Club News Sheet – No. 223    www.pattayabridge.com        11th Feb 2007

 

       
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Mon 29th    1st N-S     Gunnar & Lars                   63%         2nd    Britta & Jan Roos             63%

                  1st E-W    Bengt & Wolfgang              62%         2nd    Clive & Gerry                   61%

Wed 31st    1st N-S     Gunnar & Lars                   69%         2nd    Gastone & Jo                   58%

                  1st E-W    Janne & Lasse                    59%         2nd    Clive & Terry                   56%  

Fri 2nd        1st N-S     Paul Sav.. & Ursula            59%         2nd    Gunnar & Lars                 52%

                  1st E-W    Jan v Koss & Royd            61%         2nd    Richard Mu.. & Britta       59%

 

Bidding Quiz                           Standard American is assumed unless otherwise stated.

 

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

 

♠ Q765            ♠ AQ10953     With Hand B you open 1♠, LHO doubles and partner redoubles.

♥ 106               ♥ J10               (a)  What do you bid?    

♦ -                    ♦ AQ4             (b)  Suppose you pass, LHO bids 2♣ and partner doubles. What

♣ AKQJ1064  ♣ 102                    do you do now?      

 

Hand C           Hand D           With Hand C partner opens 1♠, you bid 2♣ and partner bids 2♥. What do you bid now?

♠ 102               ♠ A742                         

♥ AK3             ♥ J7                 With Hand D LHO opens 1♥, partner overcalls 2♣ and RHO

♦ A985            ♦ Q10964        passes. What do you do?

♣ AQJ3           ♣ 83

 

Hand E            Hand F            With Hand E you pass as dealer. LHO opens 1♥ and RHO

raises to 2♥. What do you do?

♠ QJ108          ♠ 42                                              

♥ -                   ♥ Q732            With Hand F partner opens a gambling 3NT (long solid minor

♦ K9863          ♦ J732              with nothing outside) which RHO doubles. What do you do?

♣ A952            ♣ 985

                                                       

Bidding Sequences Quiz            All of these sequences occurred this week

 

G     1♠      3♣     3♠      4♣         4NT is RKCB for ♠’s, what is the double?

4NT   5♣     dbl    

H     1NT   2♥      pass   pass       (a) What is the double – take-out, penalties or ‘automatic’?

dbl                                       (b) Is it the same if the 2♥ overcall showed only 5 ♥’s?

J      pass   pass   1♥      pass       (a) What is the double?  

2♥      dbl                             (b) Is the fact that it’s by a passed hand relevant?

K     3NT   dbl     pass                 3NT is gambling (nothing outside). (a) What is the pass?

                                                    (b) Would pass have the same meaning if there was no double?

L      3NT   dbl     4♣                   3NT is gambling (nothing outside). What is 4♣?

 

Editorial

 

I note that Gunnar & Lars just missed the triple this week, they won last Friday as well as Mon and Wed this week and 2nd on Friday. But the triple is defined as three wins in the same week. Good show anyway, we’ll miss you when you go back home soon. Back to the normal size this week (OK Philip?), I’m talking about the news-sheet of course.

DOPI prevents dopy slams                                 Board 24 from Wednesday 7th

 

Don’t be dopy and bid a slam to make when there are two or three aces off the top – play DOP1.

 

Dealer:             ♠ 102                                            

West                ♥ 3                                                 West          North         East          South

Love all            ♦ A743                                          1♠              3♣   (1)      3♥    (2)    4♣   (3)

                        ♣ AKQ542                                    pass           pass           4NT (4)    5♣   (5)

pass           pass (6)      5♠    (7)    all pass

♠ J9753                N             ♠ KQ864                

♥ AJ                  W    E          ♥ KQ8754              

♦ KQJ96                S              ♦ -                          

♣ 6                                        ♣ 9                         

                        ♠ A                                         

♥ 1096                                          

♦ 10852                                       

♣ J10873

 

 

(1)   Strong in this partnership I believe.

(2)   East has ♠ slam ambitions and so temporised with a forcing ♥ bid.

(3)   5♣ is better.

(4)   Blackwood is not usually a good bid with a void, but the partnership had not agreed Exclusion Blackwood (5♦) and at least normal Blackwood would warn East off of the slam if partner does not have two aces.

