Club News Sheet – No. 246 www.pattayabridge.com 22^nd July 2007

My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 083 6066880

It is best to use my home number to contact me unless I am at the bridge club.

My e-mail is terry@pattayabridge.com or pattayabridge@yahoo.com

My MSN messenger ID is tj_quested@hotmail.com

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Mon 16^th 1^st Dave & Kenneth 57% 2^nd Torbjorn & Gunn 55%

Wed 18^th 1^st Eddie & Terry 66% 2^nd Jean-Charles & Paul K 58%

Fri 20^th 1^st Paul K & Sean B 67% 2^nd Jan v Koss & Paul Sav… 58%

Bidding Quiz Standard American is assumed unless otherwise stated.

Hand A Hand B With Hand A RHO opens 1♠, what do you bid?

♠ A4 ♠ -

♥ KQ8752 ♥ Q753 With Hand B you open 1♦ and partner responds 1♥. RHO

♦ J9 ♦ AQ864 then comes in with 1♠, what do you bid?

♣ Q86 ♣ AK108

Hand C Hand D What do you open with Hand C?

♠ KJ6 ♠ KJ6

♥ KQ7 ♥ KQ What do you open with Hand D?

♦ AKQJ ♦ AKQJ74

♣ K94 ♣ K9

Hand E Hand F With Hand E partner opens 2NT (20-21), what do you bid?

♠ 974 ♠ KJ62 With Hand F you pass as dealer and this is passed round to RHO

♥ 10985 ♥ 10763 who opens 1♣. You pass and LHO bids 1♥. This is passed

♦ 8 ♦ K109 round to you, what do you do?

♣ AQ1085 ♣ 84

The Club Championships The current standings are: -

Gold Cup = Best 30 Silver plate = Best 10 Bronze medal = Best 5

1816.8 Janne Roos 666.8 Janne Roos 350.4 Janne Roos

1789.7 Jan v Koss 650.5 Jan v Koss 340.2 Jan v Koss

1763.4 Dave Cutler 634.5 Lars Gustaffson 336.2 Bengt Malmgren

631.9 Paul Savelkral 332.9 Paul Savelkral

627.2 Dave Cutler 325.6 Gunnar Barthel

Please note

My mobile phone number has recently changed. It’s now 083 6066880.

This week’s silly double Board 7 from Wednesday 11^th

This East made a really terrible double. It cost 350 points or so and I asked him if he reads the news-sheets. He said yes, but does not agree with what I say. Fair enough, I just love playing against people who double (to show an opening hand) instead of bidding a 5 (or 6!) card major. I know that N-S (Torbjorn/Gunn) found the hand amusing.

Dealer: ♠ Q10973 West North East(A) South

North ♥ J96 - 1♠ (1) dbl (2) 3♠ (3)

N-S vul ♦ AK4 4♣ (4) pass pass (5) pass

♣ 32

(1) A somewhat light opener.

♠ 86 N ♠ A4 (2) What did you bid with this East hand A in

♥ A3 W E ♥ KQ8752 this week’s quiz? Double is a terrible bid

♦ 10752 S ♦ J9 and 2♥ is totally obvious.

♣ AK1095 ♣ Q86 (3) Pre-emptive. If it were not for the adverse

♠ KJ52 vulnerability South would doubtless have

♥ 104 bid 4♠ to make it even more awkward for

♦ Q863 East-West.

♣ J74 (4) This is a free bid at the 4 level and shows values.

(5) But East incorrectly assumed that West was weak

And what happened? 4♣ made exactly for a poor score. Two East’s bid to 4♥ (making and making + 2) and one East bid 3NT + 3. The bottom lines: -

- A take-out double should be playable in the unbid suits.

- Do not make a take-out double if an overcall describes the hand perfectly.

An Impossible Bid Board 12 from Wednesday 18^th

E-W missed a comfortable game/slam on this board (Torbjorn/Gunn bid and made 6♦ at another table).

Dealer: ♠ J105

West ♥ K53 West North East(C) South

N-S vul ♦ 63 1♦ 2♣ pass (1) pass

♣ KQJ103 2♦ (2) pass 3♦ (3) pass

4♦ pass pass pass

♠ A4 N ♠ K732

♥ AQ2 W E ♥ J1094 (1) What did you bid with this East hand C in this

♦ AQJ1087 S ♦ K942 week’s quiz? With values and both majors a

♣ 74 ♣ A negative double is obvious.

♠ Q986 (2) I would double – but then I expect my partners

♥ 876 to understand negative doubles.

♦ 5 (3) This is the impossible bid – if East has a hand

♣ 98652 worth a ♦ raise then why did he not bid last go?

And what happened? 4♦ made just +2 because the ♥K was offside. Only one pair bid the cold 6♦ slam. 3NT was bid twice (+1 and +3). But the silly 4♦ contract did not get a total bottom as one E-W pair managed to land up in 4♠-1. The bottom lines: -

- If partner opens and RHO overcalls, do not pass with 8+ points unless you have a penalty hand.

