Our website is www.pattayabridge.com                           Club News Sheet – No. 357

Our blogsite is www.pattayabridge.wordpress.com                                 

My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 083 6066880              13th Sept 2009

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

       
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Mon 7th        1st    Josteinn & Vaiur                 61%       2nd    Bob P & Robbie                    59%

Wed 9th        1st    Derek & Gerard                 =                    Paul Q & Terry Q                  57%

Fri  11th        1st    Paul Q & Hans V               59%       2nd    Mike G & Terry Q                 54%

 

Bidding Quiz                    Standard American bidding is assumed unless otherwise stated.

 

Hand A           Hand B           With Hand A partner opens 1 and you bid 1. Partner then

jumps to 3, what do you do?

A82              Q8

J832             J9743           With Hand B partner opens 1NT and you transfer with 2.

K73              532              (a)  Partner bids 2, what do you do?        

1087            A95              (b)  Partner super-accepts with 3, what do you do?

 

Hand C           Hand D           With Hand C you open 1NT and partner transfers with 2,

What do you do?

K932            954

K1052          AJ75            With Hand D everybody is vulnerable. LHO opens 1 and RHO

A6                K8742         bids 1NT forcing (6-12). What do you do?        

KQJ             Q

 

Bidding Sequence Quiz

 

E      1NT   pass   2     pass       Is 3 weak, to play, or forcing?

        2      pass   3    

 

     
Ron Klinger web site
     
 

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

1896.6 Janne Roos

1882.7 Hans Vikman

1846.9 Paul Quodomine

1793.8 Sally Watson

1720.4 Bob Short

1682.4 Paul Scully

674.5 Janne Roos

673.4 Hans Vikman

649.3 Paul Quodomine

633.8 Sally Watson

619.9 Jeremy Watson

619.2 Ivy Schlageter

618.8 Bob Short

615.1 Lars Broman

611.3 Gerard Hardy 

611.3 Derek Tyms

 

350.7 Hans Vikman

350.6 Janne Roos

333.3 Paul Quodomine

325.3 Ivy Schlageter

324.5 Sally Watson

321.7 Bob Short

321.7 Jeremy Watson

321.0 Per Andersson

316.9 Terje Lie

316.1 Lars Broman

 

 

 


Is it weak or forcing?                                           Board 17 from Friday 11th 

 

Dealer:             ♠ 952                                             West          North         East          South

North               AJ1043                                      -                 pass           1NT         pass

Love all            109                                            2             pass           2            pass

                        KQ8                                          3   (1)      pass           3NT (2)    all pass

 

A763                  N               QJ                (1)  West has a difficult bid here. 2NT is probably

6                     W    E            KQ7                   best but he believed that 3 was to play.

KJ6                    S                Q842            (2)  East believed that 3 was forcing.

76543                                  AJ102               

K1084                                      

9852                                          

A753                                        

9                                         

 

And what happened? 3NT went -3 for a bottom. 4 made at another table.

The bottom lines.

-     Sequence E (3 of a minor having bid Stayman) has to be agreed. Standard is that it is forcing – showing a four card major and a long minor. But I personally am not so keen on this treatment (how do you bid weakish hands where you want to play in 3 of the minor if there is no 4-card major fit?). The solution is to play 4-way transfers the sensible way – transfer to a minor and then bid a major as game forcing and natural. This then leaves sequences like sequence E free to use as weak if you have no other meaning for them.

-     This, and the similar sequences when opener has a 4-card major, may also be used as Shape-Asking Relays after Stayman - SARS.

 

A poor overcall?                                                   Board 20 from Wednesday 9th 

 

Dealer:             ♠ AKQ86                                      West(D)     North         East          South

West                103                                             pass           1              pass         1NT (1)

both vul            A653                                         2    (2)      dbl   (3)      all pass

                        A9                                             

 

954                     N               1072             (1)  Forcing, 6-12, any shape.

AJ75              W    E            82                 (2)  What did you bid with this West hand D in

K8742                S                109                    this week’s quiz? It barely has the values for

Q                                         KJ10843            a two level overcall and it is particularly

J3                                              dangerous when vulnerable in the sandwich

KQ964                                       seat – especially against opponents who like

QJ                                              to take the money.

