Our website is www.pattayabridge.com Club News Sheet – No. 309

Our blogsite is www.pattayabridge.wordpress.com

My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 083 6066880 12^th Oct 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 6^th N-S 1^st Linda Lyen & Terry = Bob P & Tomas 57%

E-W 1^st Janne & Hans V 62% 2^nd Alan & Dave 55%

Wed 8^th 1^st Oli & Peter Lux 58% 2^nd Dave & Royd 58%

Fri 10^th 1^st Lewis & Paul Q 69% 2^nd Bob S & Gerry 63%

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Bidding Quiz Standard American bidding is assumed unless otherwise stated.

Hand A Hand B With Hand A everybody is vulnerable. Partner opens 1♦ and

RHO overcalls 1NT, what do you bid?

♠ KQJ1096 ♠ KJ103

♥ 65 ♥ KQ73 With Hand B partner opens 1♦. (a) What do you bid?

♦ - ♦ KJ (b) Suppose you bid 1♥ and partner bids 1NT, what now?

♣ 87652 ♣ AQ2

Hand C Hand D With Hand C partner opens 2NT (20-21), what do you do.

♠ 64 ♠ 8

♥ 109742 ♥ 873 With Hand D you open 1♦ and LHO overcalls 1NT. Partner

♦ 974 ♦ AJ6432 bids 2♠, what do you do?

♣ 1075 ♣ AQJ

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

♠ J64 ♠ AQ107

♥ A84 ♥ 93 With Hand F LHO opens 1♦ and RHO bids a weak 2♥, you

♦ Q742 ♦ AK3 double. Partner bids 2♠, what do you do now?

♣ AJ8 ♣ KQ109

Hand G Hand H With Hand G RHO opens 1♦ and LHO bids 1♠. Partner doubles:

(a) What do you bid if RHO passes?

♠ 1062 ♠ QJ875 (b) What do you bid if RHO bids 1NT?

♥ J953 ♥ AQ2

♦ 95 ♦ Q5 With hand H partner opens 1♦ (4+) and you bid 1♠. Partner then

♣ J1043 ♣ 432 bids 1NT, what do you bid?

Bidding Sequence Quiz

J 1NT pass 4♣ pass

4♠ pass 4NT 4♣ is Gerber, what is 4NT?

K 1♣ pass 1♦ pass

1♥ pass 2♠ What is 2♠? – Natural or 4^th suit forcing?

L 1♦ 1NT 2♠ Is 2♠ weak, invitational or forcing?

M 1♦ 1NT 3♠ Is 3♠ weak, invitational or forcing?

Editorial

Club rules: We have more regulars returning now, so I’ll just remind them of a few of club rules. Psyching is not allowed at this club. You may open 2NT with a singleton, a 1NT overcall may be made on almost any shape (including a void) if it is with the defined range (usually 15-17 or 15-18), and we now allow a 1NT opening to be made with a singleton ace or king. 1NT opening bids may be made with +- 1 point outside the expected range. Other general bids should be near to the expected range; the free bid of 1♥ made with two-point hand G(b) is not in the spirit of play at our club.

About movements: We have more people now and there are alternatives when we have 7 or 7½ tables. On Monday we had exactly 7 tables and I understand that Jeremy asked why we did not play a 7 table Howell, 2 boards a round, with everybody playing everybody – perfect.

I agree, in a perfect world but our room is a little cramped for 7 tables especially when half of the people have no idea where to go to. I do use this movement when 6½ in order to avoid a 4-board sit-out. Two board movements are a pain. On Wednesday we had 7½ tables and the 8-table movement involves a 4-board sit-out (or else only 24 boards). So I had previously devised a 7½ Mitchell ‘revenge’ movement with only 3 boards a round in order to avoid a 4-board sit-out. This worked a treat and we managed 30/27 boards. When we get more than 8 table (very soon) we will expand into the main clubhouse section which is also air-conditioned. Movements with 8+ tables are no problem at all.

Dave’s hands: Every Wednesday Dave sets two boards from a book of which I have a copy. After the play ends he tells me which pages the boards are and I write them up. Should Dave be playing and become declarer on one of his pre-set boards then he gets his partner to play the hand (they are all declarer play problems). This adds a bit of something different to the news-sheets. Dave has now used nearly all of the hands in the book but Cheryl/Don have donated a bridge calendar which I believe he will be using from now until it runs out in 3½ years time!

