Our website is www.pattayabridge.com Club News Sheet – No. 311

Our blogsite is www.pattayabridge.wordpress.com

My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 083 6066880 26^th 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 20^th 1^st Hans V & Alan 59% 2^nd Gerry & Dave 58%

Wed 22^nd N-S 1^st Lewis & Paul Q 64% 2^nd Lars & Richard M 58%

E-W 1^st Michael S & Peter 62% 2^ndIan & Keneth 52%

Fri 24^th N-S 1^st Hans & Sally 65% 2^nd Alain & Jean-Charles 59%

E-W 1^st Bob S & Gerard 56% 2^nd Lewis & Paul Q 55%

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Bidding Quiz Standard American bidding is assumed unless otherwise stated.

Hand A Hand B With Hand A it’s everybody vulnerable, partner opens 1♥ and

RHO overcalls 2♦, what do you bid?

♠ 975 ♠ 532

♥ AKJ ♥ AQ2 With Hand B RHO opens 1♠. You double and partner bids 2♦,

♦ AJ1074 ♦ AKQ what do you bid now?

♣ 87 ♣ AKQ2

Hand C Hand D What do you open with Hand C?

♠ A54 ♠ K10

♥ 1032 ♥ Q10985 With Hand D you open 1♥ and LHO overcalls 2♦. This is

♦ A108 ♦ Q9 passed round to you, what do you do?

♣ AK106 ♣ AQ43

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

♠ A ♠ A64

♥ 10832 ♥ AK What do you open with Hand F?

♦ 7542 ♦ 532

♣ AK42 ♣ J9532

Hand G Hand H With Hand G partner opens 1♠ and RHO doubles, what do

you bid?

♠ 965 ♠ 8

♥ K107 ♥ AQ86

♦ Q54 ♦ AKJ1032 With Hand H RHO opens 1♠ and you double. LHO bids 2♣

♣ AQ94 ♣ K5 and RHO bids 2♠, what do you do now?

Bidding Sequence Quiz

J 1♣ 1♠ dbl pass Double is negative, what is 3♦?

3♦

K 1♠ dbl 2♣ How strong is 2♣? Is it weak, invitational or forcing?

L 1♠ dbl 2♣ pass

2♠ dbl What is the 2^nd double – penalties or take-out.

The Club Championships

Here are the latest standings in the club competitions. There’s not much movement this week but Sally has finally pulled away from Jeremy in the Silver competition and overtaken Dave. Expect a bit more activity in the Gold Cup next week as Lewis needs just one more qualifying result, and he does not have the handicap of playing with me next Wednesday.

	Gold Cup = Best 30	Silver Plate = Best 10	Bronze Medal = Best 5
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	1870.8 Hans Vikman 1839.8 Dave Cutler 1831.9 Sally Watson 1797.4 Bob Pelletier 1794.2 Janne Roos 1782.5 Ivy Schlageter 1727.5 Jan v Koss	672.7 Hans Vikman 663.6 Sally Watson 661.8 Dave Cutler 661.1 Jeremy Watson 647.2 Lewis Berg 643.4 Lars Gustafsson 642.7 Ivy Schlageter 636.4 Janne Roos 636.1 Bob Pelletier 634.3 Derek & Gerard	347.2 Hans Vikman 342.3 Dave Cutler 341.1 Jeremy Watson 341.1 Sally Watson 336.9 Lars Gustafsson 335.3 Ivy Schlageter 334.0 Lewis Berg  328.5 Derek & Gerard 327.4 Tomas Wikman 326.2 Bob Pelletier

That 4333 shape again – part 1 Board 26 from Monday 20^th

Dealer: ♠ J3 Table A

North ♥ AK986 West North East South(C)

both vul ♦ Q64 - - pass 1♣ (1)

♣ Q43 pass 1♥ pass 1NT

pass 3NT (2) all pass

♠ KQ106 N ♠ 9872

♥ Q W E ♥ J754 Table B

♦ K9752 S ♦ J3 West North East South(C)

♣ 852 ♣ J97 - - pass 1NT (1)

♠ A54 pass 2♦ pass 2♥

♥ 1032 pass 3NT pass 4♥ (3)

♦ A108

♣ AK106

Table A: (1) What did you open with this West hand C in this week’s quiz? Now this South knows all about deducting a point for 4333, but the three tens are ample compensation and I would open 1NT.

