Our website is www.pattayabridge.com Club News Sheet – No. 350

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My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 083 6066880 26^th July 2009

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Mon 20^th 1^st Hans & Guttorm 64% 2^nd Guy & Tony H 57%

Wed 22^nd 1^st Hans & Janne 70% 2^nd Paul Q & Terry Q 60%

Fri 24^th 1^st Hans & Paul Q 67% 2^nd Bob S & Paul Sc 58%

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Bidding Quiz Standard American bidding is assumed unless otherwise stated.

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

♠ 8653 ♠ A84

♥ 1098 ♥ 53 With Hand B you open 1♣ and partner responds 1♠. RHO bids

♦ AQ432 ♦ AJ10 2♥, what do you do?

♣ 64 ♣ KJ832

Bidding Sequence Quiz

C 1♠ pass 2♠ 3♥ What is 3♠? Competing or invitational?

3♠

D 1♠ pass 2♠ 3♥ What is the dbl?

dbl

Current club championship standings

	Gold Cup = Best 30	Silver Plate = Best 10	Bronze Medal = Best 5
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	1859.3 Janne Roos 1832.4 Paul Quodomine 1832.2 Hans Vikman 1776.3 Sally Watson	657.6 Janne Roos 655.0 Hans Vikman 649.0 Paul Quodomine 631.8 Sally Watson 619.9 Jeremy Watson 617.5 Bob Short 615.1 Lars Broman 614.1 Ivy Schlageter 609.2 Jean Wissing 607.6 Per Andersson	340.7 Janne Roos 339.9 Hans Vikman 333.3 Paul Quodomine 324.5 Sally Watson 321.8 Ivy Schlageter 321.7 Bob Short 321.7 Jeremy Watson 321.0 Per Andersson 316.9 Terje Lie 316.1 Lars Broman

The Tripple

Congratulations to Hans Vikman, who has won the triple (three wins in one week) a total of three times now. I note that Guttorm recently won three times in a row – but that does not count as it has to be in the same week

.

A support double Board 4 from Monday 20^th

Not so many play them, but a support double (showing 3-card support for partner’s major suit response) would have worked well on this hand.

Dealer: ♠ Q53 Table A

West ♥ Q8 West North East South

both vul ♦ 9832 1♣ pass 1♠ 3♥ (1)

♣ Q975 pass (2) pass 3♠ (3) pass

4♠ (4) all pass

♠ A84 N ♠ KJ9762

♥ 53 W E ♥ J104 ‘Expert’ table

♦ AJ10 S ♦ 76 West(B) North East South

♣ KJ832 ♣ A10 1♣ pass 1♠ 2♥ (1)

♠ 10 dbl (5) pass 4♠ (6) all pass

♥ AK9762

♦ KQ54

♣ 64

Table A: (1) This is a strange bid. Apparently South wanted to make a weak jump overcall, I don’t know why and a simple 2♥ looks clear to me.

(2) This is tricky if you don’t play support doubles and pass is probably best.

(3) Very reasonable.

(4) With his 3-card support, West decided to raise to game, although three players on the day did not

‘Expert’ (1) Let’s assume a normal 2♥ overcall.

Table: (5) What did you bid with this West hand B in this week’s quiz? This is a support double, promising 3-card ♠ support (a 2♠ bid would guarantee 4 ♠’s). I would make the same bid over 3♥ (as at 4 above).

(6) With known 3-card support opposite this hand is worth a shot at game.

And what happened? 4♠=, 4♠-1, 3♠+1, 3♠=twice and 2♠+2. My partner made 4♠ no problem.

The bottom lines: -

- Support doubles (and redoubles) are a useful tool for the more advanced player.

- They not only show exactly3-card support, but help partner in the auction, especially if he is contemplating leaving the double in for penalties.

A Constructive raise Board 1 from Wednesday 22^nd

When you open say 1♠ and partner bids 2♠, then you often don’t really have that much information; partner is 6-10 and may have 4 or just 3 trumps. That is a drawback of normal Standard American but there are two treatments that allow responder to be more accurate. One is to play Bergen Raises and the other is to play 2/1 with constructive raises.

