Our website is www.pattayabridge.com Club News Sheet – No. 299

Our blogsite is www.pattayabridge.wordpress.com

My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 083 6066880 3^rd Aug 2008

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 28^th 1^st Lewis & Paul Q 61% 2^nd Jeremy & Sally 56%

Wed 30^th 1^st Eddie & Janne 66% 2^nd George & Peter 56%

Fri 1^st 1^st Lewis & Paul Q 64% 2^nd Jan & Janne 57%

Bidding Quiz Standard American bidding is assumed unless otherwise stated.

Hand A Hand B With Hand A partner opens 1♣, what do you bid?

♠ 63 ♠ 53

♥ AJ9 ♥ 84 With Hand B partner opens 1♠ and RHO overcalls 2♥,

♦ Q53 ♦ K62 what do you do?

♣ AK762 ♣ AQ10732

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

♠ AQ3 ♠ AKQ3

♥ A64 ♥ Q843 With Hand D you open 1♦ and LHO doubles. Partner bids 3♣,

♦ 932 ♦ AJ32 what do you do?

♣ AJ76 ♣ J

Hand E Hand F What do you open with hand E?

♠ AQ62 ♠ -

♥ AKJ963 ♥ 9875 With Hand F you open 1♣, LHO bids 1♠, partner passes and

♦ AK ♦ AK95 RHO bids 2♠. You pass and this goes round to partner who

♣ J ♣ AK874 doubles. What is partner’s double and what do you bid?

Hand G Hand H With Hand G partner opens 1♣ and you bid 1♠. Partner then

bids 3♣, what do you bid?

♠ AQJ653 ♠ A7

♥ A94 ♥ K432

♦ 86 ♦ 9876 With Hand H partner opens 1♠, what do you bid?

♣ K3 ♣ AQJ

Bidding Sequence Quiz

J 1♣ pass 1♠ pass

3♣ pass 3♠ Is 3♠ weak, invitational or forcing?

K 1♣ 1♠ pass 2♠

pass pass dbl What is dbl - take-out or penalties?

L 1♦ dbl 2♣ Is 2♣ weak or forcing?

M 1♦ dbl 3♣ Is 3♣ weak or forcing?

Editorial

I would like to use this otherwise blank space to clarify some of the club rules. They are all up on the web under ‘local rules. Just a few of the most important: This is a friendly club and some rules of bridge are relaxed (looking at the last trick and asking somebody if they have revoked are examples). Standard American bidding is assumed and you should inform your opponents in advance if you play anything else, virtually any system is allowed. But psyches and opening 1NT with a singleton are not allowed in this club. Also, on Mondays and Fridays the boards are randomly dealt but there is a parameter to ensure that one hand has at least 12 points; this is to avoid pass-outs. If you don’t like this, then don’t play here; simple.

Suport for Partner’s Minor Board 12 from Monday 28^th

If partner opens 1♣/♦ and you have a strong hand with no suit other than partner’s then you have a problem in traditional methods – you have no forcing raise.

Dealer: ♠ K985 Table A

West ♥ K7 West North East(A) South

N-S vul ♦ J762 1♣ pass 1♥ (1) pass

♣ 1094 1♠ pass 3♣ (2) pass

5♣ (3) all pass

♠ AQ72 N ♠ 63

♥ 1053 W E ♥ AJ9 ‘Expert’ Table

♦ A4 S ♦ Q53 West North East(A) South

♣ QJ53 ♣ AK762 1♣ pass 2♣ (1) pass

♠ J104 2♦ (4) pass 2♥ (4) pass

♥ Q8642 2NT (5) pass 3NT all pass

♦ K1098

♣ 8

Table A: (1) What did you bid with this East hand A in this week’s quiz? When you have a game-going hand in support of partner’s minor you cannot raise him- both 2♣ and 3♣ are non-forcing in standard methods. With these ♠’s 3NT cannot be a good bid, so that just leaves 1♦ - if you have to lie, lie in a minor.

(2) This is also a poor bid – it’s not forcing. 2♦ (4^th suit forcing) is best.

(3) 3NT is probably best here, but with just ♦Ax and partner by-passing the suit it looks like partner has a very unbalanced hand. West has my sympathies.

‘Expert” (1) Our experts play Inverted Minors of course. 2♣ here shows good support and

Table: denies a 4-card major and is forcing to 2NT or 3 of the minor.

