Club News Sheet – No. 232    www.pattayabridge.com        15th April 2007

       
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My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 086 6089887

It is best to use my home number to contact me unless I am at the bridge club.

Mon 9th      1st N-S     Albert & Dennis                 56%         2nd    Kjell & Tyrone                 55%

                  1st E-W    Janne & Lasse                    64%         2nd    Derek & Gerard               50%

Wed 11th    1st N-S     Paul K & Sean                   59%         2nd    Gene & Mike                   59%

                  1st E-W    Kenneth & Terry                61%         2nd    Dave & Paul W                56%

Fri  13th      1st            Jeremy & Koch                  61%         2nd    Jim & Terry                      59%

                                                                           

Bidding Quiz                           Standard American is assumed unless otherwise stated.

 

Hand A           Hand B           With Hand A partner opens 1♥, what do you bid?

                                                                                                                 

♠ 543               ♠ A1097          With Hand B partner opens 1♦, you bid 1♥ and partner bids 2♣.

♥ KJ76            ♥ AJ109752    (a)  What do you bid?

♦ A                  ♦ Q                  (b)  What do you bid if RHO doubles the 2♣ bid?      

♣ K7632         ♣ J

 

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

 

♠ J1054           ♠ KQ            

♥ AK9852       ♥ A10954        With Hand D it is unfavourable vulnerability. You open 1♥,

♦ 963               ♦ K753            partner responds 2♣ and RHO comes in with 3♠. What do you do?

♣ -                   ♣ A8

 

Hand E            Hand F            With Hand E LHO opens 1NT and RHO transfers with 2♦.

♠ 7542             ♠ Q9                What do you do?

♥ J7                 ♥ K                                         

♦ J8742            ♦ AKQJ1053   (a)  What do you open with Hand F?

♣ A7                ♣ 532              (b)  Suppose you open 1♦ and partner bids 1♠, what do you do?

                                                                             

                             

Bidding Sequences Quiz        All of these sequences occurred this week

 

G     2♥      pass   4♥      dbl         What is the dbl – take-out or penalty?  

H     2♥      pass   4♥      pass       What is the dbl – take-out or penalty?

pass   dbl                            

J      1♥      pass   1NT   pass       What is the dbl – take-out or penalty?

2♣     pass   pass   dbl

 

Editorial

Bridge during Soncran

The important days for Soncran this year are Wed 18th for Naklua and Thu 19th for Pattaya. It is only the Pattaya day that’s a problem and as that’s Thursday all bridge is as normal during Soncran. On Wednesday the traffic will be a bit busy and you will get a wet if on a motorbike or baht bus. Thursday will be absolute chaos – stay at home.

Play in the 4-4 fit                                                  Board 23 from Monday 9th  

 

The good 4-4 fit is usually best: -

Dealer:             ♠ KQJ986                                     Table A

East                  ♥ AQ87                                         West          North         East          South

E-W vul           ♦ 8                                                 -                 -                 pass         1♦

                        ♣ A2                                              pass           1♠              pass         2♣   (1)

pass           3♥    (2)      pass         4♥    (3)

♠ 1032                  N             ♠ A754                    pass           pass (4)      pass        

♥ 954                 W    E          ♥ 62                        

♦ 97643                 S              ♦ 105                      Table B

♣ K5                                     ♣ QJ983                  West          North         East          South

                        ♠ -                                                 -                 -                 pass         1♦

♥ KJ103                                        pass           1♠              pass         2♣   (1)

♦ AKQJ2                                       pass           3♥    (2)      pass         4♥    (3)

                        ♣ 10764                                        pass           4NT (4)      pass         5♥    (5)

pass           6♠    (6)      all pass

 

Table A:     (1)  This hand has reversing values, but a ♠ bid by partner has not improved it and most players chose the more modest 2♣ response.

(2)   A jump in the 4th suit is up to partnership agreement, when it’s a major that partner has not denied I think it’s best to play it as natural and game forcing.

(3)   South should perhaps be thinking of greater things with this great ♥ support, I guess he was put off by partner’s initial response in his void?

(4)   With good shape North could press on, I guess he was put off by partner’s initial opening in his singleton?

Table B:     (4)  At this table it was North who decided to take the plunge. He bid Blackwood.

(5)   Two keycards playing RKCB.

(6)   But unfortunately North was playing normal Blackwood and decided to bid 6♠ knowing that the ♠A was opposite. I think it’s best to go for 6♥ anyway – play in the 4-4 fit.

 

And what happened? 6♠ was a lucky make when the ♠10 fell. Two pairs bid 6♥ making +1. It was by South once so I guess he reversed at (1)? And there were the usual spurious results, 4♥ +3 (twice), 4♠+1, and 6NT – 1.

