Club News Sheet – No. 186    www.pattayabridge.com       27th May 2006

 

Mon 22nd   1st      Bob P & Bob S          58%                     2nd    Derek & Gerard                 57%

Wed 24th    1st      Jan & Kenneth           58%                     2nd    Hans B & Henrik                55%

Fri    26th    1st      Jim & Phil                   72%                     2nd    Hans K & Fred                  53%

                 

Bidding Quiz                           Standard American is assumed unless otherwise stated.

 

Hand A           Hand B           With Hand A it’s love all. Partner opens 1♦ and RHO overcalls 1♥, what do you do?

♠ AQ               ♠ 1082            

♥ Q1062          ♥ K432            With Hand B partner opens 1♠. (a) what do you bid?

♦ J53                ♦ KJ82             (b) suppose you choose 2♠ and partner bids 3♠, what do you do?

♣ Q1086         ♣ 65                (c) suppose you choose 2♠ and partner bids 3♦, what do you do?

(d) suppose you choose 2♠ and partner bids 3♥, what do you do?

 

Hand C           Hand D           With Hand C you open 1♠ and partner bids 2♠. What do you do?

 

♠ AQJ95          ♠ 2

♥ Q                  ♥ KQJ10983     With Hand D it’s love all and RHO opens 1♣, what do you do?

♦ AQ764         ♦ 863            

♣ 94                ♣ A5

 

Hand E            Hand F            With Hand E Partner opens 1♠, what do you bid?

 

♠ J104             ♠ K97543       

♥ K72              ♥ -                   With Hand F partner opens 1♣ and RHO overcalls 3♥, what do

♦ Q943            ♦ QJ10972       you do?

♣ AKQ            ♣ 4

                                               

 

Bidding Sequences Quiz

 

G     2♣   pass    2♥   2NT       2♣ was strong and 2♥ positive, what is the 2NT overcall?

 

There is no interference in the following sequences: -

 

H     1♠ - 2NT                         is 2NT forcing?

J      1♠ - 2NT - 3♥                 is 3♥ forcing?

K     1♠ - 2NT - 3♥ - 3♠         is 3♠ forcing?

 

 

 

 

Try for game or bid it?                                         Board 1 from Wednesday 24th

 

 Just one pair out of 5 bid game with these E-W cards on Wednesday: -

 

Dealer:             ♠ 64                                               Table A

North               ♥ J1076                                         West(C)     North         East(B)     South

Love all            ♦ 93                                               -                 pass           pass         pass

                        ♣ AQ872                                       1♠              pass           pass (1)    dbl   (2)

2♦              pass           pass (3)    pass

♠ AQJ95               N             ♠ 1082                    

♥ Q                    W    E          ♥ K432                    Table B

♦ AQ764               S              ♦ KJ82                     West(C)     North         East(B)     South

♣ 94                                      ♣ 65                        -                 pass           pass         pass

                        ♠ K73                                            1♠              pass           2♠    (1)    pass

♥ A985                                          3♠    (4)      pass           pass (5)    pass

                        ♦ 105                                            

                        ♣ KJ103                                        Table C

West(C)     North         East(B)     South

-                 pass           pass         pass

1♠              pass           2♠    (1)    pass

4♠    (6)      all pass              

 

Table A:     (1)  What did you bid with this East hand B(a) in this week’s quiz? Quite why this East passed I don’t know, 2♠ is very clear.

(2)   A dubious double with a flat hand opposite a (twice) passed partner.

(3)   Given a 2nd chance, East still did not bid. A simple correction to the known 5-3 ♠ fit would have scored a near average.

Table B:     (1)  Most East’s got it right.

(4)   What did you bid with this West hand C in this week’s quiz? I guess it’s close (to invite or to simply bid game) but if you choose to invite then a help-suit game try of 3♦ is best.

(5)   What did you bid with this East hand B(b) in this week’s quiz? I think that pass is correct. But if partner had bid 3♦ (HSGT) then 4♠ would be called for.

Table C:     (6)  I was West at this table; and being a simple soul, I simply bid game.

 

And what happened? Loads of random scores; 4♠ making was top and 2♦ +2 scored a near zero. Two pairs stopped in 3♠ and one managed to let N-S play in 2♥ making +1.