(2) I would look for a 5-3 ♥ fit with 2♣ (Checkback Stayman) or 2♦ (New Minor Forcing) if you play either of these conventions.

Table B: (1) This South chose 1NT.

(3) With this flat hand and all of the points outside ♥’s, it’s a close call whether to pass or bid 4♥.

And what happened? Three chose 4♥, three chose 3NT. 4♥ made a trick more.

The bottom lines: -

- Deduct for 4333, but add on for tens and good intermediates.

That 4333 shape again – part 2 Board 10 from Friday 24^th

Dealer: ♠ Q7 Table A

East ♥ 10853 West(B) North East South

both vul ♦ 875 - - pass 1♠

♣ J965 dbl pass 2♦ pass

2♠ (1) pass 3♦ (2) pass

♠ 532 N ♠ 1096 5♦ (3) all pass

♥ AQ2 W E ♥ 964

♦ AKQ S ♦ 10964 Table B

♣ AKQ2 ♣ 1087 West(B) North East South

♠ AKJ84 - - pass 1♠

♥ KJ7 dbl pass 2♦ pass

♦ J32 pass (1) pass

♣ 43

Table A: (1) What did you bid with this West hand B in this week’s quiz? If partner has a ♠ stop then 3NT may well make on a ♠ lead, and this 2♠ bid was the popular choice at the club.

(2) There were various bids here: 3♣, 3♦ and 3♥.

(3) I would pass this – 11 tricks seems remote as there may be no entry to partner’s hand.

Table B: (1) This West thought a little more deeply here; RHO has say 13 points and that leaves just three points between LHO and partner. Partner is unlikely to have a ♠ stop and 2♦ may well be the limit on the hand, especially as partner probably has no entry.

And what happened? 2♦ made +1 for the E-W top. Two E-W’s managed to stop in 1NT (seems impossible to me). One West stopped in 4♦(-1) and every other West zoomed off to game going down by various numbers. The bottom lines: -

- 24 points will not make game opposite zero if you have no shape. This 3334 is terrible.

- Downgrade a hand with 4333 type shape – it sucks. 4432 type is far superior.

- Don’t listen to people who claim to be international experts and say that 4333 is fine – it’s the worst shape possible. The problem for West with this deal is that there is no ruffing potential – both hands are 4333 type with no doubleton in sight. Just imagine either the East or West East hand with a small ♠ moved to the three-card minor suit, so 2344, 3♦ then makes +1 against reasonable splits. I guess it’s yet another example of ‘deduct a point for 4333’?

Open with three quick tricks? – part 1 Board 3 from Monday 20^th

Some players believe in opening any hand with three quick tricks. Others past the stone-age era (like me) prefer the rule of 20.

Dealer: ♠ Q76542 West(E) North East South

South ♥ QJ965 - - - pass

E-W vul ♦ Q10 1♣ (1) 2♣ (2) pass 2♥

♣ - pass pass 3♥ (3) pass

3NT all pass

♠ A N ♠ J103

♥ 10832 W E ♥ K (1) Did you open with this West hand E in

♦ 7542 S ♦ AKJ8 this week’s quiz? It does not conform

♣ AK42 ♣ 109763 with the rule of 20 and I would pass. If

♠ K98 the singleton was a small card and the ace

♥ A74 in a red suit then 1♣ would be reasonable.

♦ 963 (2) Michaels, showing both majors.

♣ QJ85 (3) Asking for a ♥ stop.

And what happened? North led the ♥Q and accurate defence set the contract by two tricks for a joint top to N-S.

