Club News Sheet – No. 196 www.pattayabridge.com 5^th Aug 2006

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Mon 31^st 1^st N-S Bob & Jo 56% 2^nd Dave & Neil 53%

1^st E-W John & Kenneth 56% 2^nd Paul Wijnbergen & Harry 54%

Wed 2^nd 1^st Bob & Eddie 55% 2^nd Paul Scully & Dave 55%

Fri 4^th 1^st Gerry & Tony 60% 2^nd Jim & Phil 54%

Bidding Quiz Standard American is assumed unless otherwise stated.

Hand A Hand B With Hand A LHO opens 1♦, partner bids 1♠ and RHO

bids 2♦. What do you bid?

♠ K765 ♠ AJ9

♥ AK753 ♥ 1086 With Hand B LHO opens 1♥, partner bids 1♠ and RHO

♦ Q105 ♦ KQ7 bids 2♥. What do you bid?

♣ 9 ♣ A932

Hand C Hand D With Hand C partner opens 1♦, you bid 1♠ and partner reverses

with 2♥. What do you bid?

♠ J10872 ♠ QJ8

♥ Q3 ♥ KQ6 With Hand D RHO opens 1♠. (a) what do you bid?

♦ 3 ♦ Q104 (b) Suppose you pass and this is passed round to partner who

♣ AK987 ♣ K965 doubles. Then what do you bid?

Hand E Hand F With Hand E LHO opens 1♠ and this is passed round to you.

What do you bid?

♠ A106 ♠ QJ109

♥ J9874 ♥ KJ10 With Hand F LHO opens 1♦ and partner doubles.

♦ A854 ♦ 5 (a) What do you bid?

♣ 2 ♣ J10942 (b) Suppose you bid 1♠ and partner bids 2♠, what now?

Hand G Hand H With Hand G you open 1♦ and LHO overcalls 3♥ which is passed round to you. (a) What do you bid?

♠ K8 ♠ A752 (b) What if partner made a long pause?

♥ 4 ♥ AQ92

♦ A109864 ♦ AQ84 With Hand H RHO opens 1♦. (a) What do you bid?

♣ AKQ7 ♣ 8 (b) Suppose you double and partner bids 1♠, what now?

Hand J Hand K What, if anything, do you open (both vul in 1^st seat) with Hand J?

♠ AK9732 ♠ 3 With Hand K partner opens 1♦ and RHO overcalls 1♠, what

♥ 4 ♥ J862 do you do?

♦ 97 ♦ K862

♣ K965 ♣ 10542

Bidding Sequences Quiz

L 1♦ 1♠ pass 2♠ What is 2♠?

M 1♦ 1♠ pass 3♠ What is 3♠?

N 1♦ 1♠ pass 4♠ What is 4♠?

P 1♦ 1♠ pass 2♦ What is 2♦?

The Unassuming Cue Bid – part 1 Board 1 from Friday 28^th

This deal is actually from two week’s ago, but I was asked about it when a player was unjustly criticised by a club ‘expert’.

Dealer: ♠ Q42 Table A

North ♥ Q9 West(A) North East South(K)

Love all ♦ A743 - 1♦ 1♠ 2♦ (1)

♣ AJ87 3♠ (2) pass pass (3) pass

♠ K765 N ♠ AJ1098 ‘Expert’ Table

♥ AK753 W E ♥ 104 West(A) North East South(K)

♦ Q105 S ♦ J9 - 1♦ 1♠ 2♦ (1)

♣ 9 ♣ KQ63 3♦ (2) pass 4♠ (4) all pass

♠ 3

♥ J862

♦ K862

♣ 10542

Table A: (1) What did you bid with this South hand K in this week’s quiz? I would negative double – I know it’s ‘only’ 4 “points” but partner’s opening and the overcall have improved the hand and it’s worth looking for a 4-4 ♥ fit as you can always retreat into ♦’s if there is not one.

(2) What did you bid with this West hand A in this week’s quiz? If you don’t play the Unassuming Cue Bid then I would bid 4♠. I understand that one player did indeed bid 4♠ and was criticised by an opponent. I see no need for this, not everybody plays all of the latest gadgets.

(3) If 3♠ showed an invitational hand in their system then I would go to 4♠ with this hand – those ♠ intermediates are great and it’s decent shape.