The Club Championships

Here are the latest standings in the club competitions. Hans V is slowly consolidating his top spots and Janne Roos has now joined the Gold Cup race. Lewis is moving up in the minor competitions but needs 5 more scoring results to qualify 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	1848.5 Hans Vikman 1837.9 Dave Cutler 1820.5 Sally Watson 1797.4 Bob Pelletier 1783.8 Janne Roos 1782.5 Ivy Schlageter 1718.5 Jan v Koss	670.0 Hans Vikman 661.8 Dave Cutler 661.1 Jeremy Watson 661.1 Sally Watson 643.7 Lewis Berg 642.7 Ivy Schlageter 642.0 Lars Gustafsson 636.1 Bob Pelletier 634.3 Derek & Gerard 632.3 Janne Roos …	347.2 Hans Vikman 342.3 Dave Cutler 341.1 Jeremy Watson 341.1 Sally Watson 336.9 Lars Gustafsson 335.3 Ivy Schlageter 333.5 Lewis Berg  328.5 Derek & Gerard 327.4 Tomas Wikman 326.2 Bob Pelletier ...

Check on Aces Board 10 from Monday 6^th

The Blackwood and Gerber conventions were invented for very good reasons – one of them being to stop bidding a slam with two aces off the top. No less than three out of seven pairs reached hopeless slams with these N-S hands:

Dealer: ♠ KJ103 Table A

South ♥ KQ73 West North(B) East South

Love all ♦ KJ - - - 1♦

♣ AQ2 pass 6NT (1) all pass

♠ 9875 N ♠ 64 Table B

♥ J9642 W E ♥ A105 West North(B) East South

♦ A107 S ♦ 984 - - - 1♦

♣ 10 ♣ 98765 pass 1♥ (1) pass 1NT (2)

♠ AQ2 pass 4♣ (3) pass 4♥ (4)

♥ 8 pass 4NT (5) all pass

♦ Q6532

♣ KJ43

Table A: (1) What did you bid with this North hand B(a) in this week’s quiz? A decent 19 points opposite an opener is often slam, but jumping straight there is very silly because:

(a) It may go down (two aces missing).

(b) A suit slam may be better.

(c) There may well be a grand slam.

Table B: (1) This North got question B(a) right by simply bidding his hand, this enables partner to show hers and any possible extra values, and enables any possible fit to be found.

(2) 2♣ is the alternative, but I have no problem with this 1NT bid found by my partner. This hand has a couple of tenaces and any contract is probably best played from this hand. The problem is that partner may place you with 2-3 ♥’s.

(3) What did you bid with this North hand B(b) in this week’s quiz? Partner’s 1NT response has made life very easy – use Gerber to check on aces.

(4) One ace.

(5) Obviously this is a sign-off. I believe that a couple of players mistakenly think that 4NT asks for kings – maybe they are amongst those who reached the silly small slam?

And what happened? 6NT-1 twice; 6♠-1; 5NT=, 5♠=, and 4NT= twice.

The bottom lines: -

- The responses to 4♣ Gerber are: 4♦ = 0 or 4; 4♥ = 1; 4♠ = 2; 4NT = 3.

- After the response to 4♣ Gerber, 4NT is a sign-off and 5♣ asks for kings.

5-3 fit or No Trumps? Board 12 from Wednesday 8^th

Dealer: ♠ A63 Table A

West ♥ J1063 West North East(H) South

N-S vul ♦ KJ6 1♦ pass 1♠ pass

♣ Q105 1NT pass 2♣ (1) pass

2♠ (2) pass 4♠ all pass

♠ 1092 N ♠ QJ875

♥ K54 W E ♥ AQ2 Table B

♦ A832 S ♦ Q5 West North East(H) South

♣ AK6 ♣ 432 1♦ pass 1♠ pass

♠ K4 1NT pass 2NT (1) pass

♥ 987 3NT all pass

♦ 10974

♣ J987

Table A: (1) What did you bid with this East hand H in this week’s quiz? This pair play New Minor Forcing and 2♣ was asking about opener’s major suit holdings. But I don’t really like this bid.

(2) Three ♠’s. There are other variations of NMF to show a maximum.

Table B: (1) This East got question H right by not bothering to look for a 5-3 ♠ fit. With shortage in partner’s first bid suit it’s unlikely that a 5-3 ♠ fit will make more tricks than 3NT. An alternative bid here is 3NT as chosen at one table.