(5)   It’s too late for 5♣ now – E-W have already got going with Blackwood.

(6)   Showing one ace – DOP1.

(7)   With three aces missing East manages to stop in the fairly safe 5♠.

 

And what happened? Three pairs bid to 6♠, all going down. 5♠ made exactly when the defence did not get their ♥ ruff. A couple of N-S’s ‘sacrificed’ in 6♣ and went one and two down.

The bottom lines:

-         Play DOPI (double = 0, pass = 1, next bid = 2 etc.).

 

 

Play Quiz                                                              Board 23 from Monday 5th

 

♠ 1085             How do you play this hand in a contract of 6♥ on a ♠ lead?  

♥ A1065         

♦ J                    Answer next page.

♣ K9642        

           

♠ -                                          

♥ KQ83          

♦ A1096542                                                   

♣ A5
Cross-ruff or set up a long suit?                          Board 23 from Monday 5th

 

What was you answer to the play question overleaf? Here is the full deal.

 

Dealer:             ♠ 1085                                          

South               ♥ A1065                                        West          North         East          South

Both vul            ♦ J                                                  -                 -                 -               1♦

                        ♣ K9642                                       pass           1♥              1♠    (1)    4♥    (2)

all pass              

♠ J97                    N             ♠ AKQ6432           

♥ 942                 W    E          ♥ J7                         (1)  I would make a much bigger noise.

♦ K3                      S              ♦ Q87                     (2)  A 3♠ splinter is an alternative.

♣ J10873                               ♣ Q                        

                        ♠ -                                           Anyway, this time it’s not about the bidding, but

♥ KQ83                                   the play. How would you play the hand?    

♦ A1096542                            A couple of players tried a sort of cross-ruff     

♣ A5                                        line and emerged with just 10 tricks.

 

                        ♠ 108                                       The best line is to set up the ♦’s. So ruff the opening

                        ♥ A                                          ♠ lead, ♦A and a ♦ ruff. Cross to the ♥K and ruff

                        ♦ -                                            another ♦. Cross to the ♥Q and  ruff a third ♦ with

                        ♣ K9642                                 the ♥10 when West shows out.

 

♠ J9                      N             ♠ KQ6432         That leaves this position.

♥ 94                   W    E          ♥ J                     Cash the ♥A, over to dummy with the ♣A and

♦                            S              ♦                        draw the last trump. The remaining ♦’s and the 

♣ J1087                                 ♣ Q                   ♣K take the remainder of the tricks.

                        ♠ -                                          

♥ K8                                       

♦ 10965                                  

♣ A5                                       

 

And what happened? 4♥ was bid at two tables; one made 10 tricks and the other made 13. Two pairs bid 6♥; one went three down and the other (Gunnar & Lars) made 13 tricks.

The bottom lines:

-         This deal is a perfect example of the power of the 4-4 fit. There are 13 tricks available in a ♥ contract but only 11 tricks if playing in ♦’s.

 

Opening  Leads                                                          West hand 17 from Wednesday 31st

 

♠ 1032             I do not pretend to be an expert on opening leads, but this West received some

♥ A63              unjustified criticism when he chose to lead the ♣4 against 3NT. The bidding

♦ 52                 had been 1NT - 2♣ - 2♦ - 3NT. His partner said that a small card lead should

♣ 108543        promise an honour and that he should have led the ‘top of nothing’.

 

My opinions: Leads are often up to partnership agreement. I lead 4th best from a 4 or 5 card suit against NoTrumps and do not promise an honour. I too would lead the ♣4. The ♣10 lead may well give a trick away when declarer has 3 ♣’s to the ♣9 in either hand.

As far as ‘top of nothing’ and ‘small promises an honour’ are concerned, my opinion is: -

-     ‘Top of nothing’ or MUD are generally against suit contracts.

-     I play ‘small promises an honour’ only against suit contracts.
Misfits – part 1                                                    Board 3 from Friday 9th  

 

E-W missed game (or a big penalty) here, who would you blame?