‘Expert (2) Our experts play that a cue bid of the opponent’s suit after partner has overcalled

Table’: in a major show a ‘limit raise or better’ – the Unassuming Cue Bid.

(4) As I said above, this hand is worth 4♠ opposite an invitation.

And what happened? Two pairs bid 4♠, two stopped in 3♠. Just one player made 4♠, this is an example of when you should not play eight-ever nine never. After the defence cash two ♥ tricks then South has shown up with 3 points and so you should play North for the ♠Q which he probably needs to have an opening bid.

The bottom lines: -

- ‘Eight ever-nine never’ is in fact very close (2%). Take the bidding and cards already played into account before making the decision.

- When partner overcalls in a major, then cue bid the opponent’s suit to show a sound raise to the three level or better (limit raise or better – the Unassuming Cur Bid).

- If you play the Unassuming Cue Bid then a direct raise of partner’s suit to the three or four level is pre-emptive.

The Unassuming Cue Bid – part 2 Board 7 from Monday 31^st

Here we see the advantage of playing the Unassuming Cue Bid – you can stay low if partner has a minimal overcall.

Dealer: ♠ 2 Table A

South ♥ J74 West North East(B) South

Both vul ♦ J1093 - - - 1♥

♣ KQJ76 1♠ 2♥ 4♠ (1) all pass

♠ 1086543 N ♠ AJ9 ‘Expert’ Table

♥ K2 W E ♥ 1086 West North East(B) South

♦ A62 S ♦ KQ7 - - - 1♥

♣ 54 ♣ A932 1♠ 2♥ 3♥ (1) pass

♠ KQ7 3♠ (2) all pass

♥ AQ953

♦ 854

♣ 108

Table A: (1) What did you bid with this East hand B in this week’s quiz? If you do not play the Unassuming Cue Bid then I guess that you have to hope that partner has a decent overcall and bid 4♠.

‘Expert (1) Our experts play the Unassuming Cue Bid of course, so East simply shows a

Table: sound raise to 3♠ with a 3♥ cue bid.

(2) And with a minimal overcall our expert finds it easy to stop at the three level.

And what happened? 3♠ made, 4♠ was one down.

The bottom lines: -

- The Unassuming Cue Bid applies when LHO opens and partner overcalls (usually a major).

- You cue bid LHO’s suit to show a sound raise to the 3 level (or better).

- And it also applies when RHO bids.

- I have written up an article on the Unassuming Cue Bid. It’s in the conventions folder and on the web.

The Unassuming Cue Bid – part 3 Board 8 from Friday 4^th

Dealer: ♠ 106 Table A

West ♥ Q93 West(J) North East South

Both vul ♦ AJ865 pass (1) pass pass 1♥

♣ 874 1♠ 2♥ 3♠ (2) pass

pass (3) pass

♠ AK9732 N ♠ Q854

♥ 4 W E ♥ AJ65 ‘Expert’ Table

♦ 97 S ♦ 103 West(J) North East South

♣ K965 ♣ QJ10 pass (1) pass pass 1♥

♠ J 1♠ 2♥ 3♥ (2) pass

♥ K10872 4♠ (4) all pass

♦ KQ42

♣ A32

Table A: (1) Did you open this West hand J in this week’s quiz? It conforms with the rule of 20 and with all of the points in the long suits I think it’s a sound opener. I think that it’s much too good for a weak 2♠ and in my style there is no ‘gap’ between a 1♠ and 2♠ opener and so I will never pass.

(2) What would you bid with this East hand? Having read the last two pages you should know that 3♥ is the best bid – an Unassuming Cue Bid – showing a sound raise to 3♠. This direct 3♠ bid is just pre-emptive.

(3) And West has no reason to know that East has a great hand.

‘Expert (2) Our experts play the Unassuming Cue Bid and 3♥ is clear here.

Table: (4) With great shape and a singleton in opener’s suit this hand is well worth 4♠.

And what happened? 10 tricks were always made in ♠’s. One player (Dave) did open the West hand with 1♠ and got an invitational 3♠ response from partner. Actually it’s not so clear to accept the invitation now (rather than at (4) above) as he does not know that the singleton ♥ is great. But after a short pause he did indeed go to 4♠.

The bottom lines: -

- The Unassuming Cue Bid also applies when LHO opens and partner overcalls and RHO bids.

