Our website is www.pattayabridge.com                           Club News Sheet – No. 369

Our blogsite is www.pattayabridge.wordpress.com                                 

My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 083 6066880              6th Dec 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 23rd  N-S   1st  Bob P & Robbie            61%       2nd    Johan & Frode                       58%

                E-W   1st  Lars D & Terry Q          65%       2nd    HansV & Paul S                     60%

Wed 25th N-S   1st  Paul K & Sean B            68%       2nd    Jan & Mike G                        61%

                E-W   1st  Gerard & Derek             62%       2nd    Gerry C & Richard M            54%          

Fri  27th    N-S   1st  Janne & Lars B              58%       2nd    Paul K & Sean B                    53%

                E-W   1st  Jan & Olaf                      60%       2nd    Gerry C & Ivy                        57%

       
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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?

AKQ84        J76                                      

AKQ9          J108             With Hand B RHO opens 1, what do you bid?

K86              AQJ9                                   

2                  AK5

Hand C           Hand D           With Hand C RHO opens 1, what do you bid?

♠J1032           ♠AK85

♥8                   ♥1073             With Hand D LHO opens 1 and partner bids 2. RHO bids

1032            Q876            2, what do you do?

♣AKJ86        ♣Q7

     
Ron Klinger web site
     
 

 

 

Swiss teams of 4 – two events soon

 

There are two totally separate upcoming Swiss teams of 4 events:

 

1)       Alan Purdy is organizing a Swiss teams event on Sun 13th December, 6 p.m.

This event is not associated with the Pattaya bridge club and all are welcome. Details are:

Location: The Bowling Green, Soy X-Zyte

Entry fee only 600bht per team

Please inform Alan if you wish to enter a team. If you are a pair and need team-mates, or if you are an individual, please contact Alan Purdy:

Tel 0800491427  e-mail alan@gomy.co.uk

 

2)   The annual Pattaya Bridge Club Xmas teams event. Sat 26th Dec, 11 a.m. Details are:

Location: The Bowling Green, Soy X-Zyte

Entry fee free and the event is open to all (except the few people who are banned from the club)! There will be a lunch break with food also free – you have to pay for any beverages.

The event is sponsored by Paul Quodomine

Tropies will be presented for first and second placed teams.

Please sign up on the notice board at the bowling green, or if unable to, e-mail terry.

If you are a pair and need team-mates, or if you are an individual, then your name(s) will be added and you will hopefully get assigned to a team – first come first served.

Tel 038 422924  e-mail terry@pattayabridge.com

 
Worth a strong 2
opener?                                 Board 10 from Friday 4th  

 

 

Dealer:             1095                                           Table A

East                  43                                               West          North         East          South(A)

Both vul            5432                                          -                 -                 pass         2   (1)

                        Q943                                         pass           2              pass         2    (2)

Pass           4    (3)      all pass

J76                     N               63                      

J108               W    E            7652                  Table B

AQJ9                 S                107                    West(B)     North         East          South(A)

AK5                                     J10876               -                 -                 pass         1    (1)

AKQ84                                      pass (4)      pass           pass

AKQ9                                       

K86                                          

2                                               

 

Table A:     (1)  What did you open with this South hand A in this week’s quiz? This might be close, but in my opinion it’s not really worth 2 and also two-suiters are difficult to handle if you open 2.

(2)   Most play this as game forcing.

(3)   Fast arrival.

Table B:     (1)  This is my answer to question A.

(4) What did you bid with this West hand B in this week’s quiz? With no stop 1NT is not recommended and double is out with this flat hand without four ’s. This pass is surely best

 

And what happened? It looks like the field was evenly split as to whether to open 2 or not. 4 obviously should not make but three did manage to bid and make it. Other results were 2NT+1, 3=, 1+3 and 4-1.

The bottom line:

-         I do not like opening 2 with strong two-suiters.

 

 

 

 

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

 

North               South                           West            North         East          South

A43              J95                           -                   1             pass         1

Q                  K10987                    pass             3             pass         4

A104            52                            pass             5             all pass

KQJ1043     A92                           

                                                           

 

You are North, declarer in 5, East leads a trump, plan the play assuming that the Q is allowed to hold when you lead it a t trick two.

 

                                             


Dave’s Column answer                      Board 1 from Wednesday 2nd    

     

Dealer:             A43                                            Book bidding

North               Q                                                West          North         East            South

Love all            A104                                         -                 1             pass           1

                        KQJ1043                                   pass           3             pass           4

pass           5             all pass      

                         

Q1082                N             K76                    

J653               W    E          A42               

QJ87                   S              K963                   

5                                        76                       

                        J95                                      

K10987                          .          