 

Dealer:             ♠ KJ                                             

South               ♥ K986                                          West(B)     North         East          South

E-W vul           ♦ J109                                            -                 -                 -               pass

                        ♣ AJ84                                          1♠              dbl             redbl  (1)  pass (2)

pass   (3)    2♣   (4)      dbl     (5)  pass (6)

♠ AQ10953          N             ♠ 2                           2♠      (7)    pass           pass   (8)  pass

♥ J10                 W    E          ♥ AQ4                    

♦ AQ4                   S              ♦ K752                  

♣ 102                                    ♣ Q9765                

                        ♠ 8764                                    

♥ 7532                                          

♦ 863                                           

♣ K3

 

(1)   10+ points and often a misfit.

(2)   I would bid 2♥ as I expect my partner to be playable in ♥’s having doubled 1♠ if he does not have a very big hand.

(3)   What did you bid with this West hand B(a) in this week’s quiz? This West correctly passed; 2♠ here would show a weak hand with no desire to defend a doubled contract.

(4)   North correctly bids his cheapest suit.

(5)   Penalties.

(6)   I would bid 2♥, but then I would have bid that last go.

(7)   But West stumbled at the 2nd hurdle. What did you bid with this West hand B(b) in this week’s quiz? This West hand is a sound opener and with 2½ quick tricks is fine for defence; pass is the best bid. I believe that this West’s decision to bid was based on the vulnerability, but unfortunately 2♠ here is a weak bid and partner will not bid game without significant extra values.

(8)   As far as East is concerned it’s a mis-fitting minimum and he correctly passed.

 

And what happened? Three E-W pairs bid and made game. 2♣ doubled would have gone five down for 1100 to E-W. 2♥ doubled would have gone just two down for 300 to E-W. Had South bid 2♥ at some stage then East could bid 2NT which West would raise to 3NT, as happened at two tables.

The bottom lines:

-         A redouble is very often a mis-fit

-         Don’t pull partner’s penalty double without good reason.

-         When you open, LHO doubles and partner redoubles then the redouble is 10+ points but is very often a mis-fit.

-         When you open and partner redoubles, then he is the captain. He knows if it’s a mis-fit or not and you should only bid with a hand that is unsuitable for defence.

 

Misfits – part 2                                                    Board 18 from Friday 9th 

 

A mis-fitting 30 points is nowhere near good enough for 6NT!

 

Dealer:             ♠ 102                                             Table A

East                  ♥ AK3                                           West          North(C)    East          South

N-S vul            ♦ A985                                          -                 -                 pass         1♠    (1)

                        ♣ AQJ3                                         pass           2♣             pass         2♥

pass           4NT (2)      pass         5♦

♠ QJ9                   N             ♠ 654                       pass           5NT (3)      pass         6♦

♥ 7                     W    E          ♥ 109862                 pass           6NT (4)      all pass

♦ Q103                  S              ♦ K64                    

♣ K109764                           ♣ 52                        Table B

                        ♠ AK873                                       West          North(C)    East          South

♥ QJ54                                          -                 -                 pass         1♠    (1)

♦ J72                                             pass           2♣             pass         2♥

♣ 8                                                pass           3NT (2)

 

Table A:     (1)  With the points in the long suits and an easy rebid, this is a sound ‘rule of 20’ opening.

(2)   What did you bid with this North hand C in this week’s quiz? Partner generally has 12-14 points or so for his minimum rebid and charging into slam is optimistic in the extreme.

(3)   There is no point in asking for kings unless you are thinking of a grand slam. I have no idea if North thought that his hand was that good!

(4)   North commented that he did not know whether to bid 6♥ or 6NT. Both are way over the top in my opinion.

Table B:     (2)  This was the sensible bidding at most tables and is the answer to question C. A 4th suit 3♦ is an alternative.

 

And what happened? 6NT went one down for a complete bottom. Had this declarer been in the sensible 3NT then 11 tricks would have been a near top as most made just 10.

The bottom lines:

-         You need about 33 points for 6NT unless you have a long suit.

-         5NT after 4NT asks for kings. It promises all of the aces and is looking for a grand.

 

Misfits – part 3                                                    Board 1 from Friday 9th 

 

This time East made two free bids with a mis-fit and got clobbered.

 

Dealer:             ♠ KQ63                                        

East                  ♥ 65                                               West          North         East(D)    South

N-S vul            ♦ 72                                               -                 pass           pass         1♥

                        ♣ QJ1062                                      2♣ (1)        pass (2)      2♦    (3)    pass

pass           dbl   (4)      2♠    (5)    pass

♠ J5                      N             ♠ A742                    3♦  (6)        dbl   (7)      pass (8)    pass (9)

♥ A1082            W    E          ♥ J7                         pass          

♦ A8                      S              ♦ Q10964              

♣ A9754                                ♣ 83                       

                        ♠ 1098                                          

♥ KQ943                                      

♦ KJ53                                         

♣ K                                              

 

(1)   Some people would prefer a better/longer suit for a two level overcall.

