Our website is www.pattayabridge.com Club News Sheet – No. 352

Our blogsite is www.pattayabridge.wordpress.com

My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 083 6066880 9^th Aug 2009

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 3^rd 1^st Bob & Robbie 68% 2^nd Paul Q & Terry Q 59%

Wed 5^th 1^st Paul Q & Terry Q 62% 2^nd Hans & Janne 57%

Fri 7 ^th 1^st Guttorm & Janne 62% 2^nd Hans & Ivy 56%

Bidding Quiz Standard American bidding is assumed unless otherwise stated.

Hand A Hand B With Hand A it’s favourable vulnerability. You decide to

open 1♥ in 3^rd seat and LHO overcalls 2♦. This is passed to you,

♠ Q965 ♠ J62 do you pass or re-open with a double?

♥ AKJ3 ♥ QJ1096

♦ 5 ♦ AQ85 With Hand B partner opens 1♥ and RHO overcalls 1♠, what

♣ Q765 ♣ 7 do you bid?

Hand C Hand D With Hand C partner opens 1♠, what do you bid?

♠ AQJ72 ♠ AJ62

♥ AQ7 ♥ AK With Hand D RHO opens 1♥, what do you bid?

♦ 3 ♦ A109

♣ AK63 ♣ QJ53

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Bidding Sequence Quiz

E 1♣ pass 1♥ pass What does the dbl mean and what suit should be led?

1♠ pass 1NT pass

2NT pass 3NT pass

pass dbl

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An automatic re-opening double? Board 3 from Monday 3^rd

Dealer: ♠ A8 West North East(A) South

West ♥ 97642 pass pass 1♥ (1) 2♦

N-S vul ♦ 74 pass (2) pass pass (3) pass

♣ AK32

(1) A typical 3^rd seat opening in this pair’s

♠ J43 N ♠ Q965 style – a decent 4-card suit and lead

♥ Q5 W E ♥ AKJ3 directional.

♦ KQ109 S ♦ 5 (2) You have to pass with this hand (not quite

♣ J1084 ♣ Q765 enough for 2NT), but what would you do if

♠ K1072 partner doubles? Pass for penalties?

♥ 109 (3) What did you bid with this East hand A in

♦ AJ8632 this week’s quiz? An ‘automatic’ re-opening

♣ 9 double is usually the answer, but opposite a passed hand and lacking 2½ quick tricks pass is more prudent in this case.

And what happened? 2♦ made exactly for a near top to E-W, had it been doubled it would have been a top to N-S.

The bottom lines: -

- There are exceptions to the ‘automatic’ re-opening double, one of these is when opener does not have a real opener, i.e. lacks 2½ quick tricks.

Splinter to slam – part 1 Board 21 from Monday 3^rd

Dealer: ♠ Q1084 Table A

North ♥ 5 West(B) North East South

N-S vul ♦ K1073 - pass 1♥ pass (1)

♣ K852 4♥ (2) all pass

♠ J62 N ♠ A Table B

♥ QJ1096 W E ♥ AK732 West(B) North East South

♦ AQ85 S ♦ J964 - pass 1♥ 1♠ (1)

♣ 7 ♣ A93 4♣ (3) 4♠ 6♥ (4) all pass

♠ K9753

♥ 84

♦ 2

♣ QJ1064

Table A: (1) 2♥, a Michaels cue bid, is an alternative.

(2) What did you bid with this West hand B in this week’s quiz (whether there is a 1♠ overcall or not is pretty much irrelevant)? With 5 trumps and a singleton this looks OK, but it’s not the bid I made.

Table B: (1) This looks a bit dangerous at this vulnerability. I prefer pass or Michaels.

(3) This is my answer to question B. I think it’s too good for the 4♥ bid made at table A, with great intermediates in the trump suit and a decent 4-card side suit this must be worth a sound raise to 4♥, and the way to do that is to describe the hand with a 4♣ splinter.

(4) With both opponents bidding ♠’s and knowing that partner has nothing in ♣’s, our Sherlock Holmes sitting East correctly deduced that partner must have a high ♦ honour and probably a decent ♦ suit.

And what happened? 6♥=, 4♥+2 twice, 4NT+2 and 4♥+1.

The bottom lines: -

- Understand splinters.