And what happened? 4♠-1 twice, 4♠=, 3NT+1, 3NT=twice and 1NT+3. Note that 3NT is a better contract that 4♠. The bottom lines: -

- 4-4 fits are great, but 5-3 is not necessarily better than NoTrumps.

Is it a psyche? Board 17 from Wednesday 10^th

A touchy topic at the moment. I received a complaint about East’s bid after the session, and I was asked to write it up. Here is my take on the situation although I am sure that whatever I say somebody will be in disagreement.

Dealer: ♠ Q8 West North East(G) South

North ♥ AQ8 - 1♦ pass 1♠

Love all ♦ KQ1087 dbl 1NT 2♥ (1) …

♣ 976 … and onto 6♦ by North.

♠ 3 N ♠ 1062 (1) What did you bid with this East hand G(b) in this

♥ 107642 W E ♥ J953 week’s quiz? Without North’s 1NT bid - so hand

♦ J S ♦ 95 G(a), then 2♥ is obvious. But it is generally

♣ AKQ852 ♣ J1043 accepted that a free bid in a situation like this

♠ AKJ9754 should show around 6-9 points.

♥ K I accept that East has values (ho-ho!) in and 4-

♦ A6432 card support for both of partner’s suits but I feel

♣ - that this 2♥ bid is pushing it; especially by a very

experienced player against a lesser opponent.

And what happened? 6♦+1 scored below average as two pairs bid 6♠+1. I let the result stand as I do not see that East’s poor bid should affect the auction, but I will have a word with him.

Double and bid game Board 1 from Wednesday 8^th

Dealer: ♠ J64 Table A

North ♥ A84 West(F) North(E) East South

Love all ♦ Q742 - 1♦ (1) pass 2♥ (2)

♣ AJ8 dbl pass (3) 2♠ (4) pass

4♠ (5) all pass

♠ AQ107 N ♠ K32

♥ 93 W E ♥ J7 Table B

♦ AK3 S ♦ J986 West North(E) East South

♣ KQ109 ♣ 7632 - pass (1) pass 2♥ (6)

♠ 985 dbl 3♥ (7) pass pass

♥ KQ10652 dbl pass 4♣ (8) all pass

♦ 105

♣ 54

Table A: (1) What did you open with this North hand E in this week’s quiz? Knock off a point for the totally flat 4333 type shape and pass is spot on. The hand is simply not worth an opening bid. The hand does not conform to the Rule of 20, and note that the rule of 20 automatically includes knocking off a point for the 4333 type shape.

(2) Weak.

(3) Here we see just one reason why opening the hand is wrong, North cannot now sensibly raise to 3♥ (or a Support Double if you play them) as South would then think he had a real opener.

(4) It’s up to your partnership style whether you respond 2♠ or 3♣ with this hand type. 3♣ may be best but this East hoped to play at the 2-level in the presumed 4-3 ♠ fit.

(5) What did you bid with this West hand F in this week’s quiz? Partner has promised nothing and this jump to game is a gross overbid, 3♠ is quite sufficient.

Table B: (1) This North got question E right by passing.

(6) Weak; excellent bid especially in 3^rd seat.

(7) And here we see the difference with the similar situation at (3). North can quite happily raise to 3♥ and cause problems for E-W.

(8) This East chose to bid his ♣’s rather than his ♠’s. As I said above this is probably a matter of personal style. I would bid 3♠.

And what happened? 4♠-2, 4♣-2, 3♠-1, 2♠-1 and three other odd scores.

The bottom lines: -

- Although both of these E-W’s shared the bottom, at Table A it was because of West’s bad bidding but at Table B it was because of N-S’s excellent bidding and E-W did nothing obviously wrong.

- If you double and then raise partner’s minimal response that shows a good hand.

- If you double and then raise partner’s minimal response to game that shows a fabulous hand, which this West hand is not.

- Deduct a point for the totally flat 4333 type shape. Anybody past the beginner’s stage should now this and it is advocated by real experts such as Tony Forrester, Freddie North and Brian Senior. Just read any book on hand evaluation.

No points for a transfer? Board 24 from Monday 6^th

When partner opens 1NT (or 2NT) then a transfer to a major suit promises nothing other than a 5-card major.

Dealer: ♠ K75 Table A

West ♥ AK West North East South(C)

Love all ♦ K1032 pass 2NT pass pass (1)

♣ AK86 pass

♠A10932 N ♠ QJ8 Table B

♥ J86 W E ♥ Q53 West North East South(C)

♦ QJ S ♦ A865 pass 2NT pass 3♦ (1)

♣ Q32 ♣ J94 pass 3♥ all pass

♠ 64

♥ 109742

♦ 974

♣ 1075

Table A: (1) What did you bid with this South hand C in this week’s quiz? Zero points so pass? No!