Dealer: ♠ QJ1087 Table A

North ♥ A West North East South

Love all ♦ AKQ3 - 1♠ pass 2♠ (1)

♣ J107 3♥ 3♠ (2) 3♠ pass (3)

all pass

♠ 9 N ♠ K43

♥ K1098543 W E ♥ QJ2 Table B

♦ 84 S ♦ J652 West North East South

♣ K32 ♣ A96 - 1♠ pass 2♠ (1)

♠ A652 3♥ 4♠ (2) all pass

♥ 76

♦ 1097

♣ Q854

Table A: (1) This is a pretty obvious bid playing Standard American.

(2) Presumably meant as invitational – but it isn’t, it is simply competitive. Since there is no room for a trial bid, double should show an invitational hand.

(3) I guess that South may decline even if he knew partner was inviting.

Table: (1) This South had no problem, however. They play 2/1 and with a poor raise to 2♠ he would bid a forcing 1NT and then 2♠. I consider this hand just about worth a constructive raise because of the 4^th ♠.

(2) And North has an easy 4♠ bid opposite a known good raise.

And what happened? 4♠+1 twice, 4♠*+1 twice and 3♠+2 twice.

The bottom lines: -

- East has a 7-card suit but it’s dangerous to bid 3♥ as partner may assume that you have some points, this explains the two doubled contracts.

- Two-over-one really has a whole bundle of benefits.

- Bergen Raises are also defined on the website.

A play problem Board 23 from Wednesday 23^rd

Dealer: ♠ K3 West North East South

South ♥ 10953 - - - pass

Both vul ♦ J7 pass pass 1♣ pass

♣ A10542 1♥ pass 1♠ pass

2♠ pass 4♠ all pass

♠ 8642 N ♠ AQ97

♥ KJ84 W E ♥ 76

♦ AQ3 S ♦ K96 South led the ♣7 which North won with the ♣A.

♣ 93 ♣ KQJ8 North returned a ♣ which East won. How

♠ J105 should East tackle the trump suit?

♥ AQ2

♦ 108542

♣ 76

Virtually everybody in the club crossed to dummy and finessed the ♠Q, thus making the contract. At our table declarer took a different line – he cashed the ♠A and then entered dummy to lead towards the ♠Q. This failed when North won and gave partner his ♣ ruff (South had carefully played the ♠10 and then the ♠5, a trump echo guaranteeing three trumps and asking for a ruff – so obviously showing that he could ruff higher than dummy). So, which line of play in the ♠ suit is correct? I have no idea and so I put it in to the suit play program on the website and the program crossed to dummy and then ran the ♠8. This would have worked in practice but the program only plays the suit in isolation and does not know about the impending ♣ ruff. Perhaps Mr. Vincit would like to make a constructive comment?

And what happened? 4♠= 5 times; 4♠-1 once.

Lebensohl Board 1 from Monday 20^th

Dealer: ♠ J6543 Table A

North ♥ KQ3 West North East South

Love all ♦ Q10 - pass 1NT 2♥

♣ Q107 2NT (1) pass 3NT all pass

♠ K87 N ♠ AQ2 Table B

♥ 9 W E ♥ 542 West North East South

♦ 86532 S ♦ AKJ - pass 1NT 2♥

♣ AJ43 ♣ K986 3NT (1) pass 4♣ (2) pass

♠ 109 pass (3)

♥ AJ10876

♦ 974

♣ 52

Table A: (1) This is tricky. An invitational 2NT looks OK if you don’t play that as Lebensohl – but the ♥’s may be wide open!

Table B: (1) This pair play Lebensohl and so 3NT shows the values (just about!) for 3NT but denies a ♥ stop.

(2) Knowing that there is no ♥ stop, East bids 4♣.

(3) With a minimum for 3NT bid, West decided to pass.

And what happened? 3NT-2 three times (the obvious ♥J lead); 3NT=, 4♣= and 1NT+2.

The bottom lines: -

- The Lebensohl convention has many uses, here the direct 3NT bid shows no ♥ stop. With a ♥ stop West bids 2NT (forcing 3♣) and then bids 3NT – slow shows.

