Our website is www.pattayabridge.com Club News Sheet – No. 397

Our blogsite is www.pattayabridge.wordpress.com

My mobile phone number is 083 6066880 20^th June 2010

My e-mail is terry@pattayabridge.com or pattayabridge@yahoo.com

My MSN messenger ID is tj_quested@hotmail.com

Mon 14^th 1^st Niels & Tonni 66% 2^nd Guttorm & Johan 58%

Wed 16^th 1^st Niels & Janne 66% 2^nd Paul Q & Terry Q 60%

Fri 18^th 1^st Tonni & Janne 59% 2^nd Jan & Terry Q 54%

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Bidding Quiz Standard American bidding is assumed unless otherwise stated.

Hand A Hand B What do you open with Hand A?

♠ AK4 ♠ AQ10 With Hand B LHO opens 1♦ and RHO bids 1♥. (a) What do you

♥ K832 ♥ AJ8 do? Suppose you pass, LHO bids 1NT and RHO bids 2♥

♦ A73 ♦ K86 (b) What do you do? Suppose you again pass and this goes to

♣ AQ6 ♣ A1098 partner who bids 2♠ and RHO passes. (c) What do you do?

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

♠ AJ74 ♠ 76

♥ 542 ♥ 86 With Hand D LHO opens 1♦, partner overcalls with 1♥

♦ AQJ7 ♦ AKJ762 and RHO passes. What do you do?

♣ Q5 ♣ 987

Hand E Hand F With Hand E you open 1♦ (with a 18-19 2NT rebid in mind),

but LHO overcalls 1♠ and this is passed to you. What now?

♠ KQ ♠ K10982

♥ KJ107 ♥ 9 With Hand F LHO opens 1♥ and partner doubles. RHO bids

♦ AQ93 ♦ 10864 2♥, what do you bid?

♣ K85 ♣ KJ3

Hand G Hand H What do you open with Hand G?

♠ KJ53 ♠ Q64

♥ KQ5 ♥ A What do you open with Hand H?

♦ Q963 ♦ AQ92

♣ A8 ♣ AKJ72

Bidding Sequence Quiz

J 1♦ 1♠ pass pass What does 1NT show?

1NT

K 1♦ 1♠ pass pass What does 2NT show?

2NT

L 1♦ 1♥ pass 2♦ What does 2♦ show – a ♦ suit, asking for a ♦ stop, or what?

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That 4333 shape yet again Board 21 from Monday 14^th May

I mentioned just last week a hand (♠K62 ♥AQ43 ♦KQ8 ♣AQ4) that is not worth a 2NT opener because of the totally flat 4333 type shape. Of course nearly everybody totally ignored these words of wisdom and they paid for it on this deal.

Dealer: ♠ J1075 Table A

North ♥ J4 West North East South(A)

N-S vul ♦ 86542 - pass pass 2NT (1)

♣ 94 all pass

♠ 632 N ♠ Q98 Table B

♥ A105 W E ♥ Q976 West North East South(A)

♦ KJ S ♦ Q109 - pass pass 1♣ (1)

♣ KJ1072 ♣ 853 pass (2) pass pass

♠ AK4

♥ K832

♦ A73

♣ AQ6

Table A: (1) What did you open with this South hand A in this week’s quiz? It’s a balanced 20 count and doubtless everybody will open 2NT (20-21). This is copied word-for-word from last week’s news sheet.

Table B: (1) This totally flat hand with no intermediates is not worth 2NT; 1♣ is my answer to question A and was chosen by Mike Guin at the table to get a top score.

(2) With length in ♣’s West has no sensible option but to pass.

And what happened? 3NT-3, 3NT-2 twice, 3NT-1 and 1♣-1. Deep Finesse says that 1♣ goes -1 and 2NT goes -2. 3♦ makes but is impossible(?) to reach.

The bottom lines (again copied from last week):

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

- This deal again demonstrates how bad the totally flat 4333 shape is.

No psyches please! Board 16 from Wednesday 16^th May

Dealer: ♠ 1076 West North East South

West ♥ A6 pass pass 1♠ (1) dbl (2)

E-W vul ♦ 1074 redbl … whatever onto a partscore.

