Club News Sheet – No. 207    www.pattayabridge.com        21st Oct 2006

 

 

 

 

 

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Mon 16th      1st N-S     Jim & Knud                58%       2nd    Phil & Tomas                   57%

                    1st E-W    Bill Peters & Lewis     57%       2nd    Alan & Jean-Marc            56%

Wed 18th      1st   Alan & Gerry                       60%       2nd    Derek & Gerard               59%                

Fri    20th      1st  Team D: Hugh, Sally, Tomas & Phil     54 IMPs     2nd Team A          49 VPs

 

Bidding Quiz                           Standard American is assumed unless otherwise stated.

 

Hand A           Hand B           With Hand A partner opens 1NT and RHO overcalls 2♥. What do you bid?

♠ 7643             ♠ KQJ6

♥ A92              ♥ 87                 With Hand B RHO passes and you open 1♦. Partner bids 2♦ and

♦ A653            ♦ AKQ65        RHO comes in with 2♠. What do you bid?

♣ K3               ♣ K2              

                       

Bidding Sequences Quiz                                     

                    .

C     1♦      pass   1♠      2♥          How many points for the 2NT bid?

        2NT  

D     1♦      pass   2♣     2♥          How many points for the 2NT bid?

        2NT

 

E      1♦      pass   2♦      2♥          How many points for the 2NT bid?

        2NT

 

F      pass   1♦      pass   2♦          How many ♠’s for the 2♠ bid?

        2♠     

G     pass   1♦      pass   2♦          What does dbl mean?

        2♠      dbl

         

Members List

There is a list of members with telephone and e-mail data on the web site. The list is protected and you need to know the password to access it (this prevents spam). Can I please urge everybody to have their details added, it is really good for arranging partners etc.; just give them to me and I’ll tell you the access password.

How to play a 4-2 fit                                             Board 6 from Monday 16th

North got a bit carried away on this deal and ended up in 3♠ with a 4-2 fit, a combines 23 count, and missing the ♠K,Q,J,x,x,x,x. The bidding was rather humorous but the play was even more interesting! Since somebody put a question mark against the 3♠ making by North on the score traveller, I’ll let you know what happened: -

 

Dealer:             ♠ A1094                                       

East                  ♥ KJ                                              West          North         East          South

E-W vul           ♦ A10642                                      -                 -                 pass (1)    pass      

                        ♣ AQ                                             1♥              dbl   (2)      3♣   (3)    pass

3♥    (4)      3♠    (5)      pass (6)    pass

♠ K83                   N             ♠ QJ65                    pass

♥ AQ76432       W    E          ♥ 8                          

♦ J9                        S            ♦ 3                          

♣ J                                         ♣ K1085432          

                        ♠ 72                                              

♥ 1095                                          

                        ♦ KQ875                                      

                        ♣ 976                                           

 

(1)   East correctly does not open 3♣ when holding a decent 4 card major.

(2)   1NT is a possibility, but I slightly prefer dbl (followed by 2NT if partner does not bid ♠’s).

(3)   This would normally be fine, showing a weak hand with long ♣’s and by inference 4 ♠’s as he did not open with 3♣.

(4)   But E-W have agreed to play Bergen raises, even after a double, and so 3♣ systematically showed a ♥ raise with 4 ♥’s and 6-9 points. With his minimum West elected to bid just 3♥.

(5)   But North foolishly believed that E-W had finally sorted out their Bergen raises and chose to bid a rather ambitious 3♠.

(6)   Double looks good, but not if the defence goes the way it went.

 

Onto the play. East led the ♥8 and got his ruff. He then led a ♦ which declarer won with the ♦A. Now North did not want to go too many down and knew that if he got forced he would. So instead of starting with the ♠A he played the ♠10. Thus preserving a ♠ in dummy when West wins and returns another ♥. But East (understandably?) won with the ♠J.

 

Dealer:             ♠ A94                                            That left this position with East on lead.

East                  ♥ -                                                 He has to lead a ♠ but I guess that’s difficult.

E-W vul           ♦ 10642                                         He led the ♣2 which North won with the ♣Q.