- Holding AJ108xx against 3NT, lead the jack.

Dave’s Column Here is Dave’s first input, this time a defensive problem.

East West North East South

♠ K4 - 1♥ pass 2♥

♥ A52 pass 2♠ pass 3♠

♦ J1097 pass 4♠ all pass

♣ A1052

You are East, on lead against 4♠, what is your opening lead?

Dave’s Column answer Board 5 from Wednesday 22^nd

Dealer: ♠ AQJ9 Book bidding

East ♥ KQJ74 West North East South(A)

N-S vul ♦ K6 - 1♥ pass 2♥ (1)

♣ Q7 pass 2♠ (2) pass 3♠ (3)

pass 4♠ (4) all pass

♠ 1072 N ♠ K4

♥ 63 W E ♥ A52 (1) What did you bid with this South hand A in

♦ 85 S ♦ J1097 this week’s quiz? With a hand worth only one

♣ KJ9843 ♣ A1052 bid it’s best to show your 3 ♥’s rather than 1♠

(2) A game try that may be 4 cards

♠ 8653 (3) South accepts because of his singleton, but I

♥ 1098 think that he should bid 4♥ - this is likely to be

♦ AQ432 better than a 4-4 ♠ fit because ♣ ruffs can be

♣ 6 taken in the short trump hand.

(4) Obviously North does not know that the 5-3 ♥

fit is superior.

East led the ♥A and then another ♥. Declarer won in dummy to try the trump finesse, but when East took the ♠K he led a third ♥. West ruffed and the ♣A meant one down.

East gets credit for a well conceived defence (the opening lead of a small ♥ would also work), but the bidding made it easy for him. East knew that West had at most two ♥’s and East suspected that he would get in with the ♠K.

4♥ makes easily of course.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? 4♠= twice, 4♥= twice, 2♥+2 and 5♣(W)-1.

The bottom lines:

- A 4-4 fit is usually better than a 5-3 fit. But not if the 3 card trump hand can take ruffs in a short suit.

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

West East You are East, declarer in 4♥.

♠ 953 ♠ A42 South leads the ♠Q, plan the play.

♥ A32 ♥ KQJ109

♦ 765 ♦ AJ108

♣ AK42 ♣ 8

Dave’s 2^nd Column answer Board 6 from Wednesday 22^nd

Dealer: ♠ K87 Book bidding

East ♥ 765 West North East South

N-S vul ♦ 42 - - 1♥ pass

♣ J10976 2♣ pass 2♦ pass

2♥ pass 4♥ all pass

♠ 953 N ♠ A42

♥ A32 W E ♥ KQJ109

♦ 765 S ♦ AJ108

♣ AK42 ♣ 8

♠ QJ106

♥ 84 South leads the ♠Q, how should East play the hand?

♦ KQ93

♣ Q53

East won the first ♠, took the ♣AK to discard a ♠, and tried a ♦ finesse with the ♦J. South won with the ♦K, cashed a ♠ and led another ♠. East ruffed and played the ♥K and ♥A and led a 2^nd ♦ to his ♦10. South won with the ♦Q and led another ♦ for partner to ruff for the setting trick.

Where did declarer go wrong? After he discards a ♠ on the ♣K, he should take the ♦A and concede a ♦. When he regains the lead he concedes another ♦ and eventually ruffs his last ♦ with dummy’s ♥A.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? 4♥= four times, 4♥+1 and 4♥-1.

Bidding Quiz Answers

Hand A: 2♥. With a weak hand it’s usually best to support (showing the 8 card ♥ fit) rather than introducing the 4-card ♠ suit.

Hand B: dbl, A Support Double, showing exactly 3 card support for partner. If you do not play support doubles then I guess that you have to bid 3♠.

Bidding Sequence Quiz Answers

C 1♠ pass 2♠ 3♥ 3♠ is simply competing

3♠

D 1♠ pass 2♠ 3♥ dbl is a game try – there is no room for a conventional game

dbl try of a new suit, so double has to suffice.