(4) Playing inverted minors one bids stoppers up the line.

(5) This guarantees a ♠ stop (else bid 3♣) and also shows a minimum.

And what happened? 5♣ went one down. 3NT made exactly once and +1 twice.

The bottom lines: -

- Sometimes you have to lie, but do not lie in a major suit.

- Play inverted minors.

- If you do not play inverted minors and have a suitable hand, then bid the other minor if NoTrumps is not a decent bid.

- Do not play in 5 of a minor if 3NT is a remotely sensible contract.

A negative double Board 12 from Monday 28^th

Partner opens and RHO overcalls – then a negative double promises an unbid major. But what if partner opens a major and RHO overcalls in the other major?

Dealer: ♠ Q106 Table A

West ♥ KQ763 West North East(B) South

E-W vul ♦ J87 1♠ 2♥ pass (1) 3♥

♣ J8 3♠ (2) pass pass (3) pass

♠ AKJ874 N ♠ 53 ‘Expert’ Table

♥ A W E ♥ 84 West North East(B) South

♦ AQ103 S ♦ K62 1♠ 2♥ dbl (1) 3♥

♣ 54 ♣ AQ10732 4♦ (4) pass 4♠ (5) all pass

♠ 92

♥ J10952

♦ 954

♣ K96

Table A: (1) What did you bid with this East hand B in this week’s quiz? This pair play negative doubles and East passed, expecting partner to double when he would then bid 3♣. This logic, however, is slightly flawed as it is the action that would be taken with a much weaker hand.

(2) Showing a decent hand.

(3) With an undisclosed 9 points perhaps East should raise here, but it would have been so much easier if he had shown values on the first round.

‘Expert’ (1) This is the correct response, a negative double showing values, mainly in the

Table: minors.

(4) South’s raise has made it slightly difficult for West, 4♠ is the alternative.

(5) And East makes the obvious correction.

And what happened? Two pairs bid to 3♠ making +2. One pair bid 4♠ +1. The last pair bid to 6♠-1 when East made the very poor overbid of 3♣ at (1).

The bottom lines: -

- Do not respond at the two level without a very good 10+ points, especially with scant support for partner’s suit.

- A response at the three level after interference must be game forcing (good 12+).

- When RHO overcalls leaving you no room to make your natural bid, make a negative double with 6+ points and insufficient values to bid at the two/three level (so about 6-10).

- If there is an unbid major, then a negative double promises the other major.

- If both majors have been bid then a negative double simply promises values.

Dave’s Column Here is this week’s Dave input involving the play of the hand.

North South You are South, declarer in 6♠, West leads the ♣ 10,

♠ A7 ♠ KQJ1098 plan the play.

♥ K432 ♥ AJ5

♦ 9876 ♦ K10

♣ AQJ ♣ K3

Dave’s Column answer Board 27 from Wednesday 30^th

Dealer: ♠ A7 West North(H) East South

South ♥ K432 - - - 1♠

Love all ♦ 9876 pass 2NT (1) pass 4♣ (2)

♣ AQJ pass 4♠ (3) pass 6♠ (4)

all pass

♠ 543 N ♠ 62

♥ Q8 W E ♥ 10976 This is the bidding from the book.

♦ AJ5 S ♦ Q432

♣ 109876 ♣ 542

♠ KQJ1098

♥ AJ5

♦ K10

♣ K3

(1) What did you bid with this North hand H in this week’s quiz? This is the bidding from

Dave’s book and 2NT is apparently natural and not Jacoby 2NT. But it’s a lousy bid (sorry Eddie K). A natural 2NT over 1♠ is passable and denies 4 ♥’s when playing Standard American. This hand should bid 2♦ although I would not argue with 2♣ as that’s where the values are.

(2) Gerber, asking for aces

(3) Two aces

(4) 4NT would be a sign-off, 5♣ asking for kings.

You have a possible loser in ♥’s along with two possible losers on ♦’s; but you do have one extra winner in ♣’s. All in all, two possible losers and eleven top tricks – 6 ♠’s, 3 ♣’s and 2 ♥’s.

There are finesses available in both red suits. Which do you take first?

In these two suite finesse option hands, you must try to look for a way to combine your chances and not put all of your eggs in one basket.

