Our website is www.pattayabridge.com                           Club News Sheet – No. 407

Our blogsite is www.pattayabridge.wordpress.com                                 

My mobile phone number is 083 6066880                                                          29th Aug 2010

My e-mail is terry@pattayabridge.com or pattayabridge@yahoo.com

My MSN messenger ID is tj_quested@hotmail.com

Mon 23rd        1st    Hans V & Sean B             66%       2nd    Paul Sc & Mike G                  64%

Wed 25th        1st    Hans V & Janne               65%       2nd    Derek & Gerard                     63%

Fri  27th          1st    Ivy & Robbie                   60%       2nd    Paul Sc & Guttorm                 59%

       
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Bidding Quiz                    Standard American bidding is assumed unless otherwise stated.

 

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

 

Q8732          K532           

J                   73                 With Hand B partner opens 1 and RHO doubles. You pass and

A753            Q102            LHO bids 1. This is passed to you, what do you do?

AJ5              10974

 

Hand C           Hand D           With Hand C RHO opens 2 in 3rd seat, what do you bid?

 

AKQx          J1097542
KQx             5                   With Hand D everybody is vulnerable and you are in first seat.
A87xx           3                   Do you open, and if so with what?
x                   10763

 

Hand E            Hand F            With Hand E RHO opens 1, what do you do?

 

Q974            954

J942             KJ5              With Hand F you are dealer at both vulnerable, what do

K976            K96              you open?

A                  AJ85

 

 

Bidding Sequence Quiz

 

G     1NT   pass   3                   is 3 forcing, invitational or to play?

H     1NT   2      3                  is 3 forcing, invitational or to play?

     
Ron Klinger web site
     
 

That terrible 4333 type shape again                   Board 22 from Wednesday 25th August

 

Dealer:             J83                                             Table A

West                A10962                                      West(F)     North         East            South

both vul            82                                              1   (1)      1              dbl   (2)      pass

                        KQ10                                        1NT           all pass

                                                                             

954                     N             Q1062                  Table B

KJ5                W    E          874                      West(F)     North         East            South

K96                    S              AQ43                  pass (1)      pass           pass           pass

AJ85                                  97                       

                        AK7                                         

Q3                                    (1)  Negative, promising exactly 4 ’s.      

J1075                         

6432

 

 

Table A:     (1)  What did you open with this West hand F in this week’s quiz? This was the popular choice.

Table B:     (1)  This player is firm believer in deducting a point for the terrible totally flat 4333 type shape and so passed, and this is my answer to question F.

 

And what happened? The deal was passed out at two tables for a good score to E-W. Other results were 1NT-2 twice, 1-1 and 1NT(S)-1.  

The bottom lines:

-     Deduct a point for the totally flat 4333 type shape, it sucks in both suit contracts and NT.

 

 

Defence Quiz                           

 

     

Dealer:             J983                                           Book Bidding

South               AQ                                             West          North         East            South

E-W vul           Q532                                          -                -                 -                 1

                        A73                                            pass           2NT (1)      3             4    (2)           

 

Q106                  N                                  

1086543         W    E                                (1)  Jacoby 2NT

8                         S                                   (2)  Minimum.        

854                                                               

                                             

 

You are West, defending 4. You lead the 8 and your partner wins the K, cashes the A and continues with the 6 on which declarer discards the 9. How do you defend?


Defence Quiz Answer              

     

Dealer:             J983                                           Book Bidding

South               AQ                                             West          North         East            South

E-W vul           Q532                                          -                 -                 -                 1

                        A73                                            pass           2NT (1)      3              4    (2)           

 

Q106                  N             5                

1086543         W    E          J2                        West leads the A.

8                         S              AK10976         

854                                    KQ62             

                        AK742                                 

K97                                  (1)  Jacoby 2NT  

J4                                     (2)  Minimum

J109                          

 

At trick one your partner wins the K, cashes the A and continues with the 6 on which declarer discards the 9. How do you defend?

 

The question is whether or not to ruff the . Although it looks tempting to ruff with the Q you would effectively be ruffing a loser with a sure trump trick. When you ruffed, declarer would play a low from dummy and would later be able to discard another loser from his hand on dummy’s Q.

 

It is better to discard. You will later make your Q and your partner will come to a trick. 

 

Dave’s  Column                       Here is Dave’s 2nd problem, again on declarer play.

 

West                East                                          Book Bidding

7                   AJ3                                       West        North       East          South

J1094           A53                                      -               -               1NT         pass

AK3             Q109                                    2           pass         2            pass    

K10732       AQ95                                   3           pass         4           pass

4            pass         6           all pass

 

You are West, declarer in 6. North leads a low , plan the play.