Splinter to slam – part 2 Board 7 from Monday 3^rd

Dealer: ♠ 6 West North East(C) South

South ♥ 62 - - - pass

both vul ♦ KQ974 1♠ pass 4♦ (1) pass

♣ J10982 4♠ (2) pass 4NT (3) pass

5♥ (4) pass 5NT (5) pass

♠ K9853 N ♠ AQJ72 6♥ (6) pass 7♠ (7) all pass

♥ K98 W E ♥ AQ7

♦ A6 S ♦ 3 (1) What did you bid with this East hand C in

♣ Q75 ♣ AK63 this week’s quiz. A 4♦ splinter is very clear.

♠ 104 (2) With this good ♦ holding opposite a singleton

♥ J10543 West could make a more positive move, but

♦ J10852 with a minimum and no convenient cue bid

♣ 4 he decided to bid just 4♠,

(3) This East hand is good enough to press on with RKCB regardless.

(4) Two keycards without the ♠Q.

(5) King ask

(6) Showing the ♥K (and no other). This pair bid the cheapest king in response to the king ask.

(7) The ♥K is a great card of course (far better than the ♦K) and so East bid the grand knowing that West needed very little more (♣Q or doubleton ♣ for example) but it’s perhaps a bit of a gamble.

And what happened? 7♠=, 6♠+1twice, 4♠+3 and 5♦*(N)-1.

The bottom lines: -

- Understand splinters.

- Specific King responses to RKCB are a popular treatment with more experienced players.

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

West East You are West, declaring in 5♣ after North had opened

♠ 3 ♠ AQJ with a weak 2♥. North leads the ♥A and switches to

♥ 843 ♥ Q the ♦10. You win with the ♦A, plan the play and in

♦ A63 ♦ Q8752 particular the play of the ♠ suit.

♣ AQ8762 ♣ K1053

Dave’s Column answer Board 25 from Wednesday 5^th

Dealer: ♠ 876 Book bidding

North ♥ AK10652 West North East South

E-W vul ♦ 104 - 2♥ dbl 3♥

♣ 94 5♣ all pass

♠ 3 N ♠ AQJ

♥ 843 W E ♥ Q North leads the ♥A and switched to the ♦10.

♦ A63 S ♦ Q8752 You play low from dummy and win with the ♦A.

♣ AQ8762 ♣ K1053 Plan the play.

♠ K109542

♥ J97

♦ KJ9

♣ J

You can, after drawing trumps, play either opponent for the ♠K. You can lead to the ♠Q or you can lead the ♠A and then the ♠Q for a ruffing finesse.

Which is best?

Before you decide, you should ask the opponents what they normally lead from AK. If it is the ace the it’s quite likely that North also holds the ♥K. Then, assuming that North has the ♥K, he rates not to also hold the ♠K. You cannot be certain, but leading to the ♠A and playing the ♠Q through South for a ruffing finesse is a logical line of play.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? 4♣+1 twice, 4♥*(N)-1, 3♥(N)= and +1.

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

North South You are South, declarer in 3NT after East had opened 1♥.

♠ K10 ♠ AJ62 West leads the ♥J, plan the play.

♥ 765 ♥ AK

♦ QJ7 ♦ A109

♣ 109862 ♣ QJ53

Dave’s 2^nd Column answer Board 26 from Wednesday 5^th

Dealer: ♠ K10 Book bidding

East ♥ 765 West North East South(D)

E-W vul ♦ QJ7 - - 1♥ dbl (1)

♣ 109862 pass 2♣ pass 2NT

pass 3NT all pass

♠ Q83 N ♠ 9754

♥ J108 W E ♥ Q9432 My Table

♦ 86532 S ♦ K4 West North East South(D)

♣ 74 ♣ AK - - 1♥ 1NT (1)

♠ AJ62 all pass

♥ AK

♦ A109 (1) What did you bid with this South hand D in this week’s quiz?

♣ QJ53 I fully understand that most will not agree with me, but I don’t like the double as in the book. I agree that it makes finding a ♠ fit easier but if there is game then a ♠ fit will always be located. If it’s just a partscore then 1NT may play just as well as 3♠ or even better (you would have to raise a 2♠ response to 3♠ and partner may be virtually bust). But the real problem is if partner does not have ♠’s then your rebid of 2NT may well get you too high (as here) and this bare ♥AK are 7 lousy points which will be quickly knocked out.

So I was not facing any particular problem as I played in the best spot of 1NT making +1.

Anyway, those of you who chose to double with Hand D have to now solve the problem of making 3NT on the ♥J lead.

