Club News Sheet – No. 221    www.pattayabridge.com        28th Jan 2007

 

       
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Mon 22nd   1st N-S     Jean-Charles & Mike         65%         2nd    Paul Save.. & Dave          56%

                  1st E-W    Gunnar & Lars Gus..          63%         2nd    John & Kenneth               55%

Wed 24th    1st N-S     Lars F & Arne                    61%         2nd    Britta & Jarne                   55%

                  1st E-W    Gunnar & Lars Gus..          63%         2nd    Jo & Tomas                     61%  

Fri 26th       1st N-S     Britta & Jarne                     61%         2nd    Gastone & Jean-Charles   57%

                  1st E-W    Bengt M & Wolfgang         67%         2nd    Derek & gerard                65%

 

Bidding Quiz                           Standard American is assumed unless otherwise stated.

 

Hand A           Hand B           What do you open with hand A?

 

AK10932     Q                 

A4                K72              With Hand B partner opens 1 and RHO bids 2, what do

-                    KQ982         you bid?

AKQ76        J1032

 

Hand C           Hand D           With Hand C partner opens 1NT and RHO bids 2 (Multi-Landy

showing both majors). What do you bid?

AJ653           K73                     

72                 KQ987        

43                 -                    With Hand D RHO opens 2, what do you bid?                

A873            AJ1093                               

 

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

 

K542            AJ8

AQ9543       10764           With Hand F RHO opens 1, what do you bid?

-                    A763

Q96             A5

 

Hand G           Hand H           With Hand G RHO opens 1, what do you bid?

 

108               A4

A74              -                   With Hand H LHO opens 2 which partner doubles. What

K105            AK10964     do you bid?

KQ653        KQ542

 

 

Bidding Sequences Quiz

 

J      2      dbl                             What is dbl?

K     2      3                              What is the 3 cuebid? Is it Michaels?

L      2      4                             What is 4?

M    1      dbl     redbl                What is redbl?

N     1      2      3      pass       What is 4 and is it forcing?

4

Upstairs, downstairs. - Too hot, too cold ...

I was inundated by complaints on Friday, I am wondering if it is all worthwhile!

Just a few of the complaints on Friday: -  need to climb a set of stairs; the wash rooms are too far away; there needs to be a toilet upstairs; the aircon is not turned on early enough, the temperature is too hot, the temperature is too cold (YES!! I actually had both of these complaints within a time span of two minutes! - we had one lady with a coat and scarf while another was complaining about being overheated); the beer is too expensive; the room is claustrophobic (no windows); smoking is a not allowed upstairs; we have two beginners who don’t know what they are doing (this complaint was by a pair who are just about past the beginner’s stage themselves!); the coffee jug was not refilled after 3.30 p.m. (same pair); the sandwiches are not of an acceptable standard - they should be with wholemeal bread (same pair); etc. etc. …

That’s just a few. Are there any volunteers to take over the bridge club? Can YOU do better instead of simply continually complaining???

Anyway, I am fully aware of all of the problems and will try to fix some of them, others cannot be remedied at this hotel. The only really permanent solution is to have a club-house. The Tropicana is a stop-gap solution while Dave and I work things out, so can I please ask everybody (politely) to simply get off my back for a couple of months; another temporary move is out of the question. We have found a reasonable venue which will do us for the short term. It is better than playing at the Mercure for the same price when they provided nothing - Dave and I subsided our last three week’s at the Mercure and ‘worked’ at a loss and if we stayed there it would have cost the same as the current Tropicana price without tea/coffee/sandwich.

I am fully aware of the needs of the club:- easily accessible in Pattaya (not Jomtien); near a baht-bus route; plenty of parking; decent snacks with a choice of bread etc.; reasonably priced drinks (beer/tea/coffee/soft drinks/water etc.); air-conditioning with an even temperature that is turned on at 12.30; sensible playing fee (100bht per person for members); square tables; no stairs; washroom nearby; smoking facilities nearby, etc.

My current plan is to build a club house close to the Dolphin roundabout in North Pattaya. There will be free transport from an easily accessible meeting point (Best supermarket - Dolphin Roundabout) for those who need transportation. This may or may not come to fruition but either way we will be moving to a more permanent location in 3 months or so. So please cut me some slack.


