Our website is www.pattayabridge.com                             Club News Sheet – No. 299

Our blogsite is www.pattayabridge.wordpress.com                                 

My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 083 6066880              3rd Aug 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

       
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Mon 28th      1st  Lewis & Paul Q            61%       2nd    Jeremy & Sally                       56%

Wed 30th      1st  Eddie & Janne              66%       2nd    George & Peter                      56%

Fri 1st           1st  Lewis & Paul Q            64%       2nd    Jan & Janne                            57%

 

Bidding Quiz                    Standard American bidding is assumed unless otherwise stated.

 

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

 

63                 53                

AJ9              84                 With Hand B partner opens 1 and RHO overcalls 2,

Q53              K62              what do you do?

AK762         AQ10732

                                               

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

 

AQ3             AKQ3

A64              Q843            With Hand D you open 1 and LHO doubles. Partner bids 3,

932               AJ32             what do you do?

AJ76            J                  

 

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

 

AQ62           -                

AKJ963       9875             With Hand F you open 1, LHO bids 1, partner passes and

AK               AK95           RHO bids 2. You pass and this goes round to partner who

J                   AK874         doubles. What is partner’s double and what do you bid?

 

Hand G           Hand H           With Hand G partner opens 1 and you bid 1. Partner then

bids 3, what do you bid?

AQJ653        A7             

A94              K432

86                 9876             With Hand H partner opens 1, what do you bid?

K3               AQJ

                                                                                     

Bidding Sequence Quiz

 

J    1       pass     1      pass    

3       pass     3                  Is 3 weak, invitational or forcing?

K   1       1        pass   2

pass     pass     dbl                 What is dbl -  take-out or penalties?

L    1        dbl       2                Is 2 weak or forcing?

M  1        dbl       3                Is 3 weak or forcing?


Editorial

I would like to use this otherwise blank space to clarify some of the club rules. They are all up on the web under ‘local rules. Just a few of the most important: This is a friendly club and some rules of bridge are relaxed (looking at the last trick and asking somebody if they have revoked are examples). Standard American bidding is assumed and you should inform your opponents in advance if you play anything else, virtually any system is allowed. But psyches and opening 1NT with a singleton are not allowed in this club. Also, on Mondays and Fridays the boards are randomly dealt but there is a parameter to ensure that one hand has at least 12 points; this is to avoid pass-outs. If you don’t like this, then don’t play here; simple.

 

Suport for Partner’s Minor                                       Board 12 from Monday 28th  

If partner opens 1/ and you have a strong hand with no suit other than partner’s then you have a problem in traditional methods – you have no forcing raise.

 

Dealer:             K985                                          Table A

West                K7                                              West          North         East(A)    South

N-S vul            J762                                           1             pass           1    (1)    pass

                        1094                                          1              pass           3   (2)    pass

                                                                              5   (3)      all pass

AQ72                 N             63                        

1053               W    E          AJ9                      Expert’ Table

A4                      S              Q53                     West          North         East(A)    South

QJ53                                  AK762                 1             pass           2   (1)    pass

                        J104                                          2    (4)      pass           2    (4)    pass

Q8642                                        2NT (5)      pass           3NT         all pass

K1098                                 

8                                         

 

Table A:     (1)  What did you bid with this East hand A in this week’s quiz? When you have a game-going hand in support of partner’s minor you cannot raise him- both 2 and 3 are non-forcing in standard methods. With these ’s 3NT cannot be a good bid, so that just leaves 1 - if you have to lie, lie in a minor.

(2)   This is also a poor bid – it’s not forcing. 2 (4th suit forcing) is best.

(3)   3NT is probably best here, but with just Ax and partner by-passing the suit it looks like partner has a very unbalanced hand. West has my sympathies.

‘Expert”     (1)  Our experts play Inverted Minors of course. 2 here shows good support and

 Table:              denies a 4-card major and is forcing to 2NT or 3 of the minor.

(4)   Playing inverted minors one bids stoppers up the line.

(5)   This guarantees a stop (else bid 3) and also shows a minimum.