Table B: (1) This South got question E right by transferring. You should virtually always transfer when holding a 5-card major, and this is even more important the fewer points you have.

And what happened? 2NT*-3, 2NT-2, 2NT-1 twice, 3♥=, 3♥-1 and 3♥-2 and the strange contract of 2♠= by West.

The bottom lines: -

- When partner opens 2NT and you have a 5-card major and few points, then transfer. Your hand will be useless unless your 5-carder is trumps. On a bad day partner will have only 2 trumps and you make just one extra trick (as here). On a good day partner will have three or four of your suit and you hit the jackpot.

- This deal is fairly typical, double dummy both 2NT and 3♥ go one down, but in practice it’s much easier to declare 3♥ and one North did make the contract.

It’s a Weak Bid Board 10 from Monday 6^th

Dealer: ♠ 543 Table A

East ♥ Q1092 West(A) North East(D) South

Both vul ♦ K108 - - 1♦ 1NT

♣ 1093 2♠ (1) pass 3♦ (2) pass

4♣ (3) dbl (4) 4♦ (5) dbl

♠ KQJ1096 N ♠ 8 all pass

♥ 65 W E ♥ 873

♦ - S ♦ AJ6432 Table B

♣ 87652 ♣ AQJ West(A) North East(D) South

♠ A72 - - 1♦ 1NT

♥ AKJ4 2♠ pass pass (2) all pass

♦ Q975

♣ K4

Table A: (1) What did you bid with this West hand A in this week’s quiz? Game could be there opposite an ideal opener but a void in partner’s suit and the 1NT overcall makes this very unlikely. This 2♠ bid is a good bid, it shows a weakish hand with a desire to play in ♠’s. 3♠ (if you play it as pre-emptive) is an equally good, perhaps better alternative. With a stronger hand you double.

(2) What did you bid with this East hand D in this week’s quiz? I don’t like this at all and agree with the action made at Table B.

(3) I would repeat the ♠’s. The ♠’s are solid and if partner has ♣ values that’s fine. Showing the ♣’s pushes the auction up to an uncomfortable level (i.e. the doubling zone!)

(4) North decided to tell partner that their side had the balance of the power.

(5) Pass is surely more prudent here.

Table B: (2) This East got question D right by passing. Partner is the captain in this auction and you should only bid on with a good hand for ♠’s.

And what happened? 4♦* went -5 for -1400 and a top to N-S. 4♣* would have been only one down and 2♠ would have made an overtrick. At most other tables E-W played happily in 2♠ or 3♠ making anything from 8 to 10 tricks (Deep Finesse says 9 tricks).

The bottom lines: -

- When partner opens and RHO overcalls with 1NT then virtually any bid from you is weakish and partner should pass without a fit. Double is the strong bid over a 1NT overcall although some do play jumps to the three level in new suits as various types of strongish bids, depending upon whether a major or minor was opened. I prefer to keep it simple and use all jumps as pre-emptive.

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

North South You are North, declarer in 6♦.

♠ A4 ♠ 865 East leads the ♠J, plan the play.

♥ KJ10 ♥ A532

♦ A10986 ♦ KQ75

♣ AK3 ♣ QJ

Dave’s Column answer Board 11 from Wednesday 8^th

Dealer: ♠ A4 West North East South

North ♥ KJ10 - 1♦ (1) pass 1♥

E-W vul ♦ A10986 pass 2NT pass 4♦ (2)

♣ AK3 pass 6♦ all pass

♠ KQ32 N ♠ J1097 (1) This hand is much too strong for 1NT of course.

♥ 864 W E ♥ Q97 (2) Looking for a ♦ slam. It’s much easier to find

♦ J4 S ♦ 32 this bid if you play a short ♣, where partner’s

♣ 10765 ♣ 9842 1♦ opening promises 4+ ♦’s. Playing better

♠ 865 minor partner may have only three ♦’s if he

♥ A532 has the (bad) habit of sometimes opening 1♦

♦ KQ75 when 3-3 in the minors with more points in ♦’s

♣ QJ

You have a certain ♠ loser and a possible ♥ loser. If you finesse in ♥’s and it loses then the opponents will cash their ♠ trick.