52                                   East leads a trump. Plan the play in 5.

A92                                           

 

North took the K and led the Q. East did well to play low and the Q won. North then cashed the A and conceded a . He was able to ruff his 3rd in dummy but lost two ’s.

North could make 5 if East grabbed the A: North could win the trump return in dummy and lead the 10 to ruff out West’s J, setting up three tricks to go with six ’s and the pointed aces. But North should also succeed against the actual defense: he must overtake the Q with the K and return the 10, throwing a . If East takes the A and leads another trump, declarer wins in dummy, leads a to ruff out the J. and returns to dummy with a trump for the good ’s.

East’s opening trump lead wasn’t dynamic since South had advertised a suit. East should have preferred an attacking lead in ’s or ’s, either of which would defeat the contract.

 

And what happened at the Pattaya bridge club? 6NT-4, 6-3, and lots of spurious results. Nobody was in 5 but two played in a sensible 3NT and both made exactly to share the top.

 

 

 

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

 

West                East                              West            North         East          South

4                   A2                            1               1              2           3    (1)

KJ76            54                            pass             pass           dbl           pass

AKJ953        Q108                       4                pass           5           all pass

54                AJ7632                               

                                                      (1)  weak

 

You are West, declarer in 5. North leads the K, plan the play.


Dave’s 2nd Column answer              Board 24 from Wednesday 2nd

 

Dealer:             KQ1083                                     Book Bidding

West                AQ82                                         West          North         East            South

Love all            2                                                1              1              2             3      (1)

                        Q98                                           pass           pass           dbl             pass

4              pass           5             all pass

4                         N             A2                       

KJ76              W    E          54                        

AKJ953             S              Q108              (1)  Pre-emptive raise

54                                      AJ7632                       

J9765                                  

1093                              

764                                 North leads the K, plan the play     

K10                                    

 

Given the bidding, there is a good chance that the AQ are sitting over your KJ. If South has a honour he can get in and lead ’s; curtains. So you must keep South off play. Duck the K! If a 2nd is played, take the A and discard a . Now the A and a ruffed high. If ’s are 3-2, cross to dummy with a trump, ruff another high and draw trumps ending in dummy with it’s three e winning ’s upon which three ’s are discarded. So you lose just one and a trump and make eleven tricks. If ’s are 4-1, you are in trouble.

 

And what happened at the Pattaya bridge club? 4*= twice, 4= twice and a few and NT contracts by E-W.

 

 

 

 


Paul’s Column

 

An “Expert” Defense

 

Board 18 last Monday saw the following “expert” defense:

 

                  North

                  ♠K9                               The auction, with East dealer:

                  ♥432                              P, 1C, 1D, 2C, 2H(1), P, P, 3C,              

                  1054                            3H, all pass.

                  ♣K9642

 

West                             East

♠A1095                        ♠QJ32

♥J10                             ♥AQ9765

KQJ83                        6

♣J7                               ♣103

 

                  South

                  ♠864

                  ♥K8

                  A972

                  ♣AQ85

 

East passed initially rather than open 2H with such a good spade holding but (1) while 2H here was certainly reasonable a responsive double (see the next article) would have uncovered the superior 4-4 fit.

 

South, Expert #1, was faced with a lead problem and selected the club ace as his partner was a favorite to hold the king and if it was in the opposing hands it was likely on his left or perhaps singleton.  Before playing to trick 2 he assessed the defensive prospects.   His side would likely take two clubs (Expert 2 signaled strong encouragement on the lead), 1H, and 1D.  The setting trick(s) would have to come from spades.  The spade shift was certainly right but the card he selected was the 4, violating one of the principles of defense.  When shifting to a new suit during the defense of a hand lead “attitude”, the lower the card the more encouraging.  He wished to give the impression of holding something like ªQ84 and he certainly accomplished that!   Declarer played the ace and Expert #2 who had deduced that Expert #1 would not defend like this without the ¨A and a trump control wanted to assure his spade ruff or clear partner’s possible ªQJ4.  He unblocked the king!  Declarer now finessed in hearts and back came a spade.  Of course the defense was now screwed, and only 2 clubs, a heart, and a diamond were won.  Only a couple of “experts” could have accomplished this and yes, I was Expert #1!

