Our website is www.pattayabridge.com                             Club News Sheet – No. 293

Our blogsite is www.pattayabridge.wordpress.com                                 

My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 083 6066880              22nd June 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 16th      1st  Bob Short                    60%       2nd    Paul Scully = Janne Roos              56%

Wed 18th      1st  Peter & Robbie            58 %      2nd    Janne & Terry                              56%

Fri 20th         1st  Robbie Georges           -             2nd    Paul Scully                                    -

       
bridge news sheets to news-sheet main page Bridge conventions No Trump bidding book
   
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Bidding Quiz                    Stand American bidding is assumed unless otherwise stated.

 

Hand A           Hand B           With Hand A you open 1 and partner responds 1, what

do you bid?

AK5             A

K3                AK7432       (a) What do you open with Hand B?

Q863            4                  (b)  Suppose you open 1 and partner bids 2, what do

Q754           AK964               you bid?         

                                                                       

Hand C           Hand D           With Hand C partner opens 1 and you bid 2. Partner

now bids 2NT, what do you bid?

K108            Q10986                                    

92                 Q1087          With  Hand D partner opens 1 and you bid 1. What do

A92              K1075          you do if (a) partner bids 2, or (b) partner bids 1NT? 

KJ953          -

                               

Hand E            Hand F            With Hand E partner opens 1, what do you bid.

                             

Q83              Q96                                     

A103            Q4                With hand F RHO opens 1 and LHO bids 1. Partner

86                 Q764            doubles this and it’s passed round to you, what do you do?

KQJ32         Q643          

 

 

Bidding Sequence Quiz

 

G     1      2     pass   pass       What sort of hand does the 2 bid show?

        2

H     1      2     pass   pass       What is the double? Penalties or take-out?

        2      3     dbl

J      1      1      3      3         What is the double? Penalties or “up to you, partner”?

        4      pass   pass   4

        dbl

                                                       

 


Hand Evaluation                                                  Board 25 from Monday 16th 

 

Dealer:             J1072                                         Table A

North               72                                               West(E)     North         East            South

E-W vul           KQ953                                      -                 pass           1             pass

76                                              2NT (1)      pass           pass   (2)    pass

       

Q83                   N             A95                      Table B

A103              W    E          KJ4                      West(E)     North         East            South

86                      S              AJ10                    -                 pass           1             pass

KQJ32                               9854                    3NT           all pass

                        K64                                          

Q9865                                      

742                                            

A10                                           

 

Table A:     (1)  What did you bid with this West hand E in this week’s quiz? 2NT here is 11-12 points and no 4-card major, but this hand is worth far more than 12 points.

(2)  Clearly this totally flat 13 count should not accept the invitation.

Table B:     (1)  The KQJxx is worth a great deal more than 6 points and the 10 is worth ˝ a point. This 3NT bid is very clear.

 

And what happened? 2NT made +3 and 3NT made +1

The bottom lines: -

-         When evaluating your hand, do not just add up the points – adjust upwards for long suits and especially for long suits with points. KQJxx is a big plus.

 

Don’t pass partner’s take-out double                 Board 27 from Monday 16th 

 

Dealer:             Q96                                            West          North(F)    East            South

South               Q4                                              -                 -                 -                 pass

Love all            Q764                                         1             pass           1              dbl   (1)

Q643                                         pass           pass (2)      pass

       

K84                   N             AJ                   (1)  A reasonable double, showing both majors.

1082              W    E          K953              (2)  What did you bid with this North hand F in 

K83                   S              J1052                   this week’s quiz? This pass is ridiculous of

AK102                               875                      course and 2 is very clear. North tried to

                        107532                                      explain his pass by saying that he was only

AJ76                                          3-2 in the majors. Nobody was listening.

A9                                             

J9                                              

 

And what happened? 1* made +1. At the other table N-S bid sensibly to 2 making.

The bottom lines: -

-     Do not pass partner’s take-out double without excellent trumps; Qxxx is not excellent.


Too high                                                                Board 9 from Monday 16th 

 

Both pairs got (inexplicably to me) too high on this Monday hand. I think the bidding was the same at both tables.