♣ J9764

♠ 9 N ♠ KJ8432 (1) Third seat opening can be light, but this

♥ J83 W E ♥ 109754 5-count is totally unacceptable. A pre-emptive

♦ 8632 S ♦ J opening would be fine (16 for the Australian

♣ AKQ105 ♣ 8 rule of 15) but at the 1-level this is a psyche

♠ AQ5 and so not allowed at this club.

♥ KQ2

♦ AKQ95 Every other N-S pair ended up in 3NT making or +1 and

♣ 32 so this partscore was discarded and the board averaged.

Bidding the opponent’s suit – part 1 Board 23 from Monday 14^th May

Biding the opponent’s suit is usually some sort of cue bid, but it can be natural as in this deal:

Dealer: ♠ J74 West North East South

South ♥ KQJ85 - - - 1♣

both vul ♦ Q8 pass (1) 1♥ pass 1♠

♣ 1098 pass 2♥ pass pass

3♣ (2) pass pass dbl (3)

♠ AQ10 N ♠ K98 pass pass pass (4)

♥ - W E ♥ 1097432

♦ A952 S ♦ K764 (1) West can do nothing when RHO opens his suit.

♣ QJ5432 ♣ - (2) But now this is natural and to play.

♠ 8632 (3) With a real ♣ suit headed by the ♣AK South

♥ A6 doubled for penalties.

♦ J103 (4) Showing trust in partner.

♣ AK76

And what happened? On the lie of the cards 3♣ always makes. Results were 2♣(W)*+1, 3♣*=, 3♣=, 4♥(N)-4 and 5♦=.

Bidding the opponent’s suit – part 2 Board 9 from Friday 18^th May

Here we have an unwise bid of the opponent’s suit:

Dealer: ♠ AK54 West(D) North East South

North ♥ J104 - 1♦ 1♥ pass

E-W vul ♦ Q983 2♦ (1) pass 4♥ (2) all pass

♣ Q6

(1) What did you bid with this West hand D in

♠ 76 N ♠ QJ32 this week’s quiz? 2♦ in this scenario does

♥ 86 W E ♥ AK7532 not show a ♦ suit and is best played as an

♦ AKJ762 S ♦ 4 Unassuming Cue Bid – promising a sound

♣ 987 ♣ 102 raise to 3♥ or better.

♠ 1098 (2) Since the USB has appeared many times

♥ Q9 in the news sheets East assumed that his

♦ 105 partner knew it and with his good suit and

♣ AKJ543 shape he bid game.

And what happened? 4♥ stood no chance and went two down for a bottom. Other results were 3♣(S)+1 and 3♠(N)-1.

Balancing with a two-count Board 11 from Monday 14^th May

One normally needs about 6+ points to balance, but there are always exceptions:

Dealer: ♠ 9 West North East(B) South

South ♥ 109654 - - - 1♦

Love all ♦ AQ9 pass (1) 1♥ pass (2) 1NT

♣ J752 pass 2♥ pass (3) pass

2♠ (4) pass 3♠ (5) all pass

♠ J65432 N ♠ AQ10

♥ 32 W E ♥ AJ8 (1) Far too weak for a weak 2♠ jump of course.

♦ J75 S ♦ K86 (2) What did you bid with this East hand B(a) in

♣ 63 ♣ A1098 this week’s quiz? Bidding in the sandwich

♠ K87 seat between two unlimited opponents is very

♥ KQ7 dangerous, especially with a balanced hand.

♦ 10432 I would never dream of bidding 1NT here.

♣ KQ4 (3) And pass is also the answer to question B(b)

(4) Now is the time for West to show his ♠ suit.

(5) What did you bid with this East hand B(c) in this week’s quiz? I call this ‘hanging partner’. Partner is balancing and is bidding the points in your hand. There is absolutely no chance of game with this flat hand as the opponents have shown around 20 points and you should pass.

And what happened? 2♠ is the limit, but the defence was not accurate at four tables. Results were 3♠=twice, 2♠+1 twice and 2♠=.

A re-opening double? Board 20 from Monday 14^th May

A recurring theme. When playing negative doubles, do not forget the ‘automatic’ re-opening double.

West North East(C) South

Dealer: ♠ J74 pass pass 1♦ 1♠ (1)

West ♥ 652 pass (2) pass 2NT (3) pass

both vul ♦ 652 3NT all pass

♣ Q763

(1) very dubious with this miserable 4-card suit.

