Our website is www.pattayabridge.com Club News Sheet – No. 262

Our blogsite is www.pattayabridge.wordpress.com

My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 083 6066880 11^th Nov 2007

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 5^th N-S 1^st Paul Sav.. and partner 66% 2^nd Robbie & Wolfgang 59%

E-W 1^st Hans & Lars 60% 2^nd Derek & Gerard 59%

Wed 7^th N-S 1^st Sally & Jean 64% 2^nd Dave & Mike 55%

E-W 1^st Derek & Gerard 71% 2^nd Jan & Royd 53%

Fri 9^th N-S 1^st Robbie & Wolfgang 59% 2^nd Sean & Pauk K 57%

E-W 1^st Lewis & Terry 70% 2^nd Paul S & Lennart 56%

Bidding Quiz Standard American is assumed unless otherwise stated.

Hand A Hand B With Hand A partner opens 1♦ and you bid 1♥. Partner bids

1♠, what do you bid?

♠ 97 ♠ AK75

♥ AJ1085 ♥ Q85 With Hand B LHO opens 2♦ and this is passed round to you.

♦ Q9 ♦ K7 (a) What do you bid?

♣ AK102 ♣ A1082 (b) Suppose you bid 2NT and partner bids 3♦, what now?

Hand C Hand D (a) Do you open with Hand C in 2^nd seat?

(b) Suppose you open 1♦, partner bids 1♥, you bid 1♠ and

♠ AK53 ♠ AJ53 partner bids 2♣ (4^th suit forcing). What do you bid?

♥ 94 ♥ K4

♦ A765 ♦ AJ65 With Hand D you open 1♦, partner bids 1♥, you bid 1♠ and

♣ 643 ♣ 643 partner bids 2♣ (4^th suit forcing). What do you bid?

Hand E Hand F With Hand E you open 1♥ and partner responds 3♥. You bid

4NT and partner bids 5♥ (two aces). What do you do now?

♠ AK ♠ AQ86

♥ KQ8542 ♥ J4 (a) What do you open with Hand F?

♦ AQ93 ♦ A10 (b) Suppose you choose 2NT and partner transfers with 3♥,

♣ 8 ♣ AKQ63 what do you bid?

Bidding Sequence quiz

G 2♦ pass pass 2NT

pass 3¨ (a) What is 3♦ ; and (b) what would 3♣ mean?

H 1NT 2♦ 3♦ (a) What is 3♦ ; and (b) what would 3♣ mean?

J 1NT dbl 2♣ What is 2♣?

The Club Championships The current standings for the top 5 in each competition are: -

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

1843.4 Jan v Koss 666.8 Janne Roos 350.4 Janne Roos

1823.5 Dave Cutler 655.2 Jan v Koss 343.2 Bengt Malmgren

1816.8 Janne Roos 650.3 Lewis Berg 340.3 Jan v Koss

1796.3 Lewis Berg 646.0 Lars Gustaffson 338.4 Lewis Berg

1768.4 Bob Pelletier 644.2 Dave Cutler 332.9 Paul Savelkral

Systems on – systems off Board 25 from Wednesday 7^th

When partner bids or overcalls 1NT then ‘systems are on’ – Stayman and transfers. But if the next player bids (or doubles) then ‘systems are off’ and most experienced pairs play Lebensohl. This is pretty standard unless you agree to something different.

Dealer: ♠ J32 Table A

North ♥ 972 West(B) North East South

E-W vul ♦ AQ10932 - 2♦ pass pass

♣ K 2NT (1) pass 3♦ (2) pass

3♠ (3) pass 3NT (4) pass

♠ AK75 N ♠ Q94 pass (5) pass

♥ Q85 W E ♥ KJ1043

♦ K7 S ♦ J5 Table A

♣ A1082 ♣ Q65 West(B) North East South

♠ 1086 - 2♦ pass pass

♥ A6 2NT (1) pass 3♦ (2) pass

♦ 864 3♥ (3) pass 3NT (6) pass

♣ J9743 4♥ (7) all pass

Table A: (1) What did you bid with this West hand B(a) in this week’s quiz? Double is possible I suppose but I much prefer 2NT with a ♦ stop and only 3 ♥’s.

