  This East got question H right by not bothering to look for a 5-3 fit. With shortage in partner’s first bid suit it’s unlikely that a 5-3 fit will make more tricks than 3NT. An alternative bid here is 3NT as chosen at one table.

 

And what happened? 4-1 twice, 4=, 3NT+1, 3NT=twice and 1NT+3. Note that 3NT is a better contract that 4. The bottom lines: -

-     4-4 fits are great, but 5-3 is not necessarily better than NoTrumps.

 

Is it a psyche?                                                      Board 17 from Wednesday 10th 

 

A touchy topic at the moment. I received a complaint about East’s bid after the session, and I was asked to write it up. Here is my take on the situation although I am sure that whatever I say somebody will be in disagreement.

 

Dealer:             Q8                                              West          North         East(G)      South

North               AQ8                                           -                 1              pass           1

Love all            KQ1087                                     dbl             1NT           2    (1)     

                        976                                            … and onto 6 by North.

 

3                         N             1062         (1)  What did you bid with this East hand G(b) in this

107642           W    E          J953               week’s quiz? Without North’s 1NT bid - so hand

J                         S              95                  G(a), then 2 is obvious. But it is generally

AKQ852                            J1043            accepted that a free bid in a situation like this

                        AKJ9754                              should show around 6-9 points.

K                                          I accept that East has values (ho-ho!) in and 4-

A6432                                 card support for both of partner’s suits but I feel

-                                           that this 2bid is pushing it; especially by a very

experienced player against a lesser opponent.

 

And what happened? 6+1 scored below average as two pairs bid 6+1. I let the result stand as I do not see that East’s poor bid should affect the auction, but I will have a word with him.


Double and bid game
                                           Board 1 from Wednesday 8th

 

Dealer:             J64                                             Table A

North               A84                                            West(F)     North(E)    East          South

Love all            Q742                                         -                 1    (1)     pass         2    (2)

                        AJ8                                            dbl             pass (3)      2    (4)    pass

4    (5)      all pass

AQ107               N             K32                     

93                   W    E          J7                        Table B

AK3                   S              J986                     West          North(E)    East          South

KQ109                              7632                    -                 pass (1)      pass         2    (6)

                        985                                             dbl             3    (7)      pass         pass

KQ10652                                   dbl             pass           4   (8)    all pass

105                                      

54                                       

 

Table A:     (1)  What did you open with this North hand E in this week’s quiz? Knock off a point for the totally flat 4333 type shape and pass is spot on. The hand is simply not worth an opening bid. The hand does not conform to the Rule of 20, and note that the rule of 20 automatically includes knocking off a point for the 4333 type shape.

(2)   Weak.

(3)   Here we see just one reason why opening the hand is wrong, North cannot now sensibly raise to 3 (or a Support Double if you play them) as South would then think he had a real opener.

(4)   It’s up to your partnership style whether you respond 2 or 3with this hand type. 3 may be best but this East hoped to play at the 2-level in the presumed 4-3 fit.

(5)   What did you bid with this West hand F in this week’s quiz? Partner has promised nothing and this jump to game is a gross overbid, 3 is quite sufficient.

Table B:     (1)  This North got question E right by passing.

(6)   Weak; excellent bid especially in 3rd seat.

(7)   And here we see the difference with the similar situation at (3). North can quite happily raise to 3 and cause problems for E-W.

(8)   This East chose to bid his ’s rather than his ’s. As I said above this is probably a matter of personal style. I would bid 3.

               

And what happened? 4-2, 4-2, 3-1, 2-1 and three other odd scores.

The bottom lines: -

-     Although both of these E-W’s shared the bottom, at Table A it was because of West’s bad bidding but at Table B it was because of N-S’s excellent bidding and E-W did nothing obviously wrong.

-         If you double and then raise partner’s minimal response that shows a good hand.

-         If you double and then raise partner’s minimal response to game that shows a fabulous hand, which this West hand is not.

-         Deduct a point for the totally flat 4333 type shape. Anybody past the beginner’s stage should now this and it is advocated by real experts such as Tony Forrester, Freddie North and Brian Senior. Just read any book on hand evaluation.


No points for a transfer?                                     Board 24 from Monday 6th

 

When partner opens 1NT (or 2NT) then a transfer to a major suit promises nothing other than a 5-card major.

