Our website is www.pattayabridge.com Club News Sheet – No. 300

Our blogsite is www.pattayabridge.wordpress.com

My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 083 6066880 10^th 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

Mon 28^th 1^st Arne F & Svein 59% 2^nd Eddie & Jan = Derek & Gerard 56%

Wed 30^th 1^st Derek & Gerard 59% 2^nd Gene & Sally = Bob S & Terry 56%

Fri 1^st 1^st Lewis & Paul Q 63% 2^nd Dave & Ivy 58%

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Bidding Quiz Standard American bidding is assumed unless otherwise stated.

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

♠ A865 ♠ KJ103

♥ AJ ♥ AK With Hand B LHO opens 1♣ (could be short) and RHO bids 1♦.

♦ 1074 ♦ 9852 You pass and LHO bids 1♥. This is passed round to you,

♣ KJ104 ♣ Q74 what do you do?

Hand C Hand D With Hand C RHO opens 1♦, what do you do (love all)?

♠ 64 ♠ 64

♥ AQ632 ♥ AQ632 With Hand D it’s the same question as Hand C.

♦ 65 ♦ Q5

♣ Q972 ♣ 9762

Hand E Hand F With Hand E it’s love all. LHO opens 1♦ and partner overcalls

1♥. RHO bids 1♠, what do you bid?

♠ Q73 ♠ AKQ9

♥ KQ962 ♥ KQ62

♦ 9 ♦ 104 With Hand F it’s the same question as Hand E.

♣ Q853 ♣ J104

Hand G Hand H With Hand G you open 1♠ and partner bids 1NT, what

do you do?

♠ AK10864 ♠ A653

♥ A76 ♥ K972 With Hand H partner opens 1♦ and you bid 1♥, partner then

♦ 7 ♦ AK bids 1♠, what do you bid?

♣ A64 ♣ KJ9

Bidding Sequence Quiz

J 1♦ pass 1♥ pass

1♠ pass 3♠ Is 3♠ invitational or forcing?

K 1♦ 1♥ 1♠ 4♥ What is 4♥?

L 1♦ 1♥ 1♠ 2♦ What is 2♦?

M 1♥ pass 1♠ pass

3♥ pass 4♣ What is the 4♣ bid?

The Club Championships

I’ve just calculated the current competition standings. We currently have four contenders qualifying for the Gold Cup competition.

	Gold Cup = Best 30	Silver Plate = Best 10	Bronze Medal = Best 5
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	1813.9 Dave Cutler 1786.5 Sally Watson 1779.1 Ivy Schlageter 1757.6 Bob Pelletier	661.8 Dave Cutler 660.6 Sally Watson 657.5 Jeremy Watson 656.9 Hans Vikman 642.0 Lars Gustafsson 641.3 Ivy Schlageter 634.3 Derek & Gerard 623.7 Bob Pelletier 613.5 Terje Lie 611.0 Tomas Wikman …	342.3 Dave Cutler 341.9 Hans Vikman 341.1 Sally Watson 338.6 Jeremy Watson 336.9 Lars Gustafsson 335.3 Ivy Schlageter 328.5 Derek & Gerard 326.3 Tomas Wikman 320.2 Terje Lie 319.7 Bob Pelletier ...

Look for the 4-4 fit Board 10 from Monday 4^th

Dealer: ♠ A865 Table A

East ♥ AJ West North(A) East South

both vul ♦ 1074 - - pass 1NT

♣ KJ104 pass 3NT (1) all pass

♠ 104 N ♠ KJ9 Table B

♥ 854 W E ♥ 10973 West North(A) East South

♦ KQJ82 S ♦ 653 - - pass 1NT

♣ Q96 ♣ 732 pass 2♣ (1) pass 2♦

♠ Q732 pass 3NT all pass

♥ KQ62

♦ A9

♣ A85

Table A: (1) What did you bid with this North hand A in this week’s quiz? This 3NT bid, with a doubleton ♥ and a weak ♦ suit, is a very poor bid.

Table B: (1) This is the obvious answer to question A. Stayman – look for a 4-4 ♠ fit.

And what happened? This really is too trivial for the quiz, but I put it in because TWO North’s failed to bid Stayman and bid the vastly inferior 3NT. Results were 3NT-1, 3NT=, 4♠+1 (twice) and 4♠+2.