♠ 10852 N ♠ KQ (2) Perhaps knowing South’s bidding, West

♥ A9 W E ♥ KJ107 passed with the intention of passing partner’s

♦ 7 S ♦ AQ93 coming re-opening double for penalties.

♣ AJ10942 ♣ K85 (3) What did you bid with this East hand C in

♠ A963 this week’s quiz? This jump to 2NT is

♥ Q843 unnecessary – 1NT shows 18-19. But

♦ KJ1084 double is an alternative as it’s just possible

♣ - that partner has a penalty hand (if South is known to overcall on rubbish).

And what happened? 2♣**(E)+3, 3NT+2 twice, 3NT= and 5♣-1. 1♠ doubled would have gone for 800 but clearly the 1960 for 2♣** was an unbeatable top.

Worth a 1NT opening? Board 1 from Wednesday 16^th May

Dealer: ♠ KJ53 Table A

North ♥ KQ5 West North(G) East South

Love all ♦ Q963 - 1NT (1) dbl pass

♣ A8 all pass

♠ 976 N ♠ A1084 Table B

♥ J1054 W E ♥ A9 West North(G) East South

♦ J104 S ♦ AK2 - 1♦ (1) 1NT pass

♣ KQ10 ♣ J952 2♣ (2) pass 2♠ all pass

♠ Q2

♥ 8732

♦ 875

♣ 7643

Table A: (1) What did you open with this North hand G in this week’s quiz? It’s a balanced 15 count and doubtless everybody will open 1NT.

Table B: (1) This North, however, chose to devalue the hand because of the lack of intermediates and it worked out well.

(2) Stayman. I simply cannot understand why people do this. You may luck out if partner has 4 ♥’s but otherwise you are certain to land in an inferior contract.

And what happened? 1NT*-3, 1NT-3, 1NT*-2, 1NT-3 and 2♠(E)-1.

The bottom lines:

- Do not bid Stayman unless you can cope with any (2♦, 2♥ or 2♠) response.

Worth a 2♣ opening? North 9 from Wednesday 16^th May

♠ Q64 What did you open with this North hand H in this week’s quiz?

♥ A One North opened 2♣ followed by 3♣, and ended up in a hopeless 7♣.

♦ AQ92 This hand is nowhere near good enough for that bidding and I would

♣ AKJ72 open 2NT. Any singleton is acceptable for a 2NT opening (but for 1NT it needs to be an ace or king).

Dave’s Column Board 20 from Wednesday 16^th June

A bidding problem this week – Hand F in the ‘Book Bidding’ sequence.

Dealer: ♠ 65 Book Bidding

South ♥ Q1073 West(C) North East(F) South

E-W vul ♦ K53 - - - 1♥

♣ 10762 dbl (1) 2♥ 2♠ (2) 3♥

pass pass 3♠ all pass

♠ AJ74 N ♠ K10982

♥ 542 W E ♥ 9 My Table

♦ AQJ7 S ♦ 10864 West(C) North East(F) South

♣ Q5 ♣ KJ3 - - - 1♥

♠ Q3 pass (1) 2♥ pass pass

♥ AKJ86 dbl (3) pass 2♠ 3♥

♦ 92 3♠ pass pass (4) dbl (5)

♣ A984 all pass

Table A: (1) What did you bid with this West hand C in this week’s quiz? This is from an article by Mike Lawrence, famous for his book on doubles, and he says nothing about this bid and so presumably condones it? I don’t like it at all as it has length in the suit opened and is not playable in the other three suits – what do you do if partner responds in ♣’s?

(2) What did you bid with this East hand F in this week’s quiz? This is actually the point of Lawrence’s article and he is adamant that East should jump to 3♠.

Table B: (1) This was my choice at the table for question C – I do not think it’s correct to double with this hand. It’s true that the hand has 4 ♠’s and you may luck out, but not if partner bids ♣’s.

(3) This is where I backed in with a double. Now if partner bids 3♣’s I could bid 3♦ to show both pointed suits without promising a huge ♦ hand which it would show if I had doubled immediately.