 

Dealer:             A97                                            West(C)     North         East            South

North               K765                                          -                 pass           1              pass

E-W vul           763                                            2             pass           2NT   (1)    pass

Q42                                           4    (2)      all pass

       

K108                 N             QJ642            (1)  This is fine, showing a balanced hand

92                   W    E          QJ4                      with 5’s and 12-14 points.

A92                   S              K54               (2)  What did you bid with this West hand C in 

KJ953                                A8                        this week’s quiz? This 4 bid, chosen at

                        53                                              both tables, is not fine. The hand is only

A1083                                       worth a raise to 3.

QJ108                                        

1076   

 

And what happened? 4 went one down at both tables.

The bottom lines: - a balanced 11 point hand with just 3 trumps is only worth a limit raise.

 

10 Playing Tricks!                                                Board 23 from Monday 16th 

 

Both pairs failed to bid slam on this board from Monday.

 

Dealer:             K64                                            West          North         East            South(B)

South               QJ5                                            -                 -                 -                 1    (1)

Both vul            QJ10875                                     pass           2              pass           4    (2)

10                                              pass           pass   (3)    pass

       

973                    N             QJ10852        (1)  What did you open with this South hand

1086              W    E          9                           B(a) in this week’s quiz? I am not a great

AK32                S              96                         fan of opening 2 with two-suiters but this

853                                    QJ72                    hand, with 10 playing tricks, really is too

                        A                                               strong for just 1. 2 is the bid.

AK7432                               (2)  What did you bid with this South hand

4                                                 B(b) in this week’s quiz? Having failed to

AK964                                       open 2you have to make amends now.

4 (a splinter) is possible but I prefer 3

- a help suit game try that is actually a help-suit slam try. With a maximum and a singleton North would accept and South can then bid 6. This actual 4 bid shows a balanced 18-19 and is a gross underbid.

 

And what happened? 5+1 and 4=. Slam is easy of course, simply ruff two clubs and 12 tricks roll home.

The bottom lines: -

-         do not open 1 with an 18 point 10 playing trick hand.

-         If you are looking for slam after 1 - 2, use the help-suit game try as a slam try.

-         Note that the K is superfluous, this South hand needed just the Qxx to make slam.


Right strain and level                                                      Board 24 from Monday 16th 

 

The aim of good bidding is to reach a final contract in the right strain (suit or NoTrumps) and at the right level. On this deal from Monday both pairs got it ˝ right.

 

Dealer:             AK5                                           Table A

West                K3                                              West          North(A)    East            South(D)

Love all            Q863                                         pass           1   (1)      pass           1

Q754                                         pass           2    (2)      pass           4    (3)

all pass      

74                      N             J32                      

A95                W    E          J642                     Table B

A942                S              J                           West         North(A)    East            South(D)

K1086                               AJ932                  pass           1   (1)      pass           1

                        Q10986                                     pass           1NT (2)      pass           pass (4)

Q1087                                       pass

K1075                                       

-                                                 Sensible Bidding

West          North(A)    East            South(D)

                                    pass           1   (1)      pass           1

pass           1NT (2)      pass           2    (4)

pass           2    (5)      all pass

 

Table A:     (1)  I prefer this 1 to a 1 opening when 4-4 in the minors.

(2)  What did you bid with this North hand A in this week’s quiz? Now just last week I spelled out the virtues of supporting with three card – but that is with a shapely hand. The correct bid here is 1NT of course.

(3)   What did you bid with this South hand D(a) in this week’s quiz? A void in partner’s 1st bid suit is not usually an asset and an invitational 3 is quite enough.

Table B:     (2)  This North rebid the obvious 1NT.

(4)   What did you bid with this South hand D(b) in this week’s quiz? With this shape I would not consider passing.

Sensible      (4)  With 5 ’s and 4 ’s a 2 bid is normal. 2 risks missing a more

Bidding:            important fit and 2 is clearly superior.

(5)  With sensible bidding we arrive at the optimum contract.             

 

And what happened? 1NT and 4 both went -1. So one pair stayed low but were in the wrong strain (NT instead of ’s or ’s) and the other pair were in the right strain (’s) but too high. Deep Finesse says that 4 and 3 make by N-S; the contract scores more.