About beginners                                                  

 

I had a complaint about one of our beginners. Apparently a beginner did not understand their partner’s Blackwood or Gerber or whatever bid and talked during the auction. I got a complaint from the opposition – I was absolutely amazed! If I am at the table and a player makes a bid that their beginner partner obviously does not understand then I simply ask the person who made to bid to explain what it means. This may be against the rules of bridge, but this is a friendly club where we encourage beginners and try to help them improve; that’s right, isn’t it?

People who are rude or complain to the director because they do not like beginners will have to find somewhere else to play. No names this week, but they will follow if attitudes do not change.

 

Defending against Multi-Landy                          Board 10 from Monday 22nd  

 

I wrote an article on this last week – unfortunately not in time for E-W here at table A!

 

Dealer:             AJ653                                         Table A

East                  72                                               West          North(C)    East          South

Both vul            43                                               -                 -                 pass         1NT      

                        A873                                          2   (1)      2    (2)      3            3    (3)

pass (4)      4              pass         pass

Q10982             N             -                           dbl   (5)      all pass

Q1084            W    E          K953             

Q98                    S              J1075                   ‘Expert’ Table

4                                        KJ952                  West          North(C)    East          South

                        K74                                            -                 -                 pass         1NT

AJ6                                            2   (1)      dbl   (2)      2            dbl   (6)

AK62                                        all pass

Q106

 

Table A:     (1) A rather light Multi-Landy – showing 9 cards in the majors

                  (2)  What did you bid with this North hand C in this week’s quiz? I covered the defence to Multi-Landy last week, see ‘Expert’ Table. This North enquired about the meaning of 2 and then bid his ’s regardless.

(3)  And South did not seem to care that West had shown a suit either.

(4)  I like this auction.   (5)  I really like this auction.

‘Expert’      (1)  Our expert has read last week’s news sheet and knows to double the Multi

 Table:              Landy 2 bid when holding a major suit.

(6)  South could pass and leave it up to partner, but with decent ’s and top tricks he decided to take the money. North would remove the double with an unsuitable hand (severe shortage).

 

And what happened? 4 doubled went for 800 but the only plus score in the N-S column was when one South actually made 4 doubled. Every other N-S went down in various contracts.

The bottom lines:

-         Have a look at the defence to Multi Landy (and Cappelletti).

-     It’s generally a bad idea to bid a suit in which you know RHO has four or five cards.


A “High Reverse” is game forcing                     Board 17 from Monday 22nd   

 

I was asked how to reach 7 on this deal. Our experts came up with an answer.

 

Dealer:             AK10932                                   Table A

North               A4                                              West          North(A)    East          South(B)

Love all            -                                                  -                 1    (1)      2    (2)    3    (3)

                        AKQ76                                      pass           4   (4)      pass         pass (5)

pass    

876                    N             J54                      

965                 W    E          QJ1083                Table B

J6543                  S              A107                   West          North(A)    East          South

85                                      94                        -                 2   (1)      pass         2    (6)

                        Q                                                pass           2              pass         3    (7)

K72                                            pass           4   (8)      pass         6   (9)

KQ982                                      all pass

J1032

‘Expert’ Table

West          North(A)    East          South

-                 1    (1)      pass (2)    2    (10)

pass           3   (11)    pass         4   (12)

pass           4    (13)    pass         4    (14)

pass           7             all pass

 

Table A:     (1) What did you open with this North hand A in this week’s quiz? It is strong enough for 2 but I personally don’t like to open 2 with two-suiters (see Table B and compare it with the ‘expert’ table for a perfect example of why).

(2)   A somewhat light overcall at the two-level, and it should have helped N-S.

(3)   What did you bid with this South hand B in this week’s quiz? It does not really have the values for a three-level response. A negative double (showing both minors) would have worked wonders and 7 probably reached!

(4)   Natural and absolutely forcing.

(5)   But having already overbid South decided to pass!

Table B:     (1)  This North chose 2. I personally don’t like this opening but I expect that it will get the majority vote.

(6)   Waiting I guess.

(7)   3 now showing the suit.

(8)   Natural, 2nd suit.

(9)   And here we see the problem with opening 2’s cannot be agreed below the level of game, so South simply bid the small slam.