Hands that have losers in two suits, one of which is inevitable (♠’s here) and one of which is not (♥’s) lend themselves to strip and throw-in plays.

The correct technique is to give up a loser at such a time that any return costs the defenders a trick. In order to do this you must (a) remove their safe exit cards, and (b) throw them in with a suit that is equally divided between your hand and dummy.

The play here is to win the ♠A, draw trumps, play 3 rounds of ♣’s discarding a ♠ (this evens out the ♠ suit). You now concede a ♠ and the opponents must either give you a ruff and discard or else give you three ♥ tricks.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? 6NT=, 6♦+1 and 6♦=, 3NT+4 and 3NT+3 three times.

The bottom lines:

- With 3-3 in the minors and unable to open 1NT, open 1♣. Expert opinion is divided when 4-4 in the minors, I will always open 1♣.

Dave’s 2^nd Column Here is Dave’s second input involving the play of the hand.

West East You are East, declarer in 4♠.

♠ KJ9 ♠ AQ10754 South leads the ♥K, plan the play.

♥ A5 ♥ 3

♦ 542 ♦ K63

♣ AK754 ♣ 632

Dave’s 2^nd Column answer Board 26 from Wednesday 8^th

Dealer: ♠ 86 West North East South

East ♥ J1042 - - 2♠ 3♥

both vul ♦ QJ109 4♠ all pass

♣ QJ8

♠ KJ9 N ♠ AQ10754

♥ A5 W E ♥ 3

♦ 542 S ♦ K63

♣ AK754 ♣ 632

♠ 32

♥ KQ9876

♦ A87

♣ 109

You have 4 losers; 1 ♣ and 3 ♦’s. As always you should try to set up your long suit (♣’s here) in order to discard your losers.

The problem is that North will win the 3^rd round of ♣’s and lead the ♦Q – one down.

You must set up ♣’s without letting North in. How? Exchange a loser. Let South hold the opening lead. It’s true that you had no ♥ loser initially and have just created one, but you now have no ♣ loser as you can now discard a ♣ on the ♥A. The difference is that North can now never obtain the lead.

South is helpless when he holds the first trick. He can do no better than continue ♥’s and you discard a ♣. Cash the ♣A, enter your hand with a ♠ and lead a 2^nd ♣ towards the ♣K (in case South has a singleton ♣ - let him ruff thin air). When the ♣K holds, ruff a ♣ high, draw trumps ending in dummy and discard two ♦’s on the established ♣’s. Making 11 tricks.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? Everybody was in 4♠. Five went one down and two made +1 as above.

Bidding Quiz Answers

Hand A: 2♠, this is a weakish bid, to play. A perhaps better alternative is 3♠ if you play that as pre-emptive. You have a mis-fit for partner so any higher action is unwise.

Hand B: (a) 1♥. Bid the hand slowly and find out what partner has got.

(b) 4♣. Gerber. You have found out what partner has got, it’s probably enough for

6NT so check on aces. A conservative 4NT (invitational) is an alternative.

Hand C: 3♦, transfer. This hand will probably be totally useless unless ♥’s are trumps.

Hand D: Pass. Partner’s bid is weakish (to play).

Hand E: Pass. Knock off a point for the totally flat 4333 type shape. This flat garbage, even with two aces, is nowhere near an opener with just two points in the only ‘long’ suit. It’s usually best to obey the rule of 20.

Hand F: 3♠. It’s not good enough for 4♠ as partner has promised nothing. Pass is a very reasonable but perhaps slightly pessimistic option.

Hand G: (a) 1♥. You have to bid and 1♥ here shows about 0-8 points.

(b) Pass. Now you are under no obligation to bid and a ‘free bid’ of 1♥ here should show about 6-9 points.

Hand H: 2NT, or 3NT if you feel like it. With a decent doubleton in partner’s suit I would not look for a 5-3 ♠ fit but prefer to play in NoTrumps; hoping that partner has something decent in ♣’s, especially with the lead coming up to him.

Bidding Sequence Quiz Answers

J 1NT pass 4♣ pass

4♠ pass 4NT 4NT is a sign off, to play. 5♣ would be the king ask.

K 1♣ pass 1♦ pass You have to agree this one. I play 1♠ as natural

1♥ pass 2♠ (and forcing) and 2♠ as 4^th suit forcing.

L 1♦ 1NT 2♠ 2♠ is a weak (passable) bid. Dbl with a good hand.

M 1♦ 1NT 3♠ This is up to partnership understanding. I play it as

pre-emptive.