The Unassuming Cue Bid – part 4 Board 11 from Friday 4^th

There was yet another example of the Unassuming Cue Bid on Friday: -

Dealer: ♠ 532 Table A

South ♥ K West North East South

Love all ♦ A9864 - - - pass

♣ A1032 pass 1♦ 1♥ pass

3♥ (1) pass pass (2) pass

♠ QJ7 N ♠ A106

♥ QJ84 W E ♥ A10975 ‘Expert’ Table

♦ K2 S ♦ QJ53 West North East South

♣ J864 ♣ K - - - pass

♠ K984 pass 1♦ 1♥ pass

♥ 632 2♦ (1) pass 4♥ (3) all pass

♦ 107

♣ Q975

Table A: (1) We all know by now that this should be a pre-emptive bid.

(2) And so East had no reason to bid on.

‘Expert’ (1) Our experts play the Unassuming Cue Bid and 2♦ is clear here.

Table: (3) And opposite a sound limit raise East has an easy game bid.

And what happened? Two out of 3 pairs bid the game. Everybody made 10 or 11 tricks.

The bottom lines: -

Play the Unassuming Cue Bid!

Hanging Partner Board 8 from Monday 31^st

Dealer: ♠ QJ8

West ♥ KQ6 West North(D) East South(E)

Love all ♦ Q104 2♠ pass (1) pass dbl (2)

♣ K965 pass 3NT (3) pass 4♥ (4)

all pass

♠ K97432 N ♠ 5

♥ A32 W E ♥ 105

♦ J7 S ♦ K532

♣ Q3 ♣ AJ10874

♠ A106

♥ J9874

♦ A854

♣ 2

(1) What did you bid with this North hand D(a) in this week’s quiz? With a flat 13 count pass is certainly best. If your partner understands balancing then he will bid your hand for you.

(2) What did you bid with this South hand E in this week’s quiz? I don’t see the point of doubling when holding a 5 card suit and, being a simple soul, I would simply bid 2♥.

(3) What did you bid with this North hand D(b) in this week’s quiz? 2NT is quite sufficient opposite a balancing double that may be as few as 7-8 points. Bidding game here is called “hanging partner” – partner has made a balancing bid simply to protect you/push the opponents up and you leap off to an unmakeable game. It looks like North ‘understood’ balancing with his initial pass but forgot about it here.

(4) And it looks like South finally noticed that he had a 5 card ♥ suit and for some strange reason he decided to bid it at the 4-level.

And what happened? I guess that South’s play is better than their bidding as they lucked out when 4♥ actually made.

The bottom lines: -

- A take out double is normally about 10+ points.

- But in the balancing seat things are about 3 points different, so 7+.

- So when partner balances with a double do not go leaping into game with 13 points.

- If you have a 5 card major then overcall with it, do not double.

The jump to 3NT when partner reverses Board 19 from Monday 31^st

Dealer: ♠ J10872 Table A

South ♥ Q3 West North(C) East South

E-W vul ♦ 3 - - - 1♦

♣ AK987 pass 1♠ pass 2♥ (1)

pass 3NT (2) pass 4NT (3)

♠ Q94 N ♠ 53 pass 5♦ (4) pass 5NT (5)

♥ 104 W E ♥ KJ975 pass 6♦ (6) pass 6♠

♦ J107652 S ♦ Q pass 6NT (7) pass 7NT (8)

♣ 62 ♣ J10543 all pass

♠ AK6

♥ A862 Table B

♦ AK984 West North(C) East South

♣ Q pass 1♠ pass 2♥ (1)

pass 3NT (2) pass pass (3)

Table A: (1) A reverse.

(2) What did you bid with this North hand C in this week’s quiz? 3NT is correct. Partner’s reverse is forcing (16+ points) but he is not promising to bid again. Thus a jump to 3NT shows values to play there opposite 16, so about 9-12 pts.

(3) Asking for aces in their system I guess ?

(4) I would pass, even if partner’s bid was ace-asking (I would take 4NT as quantitative). Partner did not open 2♣ and you have a total mis-fit and so no hope of slam.

(5) Asking for kings I guess. Obviously South simply went ballistic from (3) onwards.

Table B: (3) This South knew exactly what his partner’s bid meant.

And what happened? 7NT went -4.