 


A Counter-intuitive Defensive Play

 

Board 10 from Monday:

 

                        North

                        ♠J8754                       The auction with East dealer:

                        ♥543                           P(1), P, 1H, P, 1NT(2), P, 3NT  (All vul)

                        42

                        ♣KJ4

 

West                                       East

♠K103                                                ♠Q9

♥AJ1098                                ♥2

AK                                         QJ10987

♣A87                                      ♣9532

 

                        South

                        ♠A62

                        ♥KQ76

                        653

                        ♣Q106

 

East’s initial pass (1) instead of a 2D opening may have been due to the vulnerability and lack of overall strength.  At any rate after the 1H opening only a weak jump response of 3D suits the hand and reaches a playable contract.  If not playing WJR a pass seems best.  1NT (2) was both under-strength and mis-descriptive.  As South I had to find an opening lead.  A © from my best suit was unattractive, a ¨ too passive, and I finally settled on the killing lead of the ª2.  Now, after unblocking the diamonds, declarer had no way back to his hand.  If instead I had chosen to lead a § declarer would win the 3rd round, unblock the ¨A and K, then lead a ª from dummy.  Can you see the defensive problem for North?  If the ª10 is led he must duck it and if East also ducks so will South, while if East plays the Q South will win and return a ª.  If instead the ª3 is led North must play the Jack, truly a counter-intuitive play but one which effectively blocks the entry to East’s hand and those lovely diamonds!  Would I find this at the table if I were North?  I’d like to think so but my last name isn’t Hamman!!


The Responsive Double

 

Board 17 from Monday was as follows:

 

                    North (D)                   North dealt, no-one vul.

                    ♠AK85

                    ♥1073

                    Q876

                    ♣Q7

 

West                             East

♠976                             ♠Q4

♥K5                               ♥AQJ9642

KJ954                         A

♣1054                           ♣932

 

                    South (C)

                    ♠J1032

                    ♥8

                    1032

                    ♣AKJ86

 

At our table the auction was P, 1H, 2C, P, 2S!, 3H, 3S, 4H, 4S.  2S was a bold venture, but what could North reasonably do?  4S might have made but for a great bit of defense by East.  He cashed the diamond ace and then under-led in hearts to his partner’s king, who cashed a diamond and gave him a ruff.  Well done!  When this hand was later discussed someone thought the South hand should have made a take-out double - what did you bid with this South hand C in this week’s quiz?  I strongly disagree with double, with such shabby support for two un-bid suits and a concentration of values in a 5-card suit it is much better suited to an overcall.  If West should declare in NT does South want to attract a diamond lead?

At another table after 1H, 2C, the enterprising West playing 5 card majors ventured a 2H raise!  I was asked what North should do - what did you bid with this North hand D in this week’s quiz? This is a CLASSIC hand for a “responsive” double showing values and length in the un-bid suits as well as a tolerance for partner’s overcalled suit.  Q7 should be plenty if he trusts his partner’s overcalls.  The spade fit would have been reached but played by South, and the likely lead of the heart king and continuation would put paid to the diamond ruff.  South might have played for the drop in spades reasoning the spade Q was more likely with East for the opening bid and demonstrated heart length.  Remember the “responsive” double … it is unlikely you want to make a low level penalty double of a suit that has been bid and raised.

 

 

 

                                                <end of Paul’s Column>                                                 

Bidding Quiz Answers

 

Hand A:    1. I don’t like opening 2 with two suiters and I don’t consider this hand quite strong enough for a 2 opener.

Hand B:    pass. You do not have a stop for 1NT and this flat hand with only 3 ’s is unsuitable for a double.

 

These two are from Paul’s column and these are his answers:

 

Hand C:    2♣. I strongly disagree with double, with such shabby support for two un-bid suits and a concentration of values in a 5-card suit it is much better suited to a 2♣ overcall

Hand D:    double. This is a CLASSIC hand for a “responsive” double showing values and length in the un-bid suits as well as a tolerance for partner’s overcalled suit.   

 

 

 

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

1949.2 Janne Roos

1931.1 Hans Vikman

1896.1 Paul Quodomine

1804.7 Sally Watson

1756.1 Lars Broman

1744.3 Ivy Schlageter

1728.9 Bob Pelletier

1725.8 Bob Short

1725.1 Paul Scully

690.6 Janne Roos

686.1 Hans Vikman

659.8 Paul Quodomine

636.6 Sally Watson

631.2 Per-Ake Roskvist

625.4 Jeremy Watson

625.0 Per Andersson

623.3 Lars Broman

622.6 Guttorm Lonborg

621.2 Ivy Schlageter

355.2 Janne Roos

351.7 Hans Vikman

337.1 Paul Quodomine

332.6 Per-Ake Roskvist

329.8 Per Andersson

326.0 Sally Watson

325.4 Jeremy Watson

325.3 Ivy Schlageter

321.7 Bob Short

321.5 Lars Broman

 

       
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