- With both majors after 1♦ and a 2♣ overcall, a negative double is perfect.

This week’s silly non-double Board 9 from Monday 9^th

I often feature what I consider to be silly doubles when an overcall or pass is a better bid. Of course not everybody agrees with me and here we have two of our regular ‘silly doublers’. But neither of them could find a double when it would have been a good bid – they let the opponents play in an undisturbed 1♥ contract and they got a total bottom as a result: -

Dealer: ♠ KJ62 West North(F) East South

North ♥ 10763 - pass pass pass

E-W vul ♦ K109 1♣ pass 1♥ pass (1)

♣ 84 pass (2) pass (3)

♠ 973 N ♠ 104 (1) Double here would be take-out and showing the

♥ KQ54 W E ♥ A982 pointed suits. It’s a bit dangerous in the Sandwich

♦ Q75 S ♦ J83 seat (West is unlimited and may produce a redouble

♣ AJ10 ♣ KQ95 if he has a big hand). I would, however, double

♠ AQ85 if my partner does not understand balancing.

♥ J (2) 2♥ is best here – stop North entering the

♦ A642 auction cheaply.

♣ 7632 (3) What did you bid with this North hand F in this week’s quiz? This pass is feeble. The opponents have stopped at the one level and have a ♥ fit – thus you probably have a fit and you know that partner has ♥ shortage.

1♠ or double are the sensible options.

And what happened? 1♥ made exactly for a complete top to E-W. 2♠ by N-S was making or making +1 at other tables. Incidentally, this N-S pair, who both failed to find a double, are the same E-W pair as this week’s ‘silly double’ pair and they believe that my writings are nonsense. It seems that they double on any hand that is 12+ points and pass on anything less.

The bottom lines: -

- Understand balancing.

- It’s rarely correct to let the opponents play at the one level when they have a fit.

An easy game missed Board 23 from Friday 20^th

E-W at table A missed an easy 3NT (+2) on this deal, who would you blame?

Dealer: ♠ 1032 Table A

South ♥ J643 West(D) North East(E) South

both vul ♦ 96 - - - pass

♣ 7643 2NT (1) pass pass (2) pass

♠ KJ6 N ♠ 974 Table B

♥ KQ W E ♥ 10985 West(D) North East(E) South

♦ AKQJ74 S ♦ 8 - - - pass

♣ K9 ♣ AQ1085 2NT (1) pass 3♣ (2) pass

♠ AQ85 3♦ pass 3NT all pass

♥ A72

♦ 10532 Sensible Tables

♣ J2 West(D) North East South

- - - pass

2♣ (1) pass 2♦ (3) pass

2NT (4) pass 3♣ (5) pass

3♦ pass 3NT all pass

Table A: (1) What did you open with this West hand D in this week’s quiz? This hand if far too good for 2NT, a balanced 20-21 (or 20-22, depending upon how you play it). If you think that this is a balanced 22, so 2NT in your system, then compare it with Hand C.

(2) What did you bid with this East hand E in this week’s quiz? Obviously you should go to game. This really is too trivial for the quiz but I put it in as I know of two players who got it wrong. This East who passed is presumably a complete beginner?

Table B: (1) This West also chose the pathetic 2NT opening – but that’s because he had just gone down in 7NT (missing an ace) having opened 2♣ - he thought it safer not to risk another 2♣ opening with this partner.

(2) This is obviously the correct answer to question D. But this East making the correct bid was a complete fluke – he later asked if he did right to show his ♣ suit!

Sensible (1) So, enough of the silly beginner’s stuff. This West hand is worth far more than

Tables: 22 points and 2♣ (or your strongest bid) is clear.

(3) Waiting.

(4) 2NT is clearly best now. I would like to be playing Benjamin twos when it’s game forcing (i.e. open 2♦). 3♦ is not a good bid here as partner may then end up in a possible NoTrump contract and this hand needs to be declarer to protect the black suits. Playing traditional Standard American 3NT here is an alternative but it is generally a poor treatment as it precludes transfers (4♠ from your hand may be best if partner has a ♠ suit).

(5) Stayman, just as if partner had opened 2NT. Totally obvious.

And what happened? Just table A missed game; all of the other 4 pairs were in 3NT and three made +3 when South did not cash his two aces. The bottom lines: -

- Upgrade a hand with a suit like AKQJxx

- With an excellent 6 points, do not pass partner’s 2NT opening!

- Play Benjamin twos (in which case I would open 2♦ and rebid 2NT – game forcing).

A Forcing Pass Board 6 from Monday 16^th

There are various definitions of a forcing pass. One good one is that when you/partner have clearly got the balance of power and have freely bid to game and the opponents sacrifice, then a pass is forcing – partner must either double or bid on.

