Our website is www.pattayabridge.com Club News Sheet – No. 360

Our blogsite is www.pattayabridge.wordpress.com

My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 083 6066880 4^th Oct 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

Mon 28^th 1^st Hans V & Paul Sc 68% 2^nd Bob P & Robbie 53%

Wed 30^th 1^st Guttorm & Ivy 58% 2^nd Kenneth & Val 55%

Fri 2^nd 1^st Mike G & Royd 63% 2^nd Dave & Jan v Koss 56%

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Bidding Quiz Standard American bidding is assumed unless otherwise stated.

Hand A Hand B What do you open with Hand A?

♠ 2 ♠ AJ10983

♥ 2 ♥ 42 With Hand B partner opens 1♦ and you bid 1♠. Partner then

♦ 10986 ♦ K6 reverses with 2♥, what do you bid?

♣ AKQ9765 ♣ Q53

Hand C Hand D With Hand C partner opens 1♥ and you bid 1♠. Partner rebids

3♦, what do you do?

♠ K642 ♠ 87654

♥ K98 ♥ A3 With Hand D partner opens 3NT (gambling) and RHO doubles.

♦ J6 ♦ KJ Everybody is vulnerable, what do you do?

♣ AJ84 ♣ J1083

Hand E Hand F With Hand E RHO opens a gambling 3NT, what do you do?

♠ KQJ3 ♠ Q3 With Hand F you open 1♥ and partner bids 1♠.

♥ KJ10654 ♥ AQJ107 (a) What do you bid next?

♦ AQ7 ♦ KQ108 (b) Suppose you choose 3♦ and partner bids 3♥, what now?

♣ - ♣ Q3

Bidding Sequence Quiz

G 1♣ 1♥ 2♣ pass

2NT How many points does 2NT show?

H 1♥ pass 1♠ pass

3♦ pass 3♥ 3♦ is forcing, but is it game forcing and can 3♥ be passed?

The Gambling 3NT Board 13 from Monday 14^th

The Gambling 3NT does not come up that often, but when it does it usually gets a good result – partner knows the situation exactly and knows what to do. Here is a perfect example at Table B.

Dealer: ♠ 87654 Table A

South ♥ A3 West North East South(A)

both vul ♦ KJ - - - 3♣ (1)

♣ J1083 dbl (2) 4♣ (3) 4♥ (4) pass

pass pass (5)

♠ KQJ3 N ♠ A109

♥ KJ10654 W E ♥ Q987 Table B

♦ AQ7 S ♦ 5432 West(E) North(D) East South(A)

♣ - ♣ 42 - - - 3NT (1)

♠ 2 dbl (6) pass (7) pass (8) pass

♥ 2

♦ 10986

♣ AKQ9765

Table A: (1) What did you open with this South hand A in this week’s quiz? The hand has 7 playing tricks and really is too strong for a pre-empt, even vulnerable. The hand does actually conform to the rule of 20 for a 1♣ opener, but the only real opening bid is that chosen at table B.

(2) I guess this is OK, but 4♥ seems an attractive alternative.

(3) North just nudges up the pre-empt. He has defensive values and with partner making a vulnerable pre-empt the opponents may get too high.

(4) A bit awkward, but with some trepidation East bids his 4-card major.

(5) 5♣ is what the Law says, but North has no idea that all of South’s points are in ♣’s and maybe the contract is going down.

Table B: (1) This is the answer to question C, the Gambling 3NT describes this hand perfectly.

(6) What did you bid with this West hand E in this week’s quiz? At table A I said that double at (2) was perhaps OK, but here I do not like it at all as partner is quite likely to pass and the penalty is unlikely to exceed the score for the probable ♥ game. I would bid 4♥, it won’t work all of the time but is the best bet in my opinion.

(7) What did you bid with this North hand D in this week’s quiz? Thanks to partner’s very descriptive bid you know that the opponents can make 4♥ easily and that 5♣ will be a good save. But there is no rush to bid ♣’s as the opponents may elect to defend 3NT doubled and it’s unlikely that they can run enough tricks to compensate for their vulnerable game. Of course if East does bid 4♥ then you bid 5♣.

(8) East has a difficult decision and decided to pass.

And what happened? 5♥=, 4♥=, 3NT*(S)-1. The bottom lines.