(2) A transfer to ♥’s – ‘systems are on’

(3) What did you bid with this West hand B(b) in this week’s quiz? Clearly you should simply accept the transfer by bidding 3♥. Unfortunately this West, for some reason that is totally beyond my comprehension, thought that 3♦ was Stayman and so bid his 4-card ♠ suit.

(4) East had no real idea what 3♠ was and so bid the natural 3NT.

(5) West did still not realize that 3♦ was a transfer.

Table B: (3) This West simply completed the transfer as instructed.

(6) Offering partner the choice of games

(7) And West, with just one ♦ stop, correctly bids 4♥ (played from the correct hand).

And what happened? 4♥ should go one down, but made at one table. 3NT is a silly contract of course and went two or three down the two times it was bid.

The bottom lines: -

- If you overcall 1NT or 2NT then “systems are on” and partner’s bids mean exactly the same as if there was no opening bid.

4^th suit forcing Board 7 from Wednesday 7^th

Dealer: ♠ Q862 West(C) North East(A) South

South ♥ Q72 - - - pass

both vul ♦ K1083 1♦ (1) pass 1♥ pass

♣ Q9 1♠ pass 2♣ (2) pass

2NT (3) pass 3NT (4) all pass

♠ AK53 N ♠ 97

♥ 94 W E ♥ AJ1085 (1) Did you open with this West hand C(a) in

♦ A765 S ♦ Q9 this week’s quiz? I personally would pass

♣ 643 ♣ AK102 (rule of 20) but some players do play that

♠ J104 three quick tricks (AK, A) is an opener.

♥ K63 (2) What did you bid with this East hand A in

♦ J42 this week’s quiz? 3♥ is not forcing and 2♣,

♣ J875 4^th suit forcing, is best (to try to find out if

partner has 3-card ♥ support).

(3) What did you bid with this West hand C(b) in this week’s quiz? This 2NT bid is incorrect at it GUARANTEES a ♣ stop. The best bid is probably 2♠.

(4) East did not really believe that West had a ♣ stop but assumed that he did not have 3 ♥’s and the best contract was reached anyway.

And what happened? Most were in some number of NoTrumps, making anything from 7 to 11 tricks.

The bottom lines: -

- A NoTrump bid in response to partner’s 4^th suit forcing guarantees a stop in the 4^th suit.

Bridge Cryptogram

Something new this week. Each letter denotes a specific letter in the alphabet.

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__
5	20	17	13	14	1	26	17	11	14	5	20	13	9	11	7	10	24	26	4	26

__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__
6	24	13	14	7	18	13	14	20	8	18	5	11	7	18	1	11	26

__	__	__	__	.	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__
1	24	7	8		24	7	20	14	13	17	2	6	13	18	26	6	20	7	26	18

__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	__	.
10	17	24	13	24	7	14	18	18	26	24	26	14	20	6

There’s a clue on the back page.
Super-accept Board 22 from Friday 9^th

Dealer: ♠ KJ10 Table A

East ♥ AK8 West North East(F) South

E-W vul ♦ KQJ94 - - 1♣ (1) pass

♣ 75 1♥ (2) 2NT (3) pass (4) 3♦ (5)

pass (6) pass pass

♠ 97542 N ♠ AQ86

♥ 107652 W E ♥ J4 Table B

♦ 86 S ♦ A10 West North East(F) South

♣ 9 ♣ AKQ63 - - 2NT (1) pass

♠ 3 3♥ (7) pass 4♠ (8) pass

♥ Q93 pass dbl (9) all pass

♦ 7532

♣ J10842

Table A: (1) What did you open with this East hand F(a) in this week’s quiz? This East presumably did not consider the hand balanced enough for 2NT?