                        ♣ AQ                                             North then cashed the ♠A and then another ♠.

When the ♠’s split 3-3 declarer claimed the

♠ K8                     N              ♠ Q6                        remainder. So he lost just 3 ♠’s and the ♥A.

♥ Q7643            W    E          ♥ -                           And what happened at sensible tables?

♦ 9                         S            ♦ -                            3♠ making was the only + score in the N-S

♣ J                                         ♣ K1085432           column; it seems that not everybody knows

                        ♠ 7                                                 how to find these 4-2 fits.

♥ 10                                               N-S going down in 3♦ or 4♦ or E-W making

                        ♦ KQ87                                         3♥ were popular spots. The bottom lines: -

♣ 976              -   If you really want to play Bergen raises, then remember them.

-     Playing in 4-2 fits is somewhat precarious.

Finding the 4-4 fit after partner’s 1NT is overcalled  Board 9 from Monday 16th

It is always important to find the 4-4 major suit fit, and experienced pairs really should be able to do this after their 1NT opening is overcalled. Lebensohl is the answer; I have booklets on it if anybody wants one.

 

Dealer:             ♠ A8                                              Table A

North               ♥ QJ1073                                      West          North         East          South(A)

E-W vul           ♦ 97                                               -                 pass           pass         pass      

                        ♣ J1072                                         1NT           2♥    (1)      3NT (2)    pass

all pass

♠ KQJ5                N             ♠ 7643                    

♥ K6                  W    E          ♥ A92                      Expert table

♦ Q84                    S              ♦ A653                    West          North         East          South(A)

♣ A986                                  ♣ K3                       -                 pass           pass         pass

                        ♠ 1092                                           1NT           2♥    (1)      2NT (2)    pass

♥ 854                                             3♣   (3)      pass           3♥    (4)    pass

                        ♦ KJ102                                         4♠    (5)      all pass

                        ♣ Q54                                          

 

Table A:     (1)  This is certainly the bid if you play Multi Landy or Cappelletti (showing 5 ♥’s and a minor). This N-S pair were actually playing natural so it should really be a six card suit, but this is acceptable at this vulnerability.     

(2)  What did you bid with this East hand A in this week’s quiz? If you don’t have the tools then I suppose 3NT is reasonable.

‘Expert’      (2)  This is part of the answer to question A. It is Lebensohl, forcing partner to bid 3♣.

 Table         (3)  As demanded.

(4)   And this is the complete answer to question A. This bid of the overcalled suit is Stayman, asking for a 4 card ♠ suit here. As West bid a Lebensohl 2NT first this also promises a ♥ stop (slow shows).

(5)   With 4 great ♠’s West bids the correct game contract.

 

 

And what happened? Three E-W’s found 4♠ and the other four ended up in 3NT. 3NT and 4♠ should both make but as usual there were people going one down in both.

The bottom lines: -

-         Look for the 4-4 major suit fit even with a suit like 7643

-         When partner opens 1NT and the next hand overcalls then a bid of three of his suit is Stayman.

-         If you play Lebensohl then the direct cue bid is Stayman denying a stop and a cue bid having gone via Lebensohl shows a stop.

Keep quiet with an 18 count?                              Board 30 from Wednesday 20th

There was an important swing on this board from the teams match on Friday. This was the board that was scored incorrectly as a 1 point swing. Had it gone the other way (3NT making) then team A would have finished top ahead of team D on VPs.

 

Dealer:             ♠ A5                                              Team A vs D1

East                  ♥ K3                                              West          North         East          South(B)

Love all            ♦ J10873                                        -                 -                 pass         1♦    (1)

                        ♣ 8765                                          pass (2)      2♦    (3)      2♠    (4)    pass (5)

pass           3♦    (6)      pass         3NT

♠ 74                      N             ♠ 109832                 all pass

♥ QJ9542          W    E          ♥ A106                   

♦ 4                         S              ♦ 92                         How it could have gone

♣ J1043                                 ♣ AQ9                     West          North         East          South(B)

                        ♠ KQJ6                                         -                 -                 pass         1♦    (1)

♥ 87                                               pass           2♦              2♠            dbl   (5)

                        ♦ AKQ65                                      3♥    (7)      3NT (9)      all pass

                        ♣ K2                                            

 

Team A vs D1

(1)   The best opening – it’s too good for 1NT.