 

And what happened? 5 went one down. 3NT made exactly once and +1 twice.

The bottom lines: -

-         Sometimes you have to lie, but do not lie in a major suit.

-         Play inverted minors.

-         If you do not play inverted minors and have a suitable hand, then bid the other minor if NoTrumps is not a decent bid.

-         Do not play in 5 of a minor if 3NT is a remotely sensible contract.


A negative double                                                Board 12 from Monday 28th 

 

Partner opens and RHO overcalls – then a negative double promises an unbid major. But what if partner opens a major and RHO overcalls in the other major?

 

Dealer:             Q106                                          Table A

West                KQ763                                       West          North         East(B)     South

E-W vul           J87                                              1              2              pass (1)    3

                        J8                                               3    (2)      pass           pass (3)    pass

                                                                             

AKJ874              N             53                         ‘Expert’ Table

A                    W    E          84                         West          North         East(B)     South

AQ103               S              K62                     1              2              dbl   (1)    3

54                                      AQ10732             4    (4)      pass           4    (5)    all pass

                        92                                             

J10952                                      

954                                      

K96                                    

 

Table A:     (1)  What did you bid with this East hand B in this week’s quiz? This pair play negative doubles and East passed, expecting partner to double when he would then bid 3. This logic, however, is slightly flawed as it is the action that would be taken with a much weaker hand.

(2)   Showing a decent hand.

(3)   With an undisclosed 9 points perhaps East should raise here, but it would have been so much easier if he had shown values on the first round.

‘Expert’      (1)  This is the correct response, a negative double showing values, mainly in the

 Table:              minors.

(4)   South’s raise has made it slightly difficult for West, 4♠ is the alternative.

(5)  And East makes the obvious correction.

 

And what happened? Two pairs bid to 3 making +2. One pair bid 4 +1. The last pair bid to 6-1 when East made the very poor overbid of 3 at (1).

The bottom lines: -

-         Do not respond at the two level without a very good 10+ points, especially with scant support for partner’s suit.

-         A response at the three level after interference must be game forcing (good 12+).

-         When RHO overcalls leaving you no room to make your natural bid, make a negative double with 6+ points and insufficient values to bid at the two/three level (so about 6-10).

-         If there is an unbid major, then a negative double promises the other major.

-         If both majors have been bid then a negative double simply promises values.

 

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

 

North               South               You are South, declarer in 6♠, West leads the 10,

A7                KQJ1098     plan the play.         

K432            AJ5                                     

9876             K10                                     

AQJ             K3

                                               
Dave’s Column answer                Board 27 from Wednesday 30th  

     

Dealer:             A7                                              West          North(H)    East            South

South               K432                                          -                 -                 -                 1

Love all            9876                                          pass           2NT (1)      pass           4 (2)

                        AQJ                                           pass           4    (3)      pass           6  (4)

all pass

543                     N             62                        

Q8                  W    E          10976             This is the bidding from the book.

AJ5                    S              Q432                   

109876                              542                     

                        KQJ1098                            

AJ5                                     

K10                                    

K3

 

(1)  What did you bid with this North hand H in this week’s quiz? This is the bidding from

Dave’s book and 2NT is apparently natural and not Jacoby 2NT. But it’s a lousy bid (sorry Eddie K). A natural 2NT over 1 is passable and denies 4 ’s when playing Standard American. This hand should bid 2 although I would not argue with 2 as that’s where the values are.

(2)  Gerber, asking for aces

(3)  Two aces

(4)  4NT would be a sign-off, 5 asking for kings.          

 

You have a possible loser in ’s along with two possible losers on ’s; but you do have one extra winner in ’s. All in all, two possible losers and eleven top tricks – 6 ’s, 3 ’s and 2 ’s.

There are finesses available in both red suits. Which do you take first?

In these two suite finesse option hands, you must try to look for a way to combine your chances and not put all of your eggs in one basket.

Here you can do just that. Win the lead in dummy and draw the necessary trumps discarding ’s from table. Next, try the A,K hoping for the queen to drop. If the Q does not drop, discard the J on a and lead towards the K.