 

Dealer:             K75                                            Table A

West                AK                                             West          North         East          South(C)

Love all            K1032                                        pass           2NT           pass         pass (1)

                        AK86                                         pass          

 

A10932               N             QJ8                      Table B

J86                 W    E          Q53                     West          North         East          South(C)

QJ                      S              A865                   pass           2NT           pass         3  (1)

Q32                                   J94                       pass           3              all pass

                        64                                              

109742                                     

974                                      

1075                                   

               

Table A:     (1)  What did you bid with this South hand C in this week’s quiz? Zero points so pass? No!

Table B:     (1)  This South got question E right by transferring. You should virtually always transfer when holding a 5-card major, and this is even more important the fewer points you have.

 

And what happened? 2NT*-3, 2NT-2, 2NT-1 twice, 3=, 3-1 and 3-2 and the strange contract of 2= by West.

The bottom lines: -

-         When partner opens 2NT and you have a 5-card major and few points, then transfer. Your hand will be useless unless your 5-carder is trumps. On a bad day partner will have only 2 trumps and you make just one extra trick (as here). On a good day partner will have three or four of your suit and you hit the jackpot.

-         This deal is fairly typical, double dummy both 2NT and 3 go one down, but in practice it’s much easier to declare 3 and one North did make the contract.


It’s a Weak Bid                                                    Board 10 from Monday 6th

 

Dealer:             543                                             Table A

East                  Q1092                                        West(A)     North         East(D)    South

Both vul            K108                                         -                 -                 1            1NT

                        1093                                          2    (1)      pass           3    (2)    pass

4   (3)      dbl   (4)      4    (5)    dbl

KQJ1096           N             8                           all pass

65                   W    E          873                     

-                         S              AJ6432                 Table B

87652                                AQJ                     West(A)     North         East(D)    South

                        A72                                            -                 -                 1            1NT

AKJ4                                        2              pass           pass (2)    all pass

Q975                                   

K4                                      

               

Table A:     (1)  What did you bid with this West hand A in this week’s quiz? Game could be there opposite an ideal opener but a void in partner’s suit and the 1NT overcall makes this very unlikely. This 2 bid is a good bid, it shows a weakish hand with a desire to play in ’s. 3 (if you play it as pre-emptive) is an equally good, perhaps better alternative. With a stronger hand you double.

(2)   What did you bid with this East hand D in this week’s quiz? I don’t like this at all and agree with the action made at Table B.

(3)   I would repeat the ’s. The ’s are solid and if partner has values that’s fine. Showing the ’s pushes the auction up to an uncomfortable level (i.e. the doubling zone!)

(4)   North decided to tell partner that their side had the balance of the power.

(5)   Pass is surely more prudent here.

Table B:     (2)  This East got question D right by passing. Partner is the captain in this auction and you should only bid on with a good hand for ’s.

 

And what happened? 4* went -5 for -1400 and a top to N-S. 4* would have been only one down and 2 would have made an overtrick. At most other tables E-W played happily in 2 or 3making anything from 8 to 10 tricks (Deep Finesse says 9 tricks).

The bottom lines: -

-     When partner opens and RHO overcalls with 1NT then virtually any bid from you is weakish and partner should pass without a fit. Double is the strong bid over a 1NT overcall although some do play jumps to the three level in new suits as various types of strongish bids, depending upon whether a major or minor was opened. I prefer to keep it simple and use all jumps as pre-emptive.

 

 

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

 

North               South               You are North, declarer in 6.

A4                865               East leads the J, plan the play.

KJ10            A532

A10986        KQ75

AK3             QJ


Dave’s Column answer                      Board 11 from Wednesday 8th

     

Dealer:             A4                                              West          North         East            South

North               KJ10                                          -                 1    (1)      pass           1

E-W vul           A10986                                      pass           2NT           pass           4  (2)

                        AK3                                           pass           6              all pass

 

KQ32                 N             J1097             (1)  This hand is much too strong for 1NT of course.

864                 W    E          Q97                (2)  Looking for a slam. It’s much easier to find

J4                       S              32                       this bid if you play a short , where partner’s

10765                                9842                    1 opening promises 4+ ’s. Playing better

                        865                                             minor partner may have only three ’s if he

A532                                         has the (bad) habit of sometimes opening 1

KQ75                                       when 3-3 in the minors with more points in ’s

QJ

 

You have a certain loser and a possible loser. If you finesse in ’s and it loses then the opponents will cash their trick.