(2)   I would try a weak 2♥, but then we would have no tale to tell.

(3)   With 5 ♦’s this is fine; 1NT is the off-beat alternative (which would have worked as it happens).

(4)   This overcall, in the ‘sandwich’ seat with ♠xxxxx is a very poor bid. Partner has passed and South is very likely to end up as declarer. Do you really want a ♠ lead? Or, perhaps worse, do you want to be doubled? (double by opener is penalties).

(5)   What did you bid with this South hand B in this week’s quiz? I cannot understand this pass. With ♠ stops 2NT (18-19) is reasonable but I prefer double – showing a good hand with a good ♠ holding.

(6)   With 6 ♦’s this looks best, North has no idea that South has a good hand.

 

South later tried to justify his pass at (5) by saying West would have bid ♥’s. Let’s see what I have to say about How it could have gone.

(5)  Double seems clear to me, with 2NT a far less descriptive alternative.

(7)  We will never know if West would have pulled it. I would not but then my partners do not overcall at the two-level in the sandwich seat with ♠xxxxx. Let’s suppose West knows all about his partner’s overcalls and indeed bids 3♥.

(8)  With a ♥ stop and an absolute maximum for the 2♦ bid at (3) North should try 3NT as partner has promised a decent hand. Double also works but would not score so much (but enough to win the match).

 

And what happened? 3NT got the ♥Q lead. E-W are an established pair and West knows exactly how ‘good’ his partner’s 2♠ overcalls can be and so did not lead his suit; 3NT was then 3 down. 3NT by North is cold of course. 3NT by South was also bid at another table (in the other match) and was also 3 down.

The bottom lines: -

-         Sequence G is ‘penalties’, showing a good hand with ♠’s.

-         Describe your hand to partner.

 

Bidding Quiz Answers

 

Hand A:    3♥ (Stayman) or 3NT – it’s a toss-up. But if you play Lebensohl you can both check for the 4-4 ♠ fit and show the ♥ stop. Playing Lebensohl you bid 2NT followed by 3♥ over partner’s forced 3♣, this is still Stayman but promises a ♥ stop.

Hand B:    dbl. Showing a good hand with a good 4-card ♠ suit. This is a far better and more descriptive bid than the alternative of 2NT (balanced 18-19 points).

 

Bidding Sequence Answers

 

C     1♦      pass   1♠      2♥          2NT here shows 18-19. Partner has only promised 6 points and

        2NT                                     it is the opposition who have pushed the biding up to the 2-level.

D     1♦      pass   2♣     2♥          2NT here shows a decent 12-14 with a ♥ stop. This time it is

        2NT                                     partner who has bid at the 2-level.

 

E      1♦      pass   2♦      2♥          2NT here shows 18-19. This is different from sequence D as

        2NT                                     partner has only 6-9 points.

 

F      pass   1♦      pass   2♦          2♠ here in the ‘sandwich’ seat has to be a decent hand with a

        2♠                                        very good 6-card ♠ suit.

G     pass   1♦      pass   2♦          Double here is ‘penalties’, showing a good hand with a very

        2♠      dbl                             good 4-card ♠ suit. It is not strictly penalties but co-operative in nature and partner will quite often bid No Trump.

 

The Championship Races

 

The current standings for all competitions are in the results folder and on the web. Please do inform me if you notice any errors. There was not much movement last week (perhaps because we played teams on Friday) but I note that Phil moved up one place in all three competitions.

There are currently 6 members qualified for the gold cup (30 results above 53%): -

 

1    Dave Cutler                  1859.4

2    Bob Pelletier                 1793.7

3    Michael Guin                1752.9

4    Bill Noe                        1747.5

5    Phil Lovell                    1733.8

6    Kenneth Johansson       1732.8