The bottom lines: -

- When partner reverses then a 2NT bid is not forcing (it’s weakish, about 6-8 and promising a stop in the unbid suit).

- With game values, bid 3NT or a forcing bid.

- Beware of mis-fits.

- A bid of 4NT over partner’s 3NT is a natural invitational raise (quantitative).

- For more advanced partnerships 2NT after partner’s reverse is Lebensohl.

Double followed by a raise shows a strong hand Board 2 from Monday 31^st

West was incorrectly criticised on this deal; everybody (except West) seems to be talking garbage in my opinion. And nobody picked up on what I think was possibly an inferior bid by West, but it’s marginal.

Dealer: ♠ 864

East ♥ 743 West(H) North East(F) South

N-S vul ♦ 962 - - pass 1♦

♣ KQ75 dbl (1) pass 1♠ (2) pass

2♠ (2) pass pass (3) pass

♠ A752 N ♠ QJ109

♥ AQ92 W E ♥ KJ10

♦ AQ84 S ♦ 5

♣ 8 ♣ J10942

♠ K3

♥ 865

♦ KJ1073

♣ A63

(1) What did you bid with this West hand H (a) in this week’s quiz? I know that double will be the almost unanimous choice but with these great ♦’s I think that 1NT may be better. Unlike a 1NT opening, a 1NT overcall may have a singleton – it’s stop(s) in the suit bid that are all important. Double will normally work out fine, but not if partner responds 2♣. Anyway, nobody picked up on this so let’s assume everybody was happy with the double.

(2) What did you bid with this East hand F (a) in this week’s quiz? A jump to 2♠ is about 9-10 points – and this hand is easily worth it. Solid ♠’s, good ♥’s great intermediates and a very useful singleton. I would not argue if you chose 3♠, but 1♠ is very poor.

(3) What did you bid with this West hand H (b) in this week’s quiz? 2♠ is absolutely correct. Partner has promised zero points and 2♠ here shows a good hand. 3♠ would be a gross overbid.

(4) What did you bid with this East hand F (b)? Partner’s 2♠ bid is strong and it’s all textbook stuff (and up on the web in the beginner’s section). Pass with 0-3, bid 3♠ with 4-6 and bid 4♠ with 7-8. This hand should have made a move last go, pass now is horrendous.

And what happened? The easy ♠ game (making 11 tricks) was missed, and apparently the other 3 (experienced?) players at the table all blamed West!! They said that he should have bid 3♠ at (2)! Total twaddle, and that’s me being polite. My answer is to read up the section on the web and come along to lessons if you don’t understand why 2♠ is absolutely correct. 3♠ is a gross overbid.

The bottom lines: -

- Upgrade (by a lot!) a hand with three tens, two nines and a useful singleton.

- If you give a minimal response of 1♥/♠ to a double by partner and he raises to 2♥/♠, then go to game with 7-8 points. This is all very clearly defined on the web (Basic Bidding – doc No. 134).

- Don’t criticise an opponent if you don’t know what you are talking about.

Forced to pass after partner’s hesitation? Board 3 from Monday 31^st

Dealer: ♠ 7543 The same set of players got it all

South ♥ AJ wrong on the very next board: -

E-W vul ♦ K32

♣ 10953

♠ AQ6 N ♠ K8 West North East(G) South

♥ Q73 W E ♥ 4 - - - pass (1)

♦ Q75 S ♦ A109864 pass pass 1♦ 3♥ (2)

♣ 8642 ♣ AKQ7 pass (3) pass pass (4)

♠ J1092

♥ K1098652

♦ J

♣ J

(1) South did not open 3♥ because had 4 ♠’s.

(2) So now the pre-empt implies a 4 card ♠ suit.

(3) After a very long pause.

(4) What did you bid with this East hand G in this week’s quiz? If you play negative doubles to this level then a re-opening double here is automatic. If you do not play negative doubles this high then I would still double (take-out). You most certainly do not want to sell out to 3♥ and I think that dbl is clear-cut. East passed because he thought that he was obliged to after partner’s long pause. He is not.

And what happened? 3♥ went two down for about average. Had East doubled the he would have got a good score for 3♥ doubled going two down or else for 5♦ or 6♦ if E-W bid on.