 

The bottom lines: -

-         With 7 points, do not pass partner’s opener.

-         It’s usually best to give preference back to a major.

-         ♠’s are higher ranking than ♥’s. Do not let the opponents play in 2♥ when your side has 8 ♠’s.

 

Is it forcing?                                                         Board 5 from Friday 26th

 

 With an easy slam. It’s strange that the pair at Table A made 3(!) bids below game that were not even forcing!

 

Dealer:             ♠ KQ876                                       Table A

North               ♥ AQJ6                                         West          North         East          South(E)

N-S vul            ♦ A107                                          -                 1♠              pass         2NT (1)

                        ♣ 8                                                pass           3♥    (2)      pass         3♠    (3)

pass           4♠    (4)      all pass    

♠ 32                      N             ♠ A95                     

♥ 10954             W    E          ♥ 83                         Table B

♦ K86                    S              ♦ J52                        West          North         East          South(E)

♣ 7642                                  ♣ J10953                 -                 1♠              pass         3NT (1)

                        ♠ J104                                           pass           4♣   (5)      pass         4♥

♥ K72                                            pass           6NT           pass         pass

                        ♦ Q943                                         

♣ AKQ                                         

 

Table A:     (1)  What did you bid with this South hand E in this week’s quiz? There are two sensible options, 2♦ and 3NT. The hand obviously has game values and so any limit bid is ruled out. If you have not agreed to play Jacoby 2NT then 2NT here in Standard is 11-12 and passable. 3♠ is also passable and 4♠ is weak. Obviously 2♦, with the intention of bidding 4♠ next go is very reasonable but I prefer the bid made at table B.

(2)  If you play that partner’s 2NT is 11-12, then it is not clear that this 3♥ bid is forcing; presumably 2NT denies 4 ♥’s and so 3♥ here could be a weak 5-5 major hand. If partner’s 2NT was indeed 11-12 then I would bid 3NT.

(3)   This is simple preference and not forcing!

(4)   With everybody grossly underbidding the easy slam was missed.

Table B:     (1)  With a big hand and most of the points outside ♠’s I prefer to ignore the 3 card ♠ support and I like this 3NT bid. This bid shows 13-15 and denies a 4 card ♥ suit.

(5)  North has nice intermediates and decent shape and so decided upon slam. He bid 4♣ just to check that there were not 2 aces missing. 4NT here would be quantitative and is also a very reasonable (perhaps better) bid (South would obviously accept).

 

And what happened? 4♠ made +2, everybody else bid slam.

 

The bottom lines: -

-         2NT by responder is 11-12 unless you agree differently. 3NT is 13-15.

-         Don’t make non-forcing bid(s) with game going values.

When the 2NT bid should have been used         Board 27 from Friday 26th

 

This time East had a perfect 2NT response but failed to find it: -

 

Dealer:             ♠ KJ72                                          Table A

South               ♥ AKJ53                                       West          North         East(A)    South

Love all            ♦ K6                                              -                 -                 -               pass

                        ♣ J7                                               1♦              1♥              2♣   (1)    pass

3♣             pass           pass (2)    pass

♠ 865                    N             ♠ AQ                      

♥ 7                     W    E          ♥ Q1062                  ‘Expert Table’

♦ AQ984               S              ♦ J53                        West          North         East(A)    South

♣ AK43                                 ♣ Q1086                 -                 -                 -               pass

                        ♠ 10943                                         1♦              1♥              2NT (1)    pass

♥ 984                                             3NT   (3)    all pass              

                        ♦ 1072                                          

♣ 952                                           

 

Table A:     (1)  What did you bid with this East hand A in this week’s quiz? With these ♥’s sitting over the overcaller there are two reasonable options. Either pass and go for the penalty (after partner’s ‘automatic’ re-opening double) or else bid NT. With just 4 trumps I think that the latter is more prudent, and it’s close between 2NT and 3NT.

(2)  And 3NT must be best here, having failed to bid NT last go.

‘Expert’      (1)  This expert chose 2NT rather than 3NT.

 Table:        (2)  And with this good shape West should bid the game.

 

And what happened? Nobody bid game, but the two pairs in 2NT scored a joint top when they both made +2.

 

The bottom lines: -

-         With Q10xx in RHO’s suit, bid NT (your partner will not be able to).