 


Dave’s Column Answer              Board 22 from Wednesday 25th August

     

Dealer:             K10852                                      Book Bidding

East                  K72                                            West          North         East            South

E-W vul           J52                                             -                 -                 1NT           pass    

                        J6                                               2             pass           2              pass

3             pass           4             pass

7                         N             AJ3                       4    (1)      pass           6             all pass

J1094             W    E          A53                     

AK3                   S              Q109                           

K10732                             AQ95             (1)  shortage in their system.       

                        Q964                                   

Q86                                     

8764                                

84                                       

 

North leads a (4th best) 5, plan the play.

 

Draw trumps ending in dummy. Once they divide 2-2 you can claim. Ruff a , cross to the Q, ruff dummy’s last , cash the AK and run the J. South will be endplayed to concede a ruff and discard, or to return a into declarer’s combined tenace. Had the trumps been 3-1 the elimination would not work, so declarer would take two finesses which works when North has at least one of the missing honours.

 

And what happened at the Pattaya bridge club? 6=, 3NT+3, 3NT+2 three times and 2+4. Unfortunately the K and J were interchanged when the deal was set up and so East did not open 1NT, but the problem is still probably valid.

Terry note: The lead was said to be 4th best. However many only play 4th best leads against NoTrumps, but that again does not really affect the problem.

 

 

Dave’s 2nd Column                       Here is Dave’s 1st problem, on defence.

 

North               South                                       Book Bidding

Q8732          AKJ109                                West            North             East            South

J                   AK62                                   -                   -                     -                 1

A753            J964                                     pass             4    (1)          pass            6

AJ5              -                                           all pass

(1)    splinter.

 

You are South, declarer in 6. West leads 2 and you win with the A in dummy with East dropping the K – most likely a true card and so a singleton. What is the best play for twelve tricks?


Dave’s 2nd Column Answer
            Board 23 from Wednesday 25th August

 

Dealer:             Q8732                                        Book Bidding

South               J                                                 West          North(A)    East            South

both vul            A753                                         -                 -                 -                1

                        AJ5                                            pass           4    (1)      pass           6   

all pass

5                         N             64              

Q84                W    E          109753           (1)  What did you bid with this North hand A in

Q1082                S              K                          this week’s quiz? This 4 splinter bid is best

K10962                             Q8743                    and Jacoby 2NT is best reserved for hands

                        AKJ109                                        with no shortage.

AK62                                    

J964                           

-                                

 

West leads a low , declarer plays the A from dummy and East plays the K – most likely a true card and so a singleton. What is the best play for twelve tricks?

 

After declarer took the first trick he drew trumps and then led a from dummy and knew his fate when East discarded, West got two tricks to defeat the contract.

 

Q8                                        If declarer judges that the K is singleton he can

                        -                                           make the contract. He discards a on the A at

                        75                                        trick two and ruffs a , draws trumps, cashes the

                        -                                           AK, ruffs a and ruffs dummy’s last .     

 

-                         N             -                     That leaves this position, South then leads his

-                     W    E          109                 last and when West discards, declarer discards

Q108                  S              -                     a from dummy.

K                                       Q8                 East wins but must concede the contract. He

                        J                                            must lead a or a and declarer ruffs in hand

6                                           and discards dummy’s last .     

J9                               

-

 

 

And what happened at the Pattaya bridge club? 4+2 and 6-1 five times. Mind you, I know that a was not led at the majority of tables.

 

 

 


Paul’s Column                         

 

     

Perfect Shape doubles

 

If you recall I wrote last year about making light take-out doubles with perfect shape and as little as 10 hcp.  Examine board 5 from Wednesday for an example of what I mean.  While I can't identify the precise cards without a recap sheet I know I was 4-4-4-1 with the singleton A and a lesser honor in every 4 card suit and heard 1 to my right (North).  I doubled, my partner Terry bid 1 after a pass, and opener was slightly handcuffed at that point with his balanced 18.  1 by my partner played for 9 tricks and the only E/W plus.  Yet another example of getting in and out early if you have the shape.

 

Terry Comment. I found the board, and here it is with my additional comments:

 

Dealer:             J10                                             West          North         East(E)       South(B)

North               AQ8                                           -                 1             dbl   (1)      pass (2)

N-S vul            AJ85                                          1              pass (3)      pass           pass (4)

                        KQJ3

                                                                       

A86                    N             Q974         

K1065            W    E          J942              

43                       S              K976                  

8652                                  A                         

                        K532                                        

73                                          

Q102                         

10974

 

(1)   What did you bid with this East hand E in this week’s quiz? This is classic take-out double shape. It would be better if the A was in one of the other suits, but double is fine.