The book clearly states that this is not a terribly good contract (as I predicted when I did not double). But the book continues as follows, saying that the bidding was fine right down to North’s 3NT bid. North was counting on South to have around 19 points and since South is sitting over the points he should be able to play the hand nicely.

After winning the ♥ lead, South saw that he would not have time to play on ♣’s. He would have to take the ♦ finesse to give him seven sure tricks. South then needs two more and they can only come from ♠’s. How should South get them?

The answer is that South needs a miracle. At least he knows which miracle is needed. South needs 4 ♠ tricks. That means that he needs one of the opponents to have ♠Qxx. It won’t work if East has ♠Qxx but will work if West has ♠Qxx. Finesse the ♠10. Miracle one: it wins. Play the ♦’s taking the finesse and repeating if necessary. OK so far. Play the ♠K and come to the ♥A. Now when the ♠A drops the ♠Q you have your second miracle.

There are many reasons why you cannot make 3NT if East has the ♠Q. Try finding them.

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

The bottom lines:

- I prefer not to rely on miracles. I disagree with the majority (including Michael Lawrence) who got themselves into this ‘lousy contract’ because they did not realize that AK stiff in the opponent’s suit is a bad holding (points belong in long suits – this South hand is not worth 19 points) and it was pretty obvious to me when I picked it up that I was not going to double and then bid 2NT because a 3NT contract would be very poor opposite a 6-count and 2NT equally hopeless opposite less.

A Stayman Super-accept Board 11 from Wed 5^th teams

Dealer: ♠ A6 Table A

South ♥ K10752 West North East South

Love all ♦ A73 - - - pass

♣ KQ7 pass 1NT pass 2♣ (1)

pass 2♥ all pass

♠ Q742 N ♠ KJ3

♥ QJ W E ♥ 8 Table B

♦ 86 S ♦ KJ1092 West North East South

♣ AJ865 ♣ 10932 - - - pass

♠ 10985 pass 1NT pass 2♣ (1)

♥ A9643 dbl (2) 3♥ (3) 4♣ 4♥ (4)

♦ Q54 all pass

♣ 4

Table A: (1) This is preferable to a 2♦ transfer.

Table B: (1) Garbage Stayman, intending to pass a major suit response or to bid 2♥ over 2♦ to show 4-5 in the majors and to play.

(2) Showing ♣’s.

(3) A Stayman super-accept! This convention is not that well known, it is fully described in the NoTrump bidding book. This particular bid shows 5 ♥’s and a maximum.

(4) South happily bids game that most will miss.

And what happened? 4♥+1, 2♥+3.

The bottom lines: -

- There are 5 separate bids for Stayman super-accepts, quite playable in combination with garbage Stayman which promises no points, and they will often allow you to reach otherwise un-biddable games.

Bidding Quiz Answers

Hand A: Pass. You know that partner wants you to double, but you do not have 2½ quick tricks and pass is more prudent.

Hand B: 4♣, a splinter agreeing ♥’s. This hand is far too good for a pre-emptive raise to 4♥ which is the bid I would make if lacking the ♦A.

Hand C: 4♦, a splinter. This one is pretty obvious and it’s probably just a matter of a small or grand slam.

Hand D: 1NT (15-18). I fully realize that every man and his dog will disagree with me here and bid the ‘obvious’ double. This works well if partner has a minimal hand with 4 ♠’s but what happens if he does not have ♠’s? He bids 2 of something and you bid 2NT. Partner passes with 0-5 or raises to 3NT with 6 points. Either way the contract will be lousy one, the opponents have an obvious lead and your glorious ♥AK will be quickly knocked out setting up at least 3 ♥ tricks for opener. This ♥AK is a horrible 7 points – points belong in long suits – and this hand should be downgraded to 18 and so a 1NT overcall. If partner happens to have 4 ♠’s and values for game or an invite then he will bid Stayman and the correct 4♠ contract will always be reached (played by the strong hand).

Bidding Sequence Quiz Answers

E 1♣ pass 1♥ pass When 3NT is freely bid with no interfering bidding,

1♠ pass 1NT pass a double asks partner to lead dummy’s first bid suit.

2NT pass 3NT pass So in this example, a ♣ should be led.

pass 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	1879.3 Janne Roos 1855.2 Hans Vikman 1838.7 Paul Quodomine 1776.3 Sally Watson	669.6 Janne Roos 667.7 Hans Vikman 649.3 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	350.7 Hans Vikman 350.0 Janne Roos 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