‘Expert’      (1)  Our expert knows all about the problem involved with opening 2with a

 Table:              two suited hand and so opened 1♠.

(10)   A ‘high reverse’ – natural and game forcing,

(11)   2nd suit

(12)   And here we see the great advantage of the 1 opening - ’s are agreed in a forcing sequence below the game level.

(13)   Cue bid (1st round control).

(14)   Cue bid (2nd round control).

(15)   North now knows that South has the all-important K and also that South does not have 3 ’s (no support) and so can confidently bid the grand.


 

And what happened? Results were all over the place. Nobody bid the great 7 but a couple of pairs found the good 6NT - which South could bid at (9) at Table B.

The bottom lines:

-         I don’t like to open 2 with two-suiters.

-         Blackwood is pretty useless with a void, but cue bidding works wonders.

-         If you have three aces and a void then you can use Blackwood just to find out about kings – it worked for one pair on this deal (they reached 6NT) but the problem is that if partner turns up with one king missing the you don’t know if it’s in your void suit or not.

-         A high reverse (opener’s rebid is at the three level) is game forcing, whether there has been intervention or not.

-         When partner opens a major and RHO overcalls with the other major, then negative double if holding both minors.

 

At Table A the bidding could have gone: -

 

West          North         East            South                   (a) Negative, showing both minors.

-                 1              2              dbl   (a)                (b) Natural (agreeing trumps) & slam seeking.

pass           4   (b)      pass           4    (c)                (c) cue bid (2nd round control)

pass           4    (d)      pass           4    (e)                (d) cue bid (1st round control)

pass           5    (f)       pass           5    (g)                (e) cue bid (2nd round control)

pass           7   (h)      all pass                                   (f) cue bid (1st round control)

(g) cue bid (2nd round control)

 

And at (h) our North has even more information than at our expert table and can confidently bid the slam knowing that partner has the K and a singleton ♠.

 

 

 

 


Defence to weak twos – Leaping Michaels        Board 17 from Wednesday 24th

 

Everybody had trouble with these E-W cards, with just two tables reaching a sensible 6/NT. Nobody got near to the cold 7. I wrote up leaping Michaels a few month back, but it comes up so seldom that I guess everybody forgot it; it would have worked a treat here.

 

Dealer:             QJ10982                                    Table A

North               AJ10                                          West(H)     North         East(D)    South

Love all            J85                                              -                 2              dbl   (1)    pass

                        7                                                3    (2)      pass           3    (3)    pass

5   (4)      pass           pass (5)    pass

A4                     N             K73                     

-                     W    E          KQ987                 ‘Expert’ Table

AK10964           S                                           West          North         East(D)    South

KQ542                              AJ1093                -                 2              4   (1)    pass

                        65                                               4    (6)      pass           5    (7)    pass

65432                                         5    (8)      pass           5    (9)    pass

Q732                                          7   (10)    pass           all pass

86

 

Table A:     (1) What was your answer to this East hand D in this week’s quiz? Double is reasonable but I prefer to show 5 ’s with 3 unless Leaping Michaels has been agreed. One pair tried a ‘normal’ Michaels 3 (’s + a minor) but this is not a recognised defence over a pre-empt and I certainly do not recommend it.

A cue bid of 3 should show a much stronger hand with generally exactly 4 ’s.

                  (2)  What did you bid with this West hand H in this week’s quiz? 3 is a weak bid and non-forcing. I would cue bid 3, implying both minors and a dislike of ’s.

(3)  This now shows a strong hand as partner may be bust.

(4)  West thought that this showed a strong hand; I disagree.

(5)  East has now shown his hand fully.

‘Expert’      (1)  Our expert have read about Leaping Michaels on the web site. The jump to 4

 Table:              here shows a strong hand with exactly 5 ’s and 5 or 6 ’s.

(6)   A cue bid, presumably agreeing ’s and showing slam interest.

(7)   A cue bid, denying first round control in either major.

(8)   Cue bid, 1st round control.

(9)   Cue bid, 2nd round control

(10)   West knows that East would not bid Leaping Michaels with just Jxxxx(x) and so knows that partner has the A along with the shortage and ♠K already shown.