- It’s usually best to bid a good 6 card major rather than double K

- A 7 card suit headed by AKQ is far too good for a normal pre-empt L

- The gambling 3NT describes your hand perfectly. Here, had E-W bid to 4♥ then North would have no trouble finding the 5♣ save if he knew partner had 7 solid ♣’s and nothing outside. J

After a reverse Board 15 from Monday 28^th

Dealer: ♠ 5 West North East(B) South

South ♥ 108753 - - - pass

N-S vul ♦ J732 1♦ pass 1♠ pass

♣ K86 2♥ (1) pass 4♠ (2) pass

pass (3) pass

♠ KQ2 N ♠ AJ10983

♥ AKJ9 W E ♥ 42

♦ A9854 S ♦ K6 (1) A reverse, forcing for one round.

♣ 2 ♣ Q53 (2) What did you bid with this East hand B

♠ 764 in this week’s quiz? 2♠ is not forcing but

♥ Q6 3♠ is. However, I don’t see the point of

♦ Q10 bidding 3♠ as this suit is good enough to

♣ AJ10974 play in 4♠ opposite a singleton or void once

partner has shown the strength to reverse.

(3) West’s excuse for passing was that ‘he thought that 4♠ meant that partner wanted to play in 4♠’.

6♠ is trivial on a non trump lead. On a ♠ lead it makes because of the favourable position of the ♥Q. And what happened? 4♠+2, 4♠+1 and 6♠=

The bottom lines.

- If partner wants to play in game in a suit that you have not shown and you have KQx and a useful singleton, then make an effort. 4NT or 5♠ at (3) would work.

- Note the importance of intermediates in this deal; East’s ♠1098 are very important as he can ruff a ♦ (or ♥) high in order to get an entry to ruff a ♣.

- In my opinion, 4♠ is not shut-out like fast arrival, but shows a very good ♠ suit (as the sequence 1♦ - 1♠ - 2♥ is not game forcing). It seems that others disagree.

Play Problem

North South You are South, declarer in 6♥ (or 4♥) and receive the ♠J lead.

♠ Q5 ♠ AK2 How do you play the ♥ suit for just one loser?

♥ A98 ♥ Q10654 Answer below.

♦ AQJ ♦ K963

♣ Q8762 ♣ A

Play problem answer Board 24 from Wednesday 30^th

Dealer: ♠ Q5 West North East South

West ♥ A98 pass 1♣ (1) pass 1♥

Love all ♦ AQJ pass 1NT pass 2♦ (2)

♣ Q8762 pass 3♥ (3) pass 4♥ (4)

all pass

♠ J1098 N ♠ 7643

♥ 73 W E ♥ KJ2 (1) This is not a great hand for a 1NT opener.

♦ 74 S ♦ 10852 (2) New Minor Forcing, asking for clarification

♣ KJ953 ♣ 104 of major suit holdings plus strength.

♠ AK2 (3) 3 ♥’s and max (good 13-14).

♥ Q10654 (4) South considered that a combined 30 count

♦ K963 with just a 5-3 fit and a singleton in partner’s

♣ A suit was not good enough for slam (and it would not be if North did not have all the missing ♦ honours).

Anyway, whether you are in 4♥ (try to make 2 over-tricks) or 6♥ the problem is the same – how do you play the ♥ suit for just one loser?

I was South and led the ♥Q which lost to East’s ♥K. I subsequently finessed West for the ♥J and made just 11 tricks for a near bottom. Did I play it right?

East was kind enough to inform me that had I played a ♥ to the ♥A then I would have made 12 tricks, I hope that my reply was sarcastic enough for him to appreciate that I did not wish to have his advice on how to play a hand. Another player commented, when asked (so fair enough), that he would not lead the ♥Q as East may have a singleton ♥K but did not say whether he would play low to the ♥9 or make the actual winning play of rising with the ♥A.

So what is the correct play? I am no play expert but I had read somewhere that the correct play with this type of holding missing the K,J is to start with the queen and play LHO for one honour by finessing twice if necessary, so that’s what I did after some thought. Since there was a suggestion that I had played it incorrectly I put the hand into the play program on the website and it does indeed play the queen. So the cards just lay badly for the best play.

And what happened? 6♥=, 3NT+3, 4♥+2, 4♥+1 and 3NT=. So it appears that three players made the inferior play of a low ♥ to the ♥A and thus made 12 tricks.

The bottom lines.

- Sometimes the best line fails, especially when it is very close like this one.

- Do not offer unsolicited advice; East’s comment of the obvious made in hindsight by a relatively poor player was not appreciated.

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

West East West North East South

♠ KJ102 ♠ AQ96 - - 1NT pass

♥ AJ75 ♥ K4 3NT all pass

♦ 64 ♦ K32

♣ Q103 ♣ KJ82 You are East and partnering a beginner who has not yet

learnt Stayman. South leads the ♦Q and North plays an encouraging low card. Plan the play.