The bottom lines: -

- Partner’s hesitation does NOT bar you from bidding. In this example, if E-W play negative doubles then East is OBLIGED to make the ‘automatic’ re-opening double. Otherwise the director may well give an adjusted score if E-W got a good result because there was no re-opening double.

- If you play negative doubles through to say 2♠ and the above situation occurs, then East has to think “what would 80% of the people of my standard do in this situation” and make a bid if he believed that 80% would. In my opinion 80% of people of this East’s standard would indeed have doubled.

A hat-trick - the same critical guys again. West hand 4 from Monday 31^st

West East West North East South

♠ Q7 ♠ AK952 pass pass 1♠ pass

♥ 108 ♥ KQ2 1NT pass 2♣ (1) pass

♦ AQ1032 ♦ 5 pass (2) pass

♣ J876 ♣ AQ9

(1) Quite why East rebid 2♣ I have no idea, I would bid a game forcing 3♣. Anyway, people at the table said that West should have bid 2♠ at (2). I don’t see why – it’s a ‘known’ 4-4 ♣ fit. False preference to 2♠ may be better at pairs scoring but I would certainly not criticise the pass. East should not have made a non-forcing ‘false’ bid with game values.

Bidding Quiz Answers

Hand A: 3♦. An Unassuming Cue Bid. You have a sound raise to 4♠ if partner has a decent overcall; but an overcall may be as few as 7 points. So a cue bid of the opponents suit means just that and enables partner to stop in 3♠ with a minimal overcall.

Hand B: 3♥. Ditto

Hand C: 3NT. This shows about 8-11 points and ♣ stop(s). 2NT is wrong because it is not forcing (it shows about 6-8) unless you play Lebensohl. With a slam seeking hand you could always kick off with 4^th suit forcing (3♣ - which is not natural).

Hand D: (a) Pass. Nowhere near good enough for 1NT and far too flat for double.

(b) 2NT. Partner’s double is in the balancing seat and he is not promising the usual 11+ points (only about 8+). When partner balances you should deduct 3 points from your hand and reply accordingly.

Hand E: 2♥. Totally unsuitable for a double (because of the singleton ♣ and values in ♠’s). It’s very simple really – with a five card major, bid it. Note that 8 points is OK for a 2-level overcall in the balancing seat.

Hand F: (a) 2♠. 9-11 points, which is what this hand is easily worth.

(b) 4♠ Partner is inviting game and you should go with 7-8 points.

Hand G: (a) Dbl. “automatic” if you play negative doubles to this level. If you do not play negative doubles to this level than a (take-out) double is very clear.

(b) Dbl. As I said above, it’s very clear and so not influenced by partner’s pause.

Hand H (a) Dbl or 1NT? I prefer 1NT as it has two great ♦ stops and you are fixed if you double and partner bids 2♣. Also 1NT has the advantage that you will probably end up as declarer in an eventual ♥/♠/NoTrump contract and will likely get a favourable lead. If you double then partner is almost certain to become declarer. However, I suspect that 99% of readers will double and with both majors that will usually (but not always) work out fine.

(b) 2♠. Partner has shown 0-8 points. 2♠ by you now shows a strongish hand and invites partner to bid game if he has about 7-8 points. This hand is just about worth 2♠ and I would not argue if you chose to pass. 3♠, as suggest by a couple of players, would be a gross overbid. If you do not understand this it’s all up on the web (® Basic Bidding ® doc No. 134).

Hand J: 1♠. It conforms with the rule of 20 and with all of the points in the long suits I think it’s easily worth an opener and is much too strong for a weak 2♠. I would never pass as I do not allow a gap between my 1♠ and 2♠ openers.

Hand K: Dbl. Negative, showing 4 ♥’s. Partner’s opening and the overcall have improved this hand and you can always rest in ♦’s if there is no 4-4 ♥ fit.

Bidding Sequences Quiz Answers

L 1♦ 1♠ pass 2♠ What is 2♠? About 6-9 points and usually 3 ♠’s

M 1♦ 1♠ pass 3♠ What is 3♠? Pre-emptive with usually 4 ♠’s

N 1♦ 1♠ pass 4♠ What is 4♠? Pre-emptive with usually 5 ♠’s

P 1♦ 1♠ pass 2♦ What is 2♦? A sound raise to 3♠ or more – an Unassuming Cue Bid