Our website is www.pattayabridge.com Club News Sheet – No. 278

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My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 083 6066880 9^th Mar 2008

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

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Mon 3^rd N-S 1^st Jeremy & Sally 74% 2^nd Holger & Terry 58%

E-W 1^st Agne & Britta S 60% 2^nd Hans v & Lars G 56%

Wed 5^th N-S 1^st Gerry & Per-Ake 54% 2^nd Jean-Charles & Kenneth 53%

E-W 1^st Hans V & Lars G 69% 2^nd John & Anne (UK) 53%

Fri 7^th N-S 1^st Bob & Jo 59% 2^nd Mike & Terry 56%

E-W 1^st Bob & Judy 56% 2^nd Lars B & Lars G 56%

Bidding Quiz

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

♠ Q3 ♠ 94

♥ KJ3 ♥ Q9 With Hand B you open 1♣ and partner bids 1♠. You then reverse

♦ Q875 ♦ KQ82 into 2♦ and partner bids 2♠, what do you do now?

♣ KJ107 ♣ AKQ93

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

♠ 1094 ♠ KJ64

♥ 42 ♥ 62 With Hand D it is favourable vulnerability. LHO opens 1♦ which

♦ Q ♦ KJ1094 partner doubles, what do you do?

♣ AKQJ942 ♣ 53

Bidding Sequence Quiz

E 1NT pass 2♣ pass (a) Is 2♥ weak, invitational or forcing?

2♦ pass 2♥ (b) How many ♥’s and how many ♠’s does the 2♣ bidder have?

F 1♠ pass 2♠ 3♣ The 3♣ bid is pretty much irrelevant; what is 4♥?

4♥

Failing to open a Gambling 3NT is a real gamble Board 26 from Friday 7^th

Dealer: ♠ Q82 Table A

South ♥ A873 West(C) North East South

E-W vul ♦ AK109 3♣ (1) dbl pass 3♥ (2)

♣ 65 all pass

♠ 1094 N ♠ K76 Table B

♥ 42 W E ♥ KQJ West(C) North East South

♦ Q S ♦ 8732 3NT (1) pass (3) 4♣ (4) all pass

♣ AKQJ942 ♣ 1087

♠ AJ52

♥ 10965

♦ J654

♣ 3

Table A: (1) What did you open with this West hand C in this week’s quiz? This West did not know whether to open 1♣, 3♣, 4♣ or 5♣ and eventually settled for 3♣ as he did not want to bid past 3NT in case partner had a good hand.

(2) This is the best response – pick the lowest 4-card major, much better than 3♦.

Table B: (1) Now this is the answer to West’s dilemma with Hand C. The gambling 3NT describes this hand perfectly – a completely solid 7 card minor with nothing more than a queen outside.

(3) This North hand is not strong enough to double and force partner to bid at the 4-level.

(4) And playing the Gambling 3NT East knows exactly what to do. He knows that the opponents have both major suit aces plus loads of tricks in the minor that partner does not have. So he bids 4♣ (pass or correct).

And what happened? 3♥ made exactly for a clear top to N-S. 4♣ went -1 for about average.

The bottom lines: -

- Understand the Gambling 3NT, it’s an excellent convention.

- The gambling 3NT is not gambling at all! Responder knows the situation exactly and knows whether to leave it in or what other action to take.

Open 1♣ or 1♦ when 4-4 in the minors? Board 21 from Monday 3^rd

Dealer: ♠ Q3

North ♥ KJ3 West(D) North(A) East South

N-S vul ♦ Q875 - 1♦ (1) dbl (2) pass (3)

♣ KQ107 pass (4) pass

♠ KJ64 N ♠ A10752 (1) What did you open with this North hand A in

♥ 62 W E ♥ AQ5 this week’s quiz? I have very strong views about

♦ KJ1094 S ♦ A6 these hands that are 4-4 in the minors and I will

♣ 53 ♣ A94 always open 1♣.

♠ 98 (2) This is best, the hand is too good for a simple

♥ 109874 1♠ overcall.

♦ 32 (3) There’s nothing South can do but pray.

♣ J862 (4) What did you bid with this West hand D in

this week’s quiz? With these great trumps (the intermediated are very important) and at this vulnerability pass is best.

And what happened? E-W can make 13 tricks in ♠’s but nobody found slam. Anyway, 1♦ doubled went -5 for 1400 and a clear top to E-W even if others had bid a small slam.

The bottom lines: -

- Expert opinion is divided as to whether to open 1♣ or 1♦ when holding 4-4 in the minors. I cannot see the problem and to me a 1♣ opening is obviously best – you increase your chances of finding a fit. I simply cannot see any logic whatsoever in opening 1♦ with this North hand. Open 1♣ and you have no rebid problem: raise 1♦ to 2♦, raise 1♥ to 2♥ (or bid 1NT if you prefer), and bid 1NT over 1♠. What is the point of opening 1♦?? Does opener intend to rebid 2♣ (thus promising 5 ♦’s) over a 1♥/♠ response?? Of course not - well, not anybody who remotely understands bidding. So a 1♦ opening is nonsense. Agreed?

The bottom lines: -

- When 4-4 in the minors, always open 1♣ if 1NT is not available.

- We all know to bid 4-card suits up the line, and that includes the 1♣ opening.

- In fact, you should always open your lowest 4-card suit, even if 4441, 4414, 4144 or 1444, see Conventions > section 3 > 4441 type shape hands.

- Most other North’s opened the obvious 1♣ and had no problem, with every other E-W ending up in 4♠ making +2 or +3.

- Note that the silly 1♦ makes 5 less tricks than 1♣!

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

North South You are South, declarer in 6♠ and West leads a low ♦, how

♠ AJ10876 ♠ KQ9 do you play the hand?