The bottom lines: -

- Obey the rule of 20 for 1^st or 2^nd seat openings.

- It’s up to you if you think that any hand with three quick tricks is worth an opening, I don’t think that this West hand is because an ace is singleton.

- A singleton ace is a bad holding – points belong in long suits.

Open with three quick tricks? – part 2 Board 12 from Wednesday 22^nd

Dealer: ♠ A64 Table A

East ♥ AK West North(F) East South

Both vul ♦ 532 pass 1♣ (1) pass 1♦ (2)

♣ J9532 pass 1NT pass 3NT (3)

♠ QJ109 N ♠ K8752 Table B

♥ J652 W E ♥ 10973 West North(F) East South

♦ K96 S ♦ 104 pass pass (1) pass 1♦

♣ K7 ♣108 pass 2♣ pass 5♣ (4)

♠ 3 pass 6NT (5) all pass

♥ Q83

♦ AQJ87

♣ AQ63

Table A: (1) What did you open with this North hand F in this week’s quiz? It has 12 points and three top tricks; it also conforms with the rule of 20. But I would pass! Why? AK doubleton is not worth 7 points – points belong in long suits and this long ♣ suit is terrible. Also, one very experienced club member, an advocate of the Losing Trick Count, noted that it is an 8 loser hand and does not qualify for an opener by UK standards where the LTC is fairly popular.

(2) This is best, a 3♠ splinter is not a good bid opposite a ♣ opener that may be short.

(3) A bit of a gamble, but it’s reasonable - a 50-50 game.

Table B: (1) This North correctly chose to pass with Hand F.

(4) This South is relatively inexperienced and just bid what he thought he could make (he was right!). An alternative is a 3♠ splinter - 2♠ is natural and forcing, so 3♠ is a splinter agreeing partner’s last suit.

(5) With nothing to spare for his initial 2♣ response, pass seems very clear.

And what happened? 6NT-1, 3NT-2, 3NT-1, 5♦*= and various spurious results. Nobody played in ♣’s, 5♣ is cold and 6♣ only needs one minor suit king onside, so it’s 75% but goes down here.

The bottom lines: -

(a) Three top tricks does not necessarily mean an opening hand – that is an old-fashioned notion dating back to the Goren era.

(b) AK doubleton is not worth 7 points.

(c) J9532 is not a good 5-card suit.

(d) The rule of 20 is excellent, but you have to take factors like (b) and (c) into account and adjust accordingly.

The automatic re-opening double Board 26 from Monday 20^th

Dealer: ♠ J86432 Table A

North ♥ 64 West(A) North East(D) South

both vul ♦ 6 - - 1♥ 2♦ (1)

♣ J1096 pass (2) pass dbl (3) pass

pass (4) pass (5)

♠ 975 N ♠ K10

♥ AKJ W E ♥ Q10985 Table B

♦ AJ1074 S ♦ Q9 West(A) North East(D) South

♣ 87 ♣ AQ43 - - 1♥ pass (1)

♠ AQ 2♦ pass 2NT pass

♥ 732 4♥ all pass

♦ K8532

♣ K52

Table A: (1) A very dubious overcall, especially at the two level – this suit is simply not good enough.

(2) What did you bid with this West hand A in this week’s quiz? This pass is spot on provided that partner understands negative doubles, and in particular the need for the ‘automatic’ re-opening double.

(3) What did you bid with this East hand Din this week’s quiz? Double here is automatic with very few exceptions.

(4) Passing for penalties, as planned at (2).

(5) North could have tried 2♠.

Table B: (1) South sensibly passed.

And what happened? 2♦* went -5 for 1400. Every other E-W played in 4♥; -2 once, -1 three times and = once.

The bottom lines: -

- Do not overcall at the two-level, vulnerable, with a suit as bad as Kxxxx

- Remember the penalty pass and automatic re-opening double when playing negative doubles.