 

And what happened? Nobody bid 7. The only two slam bidders were 6(+1), 6NT(=) and 6 (-1).

The bottom lines:

-         The direct cue bid (sequence K) is not generally played as Michaels over a weak two opening; it is best played as a very strong hand and game forcing.

-         Leaping Michaels is up on the web.

 


Terrible ‘take-out’ doubles – part 1                    Board 4 from Friday 26th 

 

I noticed no less than four appalling ‘take-out’ doubles on Friday. A take out double should be short in the suit opened and playable in the three unbid suits – unless very strong. Let’s just look at the next four deals.

 

Dealer:             K542                         

West                AQ9543                                     West          North(E)    East          South

Both vul            -                                                  1    (1)      dbl   (2)      redbl(3)    pass (4)

                        Q96                                           pass           pass (5)

 

Q106                 N             AJ97                    

1086               W    E          K2                 

AKQJ9               S              743                      

AK                                     10832                 

                        83                                              

J7                                        

108652                                

J754

 

(1)   With two 10’s and an excellent 5 card suit I would (did) open 2NT.

(2)   What did you bid with this North hand E in this week’s quiz? Expert opinion is generally divided when 4-5 in the majors but I go along with the majority who overcall the 5 carder rather than double. With a good 6 carder there is no contest and 1 is clear.

(3)   Generally 9+ points, often short in partner’s suit. With this hand I would simply bid 1 but redouble worked out remarkably well!

(4)   Obviously North should now bid 1♥.

 

And what happened? 1 redoubled making 12 tricks is apparently 1140 and scores more than bidding the slam. Results were all over the place as usual but 3NT by West was a popular spot; making 9 tricks on a lead (unless West risks the finesse) and 12 tricks on any other lead.

The bottom lines:

-         A take-out double is short in the suit bid and playable in the other three suits, but with a five card major it is usually best to overcall and certainly so with a six card major.


Terrible ‘take-out’ doubles – part 2                    Board 21 from Friday 26th 

 

Here we have another poor double followed by a redouble, but this time opener was a beginner and the overcalling side got away with some appalling bidding.

 

Dealer:             Q74                           

North               985                                             West          North         East          South(F)

N-S vul            J9                                                -                 pass           1            dbl     (1)

                        QJ1063                                      redbl  (2)    2             2    (3)    pass

pass           2    (4)      3    (5)    all pass

6532                  N             K109                   

-                     W    E          AKQJ32       

KQ1052             S              84                        

K987                                 42                       

                        AJ8                                            

10764                                  

A763                                   

A5

 

(1)   What did you bid with this South hand F in this week’s quiz? If you chose double then I suggest that you read up on take-out doubles. There are a few books in the library and an article in the beginner’s bidding section. A double here with four cards in the suit opened and just three in the unbid major is a really terrible bid – pass is the only sensible option.

(2)   Generally 9+ points and often short in opener’s suit. With this shape and especially at this vulnerability I agree with the bid (well I have to – I made it).

(3)   But unfortunately East was a beginner and did not understand that he should pass and wait and see if partner will double (he would have).

(4)   This is a terrible bid!! East has let N-S off the hook but North jumps straight back on at the two level with a combined 19 count in a 3-3 fit! West’s redouble at (2) had declared the majority of the points and usually a desire to penalise N-S.

(5)   But sometimes there simply is no justice and our beginner did not realise what the green cards in the box were for (and double is a good alternative to pass).

 

And what happened? 3 went two down for a totally undeserved complete top to N-S. 2 doubled would have gone minus three for a total top to E-W. N-S cannot make anything more than 1♣.

The bottom lines:

-     A take-out double is short in the suit bid and playable in the other three suits; AJx in the unbid major and Ax in an unbid suit does not qualify and 10xxx is not shortage.

-     A redbl often implies shortage in opener’s suit and a desire to defend a doubled contract.

-         Don’t bid again when partner has redoubled.

-         Don’t bid again and then bid again when partner has redoubled.

-         If an opponent has redoubled, showing the balance of power and the desire to defend, do not bid freely without a very shapely hand – you will go for a number, especially if bidding a three card suit!!

 


Terrible ‘take-out’ doubles – part 3                    Board 19 from Friday 26th 

 

Here we have the same N-S pair in action with an even worse ‘take-out’ double.