The bottom lines: -

- Look for the 4-4 major suit fit – it usually generates 1 extra trick.

Raising Partner’s overcall Board 24 from Wednesday 6^th

When partner overcalls at the one-level, do not jump to game just because you have an opening hand. Partner’s overcall may be just 7-8 points and that’s why the Unassuming Cue Bid was invented – to ask opener if he has anywhere near opening values and stay low if not.

Dealer: ♠ 64

West ♥ AQ632 West North(D) East South(F)

E-W vul ♦ Q5 1♦ 1♥ (1) 1♠ (2) 4♥ (3)

♣ 9762 all pass

♠ J85 N ♠ 10732

♥ 7 W E ♥ J94

♦ AKJ732 S ♦ 986

♣ Q53 ♣ AK8

♠ AKQ9

♥ K1085

♦ 104

♣ J104

(1) What did you bid with this North hand D in this week’s quiz? Non-vul and with decent shape and the points in the suit I think that a 1♥ is reasonable but would certainly not argue if you chose to pass, as I think the majority would.

(2) If you play negative doubles then many play that dbl here shows 4 ♠’s.

(3) What did you bid with this South hand F in this week’s quiz? This jump to 4♥ is unnecessary and undisciplined, but was chosen at at least two tables. An Unassuming Cue Bid must be right, and if partner shows a minimum overcall by making a minimal ♥ bid then pass. Exactly which bid you choose as the Unassuming Cue Bid (2♦, 2♠ or 3♦) is probably up to partnership understanding. With a hand that is only worth a raise to 3♥ opposite an opener then you obviously bid 2♦. This hand is worth more and you can bid 2♠ to show values there or 3♦ to guarantee 4 trumps. It does not really matter that much which you choose, the point is that you do not force to game as partner may only have 7-8 points for the 1-level overcall.

.

And what happened? Everybody was playing in 3♥ or 4♥ and all went one or two down. No West played in ♦’s but 3♦ should make easily enough.

The bottom lines: -

- A 1-level overcall may be as few as 7-8 points.

- With a sound raise to 3 or better opposite partner’s 1-level overcall, use the Unassuming Cue Bid to check if partner has a decent overcall (say 11+ pts) or not.

- A jump to 4♥ after partner has overcalled 1♥ is a pre-emptive bid!

- There is also another way of looking at this deal from South’s viewpoint: LHO has opened and RHO has responded – thus they have around 18+ points. It looks like the points are fairly evenly distributed between the two sides and with just a known 9-card fit one should obey the law and compete to just 3♥. So show the sound raise via some sort of Unassuming Cue Bid and North will bid game with extra shape (you know he does not have 10+ points).

Asking about a short ♣ Board 18 from Monday 4^th

It’s very clearly written up in the club rules. If you play a short club (could be two cards) then you either tell the opponents before play commences (preferred) or else alert/announce the 1♣ opening. It is against the rules for anybody to ask during the auction ‘do you play a short ♣’. This has the implication that you yourself have a ♣ suit.

Dealer: ♠ KJ103 West North(B) East South

East ♥ AK - - 1♣ pass

N-S vul ♦ 9852 1♦ (1) pass 1♥ pass

♣ Q74 pass (2) 1NT (3) pass 2NT (4)

all pass

♠ Q N ♠ A862

♥ 10654 W E ♥ Q972 (1) Just about worth a response, especially as 1♣

♦ QJ10764 S ♦ A3 could be two cards in their system.

♣ 98 ♣ A63 (2) 2♥ may keep the opposition out, but may

♠ 9754 prompt partner to bid too high.

♥ J83 (3) What did you bid with this North hand B in

♦ K this week’s quiz? I would either double or bid

♣ KJ1042 1♠. With opponents bidding every suit except ♠’s there is almost certainly a 4-4 or better ♠ fit.

(4) South had a think here, and asked ‘do you play a short ♣?’ This is not allowed (rule 18). He eventually bid 2NT, which is simply hanging partner for balancing.

And what happened? 2NT went -3 for a bottom. 2♠ made +1 for the top elsewhere.

The bottom lines: -

- Look for the 4-4 major suit fit.

- Don’t ask the opponents if they play a short ♣, especially if you yourself have a ♣ suit.

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

North South You are South, declarer in 4♠, West leads the ♦A, K,10, plan

♠ 543 ♠ AKQJ10 the play.