Dealer: ♠ AKQJ743 Table A

East ♥ 9 West North East(B) South

E-W vul ♦ K7 - - 1♦ pass

♣ 543 1♥ 1♠ (1) 4♥ (2) pass

pass 4♠ (3) pass (4) pass

♠ 92 N ♠ - pass (5)

♥ A1062 W E ♥ Q753

♦ J953 S ♦ AQ864 Table B

♣ J72 ♣ AK108 West North East South

♠ 10865 - - 1♦ pass

♥ KJ84 1♥ 4♠ (1) pass (6) pass

♦ 102 pass (7)

♣ Q96

Table A: (1) I guess that at this vulnerability anything from 1♠ to 4♠ is reasonable.

(2) What did you bid with this East hand B in this week’s quiz? This 4♥ bid shows a good hand – around 18-19 points with no shortage. This hand is worth game, but the best bid is 3♠ - showing game values and ♠ shortage. It makes no difference on this deal but if West had better red cards it would help a slam to be reached.

(3) North now decides it’s worth 4♠ - I would have bid that last go.

(4) East has shown a very powerful hand but is unsure what to do, either pass or 5♥ could be best and it probably depends upon the quality of partner’s ♥’s. Pass (forcing) is the best bid here – leave it up to partner, he will bid 5♥ if he has good ♥’s or else double.

(5) Unfortunately West did not realize that he had to say something.

Table B: (1) This North jumped straight in there. I think that this bid is fine at this vulnerability opposite a passed partner – you will not miss anything but the opponents might.

(6) And, indeed, it’s difficult for East now; he decided to pass.

(7) And West does not know that East has a big hand.

And what happened? 4♠ went one down at both of these tables for a good score to N-S. One N-S pair were pushed to 5♠ doubled going for 500. Just two E-W pairs were in 4♥, but it’s a very tricky contract on the obvious ♠ lead. On player made it for 620 and a top and another went four down when he lost trump control. The bottom lines: -

- Understand the forcing pass and understand splinters

Dave’s Column Here is this week’s Dave input involving the best play for the contract.

North South

♠ AJ4 ♠ 53 You are North, playing in 3NT after East had made an opening

♥ AK3 ♥ Q54 lead of the ♠6 and West played the ♠Q. How should you play?

♦ J932 ♦ AQ106

♣ K62 ♣ A984

Dave’s Column answer Board 9 from Wednesday 18^th

Dealer: ♠ AJ4 West North East South

East ♥ AK3 - - pass 1♦

E-W vul ♦ J932 pass 3NT all pass

♣ K62

This was the bidding at most tables, and just for

♠ Q97 N ♠ K10862 a change every pair reached 3NT. The one

♥ 10862 W E ♥ J97 ‘exception’ was our precision ♣ pair (Torbjorn/Gunn)

♦ K84 S ♦ 75 who reached 3NT by South, presumably when

♣ Q107 ♣ J53 South opened a weak 1NT.

♠ 53

♥ Q54 Anyway, Dave’s problem this week is to make 3NT

♦ AQ106 from the North hand on the ♠6 lead.

♣ A984

You have 7 tricks on top and will have to take the ♦ finesse in order to set up the extra tricks that you need. Which defender might gain the lead when you do this? West! So you should hold up the ♠A until the 3^rd round, aiming to exhaust West of his ♠ holding. When you take the ♦ finesse, it loses; but since you made the ducking play in ♠’s there is no problem. West has no ♠ left to play and you make the game easily. If West had held another ♠ then the suit would have hopefully broken 4-4 (unless East led from a short ♠ suit) and you would lose only one ♦ and three ♠’s.

And what happened? One pair made 3NT + 1 when South was declarer. Two others made exactly and two went down (they did not duck the ♠’s).

The bottom lines: -

- With an AJx stopper, see which defender will get the lead and duck or not accordingly.

Bidding Quiz Answers

Hand A: 2♥, obviously. This is only in the quiz because a player won the prize for this week’s silly double by doubling and subsequently having partner play in 4♣ with ♥’s never being mentioned (4♥ either made or made +2 at other tables).

Hand B: 3♠. A splinter agreeing ♥’s and showing ♠ shortage. If you do not play (or do not understand) splinters then bid 4♥.

Hand C: 2NT. Even if you play 2NT as 20-21 I would downgrade to 2NT because of the totally flat shape, but 2♣ (followed by 2NT – 22-24) is reasonable I suppose.

Hand D: 2♣ (or 2♦ if you play Benjamin twos). It’s the same point count, but this hand is worth 1½ tricks more than Hand C.

Hand E: 3♣, Stayman, and then bid game. It’s obvious I know, but one player who believes that he is one of the club’s top players and has been with the club for donkey’s years found a pass; another bid 3♣ thinking that it was natural.

Hand F: 1♠ or double. The opponents have a ♥ fit and insufficient values to even make a game try. Partner has points (probably about 10-11) with ♥ shortage and almost certainly has 4 ♠’s. I would bid 1♠ but dbl is equally good. Pass is pathetic.