(2)   1 is a pushy but not unreasonable alternative.

(3)   1NT is an alternative here, but to bid is very dangerous, even with 18 points; LHO has shown values sitting over you and you have no good suit. You have a partner and if he understands balancing then 1 will probably not get passed out, and so this pass is fine.

(4)   What did you bid with this South hand B in this week’s quiz? This is the balancing seat and you should not let the opponents play peacefully in 1. I would double, with 1 or 2 being less attractive alternatives.

 

And what happened? 1NT+3, 1NT+2 three times and 1(W)+2.

 


A Case Of “Least of Evils” Overcalls.

 

Hand C                                                  On Monday. 24/8, the East hand held on board 24:
AKQx
KQx
A87xx
x

and heard after two passes a weak 2
opening to his right.  What did you bid with this hand C in this week’s quiz? There is obviously no perfect solution here, a double getting a 3 response from partner (if not playing Lebensohl in this position) leaves you with 2 unattractive options .... 3 on a crap suit or 3NT opposite what may be a bust with long clubs.

2
is obviously a bit short on length in the suit, 3 is inadequate with this strength and suit weakness.  The "least of evils" call I chose was 2NT which at least expressed the strength and heart stop.  After Janne transferred with 3 to 3 he rebid 3NT and I was only delighted to convert to 4.  When a club was led and won and then continued and I ruffed his jaw dropped, but we had reached the optimal spot.  When the opponents made a slight error in discarding I took 12 tricks.  Afterward he questioned the 2NT call but after hashing out the alternatives agreed it was probably the least flawed bid in a situation that demanded some positive action.

His hand was:
Jxxxx
Ax
QJx
xxx

<end of Paul’s Column>

 

 

 

No Psyches Please                       North board 23 from Wednesday 25th August

 

Hand D                  What did you do with this North hand D in this week’s quiz?

J1097542           With just one point, a 2 opening (as chosen by one individual) is

5                        totally unacceptable. At our club the “Australian rule of 15 for pre-empts”

3                        applies and this is only 12. Fourteen is acceptable but not twelve.      

10763                As this is the third time that this individual has psyched in his short time

at the club he was automatically awarded a zero score.
                                               

 

Bidding Quiz Answers

 

Hand A:    4, a splinter agreeing ’s. This is better that Jacoby 2NT which is best used to show hands with no shortage.

Hand B:    dbl, take-out. You do not want to sell out to 1 and partner must have a decent hand. It is good practice to balance with minimal values when at a low level when partner is marked with a good hand.

Hand C:    2NT. A No-Trump overcall with a small singleton is perfectly acceptable (unlike a 1NT opening). Here it is much better than a double which is likely to get a 3 response and leave you without recourse, but doubtless 90% of readers will indeed double and then go into a long think when partner bids the expected 3?

Hand D:    pass, obviously. This is not enough for any sort of opening and is only twelve for the Australian rule of 14/15 for pre-emptive openings.

Hand E:    dbl. This is the classic shape for a take-out double.

Hand F:     pass. Deduct a point for the 4333 type shape and it’s not worth an opener.

 

 

Bidding Sequence Quiz Answer

 

G     1NT   pass   3         This is up to you, but it is often played as a 6 card suit and

invitational to 3NT (about 6-7 points).

H     1NT   2      3         3 here is best played as forcing, with a weak hand go through

Lebensohl (bid 2NT and then 3 over partners forced 3).

 

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

1890.5 Janne Roos

1886.3 Hans Vikman

1861.6 Paul Quodomine
1714.7 Johan Bratsberg

670.4 Janne Roos

662.2 Hans Vikman

640.1 Paul Quodomine

628.3 Sally Watson

626.8 Tomas Wikman

619.8 Lars Broman

616.5 Derek & Gerard

615.9 Jean Wissing

610.7 Johan Bratsburg

609.5 Paul Scully

344.6 Janne Roos

338.9 Hans Vikman

329.6 Tomas Wikman

325.8 Derek & Gerard

325.4 Sally Watson

323.4 Paul Quodomine

322.9 Lars Broman

320.3 Jean Wissing

319.5 Duplessy & Coutlet

316.0 Sigurd Zahl

 

       
       

 Ron Klinger web site