(2)   N-S play negative doubles and so North passed and hopes to pass partner’s automatic re-opening double for penalties.

(3)   What did you bid with this East hand D in this week’s quiz? I can see no reason whatsoever to bid. It’s a misfit with tolerance for partner’s suit; so pass (bail out as soon as possible with mis-fits).

(4)   This double is under the ♦ bidder and so simply shows values. It implies a ♣ penalty hand with ♠’s.

(5)   I assume that East did not understand the double? Bidding again here with a misfit is unnecessary and foolhardy.

(6)   Simple preference.

(7)   This time it’s an ‘optional double’ with penalty overtones.

(8)   East finally found one of the pass cards in his box.

(9)   Let’s go for the penalty.

 

And what happened? North mis-defended (he should have played a ♠ honour when a ♠ was led from dummy and then a trump when he got in) but 3♦ doubled still went one down for a good score to N-S. Had East decided to sensibly pass at (5) then South may have bid 2NT which made the one time it was bid but goes one down according to Dealmaster Pro.

The bottom lines:

-         Be wary when the opponents play negative doubles. If partner overcalls and RHO passes then he may well have a good hand.

-         Be wary of mis-fits and don’t bid unnecessarily.

 

Don’t double for penalties with a trump void           Board 13 from Friday 9th 

 

There was a very amusing result on this board.

 

Dealer:             ♠ 42                                               Table A

North               ♥ Q732                                          West          North(F)    East          South(A)

both vul            ♦ J732                                            -                 pass           pass (1)    3NT (2)

                        ♣ 985                                            dbl             pass (3)      pass         pass (4)

 

♠ K1093               N             ♠ AJ8                       Table B

♥ KJ8                W    E          ♥ A954                    West          North         East          South

♦ AQ10986           S              ♦ K54                     -                 pass           1♣   (1)    pass (5)

♣ -                                         ♣ 732                      1♦              pass           1♥            2♣   (6)

                        ♠ Q765                                          2♠    (7)      pass           2NT (8)    3♣        

♥ 106                                             dbl   (9)      all pass

♦ -                                                

♣ AKQJ1064                               

 

Table A:     (1)  It’s 12 points, but I would knock a point off for the 4333 type shape and I agree with the pass. Another way of looking at it is the rule of 20 which automatically compensates for the terrible 4333 shape (this hand is 19).

(2)   What did you open with this South hand A in this week’s quiz? A Gambling 3NT describes this hand perfectly.

(3)   What did you bid with this North hand F in this week’s quiz? Actually RHO’s double is pretty much irrelevant and you should bid as normal opposite a gambling 3NT. So 4♣ (pass or correct) is the bid. I would take this pass as showing a probable stop in the three suits.

(4)   And I too would pass – trust partner?

Table B:     (1)  This East chose to open with a (could be short) 1♣.

(5)   2♣ here would be conventional and so South passed.

(6)   Now 2♣ is natural

(7)   Natural and forcing. West has described his hand perfectly – (game) forcing with longer ♦’s than ♠’s.

(8)   I’m still looking for the ♣ stop, I would bid 3♦.

(9)   But having bid perfectly up to now West fell at the last hurdle. I think that this (penalty) double is terrible. The bidding indicates that partner has little in ♣’s (even if you believe that he has a ♣ stop) and I would be thinking of 6♦. I would play pass here as forcing and prefer that to double but I would cuebid 4♣ on the way to hopefully 6♦.

 

And what happened? 3NT doubled at Table A made zero tricks and went for 2600, an unusual score. 3♣ doubled at Table B went just one down for a good score to N-S. Nobody bid a ♦ slam – 6♦ is easy and 7♦ is on the ♠ guess.

The bottom lines:

-         When partner opens a gambling 3NT then do not pass without a stopper in three suits.

-         The above statement holds even if RHO doubles.

-         It’s rarely a good idea to penalty double with a void in trumps.