 

Dealer:             108                            

South               A74                                            West          North(G)    East          South

E-W vul           K105                                          -                 -                 -               pass

                        KQ653                                      1             dbl   (1)      pass         2NT (2)

all pass

QJ65                 N             K943                   

K82                W    E          J1095            

AQ                     S              9432                    

10942                                8                         

                        A72                                           

Q63                                     

J876                                     

AJ7

 

(1)   What did you bid with this North hand G in this week’s quiz? If you chose double then I suggest that you read up on take-out doubles. There are a few books in the library and an article in the beginner’s bidding section. A double here with five cards in the suit opened and just three and two cards in the unbid majors is a really terrible terrible bid – pass is the only sensible option.

(2)   Showing 11-12 points, no 4 card major and a stop; the correct bid.

 

And what happened? 2NT made +1 but scored a near bottom.

The bottom lines:

-         A take-out double is short in the suit bid and playable in the other three suits; AJx in one unbid major and 10x in the other does not qualify and KQxxx is not shortage.

-         North actually suggested after the hand that South could have passed the double. This is nonsense, if this partnership’s agreement is to double on any old flat junk then North should have passed initially and then pass South’s presumed double.

 

 

 


Terrible ‘take-out’ doubles – part 4                    Board 20 from Friday 26th 

 

And now we have a complete hat-trick of terrible doubles by the same N-S pair.

 

Dealer:             94                              

South               J9                                               West          North         East          South

E-W vul           KQ7                                           -                 -                 -               pass

                        AQ8732                                     1             dbl   (1)      pass         2    (2)

all pass

10                      N             Q762                   

AKQ86          W    E          10542            

10953                 S              AJ64                    

K104                                 6                         

                        AKJ853                                     

73                                        

82                                        

J95

 

(1)   What would you bid with this North hand? If you think that double is best then I suggest that you read up on take-out doubles. There are a few books in the library and an article in the beginner’s bidding section. A double here with just 94 in the unbid major and a suit of AQ8732 is a really terrible terrible terrible bid – 2 is so obvious that I was too embarrassed to put this one in the quiz.

(2)   Showing around 8-10 points; the correct bid.

 

And what happened? North lucked out this time when South turned up with a six card suit – it would not have been so lucky if South had just 4 ’s. 2 made exactly for just above average.

The bottom lines:

-         A take-out double is short in the suit bid and playable in the other three suits; 9x in the unbid major does not qualify.

-         With 12 points and AQxxxx, do not double but overcall 2

 

 

 


Bidding Quiz Answers

 

Hand A:    1. 2 is not ‘wrong’ but I don’t like to open 2 with two-suiters – you often do not have room to show both of your suits and this deal is a perfect example of it going wrong after a 2 opening.

Hand B:    Dbl. Negative and showing both minors. 3 is a poor bid as the hand does not have the values for a game forcing three-level response. 2NT, showing 11-12 points and a stop is a very reasonable, perhaps better, alternative.

Hand C:    Dbl. Showing a hand with a good holding in at least one major.

Hand D:    3. I prefer this to double having nothing in ’s. Note that 3 here is not Michaels (unless you have specifically agreed this), Michaels cue bids are generally pre-emptive and do not apply over a pre-emptive opening. I would play a 3 cue bid here as a very strong hand with usually exactly 4 ’s. But actually the very best bid, which describes this hand in a nutshell, is 4 - Leaping Michaels. This shows a good hand with exactly 5 ’s and 5 or 6 ’s.

Hand E:    1. With a good 6 card suit this is far better than double.

Hand F:     Pass. Double is terrible.

Hand G:    Pass. Double is terrible.

Hand H:    3. This shows a good (game forcing) hand and implies no interest in ’s as trumps.

 

 

Bidding Sequences Quiz Answers

 

J      2      dbl                             Double is take-out, generally with four ’s.

K     2      3                              A similar but stronger (game forcing) hand than above.

L      2      4                             4 is best played as Leaping Michaels – strong with 5 ’s and 5 or 6 ’s

M    1      dbl     redbl                Redouble is 9+ points, often a mis-fit looking to penalize the opponents. It most certainly does not promise ’s.

N     1      2      3      pass       4 is natural and absolutely forcing.

4