♥ J54 ♥ AQ32

♦ J76 ♦ A4

♣ K. ♣ AJ105

Dave’s Column answer Board 19 from Wednesday 5^th

Dealer: ♠ AJ10876 West North East South

East ♥ J54 - - pass 2NT

Both vul ♦ J76 pass 3♥ pass 3♠

♣ K pass 6♠ all pass

♠ 5 N ♠ 432 How do you play in 6♠ with the ♦3 lead?

♥ K108 W E ♥ 97

♦ K953 S ♦ Q1082 You have a ♦ loser and a possible ♥ loser. One

♣ Q9876 ♣ 432 ♦ can be ruffed in dummy, and a ♥ can be discarded

♠ KQ9 on the ♣A. The contract would then depend

♥ AQ32 upon the ♥ finesse. Maybe you can do better.

♦ A4

♣ AJ105 Take a look at the ♣ suit.

What if you win with the ♦A, cash the ♣K, draw three rounds of trumps ending in hand, discard a ♦ on the ♣A and then lead the ♣J intending to discard another ♦ if it is not covered?

If the ♣J is covered, ruff, enter hand with the ♥A and discard the remaining ♦ on the ♣10; concede a ♥ and score up the slam.

If the ♣J loses to the ♣Q with East then you still have the ♣10 available for one ♥ discard and still have the ♥ finesse available for your contract.

By playing the ♣’s before ♥’s you avoid the ♥ finesse whenever the ♣Q is in the West hand.

The bottom lines: -

- Always be on the lookout for loser on loser plays (two or more equals facing a void with one higher card outstanding).

And what happened at the Pattaya bridge Club? Nobody bid 6♠. The results were 7♠-1, 6NT=, 5s+1, 4♠+2 (twice) and 4♠=.

Dave’s 2^nd Column Here is Dave’s 2^nd input involving the best play for the contract.

West East You are East, declarer in 3NT and South leads the ♣2, plan

♠ 3 ♠ KQ64 the play.

♥ AJ864 ♥ 3

♦ AKQJ2 ♦ 765

♣ KJ ♣ A8764

Dave’s 2^nd Column answer Board 20 from Wednesday 5^th

Dealer: ♠ J987 West North East South

West ♥ KQ107 1♥ pass 1♠ pass

both vul ♦ 843 3♦ pass 3NT all pass

♣ Q5

♠ 3 N ♠ KQ64 South leads the ♣2, plan the play.

♥ AJ864 W E ♥ 3

♦ AKQJ2 S ♦ 765 You have 9 tricks – don’t compress them into 8!

♣ KJ ♣ A8764 Count them, you have 5 ♦’s, 2 ♣’s and 1 ♥ off the

♠ A1052 top and with an easy 9^th trick from the ♠ suit.

♥ 952 So what’s the problem?

♦ 109 The problem is greed and/or no planning.

♣ 10932 In order to develop your 9^th trick in ♠’s you need

a sure re-entry to the East hand. You have exactly that in the ♣A.

You should play the ♣K at trick one, reserving the ♣A as the future entry to the ♠ suit. If you play the ♣J and North produces the ♣Q – 9 tricks have suddenly become 8.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? Everybody bid and made 3NT, sometimes with an overtrick or three. At more than one table South led the ♦10 and then declarer cannot really go wrong.

The bottom lines: -

- Don’t make a move as declarer until you have counted your sure tricks.

- When the opponents bid 3 suits and end up in NoTrumps, it’s usually best to lead the unbid suit.

Who Overbid? Board 21 from Wednesday 5th

N-S got too high here, who would you blame?

Dealer: ♠ AK1073 West North East South(B)

North ♥ 542 - pass pass 1♣

N-S vul ♦ 965 pass 1♠ pass 2♦ (1)

♣ 65 pass 2♠ (2) pass 3♠ (3)

pass 4♠ (4) all pass

♠ J52 N ♠ Q86

♥ J1086 W E ♥ AK73 (1) A reverse, showing around 16 pts and forcing.

♦ A74 S ♦ J103 (2) This is a weak bid and is fine.

♣ 742 ♣ J108 (3) What did you bid with this South hand B in

♠ 94 this week’s quiz? In my opinion South has

♥ Q9 little more than already promised and with

♦ KQ82 just two small ♠’s I would pass.

♣ AKQ93 (4) This is a bit closer but I would like a 6^th ♠ or a slightly better hand to bid game. I would pass.

And what happened? Two N-S’s bid 4♠ and went one down. Others stopped in 2♠ making +1 to share the top. Note that game is not even close, N-S only make 9 tricks because the ♠’s break 3-3.

The bottom lines: -

- If you have shown your hand (with a reverse) and have nothing more to show, then pass partner’s minimum response.

- To answer the question, South was mostly to blame.

Bidding Quiz Answers

Hand A: 1♣. There is absolutely no sense whatsoever in opening 1♦ and it may well cost (indeed, it cost 1400 points!).

Hand B: Pass. You have already bid your hand and your ♠ support is very minimal.

Hand C: 3NT. This is a classic Gambling 3NT – a solid running 7-card minor with no more than a queen outside.

Hand D: Pass. With these excellent trumps (intermediates) go for the penalty, especially at this vulnerability – two down will net you more than a game your way. This is one of the very rare hands where it is clearly best to pass partner’s take-out double.

Bidding Sequence Answers

E 1NT pass 2♣ pass (a) 2♥ is a weak bid and opener is expected to pass.

2♦ pass 2♥ (b) Responder should have 5 ♥’s and 4 ♠’s.

F 1♠ pass 2♠ 3♣ For me, this 4♥ bid is a splinter looking for slam; 3♥ would

4♥ be forcing (possibly natural) so 4♥ must be a splinter.