The bottom lines: -

-         It’s usually best to play in a good 4-4 major suit fit.

 

Double and bid shows a strong hand                            Board 23 from Monday 9th

 

E-W missed a simple 4♥ at two tables on Monday: -

Dealer:             ♠ 3                                                 Table A

North               ♥ Q62                                            West          North         East          South

N-S vul            ♦ AJ9652                                       -                 2♦              pass         pass

                        ♣ K104                                         dbl   (1)      pass           pass (2)    pass

 

♠ AK92                N             ♠ Q                          Table B           

♥ AK1084         W    E          ♥ J953                     West          North         East          South

♦ K                        S              ♦ 743                      -                 2♦              pass         pass

♣ Q52                                   ♣ AJ973                  dbl   (1)      pass           2♥    (2)    2♠

                        ♠ J1087654                                   dbl   (3)      3♦              pass         pass

♥ J                                                 3♥    (4)      pass           pass (5)    pass

♦ Q108                                         

                        ♣ 86                                             

 

Table A:     (1)  I normally prefer to overcall when 5-4 in the majors; but double here is best because the hand is too good for a simple 2♥ overcall. It is good enough to double and then raise partner if he bids 2 of a major or else bid 3♥ if partner responds in ♣’s or NoTrumps.

(2)  This is sheer lunacy of course, I guess East fell asleep?

Table B:     (2)  This East bid the obvious 2♥.

(3)   At this vulnerability West has two choices, he can double for the vulnerable penalty or else try for the non-vul game with 3♥. At this vulnerability I have no problem with the (penalty) double.

(4)   This now shows a big hand, with ♥’s and ♠’s, and is strongly invitational.

(5)   East’s initial 2♥ bid showed about 0-8 points and as he’s absolutely at the top of the range 4♥ is very clear. This pass is a very poor bid.

And what happened? Everybody else was in 4♥, making or making +1, of course.

The bottom lines: -

-     If you double a two level pre-empt and subsequently raise partner’s two of a major to three (not in competition), that shows a big hand and partner should bid game with about 5-8 points.

 

 

4♥ with ♥Axxxx opposite possibly nothing?       Board 23 from Monday 9th

 

Here we have the same East in action again. This time he bid a ridiculous 4♥ holding ♥Axxxx in the suit when partner had not even supported ♥’s!

Dealer:             ♠ AJ9876                                      

East                  ♥ Q62                                            West(A)     North         East(D)    South

E-W vul           ♦ J106                                            -                 -                 1♥    (1)    pass

                        ♣ 4                                                2♣   (2)      3♠              4♥    (3)    pass

4NT (4)      pass           5♥            pass

♠ 543                    N             ♠ KQ                       6♥    (5)      all pass              

♥ KJ76              W    E          ♥ A10954               

♦ A                        S              ♦ K753                  

♣ K7632                               ♣ A8                       

                        ♠ 102                                            

♥ 3                                                

♦ Q9842                                       

                        ♣ QJ1095                                     

 

(1)   A 1NT opening is worth considering – it would certainly solve any rebid problem!

(2)   What did you bid with this West hand A in this week’s quiz? With good trumps and good shape it’s well worth a sound raise to 4♥. It’s best not to splinter so the best option is to bid 2♣ and then raise to 4♥ next go.

(3)   What did you bid with this East hand D in this week’s quiz? Partner has not promised a single ♥ and East’s choice of 4♥ is lunacy. You need a much better and longer ♥ suit for this 4♥ bid. North’s 3♠ bid has made it slightly awkward but double (penalties), 3NT, 4♦ and pass are all much more sensible options. I would bid 3NT.

(4)   Obviously West was expecting ♠ shortage and a much better ♥ suit opposite and confidently went looking for slam.

(5)   And one keycard missing is no reason to chicken out.

 

And what happened? 6♥ went one down when there was a trump loser – certainly something that West did not expect from the bidding! 4♥ was the best and most popular spot.

The bottom lines: -

-         Don’t insist on a suit like Axxxx as trumps at the 4 level if partner has not supported them!

 

 

 

Play 4th suit forcing as forcing to game               Board 26 from Monday 9th

 

Partnerships have different agreements after 4th suit forcing. I think it’s easiest to play 4th suit as game forcing – then there are never any problems.

Dealer:             ♠ A1097                                       

East                  ♥ AJ109752                                  West          North         East          South

both vul            ♦ Q                                                -                 -                 pass         1♦

                        ♣ J                                                 pass           1♥              pass         2♣

dbl   (1)      2♠    (2)      pass         3♦    (3)

♠ KQ83                N             ♠ 642                       pass           3♥    (4)      pass         pass (5) 

♥ 86                   W    E          ♥ Q3                        pass

♦ 10765                 S              ♦ K92                    

♣ A105                                  ♣ 98743