On the actual the Q drops so that’s that, discard a on the good .

 

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? 6-1, 6-2, 4+2, 3NT+3, and 3NT+2.

 

 

 

Dave’s 2nd Column       Another Dave problem involving the play of the hand.

 

West                East                      You are East, declarer in 4, and South leads the Q

K6543          2                       which holds. At trick two South switches to the 5,

5                   AKQJ1098      What do you do?

10985           J432               

AKJ             2                                        

                                   

                                     


Dave’s 2nd Column answer        Board 26 from Wednesday 30th  

     

Dealer:             A987                                          West          North         East          South

West                432                                             pass           pass           4            all pass

both vul            K7                                             

                        10974                                       

                       

K6543                N             2                          

5                     W    E          AKQJ1098         

10985                 S              J432                     

AKJ                                   2                         

                        QJ10                                        

76                            

AQ6                        

Q8653                          

 

Add up your losers, you have lost a and have 3 quick losers. Fortunately the suit has not been attacked. One discard on a won’t help you, so you have to go for it – put in the J. If it loses then it’s down two. If it works is game made.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? 4+1. 3NT+1, 4= twice and 4-1.

The bottom lines: -

-     It looks like 4 making, so passing Dave’s test, gets a bad score at our club!

 

 

That 4333 shape again                                         Board 18 from Wednesday 30th 

 

Dealer:             K8                                              West          North         East(C)      South

East                  KJ8                                            -                 -                 1NT (1)      pass

N-S vul            A864                                          pass           dbl   (2)      pass           pass   (3)

                        KQ43                                        2    (4)      dbl   (5)      all pass

                                                                             

J65                     N             AQ3         (1)  What did you open with this East hand C

Q953              W    E          A64                in this week’s quiz? Knock off a point for

J75                     S              932                the 4333 type shape and it’s not worth a

952                                    AJ76              1NT opener – open 1 and rebid 1NT.

                        109742                           (2)  A possibly dubious double in this position.

1072                               (3)  2 is the alternative, especially as the  

KQ10                                  opponents are non-vul. But with 4 tens I

108                                      agree with the pass.

(5)   With this flat hand I would pass.

(6)   Obviously North was in a doubling frame of mind.

 

And what happened? 2 doubled went two down for 300 and a top to N-S.

The bottom lines: -

-         Deduct a point for the totally flat 4333 type shape hand.

 

 


Not playing Benjamin any more?                        Board 12 from Wednesday 30th 

 

Dealer:             J8                                               West          North         East(E)       South

West                Q754                                          -                 -                 2   (1)      pass

N-S vul            Q4                                             2    (2)      pass           2    (3)      pass

                        KQ962                                      pass (4)      pass

                                                                             

1053                   N             AQ62             (1)  What did you open with this East hand E

82                   W    E          AKJ963               in this week’s quiz? This hand has about

1096532             S              AK                      10 playing tricks and your strongest bid

103                                    J                           is required. This E-W play Benjamin but

                        109742                                      East did not want to open a game forcing

1072                                           2 as then partner would be declarer.

KQ10                                   (2)  Automatic relay in their style.

                                A8754                                  (3)  8 playing tricks in ’s

                                                                        (4)  I have absolutely nothing.

 

When West passed the 2 bid East exclaimed that he would never play Benjamin twos again - he was looking for slam in either major.

And what happened? 2 made exactly! So a lucky top for E-W? No, it was only average; other scores were 4=, 3=, 3-1 and 4-1.

The bottom lines: -

-         Playing tricks are defined on the website but they are strange things. They get downgraded if partner is bust and upgraded if partner has a few bits and pieces.

-         Check out the article “the problem with playing tricks

pattayabridge.com  > General Bridge Topics > Playing tricks.

 

It’s penalties                                                        Board 23 from Friday 1st   

 

Dealer:             AKJ8                                          West          North         East            South(F)

South               A103                                          -                 -                 -                 1

both vul            10864                                        1              pass (1)      2    (2)      pass  

                        106                                            pass           dbl   (3)      pass           pass   (4)

                                                                              pass

Q9765                N             10432            

-                     W    E          KQJ642         (1)  With these great ’s North decided to go for

J72                     S              Q3                        the penalty, 3NT is the alternative.