 

 

Does a negative double show both suits?           Board 1 from Friday 26th

 

 

Dealer:             ♠ AQJ                                            Table A

North               ♥ A642                                          West          North         East(D)    South(F)

Love all            ♦ K5                                              -                 1♣             3♥    (1)    dbl   (2)

                        ♣ KJ93                                          pass           3NT           pass         pass (3)

pass    

♠ 1086                  N             ♠ 2                          

♥ 75                   W    E          ♥ KQJ10983           Table B

♦ A4                      S              ♦ 863                       West          North         East(D)    South(F)

♣ Q108762                           ♣ A5                        -                 1♣             3♥    (1)    3♠    (2)

                        ♠ K97543                                      pass           4♠    (4)      all pass

♥ -                                                        

                        ♦ QJ10972                                    

♣ 4                                               

 

Table A:     (1)  What did you bid with this East hand D in this week’s quiz? 1♥ is reasonable and a weak 3♥ shows the long suit but the hand is a bit good. I would bid 4♥.

(2)  And what did you bid with this South hand F in this week’s quiz? It’s ‘only’ 6 points – but look at those suits and intermediates. With known ♥ values with the opposition this hand is enormous and well worth a forcing 3♠. This actual South chose a negative double, and I suppose that it depends upon how you play your negative doubles (he presumably plays them as showing the two unbid suits).

(3)   But with this huge two suiter I would not pass 3NT, I guess that 4♦ is best (but it’s not clear that that is 100% forcing – I suppose it is) but 4♦ here would certainly be forcing had he bid 3♠ last go.

Table B:     (1)  This South chose the more natural 3♠.

(4)  And North now has a comfortable 4♠ bid.

 

And what happened? 3NT went 4 down. The rest bid 4♠ making +2.

 

The bottom lines: -

-         It’s up to you how you play negative doubles. I play that they promise the unbid major and not necessarily the other unbid suit.

-         With a 5+ card major, bid it rather than negative double if you have sufficient values for a forcing bid.

Bidding Quiz Answers

 

Hand A:     2NT or 3NT. With just 4 ♥’s I would no go for the penalty and I personally would bid 3NT but would not argue with the more conservative invitational 2NT.

Hand B:      (a)  2♠. Very clear.

(b)   Pass. Partner has made a general game try and with 3 small trumps this hand is not worth game.

(c)    4♠. If partner makes a help-suit game (HSGT) try in ♦’s then this hand is worth a shot at game because of the great double fit.

(d)   4♥. Partner’s 3♥ bid is a HSGT in ♥’s and he may or may not have 4 ♥’s. So bid 4♥ in case there is a 4-4 fit there and partner will convert to 4♠ when necessary.

Hand C:     Either 4♠ or 3♦ (HSGT). If you choose to invite then a HSGT of 3♦ is clearly better than a 3♠ bid. I personally would (did) bid 4♠ as I like the 5-5 shape.

Hand D:     4♥. It’s too good for 3♥ and I don’t really see the point in overcalling just 2♥.

Hand E:      You have game (maybe slam) and cannot make a non-forcing bid below game, so 2♠, 3♠ 1NT and 2NT are out. 2♦ is very reasonable and the sensible alternative is 3NT (13-15 balanced).

Hand F:      3♠. With this shape I think it’s good enough for a forcing 3♠. The problem with a negative double (even if you do play it as showing the two unbid suits) is that partner will not believe that you have 6 ♠’s. So bid 3♠ now and bid the ♦’s later if necessary.

 

 

Bidding Sequences Quiz Answers

 

G     2♣    pass   2♥    2NT       2♣ was strong and 2♥ positive, what is 2NT? Unusual, showing the minors.

There is no interference in the following sequences: -

H     1♠ -   2NT                       is 2NT forcing? Not unless you have agreed to play it as Jacoby 2NT or similar. Without prior agreement the bid is 11-12 and non-forcing.

J      1♠ -   2NT - 3♥               is 3♥ forcing? Assuming the above, I would say that it is 5-5 in the majors and weak.

K     1♠ -   2NT - 3♥ - 3♠       is 3♠ forcing? Assuming all of the above, I would say that this is a weak correction, presumably 2-2 in the majors.