The bottom lines: -

-         With a balanced hand, bid NoTrumps rather than supporting with just 3 cards.

-     A void in partner’s 1st bid suit is not a great asset.

 

 

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

 

West                East                You are West, declarer in 6. North leads the Q.

A                  84               Can you see what your best play is? Trumps break 2-1.

KJ1065        AQ987

AJ                 K65           

AJ1052        843                                           


Dave’s Column answer                      Board 16 from Wednesday 18th    

     

Dealer:             QJ1097                                      West          North         East            South

West                3                                                 1              pass           4              pass

E-W vul           972                                             6              all pass

                        KQ96

This is a typical recognition problem. Losers

A                        N             84                   in only one suit - ’s, a strong trump holding

KJ1065          W    E          AQ987           on both sides, and two other side suits that

AJ                      S              K65                can be eliminated before ’s are attacked.   

AJ1052                              843                Nevertheless there is a bit of planning to do.

                        K6532                                  You must end up in dummy when leading a

42                                         and you must remain with trumps in both

Q10843                                hands. Cross to a trump at trick two and ruff

7                                         a , next play AK and ruff a and then draw
the last trump ending in dummy. If you

                        J10                                       draw the 2nd trump before you ruff the you

                        -                                           will find yourself short a trump and will be

                        -                                           unable to execute the strip. 

                        KQ96                                  This is the position having stripped the

hand and pulled the last trump, ending in

-                         N             -                     dummy. Lead a . If South follows with a

K                    W    E          Q98                low insert the 10 (or J) and North,

-                         S              -                     upon winning with a high is end-played.

AJ1052                              843                He either has to lead into your AJ or else

                        K65                                      lead a and you throw a from dummy.

-                                          

Q10                                     

7

 

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? 5+1 (when North decided to lead the K),
6
-1 (declarer drew trumps prematurely) and 4* by North -1 for an average.

 

West        North       East        South             This was the bidding at another table. What was

1            1            3          3                  your answer to bidding sequence question J?

4            pass         pass       4                  Double would show a desire to defend. This

pass   (1)  pass         5    (2)  all pass           pass at (1) is forcing and says “leave it up to

you partner”. East must either double or bid 5
and with this East hand 5
is clear.


Bidding Quiz Answers

 

Hand A:     1NT. The Kx is good enough for a 1NT bid. With xx in ’s 2 would be correct.

Hand B:    (a)  2 (or your strongest bid). This hand, with 18 points, 10 playing tricks and just three losers is far too strong for a mere 1.

(b)  3, a help suit game try (which is actually a help-suit slam try to find out if partner is maximum or not). A 4 splinter is a reasonable alternative. 6 also has its merits – partner need very little for 6 to make; and 5 is also reasonable I suppose. 4, showing a balanced 18-19, is not reasonable as it does not do justice to the hand and partner may well pass when slam is cold (he did and it was).

Hand C:    3, invitational. 4 is an unnecessary overbid.

Hand D:    (a)  3, it’s not good enough to bid game.

(b)  2. 2 is not a good choice as a fit will get lost. Pass is not reasonable with this shapely hand which is bound to play better in a major.

Hand E:    3NT. This hand, with a great 5-card suit, is far too good for a modest 2NT. If you play Inverted Minors then 2 (forcing) would be fine.

Hand F:     1, obviously. But one fairly experienced player passed! saying he had no 4-card major. It was not a success; 1* made +1 for a top, as is very predictable.

 

 

Bidding Sequence Quiz

 

G     1      2     pass   pass       2 shows a weakish distributional opener that does not

        2                                        wish to defend 2 doubled.

H     1      2     pass   pass       Double is 100% penalties – it is a hand that was

        2      3     dbl                   prepared to defend 2 doubled.

J      1      1      3      3         Double here is penalties, showing a desire to defend 4

        4      pass   pass   4          doubled rather than press on to 5♥. A pass would be

dbl                                       forcing and partner must either double or bid 5.

So it’s not the double that says “up to you, partner”,

but the (forcing) pass.