QJ952                                3                    (2)  Looks right to me.       

                        -                                          (3)  This is penalties  

9875                                     (4)  What did you bid with this South hand F    

AK95                                        in this week’s quiz? Partner has made a

                                AK874                                       penalty double (and so was obviously

prepared to defend 1 doubled). So pass.

 

And what happened? 2* was -4 and so 1100. N-S bid to game at the other two tables

The bottom lines: -  

-         Sequence K is penalties – partner was prepared to defend at the one level doubled and will be delighted to defend at the two level.

-         You often get them one level higher when you play negative doubles.


Both sides bid 3NT!                                             Board 2 from Wednesday 30th 

 

Dealer:             J1098642                                   Table A

East                  1092                                           West          North         East(D)    South

N-S vul            Q87                                           -                 -                 1           dbl

                        -                                                 3   (1)      pass           3NT (2)    dbl

                                                                              4   (3)      pass           pass         dbl

5                         N             AKQ3                  all pass

J5                   W    E          Q843                   

95                       S              AJ32                     Table B

Q10876543                       J                           West          North         East(D)    South

                        7                                                -                 -                 1            dbl

AK76                                         3   (1)      pass           pass (2)    3NT (4)

K1064                                       4   (5)      pass           pass         pass (6)

AK92                                  

 

Table A:     (1)  This is a weak bid, see bidding sequence M and notes on the back page. Generally, the only strong bids after a double are redouble and 2NT.

(2)   What did you bid with this East hand D in this week’s quiz? Presumably East thought that partner’s bid was strong?

(3)   This is very sensible, this hand is worthless in NoTrumps.

Table B:     (2)  This is the answer to question D, this East knew that 3 was weak and so passed.

(4)   South has a nice hand, but surely a pass or penalty double (if you play it as penalties) is more prudent

(5)   West’s pre-emptive bid has worked a treat, 3NT is not making. Unfortunately he decided to bid again having pre-empted.

(6)   I have no idea why South did not double.

 

And what happened? 4 doubled went -1 for a bottom, 4 undoubled went -1 for a near bottom and there were the usual spurious results.

The bottom lines: -

-         A jump response when partner has opened and RHO has doubled is pre-emptive.

-         Don’t bid again having pre-empted - especially if partner has not had a chance to double!


Stay Low on a mis-fit                                           Board 4 from Wednesday 30th 

 

Dealer:             AK9743                                     Table A

West                QJ9765                                      West          North         East          South

both vul            4                                                1             1    (1)      2    (2)    3

                        -                                                 3    (3)     3              dbl           4

                                                                              pass (4)      pass           dbl           pass

52                       N             QJ106                  pass (5)      pass

-                     W    E          AK108432          

AKJ106532        S              -                            Table B

A53                                    J6                         West          North         East          South

                        8                                                1              4    (1)      6    (6)    pass

-                                                 pass           dbl             pass         pass

Q987                                         pass (7)

KQ1098742                       

 

Table A:     (1)  A Michaels cue bid is an option, but this hand is a bit good in my opinion and the 1 overcall (followed by a bid later if necessary) is fine.

(2)   This particular player has a propensity to cue bid rather than bid a suit. He may be right, I would bid a simple 2 (forcing), but the 2 bid worked out well. In principle it shows a sound raise to 3 or better, but I suspect that East bid it to show a good hand without saying anything much else. I’ll have to ask him when he has had a chance to read this news sheet.

(3)   This now presumably shows a good hand with good ’s - West did not think that East’s cue bid could really be supporting ’s; with nothing particular to say West would pass.

(4)   West considered bidding ’s again, but he had already bid them twice and shown a good hand, so he passed. This is clearly a forcing pass as both East and West have shown good hands.

(5)   Again, West thought about the ’s, but decided it was best to take the money – it looked like a mis-fit.

Table B:     (1)  Presumably asking partner to bid a major.