Here you can do just that. Win the ♣ lead in dummy and draw the necessary trumps discarding ♦’s from table. Next, try the ♥A,K hoping for the queen to drop. If the ♥Q does not drop, discard the ♥J on a ♣ and lead towards the ♦K.

On the actual the ♥Q drops so that’s that, discard a ♦ on the good ♣.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? 6♠-1, 6♠-2, 4♠+2, 3NT+3, and 3NT+2.

Dave’s 2^nd Column Another Dave problem involving the play of the hand.

West East You are East, declarer in 4♥, and South leads the ♠Q

♠ K6543 ♠ 2 which holds. At trick two South switches to the ♣5,

♥ 5 ♥ AKQJ1098 What do you do?

♦ 10985 ♦ J432

♣ AKJ ♣ 2

Dave’s 2^nd Column answer Board 26 from Wednesday 30^th

Dealer: ♠ A987 West North East South

West ♥ 432 pass pass 4♥ all pass

both vul ♦ K7

♣ 10974

♠ K6543 N ♠ 2

♥ 5 W E ♥ AKQJ1098

♦ 10985 S ♦ J432

♣ AKJ ♣ 2

♠ QJ10

♥ 76

♦ AQ6

♣ Q8653

Add up your losers, you have lost a ♠ and have 3 quick ♦ losers. Fortunately the suit has not been attacked. One ♦ discard on a ♣ won’t help you, so you have to go for it – put in the ♣J. If it loses then it’s down two. If it works is game made.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? 4♥+1. 3NT+1, 4♥= twice and 4♥-1.

The bottom lines: -

- It looks like 4♥ making, so passing Dave’s test, gets a bad score at our club!

That 4333 shape again Board 18 from Wednesday 30^th

Dealer: ♠ K8 West North East(C) South

East ♥ KJ8 - - 1NT (1) pass

N-S vul ♦ A864 pass dbl (2) pass pass (3)

♣ KQ43 2♥ (4) dbl (5) all pass

♠ J65 N ♠ AQ3 (1) What did you open with this East hand C

♥ Q953 W E ♥ A64 in this week’s quiz? Knock off a point for

♦ J75 S ♦ 932 the 4333 type shape and it’s not worth a

♣ 952 ♣ AJ76 1NT opener – open 1♣ and rebid 1NT.

♠ 109742 (2) A possibly dubious double in this position.

♥ 1072 (3) 2♠ is the alternative, especially as the

♦ KQ10 opponents are non-vul. But with 4 tens I

♣ 108 agree with the pass.

(5) With this flat hand I would pass.

(6) Obviously North was in a doubling frame of mind.

And what happened? 2♥ doubled went two down for 300 and a top to N-S.

The bottom lines: -

- Deduct a point for the totally flat 4333 type shape hand.

Not playing Benjamin any more? Board 12 from Wednesday 30^th

Dealer: ♠ J8 West North East(E) South

West ♥ Q754 - - 2♣ (1) pass

N-S vul ♦ Q4 2♦ (2) pass 2♥ (3) pass

♣ KQ962 pass (4) pass

♠ 1053 N ♠ AQ62 (1) What did you open with this East hand E

♥ 82 W E ♥ AKJ963 in this week’s quiz? This hand has about

♦ 1096532 S ♦ AK 10 playing tricks and your strongest bid

♣ 103 ♣ J is required. This E-W play Benjamin but

♠ 109742 East did not want to open a game forcing

♥ 1072 2♦ as then partner would be declarer.

♦ KQ10 (2) Automatic relay in their style.

♣ A8754 (3) 8 playing tricks in ♥’s

(4) I have absolutely nothing.

When West passed the 2♥ bid East exclaimed that he would never play Benjamin twos again - he was looking for slam in either major.

And what happened? 2♥ made exactly! So a lucky top for E-W? No, it was only average; other scores were 4♥=, 3♥=, 3♥-1 and 4♥-1.

The bottom lines: -

- Playing tricks are defined on the website but they are strange things. They get downgraded if partner is bust and upgraded if partner has a few bits and pieces.

- Check out the article “the problem with playing tricks”

pattayabridge.com > General Bridge Topics > Playing tricks.