(2) I was asked if this bid was allowed – responding with a zero count. I guess that some may call it a psyche but after some reflection I considered it reasonable. 1♣ passed out is very likely to be a poor score – especially if 4 of a major is making. I think that the bid is OK.

(3) Apparently showing 20 or so points. I play this bid in this position as the Unusual NT – weak and showing length in the two unbid suits.

(4) East is totally fixed now of course. He could double, but 2NT by North is making! I guess he wished he had opened 2NT?

(5) Presumably South did not like his singleton ♠ and so hoped that partner had ♦’s.

(6) West has great shape and would obviously bid again if he knew that partner has 20 points!

Table B: (1) This East opened the obvious 2NT.

(7) West has options here (3♣, 3♦ or 3♥) but apparently chose 3♥ because that is not as likely as a 3♦ bid to be doubled.

(8) What did you bid with this East hand F(b) in this week’s quiz? If you open 2NT and partner transfers into a major in which you have a good 4-card holding then you should super-accept. Game is likely to make opposite a hand with 5 trumps even if it has zero points (as in this case!).

(9) With ♥AK, a sure trump trick, and presumably one or two ♦’s this double looked very reasonable.

And what happened? 4♠ was bid at three tables (only doubled once) and makes comfortably. Two E-W’s played in ♠ partscores making 10 tricks. 3♦ by South made for a top their way at Table A.

The bottom lines: -

- If you can describe your hand in one bid – do so! East should open 2NT. 4225 is balanced enough for a 2NT opening.

- With 4 trumps and a non-minimum, super accept. Note that this East hand is not minimum with its great shape for ♠’s and a superb 5-card ♣ suit.

Don’t ask for kings unless there’s a possible grand Board 28 from Wednesday 7^th

I have frequently witnessed people needlessly asking for kings (when a grand slam is not really on thee cards); here it cost!

Dealer: ♠ AK West North(E) East South

West ♥ KQ8542 pass 1♥ pass 3♥

N-S vul ♦ AQ93 pass 4NT pass 5♥

♣ 8 pass 5NT (1) pass 6♣

dbl (2) 6♥ 7♣ (3) pass

♠ 965432 N ♠ QJ107 pass 7♥ all pass

♥ 10 W E ♥ 97

♦ K75 S ♦ 104 (1) What did you bid with this North hand E in

♣ K107 ♣ QJ952 this week’s quiz? This king ask is pointless

♠ 8 in my opinion as partner cannot have two kings.

♥ AJ63 (2) West considered that a ♣ lead was best.

♦ J862 (3) East knew that 6♥ was cold and worked out

♣A643 he could afford to go six down doubled.

And what happened? 7♥ failed when East eventually won his ♦10. At another table N-S also bid to the poor grand slam but made when East discarded his ♦’s.

The bottom lines: -

- Do not ask for kings unless a grand slam is a very reasonable prospect. This North hand is very nice but opposite a simple raise to 3♥ a grand slam is surely a very poor prospect, and even if partner does show a king North does not know if it’s the ♦K or the ‘worthless’ ♣K.

- A double of a cipher bid asks for a lead but it should also be a reasonable suit (K107 is just about OK) just in case partner wants to sacrifice in it.

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

West East Dave put this hand in twice. Once as E-W (board 23) and once

♠ AQ862 ♠ J1093 as E-W (board 21, with the major suit swapped).

♥ Q85 ♥ A94 East opens 1♣, South overcalls 1♥, and you reach 4♠ by West.

♦ Q96 ♦ K2 How do you play on the lead of the ♥6?

♣ K3 ♣ A1064

Dave’s Column answer Boards 21 & 23 from Wednesday 7^th

Dealer: ♠ K4 West North East South

South ♥ 6 - - 1♣ 1♥

Both vul ♦ 108753 1♠ pass 4♠ all pass

♣ Q9872

♠ AQ862 N ♠ J1093 This week’s Dave’s column is about not taking

♥ Q85 W E ♥ A94 a finesse if it risks losing the contract.