-         6♦ should be easy to reach had East bid 3♦ at (8) instead of the fatuous 2NT.

 

It’s take-out                                                         Board 16 from Friday 9th 

 

When the opponents bid and agree a suit at the two level, then double is take-out.

 

Dealer:             ♠ QJ108                                       

West                ♥ -                                                 West          North(E)    East          South

E-W vul           ♦ K9863                                        pass           pass           1♥            pass

                        ♣ A952                                          2♥              dbl   (1)      pass         pass (2)

pass

♠ K975                 N             ♠ 6432                    

♥ J543               W    E          ♥ AKQ1098           

♦ 742                     S              ♦ A                        

♣ 108                                    ♣ KJ                       

                        ♠ A                                                       

♥ 762                                            

♦ QJ105                                       

♣ Q7643                                      

 

(1)   What did you bid with this North hand E in this week’s quiz? The fact that it’s a passed hand is irrelevant and this is a perfect take-out double.

(2)   I believe that South thought that the double was penalties.

 

And what happened? 2♥ doubled made +1 for a top to E-W. 5♦ by N-S looks pretty comfortable to me but the two pairs who bid it (well done) both somehow went one down (not quite so well done).

The bottom lines:

-     When the opponents bid and agree a suit at the two level, then double is take-out.

-     Whether the double is by a passed hand or not is irrelevant.

 

 

     

 

Opening 1NT with a singleton is not allowed.          East hand 24 from Wednesday 31st

 

♠ 1097             I was called over when this East apparently opened 1NT with a singleton

♥ KQJ93         and thus fixed the opposition when one of the defenders who counts the cards

♦ 10                 ‘mis-defended’ as a result. You are not allowed to open 1NT a singleton. With

♣ AKQJ          this particular hand 1♥ is clear. My advice with the more difficult  4441 type shape is to open the lowest ranking suit. Note that a 1NT overcall or rebid or a 2NT opening with a singleton is admissible.

This particular hand is easy, open 1♥ and then jump to 3♣. That’s much more descriptive than bidding an ‘illegal’ 1NT. If you think that it’s more important to show your points rather than show your shape then play Precision ♣.

Bidding Quiz Answers

 

Hand A:    3NT. The Gambling 3NT, promising a long totally solid minor with absolutely nothing outside. It’s not usually a good idea to pre-empt with an outside 4 card major, but the ♣ suit is the main feature of this hand and I prefer 3NT to opening 1♣. Change the ♠Q to the ♠K and then it’s a 1♣ opener.

Hand B:    (a)  Pass. This hand is fine if partner wants to defend a doubled contract.

(b)  Pass. This hand is fine if partner wants to defend a doubled contract.

Hand C:    3NT. It’s a misfit and nowhere near good enough to even think of slam. A good alternative is 3♦ (4th suit) hoping that partner will bid 3NT or show a 5th ♥; but you cannot do that if you have a partner who is likely to bid 4♣.

Hand D:    Pass. I can see no reason whatsoever to bid; and if the opponents play negative doubles then RHO may have a good hand sitting over partner (he did).

Hand E:    Dbl. Take-out. It’s in the sandwich seat and so a trifle dangerous but has excellent shape and RHO is limited so it’s actually fairly safe.

Hand F:     4♣. Pass or correct (but you know that partner has ♣’s anyway). If you pass then that shows a stopper in all three other suits, just the same as if there was no double.

 

 

Bidding Sequences Quiz Answers

 

G     1♠      2♣     3♠      4♣           Double shows zero keycards (playing DOPI).

4NT   5♣     dbl    

H     1NT   2♥      pass   pass         (a)  I play this as penalties. Something like ♠Ax ♥QJ10xx

dbl                                               ♦KQJ ♣Axx. I guess that you could play it as

sort of take-out but that would have to be agreed.

(b) If it’s just a 5 card suit (as with Cappelletti or Multi Landy) then dbl really should be penalties.

J      pass   pass   1♥      pass         (a) Dbl is take-out 

2♥      dbl                               (b) The fact that it’s a passed hand is irrelevant.

K     3NT   dbl     pass                   (a) Pass promises a stop in three suits.

                                                      (b) Pass is the same with or without the double.

L      3NT   dbl     4♣                     4♣ is pass or correct. It shows at least one suit unstopped and a desire to play in four of partner’s minor.