Hands that have losers in two suits, one of which is inevitable (’s here) and one of which is not (’s) lend themselves to strip and throw-in plays.

The correct technique is to give up a loser at such a time that any return costs the defenders a trick. In order to do this you must (a) remove their safe exit cards, and (b) throw them in with a suit that is equally divided between your hand and dummy.

The play here is to win the A, draw trumps, play 3 rounds of ’s discarding a (this evens out the suit). You now concede a and the opponents must either give you a ruff and discard or else give you three tricks.

 

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? 6NT=, 6+1 and 6=, 3NT+4 and 3NT+3 three times.

The bottom lines:

-     With 3-3 in the minors and unable to open 1NT, open 1.  Expert opinion is divided when 4-4 in the minors, I will always open 1.

 

 

 

Dave’s 2nd Column   Here is Dave’s second input involving the play of the hand.

 

West                East                  You are East, declarer in 4.

KJ9              AQ10754     South leads the K, plan the play.

A5                3    

542               K63           

AK754         632

 


Dave’s 2nd Column answer              Board 26 from Wednesday 8th  

     

Dealer:             86                                               West          North         East            South

East                  J1042                                         -                 -                 2              3

both vul            QJ109                                         4              all pass

                        QJ8                                           

 

KJ9                    N             AQ10754      

A5                W      E          3                    

542                     S              K63               

AK754                               632               

                        32                                        

KQ9876      

A87                                    

109             

 

You have 4 losers; 1 and 3 ’s. As always you should try to set up your long suit (’s here) in order to discard your losers.

The problem is that North will win the 3rd round of ’s and lead the Q – one down.

You must set up ’s without letting North in. How? Exchange a loser. Let South hold the opening lead. It’s true that you had no loser initially and have just created one, but you now have no loser as you can now discard a on the A. The difference is that North can now never obtain the lead.

South is helpless when he holds the first trick. He can do no better than continue ’s and you discard a . Cash the A, enter your hand with a and lead a 2nd towards the K (in case South has a singleton - let him ruff thin air). When the K holds, ruff a high, draw trumps ending in dummy and discard two ’s on the established ’s. Making 11 tricks.

 

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? Everybody was in 4. Five went one down and two made +1 as above.

 


Bidding Quiz Answers

 

Hand A:    2, this is a weakish bid, to play. A perhaps better alternative is 3 if you play that as pre-emptive. You have a mis-fit for partner so any higher action is unwise.

Hand B:     (a)  1. Bid the hand slowly and find out what partner has got.

(b)   4. Gerber. You have found out what partner has got, it’s probably enough for

6NT so check on aces. A conservative 4NT (invitational) is an alternative.

Hand C:    3, transfer. This hand will probably be totally useless unless ’s are trumps.

Hand D:    Pass. Partner’s bid is weakish (to play).

Hand E:    Pass. Knock off a point for the totally flat 4333 type shape. This flat garbage, even with two aces, is nowhere near an opener with just two points in the only ‘long’ suit. It’s usually best to obey the rule of 20.

Hand F:     3. It’s not good enough for 4 as partner has promised nothing. Pass is a very reasonable but perhaps slightly pessimistic option.

Hand G:    (a)  1. You have to bid and 1 here shows about 0-8 points.

(b)   Pass. Now you are under no obligation to bid and a ‘free bid’ of 1 here should show about 6-9 points.

Hand H:    2NT, or 3NT if you feel like it. With a decent doubleton in partner’s suit I would not look for a 5-3 fit but prefer to play in NoTrumps; hoping that partner has something decent in ’s, especially with the lead coming up to him.

 

Bidding Sequence Quiz Answers

 

J      1NT   pass   4     pass      

        4      pass   4NT                       4NT is a sign off, to play. 5 would be the king ask.

K     1     pass   1      pass             You have to agree this one. I play 1as natural

        1      pass   2                          (and forcing) and 2 as 4th suit forcing.

L      1     1NT   2                          2 is a weak (passable) bid. Dbl with a good hand.

M    1     1NT   3                          This is up to partnership understanding. I play it as

pre-emptive.