♥ 864 ♥ AK75

♦ 962 ♦ QJ

♣ AK74 ♣ 62

Dave’s Column answer Board 11 from Wednesday 6^th

Dealer: ♠ 543 West North East South

South ♥ 864 - - - 1♠

Love all ♦ 962 pass 1NT pass 3♥

♣ AK74 pass 3♠ pass 4♠ (1)

all pass

♠ 987 N ♠ 62

♥ J932 W E ♥ Q10 This is the bidding from the book. When I

♦ AK105 S ♦ 8743 was South I bid 3NT at (1) because I’m not

♣ 98 ♣ QJ1053 a hog and have already shown my shape.

♠ AKQJ10 Partner, with 3334, could have passed but

♥ AK75 he decided to bid 4♠.

♦ QJ

♣ 62 Anyway, East leads the ♦A,K and 10, plan the play.

. You have lost two ♦ tricks and your only other loser(s) are in the ♥ suit.

If the ♥ suit divides 3-3 you will be OK, but what if ♥’s divide normally – 4-2?

You must assume a 4-2 division and see if you can do anything about it. With no discards available for the 4^th ♥ you must plan to trump it in dummy.

The problem is, you only have low trumps in dummy and someone might over-ruff. Look at the ♥ position.

If you plat ♥A,K and a 3^rd ♥, West can win and play a 4^th ♥ allowing East to over-ruff dummy. If, on the other hand, you draw two rounds of trumps before conceding a ♥, West can play a 3^rd trump and frustrate you once again.

The answer – when you have to ruff a 4^th card low in dummy – is to first duck a card in the suit, then draw two rounds of trumps and finally ruff your 4^th ♥ in dummy.

Terry’s Comment. This is another typical safety play which is inapplicable playing pairs. The line works because the hand with two ♥’s only has two trumps. It is much more likely that the hand with two ♥’s will have three trumps and then you go two down – a disaster at pairs scoring.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? One pair played in 3NT and made when the ♦’s split 4-4. The four other pairs played in 4♠ and everybody (including me and Lewis at separate tables) played the correct line at matchpoint pairs scoring and played with the odds – simply drawing trumps and hoping ♥’s are 3-3, thus ensuring no more than one down. Everybody was thus -1.

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

West East You are West, declarer in 6♣, and North leads the ♠A,K,

♠ 5 ♠ 7632 plan the play.

♥ A93 ♥ KJ2

♦ KQ92 ♦ AJ10

♣ AKJ96 ♣ Q102

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

Dealer: ♠ AK84 West North East South

West ♥ 10864 1♣ pass 2NT (1) pass

both vul ♦ 86 3♦ pass 3♥ (2) pass

♣ 743 4♣ pass 4♦ pass

4♥ pass 5♣ pass

♠ 5 N ♠ 7632 6♣ pass

♥ A93 W E ♥ KJ2

♦ KQ92 S ♦ AJ10 This is the bidding in Dave’s book

♣ AKJ96 ♣ Q102

♠ QJ109 (1) East decided to ignore the 4 ♠’s because

♥ Q75 all of his points were outside the suit.

♦ 7543 (2) Apparently showing strength in ♥’s

♣ 85 and weakness in ♠’s.

After ruffing the 2^nd ♠, the only possible loser is a ♥ and that might be avoided my means of a finesse. But why finesse if a dummy reversal brings home the contract?

Play the ♣A and a ♣ to the ♣10. If trumps are 4-1 draw the remaining trumps and eventually fall back on the ♥ finesse.

However, if trumps are 3-2 as here, ruff a ♠ in hand, cross to dummy with the ♦J and ruff dummy’s last ♠ with your last trump. Return to dummy with the ♥K and discard the ♥9 on the ♣Q. Your hand is now high.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? Not surprisingly, nobody was in 6♣. Four pairs were in 3NT making exactly and one pair stopped in 2NT making +1.

It’s not forcing Board 19 from Friday 4^th

One very good tip in bridge bidding is – don’t make an invitational bid with a game (slam even!) going hand.

Dealer: ♠ A653 West North(H) East South

South ♥ K972 - - pass 1♦

E-W vul ♦ AK pass 1♥ pass 1♠

♣ KJ9 pass 3♠ (1) pass pass (2)

pass

♠ 107 N ♠ J42

♥ QJ86 W E ♥ 1053 (1) What did you bid with this North hand H in

♦ Q109 S ♦ 8742 this week’s quiz? The problem with 3♠ is that

♣ 5432 ♣ A86 it’s not forcing!