It’s penalties Board 23 from Friday 1^st

Dealer: ♠ AKJ8 West North East South(F)

South ♥ A103 - - - 1♣

both vul ♦ 10864 1♠ pass (1) 2♠ (2) pass

♣ 106 pass dbl (3) pass pass (4)

pass

♠ Q9765 N ♠ 10432

♥ - W E ♥ KQJ642 (1) With these great ♠’s North decided to go for

♦ J72 S ♦ Q3 the penalty, 3NT is the alternative.

♣ QJ952 ♣ 3 (2) Looks right to me.

♠ - (3) This is penalties

♥ 9875 (4) What did you bid with this South hand F

♦ AK95 in this week’s quiz? Partner has made a

♣ AK874 penalty double (and so was obviously

prepared to defend 1♠ doubled). So pass.

And what happened? 2♠* was -4 and so 1100. N-S bid to game at the other two tables

The bottom lines: -

- Sequence K is penalties – partner was prepared to defend at the one level doubled and will be delighted to defend at the two level.

- You often get them one level higher when you play negative doubles.

Both sides bid 3NT! Board 2 from Wednesday 30^th

Dealer: ♠ J1098642 Table A

East ♥ 1092 West North East(D) South

N-S vul ♦ Q87 - - 1♦ dbl

♣ - 3♣ (1) pass 3NT (2) dbl

4♣ (3) pass pass dbl

♠ 5 N ♠ AKQ3 all pass

♥ J5 W E ♥ Q843

♦ 95 S ♦ AJ32 Table B

♣ Q10876543 ♣ J West North East(D) South

♠ 7 - - 1♦ dbl

♥ AK76 3♣ (1) pass pass (2) 3NT (4)

♦ K1064 4♣ (5) pass pass pass (6)

♣ AK92

Table A: (1) This is a weak bid, see bidding sequence M and notes on the back page. Generally, the only strong bids after a double are redouble and 2NT.

(2) What did you bid with this East hand D in this week’s quiz? Presumably East thought that partner’s bid was strong?

(3) This is very sensible, this hand is worthless in NoTrumps.

Table B: (2) This is the answer to question D, this East knew that 3♣ was weak and so passed.

(4) South has a nice hand, but surely a pass or penalty double (if you play it as penalties) is more prudent

(5) West’s pre-emptive bid has worked a treat, 3NT is not making. Unfortunately he decided to bid again having pre-empted.

(6) I have no idea why South did not double.

And what happened? 4♣ doubled went -1 for a bottom, 4♣ undoubled went -1 for a near bottom and there were the usual spurious results.

The bottom lines: -

- A jump response when partner has opened and RHO has doubled is pre-emptive.

- Don’t bid again having pre-empted - especially if partner has not had a chance to double!

Stay Low on a mis-fit Board 4 from Wednesday 30^th

Dealer: ♠ AK9743 Table A

West ♥ QJ9765 West North East South

both vul ♦ 4 1♦ 1♠ (1) 2♠ (2) 3♣

♣ - 3♦ (3) 3♥ dbl 4♣

pass (4) pass dbl pass

♠ 52 N ♠ QJ106 pass (5) pass

♥ - W E ♥ AK108432

♦ AKJ106532 S ♦ - Table B

♣ A53 ♣ J6 West North East South

♠ 8 1♦ 4♦ (1) 6♥ (6) pass

♥ - pass dbl pass pass

♦ Q987 pass (7)

♣ KQ1098742

Table A: (1) A Michaels cue bid is an option, but this hand is a bit good in my opinion and the 1♠ overcall (followed by a ♥ bid later if necessary) is fine.

(2) This particular player has a propensity to cue bid rather than bid a suit. He may be right, I would bid a simple 2♥ (forcing), but the 2♠ bid worked out well. In principle it shows a sound raise to 3♦ or better, but I suspect that East bid it to show a good hand without saying anything much else. I’ll have to ask him when he has had a chance to read this news sheet.

(3) This now presumably shows a good hand with good ♦’s - West did not think that East’s cue bid could really be supporting ♦’s; with nothing particular to say West would pass.

(4) West considered bidding ♦’s again, but he had already bid them twice and shown a good hand, so he passed. This is clearly a forcing pass as both East and West have shown good hands.

(5) Again, West thought about the ♦’s, but decided it was best to take the money – it looked like a mis-fit.

Table B: (1) Presumably asking partner to bid a major.