(6)   East asked what the 4 bid meant and was told ‘no idea’. Fair enough. This 6 bid, however, is very silly. The obvious action is to pass and find out what is going on. The result would have been a juicy penalty instead of a juicy penalty the other way.

(7)   West had already been ‘told off’ for (correctly) pulling partner’s 3NT on the deal on the previous page, so this time West decided to let him stew.

 

And what happened? 6* went for 1700 and 4* went two down for a near top. Other results were 7*-4, 5*-1, and 4* (by North)-3. Strange board, 5 different contracts and every one doubled.

The bottom lines: -

-         Don’t bid your hand 3 times, two West’s kept on bidding their ’s and went down.

-         If RHO jump bids in partner’s suit, there is no need to bid. Obviously LHO will bid and you get another go with a bit more information to go on.

 


It’s forcing                                                            Board 4 from Friday 1st  

 

Dealer:             K82                                            West          North         East(G)      South

West                Q10765                                      1             pass           1              pass

both vul            K32                                            3             pass           3    (1)      pass  

                        65                                              3NT           pass           4   (2)      pass

                                                                              5             all pass

9                         N             AQJ653         

K3                  W    E          A94                (1)  What did you bid with this East hand G in

Q97                    S              86                         this week’s quiz? 3 is correct, and this sort

AQJ10974                         K3                       of hand is why 3 is forcing. I guess East

                        1074                                          did not realize this and so made up a 3 bid.

J82                                       (2)  Clearly East should pass – if 3NT is possibly

AJ1054                                      a viable contract, then play there. 4 would

                                82                                              also be reasonable. The important thing

is to avoid playing in 5 of a minor at pairs.

 

And what happened? 5 went -1, presumably West decided not to take the finesse. Anyway, 5 making would still have been a bottom as others were in 3NT+1 and 4=.

The bottom lines: - 

-         Sequence J is forcing – showing a decent suit and looking for the best spot.

-         It is rarely correct to pull partner’s 3NT into a minor suit contract.

 

 


Bidding Quiz Answers

 

Hand A:     1. When partner opens a minor and you have game going support with no other suit, then you have two choices – bid No Trumps or bid the other minor. NoTrumps is silly here with xx, so lie in the other minor. If you play inverted minors then 2 is the bid.

Hand B:    dbl, negative to show values. Pass and bid (3) over partner’s expected double would show a much weaker hand. A direct 3 bid would show a much stronger hand. The negative double is just right.

Hand C:    1, knock of a point for the totally flat 4333 type shape.

Hand D:    pass, partner’s 3 is a weak pre-emptive bid.

Hand E:    2, or 2 if you play Benjamin. This hand has about 10 playing tricks and you want to be in game opposite most dummies with 13 cards.

Hand F:     pass, partner’s double is penalties - he was prepared to defend 1 doubled and is now delighted that it’s up at the two level. It is not for take-out, if partner had any sort of hand where he wants you to bid at the three level then he would not have passed initially.

Hand G:    3, forcing.

Hand H:    2, or 2. You cannot bid 2 as that promises 5 ’s. You cannot bid 2NT as that denies a 4-card suit. So you have to bid a minor. I would bid the 4-card suit but certainly not argue if you chose 2, where the values are.

 

Bidding Sequence Quiz Answers

           

J    1       pass     1      pass    

3       pass     3                  3 is 100% forcing

K   1       1        pass   2

pass     pass     dbl                 dbl is 100% penalties?

L    1        dbl       2                 2 is weak, non-forcing

M  1        dbl       3                 3 is weak and pre-emptive.

 

With reference to sequences L & M, when RHO doubles your partner’s 1-level opening: -

1)      A new suit by you at the 1-level is forcing, as if the double had not happened.

2)      A new suit by you at the two level is weakish and non-forcing.

3)      A jump in a new suit is pre-emptive.

4)      1NT retains it’s normal 6-10 meaning.

5)      With a strong hand, double (9+, generally short in partner’s suit and often looking for a penalty) or bid 2NT to show a sound raise to three or better of partner’s suit (Jordan/Truscott 2NT).