♠ KQ98 (2) With a minimum, South passed.

♥ A4

♦ J653 So what should North bid at (1)? If he wants to bid 3♠ forcing

♣ Q107 it’s easy, simply bid 2♣ (4^th suit) and then 3♠ (now forcing) over partner’s likely 2NT response. However, I don’t see anything wrong with a straightforward 4NT RKCB bid.

And what happened? 3♠ made +3 easily enough (ruff a ♦) and 6♠ was bid at the other three tables. So an outright bottom? Not at the Pattaya bridge Club – two declarers managed to go down in 6♠! The bottom lines: -

- Don’t make an invitational bid with game forcing values.

- Sequence J: 1♦ - 1♥ - 1♠ - 3♠ is invitational in both Standard American and Acol.

Upgrade with good shape Board 25 from Friday 4^th

Dealer: ♠ 7 West North East South(G)

North ♥ KJ104 - - pass 1♠

E-W vul ♦ K108653 pass 1NT pass 2♠ (1)

♣ Q9 all pass

♠ Q53 N ♠ J92 (1) What did you bid with this South hand G

♥ Q2 . W E ♥ 9853 in this week’s quiz? 15 points is not usually

♦ J92 . S ♦ AQ4 worth a jump, but just look at this 15!

♣ J10752 ♣ K83 A superb 6-card major headed by the AK,

♠ AK10864 two aces, and a singleton. If ever a hand

♥ A76 needed upgrading it’s this one.

♦ 7

♣ A64

And what happened? 2♠ made +2. I think everybody else jumped to 3♠; one North passed it making +1, one North bid 3NT+1 (that would be my choice) and the other pair ended in 4♠=.

The bottom lines: -

- Upgrade hands with good 6 card suit and with aces.

Bidding Quiz Answers

Hand A: 2♣, Stayman. Totally obvious I know, but it’s in the quiz because two players apparently ignored Stayman and bid 3NT directly. They scored the bottom spots.

Hand B: dbl or 1♠. You clearly should bid something and I personally prefer 1♠, but dbl is probably equally good or better. I don’t like 1NT - for various reasons, but mainly because you are very likely to miss a 4-4 ♠ fit.

Hand C: 1♥. With a decent ♥ suit and a secondary ♣ suit this hand is worth a (minimal) 1♥ overcall.

Hand D: 1♥ or pass. This hand is not so good as the ♦Q is not worth as much as the ♣Q of the previous hand. The majority opinion was to pass but I would not argue with 1♥.

Hand E: 4♥. This is a pre-emptive bid.

Hand F: 2♦, 3♦ or 2♠; depending upon your style and agreements about Unassuming Cue bids. The point is that you should not bid 4♥ because (a) it’s a weak bid, and (b) partner may have only 8-9 points for his overcall and you will be too high.

Hand G: 3♠, it’s only 15 points, but with a 6-card suit headed by the AK, two aces, and a singleton, this hand needs a huge upgrade. 2♠ is chicken. This ♠ suit is virtually self-sufficient and 4♠ may well make opposite a singleton ♠ (it did) or 3NT may be there (it was).

Hand H: 2♣ or 4NT. You cannot bid 3♠ as that’s not forcing; the way to make it forcing is to bid the 4^th suit (so 2♣ here) and then bid 3♠ over partner’s response, whatever it is. The slow approach is generally fine and often best – as long as every bid is forcing! However, I cannot see anything wrong with taking control with a RKCB bid of 4NT – partner has shown no more than a minimum and it’s fine for this hand to take charge.

Bidding Sequence Quiz Answers

J 1♦ pass 1♥ pass 3♠ is invitational. If you want to bid a forcing 3♠,

1♠ pass 3♠ bid 2♣ (4^th suit) first and then bid 3♠.

K 1♦ 1♥ 1♠ 4♥ 4♥ is a weak pre-emptive bid.

L 1♦ 1♥ 1♠ 2♦ 2♦ is an Unassuming Cue bid, showing a sound raise to 3♥ or better.

M 1♥ pass 1♠ pass 4♣ is a cue bid, agreeing ♥’s as trumps and looking for slam.

3♥ pass 4♣