Dave’s Column answer Board 10 from Wednesday 30^th

Dealer: ♠ 753 Book bidding

East ♥ Q1083 West North East South

both vul ♦ A75 - - 1NT pass

♣ A65 3NT (1) all pass

♠ KJ102 N ♠ AQ96 (1) This is a ridiculous bid, with 2♣ Stayman

♥ AJ75 W E ♥ K4 absolutely obvious. Quite why this problem

♦ 64 S ♦ K32 is in the book is beyond me (Terry) as nobody

♣ Q103 ♣ KJ82 capable of solving it will be in 3NT unless

♠ 84 partnering a complete beginner.

♥ 962

♦ QJ1098 Anyway, South leads the ♦Q and East encourages,

♣ 974 what are your thoughts as declarer?

Unfortunately you are not in 4♠, so you must try to make 3NT. You will need to knock out the ♣A even if the ♥Q is onside, so the ♥ finesse is irrelevant. If North has the ♣A and ♦’s are 5-3 with the ♦A in the 5-card suit, you are going down whether or not you take the first trick with the ♦K. If you duck the first trick and South has the ♦A but does not continue ♦’s you will go down in a cold contract if ♦’s are 4-4. Against that, if you win the ♦K, you will go down whenever ♦’s are 5-3 no matter who has the ♦A.

The percentage play is to duck the opening lead, especially as North encouraged and probably has the ♦A. When ♦’s are 5-3 you might go down an extra trick by ducking if South, with the ♦A, switches, but you are always going down on that lie of the suit. Your bonus for ducking is when North has ♦Axx and has played an x at trick one wanting you to take the ♦K, after which the defensive communications are open to run the rest of the suit.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? Everybody has heard of Stayman of course, so 4♠+1 four times and 4♠=.

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

North South West North East South

♠ AQ7 ♠ K854 - - - 1NT

♥ K6 ♥ A5 pass 3NT all pass

♦ QJ8 ♦ K107

♣ 109862 ♣ AQ75

You are South, declarer in 3NT in a teams match (overtricks not important). West leads the ♥J and East encourages. Plan the play for your best chance of making the contract without thinking about over tricks.

Dave’s 2^nd Column answer Board 11 from Wednesday 30^th

Dealer: ♠ AQ7 Book bidding

South ♥ K6 West North East South

Love all ♦ QJ8 - - - 1NT

♣ 109862 pass 3NT all pass

♠ 963 N ♠ J102

♥ J10873 W E ♥ Q942 West leads the ♥J, plan the play at teams scoring

♦ 94 S ♦ A6532 (overtricks not important, be sure of making).

♣ KJ4 ♣ 3

♠ K854

♥ A5

♦ K107

♣ AQ75

“It was correct for me to go after the clubs” argued South. “East was a favorite to hold one of the missing honours. And if he had both I would score one or two over-tricks”.

Was South’s argument sound, or was he defending his chuck of a makeable game?

At the table, South quickly took dummy’s ♥K and East encouraged the ♥ lead. Declarer then ran the ♣10 to West’s ♣J. A ♥ was continued knocking out South’s ♥A. South led a ♠ to dummy and led another ♣, but East’s discard brought the bad news. There was no way to recover and South could win only 7 tricks.

South was right about the odds of scoring four or five club winners. But that was not a valid reason for going down at teams or rubber bridge scoring.

To improve his overall chances for at least nine winners, South should investigate possibilities in the ♠ suit. The best technique is to win the ♥A at trick one and cash the ♣A at trick two. If a club honour drops he can continue to play on clubs.

When no honour drops, South cashes his ♠K and dummy’s ♠A,Q. Luckily the ♠’s break 3-3 and he can concede a ♦ to ensure nine tricks.

If the ♠’s don’t break, South will fall back on the club suit, scoring four club winners whenever West did not have both missing honours.

Terry’s Comment. This is a safety play and does not apply to IMPs scoring (i.e. pairs – which we play at the Pattaya bridge club). I played on clubs and went two down, but this is quite correct at IMP scoring. East having one ♣ honour is 50% and East having both honours is 25%. So playing on clubs scores 9 tricks (or 10 if ♠’s are 3-3) ½ of the time and 10 tricks (or 11 if ♠’s are 3-3) ¼ of the time and will go two down ¼ of the time. The odds at pairs favor playing on clubs and that is what I will do again the next time a similar safety play comes up.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? 3NT= twice, 3NT-1 and 3NT-2 twice.