(6) East asked what the 4♦ bid meant and was told ‘no idea’. Fair enough. This 6♥ bid, however, is very silly. The obvious action is to pass and find out what is going on. The result would have been a juicy penalty instead of a juicy penalty the other way.

(7) West had already been ‘told off’ for (correctly) pulling partner’s 3NT on the deal on the previous page, so this time West decided to let him stew.

And what happened? 6♥* went for 1700 and 4♣* went two down for a near top. Other results were 7♦*-4, 5♦*-1, and 4♠* (by North)-3. Strange board, 5 different contracts and every one doubled.

The bottom lines: -

- Don’t bid your hand 3 times, two West’s kept on bidding their ♦’s and went down.

- If RHO jump bids in partner’s suit, there is no need to bid. Obviously LHO will bid and you get another go with a bit more information to go on.

It’s forcing Board 4 from Friday 1^st

Dealer: ♠ K82 West North East(G) South

West ♥ Q10765 1♣ pass 1♠ pass

both vul ♦ K32 3♣ pass 3♥ (1) pass

♣ 65 3NT pass 4♣ (2) pass

5♣ all pass

♠ 9 N ♠ AQJ653

♥ K3 W E ♥ A94 (1) What did you bid with this East hand G in

♦ Q97 S ♦ 86 this week’s quiz? 3♠ is correct, and this sort

♣ AQJ10974 ♣ K3 of hand is why 3♠ is forcing. I guess East

♠ 1074 did not realize this and so made up a 3♥ bid.

♥ J82 (2) Clearly East should pass – if 3NT is possibly

♦ AJ1054 a viable contract, then play there. 4♠ would

♣ 82 also be reasonable. The important thing

is to avoid playing in 5 of a minor at pairs.

And what happened? 5♣ went -1, presumably West decided not to take the ♠ finesse. Anyway, 5♣ making would still have been a bottom as others were in 3NT+1 and 4♠=.

The bottom lines: -

- Sequence J is forcing – showing a decent ♠ suit and looking for the best spot.

- It is rarely correct to pull partner’s 3NT into a minor suit contract.

Bidding Quiz Answers

Hand A: 1♦. When partner opens a minor and you have game going support with no other suit, then you have two choices – bid No Trumps or bid the other minor. NoTrumps is silly here with ♠xx, so lie in the other minor. If you play inverted minors then 2♣ is the bid.

Hand B: dbl, negative to show values. Pass and bid (3♣) over partner’s expected double would show a much weaker hand. A direct 3♣ bid would show a much stronger hand. The negative double is just right.

Hand C: 1♣, knock of a point for the totally flat 4333 type shape.

Hand D: pass, partner’s 3♣ is a weak pre-emptive bid.

Hand E: 2♣, or 2♦ if you play Benjamin. This hand has about 10 playing tricks and you want to be in game opposite most dummies with 13 cards.

Hand F: pass, partner’s double is penalties - he was prepared to defend 1♠ doubled and is now delighted that it’s up at the two level. It is not for take-out, if partner had any sort of hand where he wants you to bid at the three level then he would not have passed initially.

Hand G: 3♠, forcing.

Hand H: 2♦, or 2♣. You cannot bid 2♥ as that promises 5 ♥’s. You cannot bid 2NT as that denies a 4-card ♥ suit. So you have to bid a minor. I would bid the 4-card ♦ suit but certainly not argue if you chose 2♣, where the values are.

Bidding Sequence Quiz Answers

J 1♣ pass 1♠ pass

3♣ pass 3♠ 3♠ is 100% forcing

K 1♣ 1♠ pass 2♠

pass pass dbl dbl is 100% penalties?

L 1♦ dbl 2♣ 2♣ is weak, non-forcing

M 1♦ dbl 3♣ 3♣ is weak and pre-emptive.

With reference to sequences L & M, when RHO doubles your partner’s 1-level opening: -

1) A new suit by you at the 1-level is forcing, as if the double had not happened.

2) A new suit by you at the two level is weakish and non-forcing.

3) A jump in a new suit is pre-emptive.

4) 1NT retains it’s normal 6-10 meaning.

5) With a strong hand, double (9+, generally short in partner’s suit and often looking for a penalty) or bid 2NT to show a sound raise to three or better of partner’s suit (Jordan/Truscott 2NT).