7652                                    (3)  With top tricks and great ’s North knows that West will be forced and that game for N-S is by no means certain. So he went for the jugular.

 

And what happened? The defence was perfect, North kept leading ’s and eventually his 6 was promoted! -3 and 800 beat the rest of the field who were mostly scoring 620 or 650 in 4.

The bottom lines.

-     K8742 is not good enough for a two-level overcall. And in the sandwich seat between two bidding opponents who generally know what they are doing and with a silent partner and vulnerable it is suicidal. And what was the point? Did he really want a lead?

 


A super-accept                                                     Board 12 from Wednesday 9th   

 

Dealer:             K932                                          Table A

West                K1052                                        West          North(C)    East          South(B)

N-S vul            A6                                              pass           1NT           pass         2   

                        KQJ                                           pass           2    (1)      pass         pass (2)

 

1054                   N               AJ76                   Table B

Q86                W    E            A                       West          North(C)    East          South(B)

J987                   S                KQ104              pass           1NT           pass         2   

432                                      10876                pass           3    (1)      pass         4    (3)

Q8                                             

J9743                                        

532                                           

A95                                           

 

Table A:     (1)  With the 10 and good top cards, this is a bit too good to simply complete the transfer although I would prefer it if a low was a low (KQJ is not a particularly good holding as there is wastage if partner has A, Ax or Axx – honours belong in long suits). On balance I think it’s just about good enough to super-accept.K

(2)  What did you bid with this South hand B(a) in this week’s quiz? This motley collection is most certainly not worth an invite. Pass is very clear.

Table B:     (1)  This is the answer to question C. A super accept of the transfer, but as I said, it is close.

(3)  What did you bid with this South hand B(b) in this week’s quiz? South knows that North has 4 ’s and a maximum but I think this is also close – this is still a motley collection. I was South and thought about it for a while before taking the dubious plunge.L

 

And what happened? With the Q onside 4 made on two occasions. Other results were 4(N)-3, 4-1 and 2+1.

The bottom lines.

This was a very dodgy game. The South hand is horrible and 4 really was lucky to make. Having said that, I believe that it is impossible to bid unless North super-accepts.J

 

 

Dave’s Column           Here is Dave’s first problem on the play of the hand.

                                                            N-S vulnerable.

 

West                East                              West            North         East          South

Q73              K10542                    1                1              1    (1)    3    (2)

K2                10   (1)                      3                4              4            dbl

AQJ873        K9542                      all pass

J8                 107

(1)   5+ ’s

(2)   Sound raise to 3 or better.       

 

South leads the Q to the K and A and East ruffed the 2nd round. East led a to the Q which won, North playing the 6. What now?

 


Dave’s Column answer                      Board 4 from Wednesday 9th

     

Dealer:             6                                                 Book bidding

West                A98753                                      West          North         East            South

N-S vul            6                                                1             1              1    (1)      3  (2)

                        AK942                                       3              4              4              dbl

all pass              

Q73                    N             K10542               

K2                  W    E          10                 (1)  Showing 5+ ’s when playing negative doubles

AQJ873              S              K9542          (2)  An Unassuming cue bid – showing a limit

J8                                       107                    raise or better here.

AJ98                                    

QJ64                              South leads the Q to the K and A and East ruffed

10                                  the 2nd round. East led a to the Q which won, North

Q653                             playing the 6. What now?      

 

East has a common problem. If North has the J another lead will let East hold his trump losers to one, thus going down just one trick. This should be a fine result because N-S can surely make their 4 contract. They might even be able to make 6.

The trouble is that if East leads another and North shows out, it will mean that South started with AJ98. If declarer leads a from dummy he will find South with that holding, South will take two rounds  of trumps and continue with ’s, making East use his last trump. That will mean east gets only four tricks – down six, that is way over the value of N-S’s game.

The cure for East is to stop leading trumps. Lead ’s and let South ruff them. This line will lose three tricks, a and two ’s. Down three for minus 500, but still a good score against their vulnerable game. There is no need to fight for down one when the gain will be small and the risks huge.

 

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? 5*(W)-2, 5*-4, 4*-3 twice and 4(N)+2.