♦ Q96 S ♦ K2

♣ K3 ♣ A1064 How do you play when North leads the ♥6?

♠ 75

♥ KJ10732

♦ AJ4

♣ J5

It is too risky to play low from dummy. You can see what can happen when the cards lie as in the diagram. South would win with the ♥K and leads the ♥10 or ♥7 to give his partner a ruff. North would then cross to partner’s ♦A (South’s high ♥ was a Lavinthal signal – asking for a ♦) and North gets a 2^nd ruff. South’s overcall means it’s quite likely that this will happen.

So, you rise with the ♥A at trick 1. What next? If you finesse in the trump suit you will suffer a similar fate. The finesse will lose to the ♠K and North will presumably lead a ♦ to his partner’s ♦A. South can then cash the ♥K and give his partner a ruff for one down.

Playing in 4♠ you can afford to lose one trump trick but not two. You should therefore play ♠A and another ♠, rather that finessing in ♠’s. North wins the 2^nd round of ♠’s with the ♠K but cannot now score a ruff. When you regain the lead you will play towards the ♥Q to make the contract.

Terry’s comment. - I totally agree with the 2^nd sentence – “… when the cards lie as in the diagram”. This is a typical IMPs safety play and not necessarily the best line at pairs. Since East has overcalled he is favourite to hold the ♠K and taking the ♠ finesse, as my partner did, is a very reasonable line at pairs scoring. This type of problem is really only for IMPs scoring which we rarely play at the Pattaya Bridge Club.

Bidding Quiz Answers

Hand A: 2♣, 4^th suit forcing. With two doubletons I think it’s best to try to find out if there is a 5-3 ♥ fit rather than charging straight into 3NT.

Hand B: (a) 2NT. With a ♦ stop and only 3 ♥’s I much prefer this to double. If you double partner will doubtless bid ♥’s and you don’t know if he has 4 or 5 ♥’s and the wrong person is declarer.

(b) 3♥. Partner’s 3♦ is a transfer.

Hand C: (a) Pass, unless your (American?) style is to always open with 3 quick tricks?

(b) 2♠ - the best of the evils. Partner’s 4^th suit bid asks you to say more about your hand. With a ♣ stop you would bid 2NT, with 3 ♥’s you would bid 2♥ and otherwise you would re-bid a 5 card suit. Unfortunately with this actual hand you have to lie!!

But one thing is carved in stone – you CANNOT bid NoTrumps without a stop. So this hand is really unbiddable and you have to pick the ‘best lie’. With these reasonable ♠’s I would bid 2♠ but 2♦ is a reasonable alternative.

Hand D: 2♥. This is virtually the same problem as C(b) above but this time I think that Kx of partner’s suit is the best lie, 2♠ or 2♦ are reasonable, 2NT is not.

Hand E: 6♥. There is no point in asking for kings as partner cannot have enough to make 7♥ a decent proposition when he could only bid 3♥ to start with. It may seem that asking can do no harm (as you can always stop in 6♥) but it can! Read the sorry tale.

Hand F: (a) 2NT. Get the power of the hand across straight away. 1♣ (with the intention of jumping in ♠’s) is a poor alternative, especially if the opposition intervene and mess up your plans.

(b) 4♠. With four decent trumps you should super-accept. 4♠ is likely to make even if partner has nothing other that five ♠’s (he did have nothing other that 5 ♠’s and 4♠ did make).

Bidding Sequence Answers

G 2♦ pass pass 2NT

pass 3¨ (a) 3♦ is a transfer to ♥’s

(b) 3♣ would be Stayman

H 1NT 2♦ 3♦ (a) 3♦ is Stayman

(b) 3♣ would be natural (and forcing).

J 1NT dbl 2♣ 2♣ is natural and weak unless you specifically agree something else (I play it as natural and weak).

Cryptogram clue

7 = N