- The automatic re-opening double (and when not to double) are explained on the website:

Conventions > Negative doubles.

Dave’s Column Here is Dave’s input involving involving a defensive play

Dealer: ♠ 54 West North East South

East ♥ Q962 - - pass pass

Both vul ♦ 63 1♦ pass 1♠ pass

♣ Q9852 2♠ pass 4♠ all pass

♠ J1076 N You are North and partner leads the ♥A. How do you plan the

♥ J83 W E defence? Before turning the page, with which card would you

♦ AQJ109 S signal at trick one?

♣ A Let’s say that partner continues with the ♥K and a 3^rd ♥ to your ♥Q, all following. How should you proceed?

Dave’s Column answer Board 10 from Wednesday 15^th

Dealer: ♠ 54 West North East South

East ♥ Q962 - - pass pass

Both vul ♦ 63 1♦ pass 1♠ pass

♣ Q9852 2♠ pass 4♠ all pass

♠ J1076 N ♠ AK982 South leads the ♥A. How do you plan the defence

♥ J83 W E ♥ 1075 as North? Before reading on, with which card

♦ AQJ109 S ♦ K7 would you signal at trick one?

♣ A ♣ K104 Let’s say that partner continues with the ♥K and

♠ Q3 a 3^rd ♥ to your ♥Q, all following.

♥ AK4 How should you proceed?

♦ 9542

♣ J763

First you (North) should realize that there is no point in partner shifting to another suit at trick two, so get him to continue ♥’s by signalling as enthusiastically as possible with the ♥9 (or ♥2 if you play low to encourage).

South cashes the ♥K and plays a 3^rd ♥ to your ♥Q. What now?

Since it is clear that your side cannot win a minor suit trick you need a trump winner. Lead the 13^th ♥. Here that promotes South’s ♠Q as the setting trick.

When you have taken all possible side-suit tricks, you can give a ruff-and-sluff. It cannot cost but might gain via a straight trump promotion or after an uppercut.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? All seven East’s were in 4♠ but only two defenders found the defence to set the contract. Well done Paul Q and Jean-Charles.

Bad manners Board 20 from Friday 24^th

A player walked away from the table after the bidding and before the play on Friday because he thought that his partner had mad a bad bid. This is disgraceful behavior - the director was obliged to play the hand for him. The problem would appear to be that this particular player cannot get a decent partner – no wonder with an attitude problem like that! Anything similar again then he will get suspended, so no further problems.

Dealer: ♠ J43 West(G) North East South(H)

West ♥ J54 pass pass 1♠ (1) dbl

Both vul ♦ 976 2♣ (2) pass 2♠ (3) dbl (4)

♣ J632 pass pass (5) pass

♠ 965 N ♠ AKQ1072 (1) Looks more like a vulnerable 2♠ opener to me.

♥ K107 W E ♥ 932 (2) What did you bid with this West hand G in

♦ Q54 S ♦ 8 this week’s quiz? This 2♣ bid is totally wrong.

♣ AQ94 ♣ 1087 2♣ here shows a weak hand with long ♣’s!

♠ 8 The sensible bids are redouble or Jordan 2NT.

♥ AQ86 (3) Pass is reasonable – but then I expect my

♦ AKJ1032 partners to know what they are doing.

♣ K5 (4) What did you bid with this South hand H in

this week’s quiz? I don’t like this 2^nd double

and would simply bid 3♦. The main reason being that if partner is 3-3 or 3-2 in the reds he will bid ♥’s and you want to play in ♦’s.

(5) North thought that the 2^nd double was penalties.

And what happened? South left the table in disgust after the bidding – absolutely disgraceful behavior. I expect him to apologize to me and everybody else at the table if/when he has the gall to show up at the club again. Of course North should not have passed – but the problem was initiated by South’s poor bid at (4).

The bottom lines: -

- Walk away from the table during a hand and you risk being suspended from the club.

- Bad manners WILL NOT be tolerated.

