What’s happening? 9 tables again on
Monday and 7 on Friday! Perhaps I should take up Chuck on that offer of a
computer scoring program? Not quite sure what the offer was – is he going to
donate a lab-top and program? I may have got it wrong, but I think that
he said the ‘computer’ in my head was not up to the task – in
Now
there’s nothing like a compliment to get what you want. One of our regular
visitors (Bob) told me that he loved the news-sheets and thought that I could
maybe include the names of the previous week’s winners. Everybody likes to have
their name in print, don’t they? So, here goes: -
N-S
winners= Per/Prim 59%
Now
the rules are pretty clear here. If all 4 players pass then the hands should be
restored to the wallet and ‘passed out’ entered on the score sheet. However,
this is a social club; and rather than having loads of people twiddling their
thumbs it is obviously sensible to deal again if the board had not been played
before. Against the rules! – so
sue me.
With
this philosophy we don’t get too many pass-outs, so it was a bit of a surprise
to me when I saw Malgosia sitting all alone after 8
minutes of a round on Friday. Two of their three boards had been passed out and
everybody else had gone outside for a puff. As the boards had been played
before, I had a look at them. In both cases, it was the 2nd player
who perhaps should have opened.
♦ 86432 ♦ 97 concentrated in two short suits. Pass may well work out
♣ AQ ♣ A10954 best (although I probably would open – but not if my
partner is likely to leap off to 2♣ or 2NT on a flat 10-11
points). It really depends upon the style of your partner. I would open 1♦ playing with Chuck but pass playing with Hans (I would be too afraid of one of Hans’ 10 point 2♣ bids). Playing a weak NT I would open 1NT opposite anybody – you have no rebid problem.
Roman Key
Card Blackwood.
I would have bid this hand after partner had opened 1♠ (five card major).
♦ K
♣ AK108532
Now Bridge really can be a simple game: -
Terry: I bid 4NT and then 5,6 or 7♠ depending upon how many key cards
my
partner has.
Chuck: Your partner bids 5♥ - two aces, he does not play
RKCB.
Terry: Oh dear. Then I guess you have to ask for kings, so
5NT.
Chuck: 6♦ - one king.
Terry: The hand is unbiddable. It
is now a lottery. 6♠
or 7♠? Who has ♠K?
Chuck: So what do you do?
Terry: Give partner a copy of last week’s news sheet where
RKCB is explained.
There really is no excuse for
people well past the beginner’s stage not to play RKCB. If you can last 27
boards playing with Chuck then you are certainly good enough to play RKCB –
give it a go!
Responding
to Partner’s 1♣ Opening.
When partner opens the bidding
with one of a suit, you generally need 6+ points to reply. However, when you
play 5 card majors (and particularly if you play the prepared § as Malgosia, Alex/Jeff, most of our European visitors and myself all prefer) then you sometimes have to stretch in
order to avoid partner playing in a silly 1§
contract.
♥ AQ65 ♥ 9 I commented that I would respond 1♠. The ♠ suit is excellent,
♦ AQ9 ♦ 843 you have a singleton and a fit. This hand is well worth a bid
♣ A9 ♣ 10732 because you have a fit. Bbbbu…but what fit?
Partner may have a doubleton ♣! This is where some people
do not understand the prepared ♣ system.
If opener has 2 ♣’s then he must have 4 ♠’s. If opener has 3 ♣’s then he must have at least 3 ♠’s. You must have at least an 8 card fit in a black suit. And with a singleton ♥, a black suit contract (hopefully ♠’s) is where you want to play. Now partner may not have such a big hand. Again, a very good argument for bidding. Your side may well be able to out-bid the opponent’s ♥’s if partner has 3 or 4 ♠’s; and bidding 1♠ may make it difficult for the next player.