Is it game forcing? Board 23 from Wednesday 30^th

What was you answer to Sequence H this week? The jump rebid by opener is absolutely game forcing and the 3♥ bid cannot be passed. It appears that two Brits in the club disagree. Now there is no doubt at all in Standard American, but what about those brought up on Acol? Eric Crowhurst is the UK’s acknowledged Acol bidding expert, and on page 151 of his classic “Precision Bidding in Acol” he says ‘A jump in a third suit by opener is forcing to game’.

Dealer: ♠ J975 Table A

South ♥ 6542 West(F) North East(C) South

both vul ♦ A72 - - - pass

♣ K9 1♥ pass 1♠ pass

3♦ (1) pass 3♥ (2) pass

♠ Q3 N ♠ K642 pass (3) all pass

♥ AQJ107 W E ♥ K98

♦ KQ108 S ♦ J6 Table B

♣ Q3 ♣ AJ84 West(F) North East South

♠ A108 - - - pass

♥ 3 1♥ pass 1♠ pass

♦ 9543 2♦ (1) pass 4♥ (4) all pass

♣ 107652

Table A: (1) What did you bid with this West hand F(a) in this week’s quiz? It’s a nice hand but not good enough for 3♦, which is game forcing.

(2) What did you bid with this West hand C in this week’s quiz? This is fine, it often shows doubleton support (but 3 card support is OK) and offers partner the choice of 3NT or 4♥ or looking for slam, which is quite likely if partner really has the 18 or so points shown by his bidding.

(3) What did you bid with this West hand F(b) in this week’s quiz? Pass is out of the question because the sequence is game forcing; having got in this mess, with a great suit and two doubletons, 4♥ is best now.

Table B: (1) This is the answer to question F(a), there is no need to jump, partner will only pass if he has a miserable hand with very poor ♥’s and then there is no game.

(4) This East simply bid what he thought could be made. Quite reasonable.

And what happened? 6♥-1, 4♥+1 twice, 3♥+2 and 3NT=

The bottom lines.

- A jump rebid by opener is game forcing. This is true in America, England, Scotland and Pattaya.

Bidding Quiz Answers

Hand A: 3NT, gambling. This is a classic example.

Hand B: 4♠. I don’t expect that everybody will agree with me as 3♠ is forcing, but I think you should show the solidity of this suit by bidding game directly. This shows a suit robust enough to be trumps opposite a singleton or void and I do not consider it to be shut-out. I am fully aware that most will say 3♠ is the bid, but that’s the bid I would make with a few more points and a worse ♠ suit (so asking for some help in the ♠ suit from partner).

Hand C: You easily have values for game and quite possibly slam. The auction is game forcing so taking it slowly with 3♥ is probably best. 4♥ here is a poor bid as it is fast arrival (game forcing sequence) showing a much weaker hand.

Hand D: Pass. You know that if 3NT* is passed out then you will probably go one down (lose 4 ♠’s and a ♦ assuming that the ♦A is with RHO). But you also know that the opponents can make 4♥ or maybe even more. But it would be a mistake to run to 4♣ (pass or correct – it’s just possible that partner has ♦’s!) now as then the opponents will certainly bid 4♥; so pass and on a good day LHO will also pass. If he bids 4♥ then you sacrifice in 5♣ of course.

Hand E: 4♥. I much prefer this to double, one reason being that partner may pass and the penalty may not be enough to compensate for the vulnerable game or slam.

Hand F: (a) 2♦, it’s not good enough for a game forcing 3♦.

(b) 4♥, and hope that partner does not go off slam hunting, believing that you have the 18+ points shown by your 3♦ jump.

Bidding Sequence Quiz

G 1♣ 1♥ 2♣ pass

2NT 2NT here is 18-19, partner has about 6-9.

H 1♥ pass 1♠ pass

3♦ pass 3♥ 3♦ is game forcing and 3♥ cannot be passed.

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	1904.5 Hans Vikman 1900.0 Janne Roos 1865.4 Paul Quodomine 1793.8 Sally Watson 1728.7 Ivy Schlageter 1725.8 Bob Short 1704.3 Paul Scully	678.4 Hans Vikman 674.5 Janne Roos 655.2 Paul Quodomine 633.8 Sally Watson 619.9 Jeremy Watson 619.7 Ivy Schlageter 618.9 Bob Short 615.1 Lars Broman 611.8 Gerard Hardy 611.8 Derek Tyms	351.7 Hans Vikman 350.6 Janne Roos 336.7 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

A fair bit of movement this week. We have a new leader, due to Hans’ fine result partnering Paul Scully on Monday. Also, Ivy has joined the Gold Cup race with a jump into 5^th position and is closing fast on the Watsons in the Silver.