- Look at your own bidding before jumping on partner.

- A two-level bid after partner opens and RHO doubles is long, weak and non-forcing.

It is interesting to note that this South is the same player (then North) who pulled his partner’s 5♣ contract that makes into a hopeless 6NT - see “Open with three quick tricks? – part 2”. His partner did not leave the table after North’s ridiculous 6NT bid.

Fourth Suit Forcing

Fourth suit forcing needs alerting. I mention this because it came up a couple of times this week:

1. First of all there was the sequence 1♣ - 1♦ - 1♥ - 1♠.

This was by an established pair, the 1♠ bid was not alerted and it turned out to be a non-existent ♠ suit. Established pairs need to have this basic sequence understood.

Various pairs play it differently, my recommendation is the most common:

1♣ - 1♦ - 1♥ - 1♠ is natural and forcing, just as if it had gone 1♣ - 1♠.

1♣ - 1♦ - 1♥ - 2♠ is 4^th suit forcing, and I like to play it as game forcing.

Regular pairs may play it however they wish, but a 4^th suit forcing bid needs alerting.

2. Playing two-over-one: The sequence 1♠ - 2♥ - 3♣ - 3♦

In my opinion this 3♦ bid is 4^th suit forcing; 4^th suit forcing also applies even if the sequence is already game forcing. It is not necessarily natural and asks partner to describe his hand further - in particular if he has a ♦ stop. It needs alerting.

3. 4^th suit forcing only applies after 3 natural bids: for example 2♣ - 2♥ - 2♠ - 3♦

2♣ is artificial and strong, 2♥ was a natural positive and 2♠ natural. 3♦ here is natural as it is just the third real suit bid. It is not 4^th suit forcing.

I will not be so lenient in future if established pairs fail to alert 4^th suit forcing and I get a complaint from the opponents.

Bidding Quiz Answers

Hand A: Pass, and pass partner’s subsequent double.

Hand B: Pass! Yes, one player did pass and got a top. 2♠ was the popular choice but partner is unlikely to have a ♠ stop and you have terrible shape (the worst possible). With any other shape (say 2344) then making a further effort is very reasonable and there may be a ♦ or NT game. Lacking a small 4^th ♦, game seems remote, you need an entry to partner’s hand to take the ♥ finesse.

Hand C: 1NT. It’s true that it’s 4333 (bad) but the three tens are more than adequate compensation.

Hand D: Double, automatic when playing negative doubles.

Hand E: Pass, it does not conform with the rule of 20 and a singleton ace is not an asset (high cards belong in long suits). Some believe that you should open any hand with three quick tricks, and if the ♠A was in a red suit and the ♠ a small singleton then that would be reasonable; but not this actual hand with a singleton ace.

Hand F: Pass. This hand does actually conform with the rule of 20 but AK doubleton is not worth 7 points – points belong in long suits. Brits may also note that the hand has 8 losers and is not an opening if you are a believer in the Losing Trick Count.

Hand G: Either redouble (9+) or Jordan 2NT (sound raise to 3♠ or better). 2♣ is wrong as that is a weak bid after RHO doubles, as is any ♠ raise.

Hand H: 3♦. You have a 6-card ♦ suit, so bid it. I do not like a 2^nd double because you do not want to play in a 4-3 ♥ fit if you have a 6-3 or 6-2 ♦ fit.

Bidding Sequence Quiz Answers

J 1♣ 1♠ dbl pass This depends upon how you play you negative doubles.

3♦ If you play that a negative double promises the two unbid

suits then the bid shows a good hand with ♦ support. If you play that a negative double simply promises the unbid major (as I do) then 3♦ is a splinter agreeing ♥’s (2♦ would be a natural forcing reverse).

K 1♠ dbl 2♣ 2♣ is weakish and non-forcing, promising a long ♣ suit.

L 1♠ dbl 2♣ pass

2♠ dbl The 2^nd dbl is take-out, asking partner to bid a red suit.