 

 

 

 

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

 

North               South                           West            North         East          South

6                   A1043                      -                   -                 1           pass

KQJ742       653                           1                2              pass         2    (1)

98742           AQ                           4                5              dbl           all pass

8                  J642

                                                      (1)  Sound raise to 3 or better. 

                                                                             

You are North, declarer in 5*. East leads the 8 which you win in dummy with the A, what do you do next?          

                                         


Dave’s 2nd Column answer              Board 6 from Wednesday 9th   

     

Dealer:             6                                                 Book bidding

East                  KQJ742                                     West          North         East            South

E-W vul           98742                                        -                 -                 1             pass

                        8                                                1              2              pass           2  (1)

4              5              dbl             all pass

KQJ972             N             85                  

9                     W    E          A108              (1)  A sound raise to 3 or better.

1065                  S              KJ3                      

KQ7                                  A10953          East leads the 8, plan the play. 

                        A1043                                       

653                                

AQ                                

J642                             

 

In order to succeed declarer must find East with the K and ’s 3-3. Even though this situation existed, a few declarers failed as follows: A, to the K and A, return taken by the Q, to the Q, A, ruff, ruff.

 

-                                                 That left this position with the lead in dummy.

                        J74                                             Now, whether South leads a or a West will

                        98                                              play high and continue with the K and East’s

                        8                                                10 is promoted as the setting trick.

 

KQ                     N             -                           Australian champion Bob Richman recognised

-                     W    E          10                        the danger and was one of the successful

-                         S              -                           declarers in 5. He was able to avoid the

KQ7                                  A10953                trump promotion on the third round of ’s.

                        104                                             After taking the A, he played a at trick two,

-                                                a scissors coup. Now West could not gain the

-                                                 lead later to play a 3rd and declarer had no

J642                                           problem. E-W can make 4 with careful play.        

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? 5*-1, 4=, 4*-1 twice and 4-2.

 


3NT is usually better than 5/                          Board 23 from Monday 7th   

 

Dealer:             A82                                            Table A

South               J832                                           West          North(A)    East          South

Both vul            K73                                          -                 -                 -               1    (1)

                        1087                                          pass           1              pass         3

pass           4    (2)      pass         5

Q943                  N               J107                   all pass

105                 W    E            KQ975             

A9                      S                102                    Table B

96542                                  KJ3                    West          North(A)    East          South

K65                                            -                 -                 -               1    (1)

A6                                              pass           1              pass         3

QJ8654                                      pass           3      (2)    pass         3NT

AQ                                             all pass

 

Table A:     (1)  I would have no problem with a 1NT opening with this hand.

(2)  What did you bid with this North hand A in this week’s quiz? 4 with this totally flat hand cannot be right as there simply cannot be the values for 5 and this hand has no ruffing potential.

Table B:     (2)  This is the answer to question A. It is showing a stopper (it is not necessarily a 4-card suit as partner has denied 4 ’s) and suggesting that partner bid 3NT if he has the ’s stopped. The unsophisticated 3NT is a less attractive alternative.

 

And what happened? 5-2, 3NT+2, 3NT+1 twice, 1NT+2 and 2+1

The bottom lines.

-         Strive to get to 3NT rather than 5 of a minor if you have a balanced hand.

 

 

Bidding Quiz Answers

 

Hand A:    3, showing a stop and inviting partner to bid 3NT. A direct 3NT now is a less attractive alternative, it’s too good to pass and with this flat shape a raise to 4 is inappropriate.

Hand B:    (a)  Pass. Very clear, this is a poor 7 points with miserable ’s.

(b)  Pass or 4. This is very close. You know partner is near maximum with 4 ’s, but this is a very poor hand. I actually bid 4 but am not particularly proud of the bid and it was lucky to make. I would not have bid it if not partnering a good declarer player (two out of four made 4 and two made only 9 tricks).

Hand C:    3, a super-accept. With 4 trumps, the 10 and near max with prime cards and a doubleton, this is just a bit too good to simply complete the transfer

Hand D:    Pass. Pretty obvious I know, but one player did find 2 and went for 800.

 

Bidding Sequence Quiz

 

E      1NT   pass   2     pass       3 is generally played as game forcing, promising a 4-card

        2      pass   3                   major and a 5-6 card suit, although many do play the sequence as weak by agreement.

 

       

 Ron Klinger web site