(4) East could bid 4♠ here – partner’s 3♠ bid cannot be a ‘law’ bid as he can only have 4 ♠’s (no overcall) and so he must have exactly what he has – 4 ♠’s, extra values, and ♥ length.

(5) Unwise.

And what happened at the Pattaya bridge club? 4♠*=, 3♠*=, 4♠=, 3♥(S)= and 5♥(S)-3.

Dave’s 2^nd Column Here is Dave’s second problem, on the play of the hand.

North South Book Bidding

♠ AQ76 ♠ K9853 West North East South

♥ AQ97 ♥ 52 1♣ dbl pass 1♠

♦ K85 ♦ A92 2♣ 2♠ pass 4♠

♣ 65 ♣ 873 all pass

You are South, declarer in 4♠. West leads the ♣A,K with East indicating a doubleton. West continues with the ♣Q, plan the play.

Dave’s 2^nd Column answer Board 20 from Wednesday 16^th June

Dealer: ♠ AQ76 Book Bidding

West ♥ AQ97 West North East South

Both vul ♦ K85 1♣ dbl pass 1♠

♣ 65 2♣ 2♠ pass 4♠

all pass

♠ 4 N ♠ J102

♥ K103 W E ♥ J864

♦ Q74 S ♦ J1063 North’s 2♠ raise showed extra values and South

♣ AKQJ92 ♣ 104 raised to game directly as he could hardly have

♠ K9853 more for his 1♠ bid. Indeed, most experts would

♥ 52 have responded 2♠, showing about 8-11 points,

♦ A92 with 4 or 5 ♠’s.

♣ 873

West leads the ♣A and continued with the ♣K as East showed his doubleton (♣4 followed by ♣10 if playing low to encourage). When West leads the ♣Q declarer ruffed with dummy’s ♠Q and East discarded a ♦. When West followed to the ♠A with the ♠4 and showed out on the ♠K, declarer had to lose a trump trick and later a ♦ for one down even with the ♥K onside.

Do you see the error in declarer’s play?

The line of play adopted by declarer was not hopeless. He needed only 2-2 trumps, or the singleton ♠J or ♠10 with West (when a restricted choice finesse against East works). But there is a simple play available to guard against this particular 3-1 break. As declarer has an unavoidable ♦ loser, he should discard a ♦ from dummy on the third round of ♣’s. now declarer can manage the 3-1 break as he still has three high trumps, take the ♥ finesse, and ruff a ♦ with dummy’s fourth ♠.

This is a typical loser-on-loser play.

And what happened at the Pattaya bridge club? 4♠=, 3♠+1 twice, 3♠=, 1♣(W)*+1.

Bidding Quiz Answers

Hand A: 1♣ (with a 2NT rebid in mind). This totally flat hand with no intermediates is not worth a (20-21) 2NT opening, which is what everybody except Mike chose. You should deduct a point for this totally flat shape and with no intermediates there is no reason not to devalue the hand.

Hand B: (a) Pass. Partner must be bust and bidding (1NT) between two bidding opponents is very dangerous.

(b) Pass. As above. You have a flat hand and nothing sensible to say.

(c) Pass. Partner is bidding your points for you. You know that partner probably has at most two points and raising to 3♠ is simply hanging him for balancing.

Hand C: Double or pass? Dave’s first column this week is an article by Mike Lawrence in which he seems to recommend a double here. I cannot see this as the hand is not playable in the other three suits and I would (did) pass.

Hand D: Pass. 2♦ here is not usually played as natural but as a good ♥ raise.

Hand E: 1NT or maybe double. When partner has passed there is no need to jump to 2NT to show a balanced 18-19. Double is an alternative as it’s just possible that partner has a penalty ♠ hand, especially if LHO is known to make dodgy overcalls.

Hand F: 3♠. Here is what Mike Lawrence says: The hand has good high-card points with five ♠’s and with a singleton ♥ this hand is worth around 10 points.

Hand G: 1NT or 1♦. 1NT is obviously fine (but minimum) but I would not argue if you decided to devalue this hand because of no good suit and lack of intermediates and open 1♦.

Hand H: 2NT. The hand is not worth 2♣ and 2♣ followed by 3♣ is an overbid.

Bidding Sequence Quiz Answer

J 1♦ 1♠ pass pass Partner may have very few points and so 1NT here is 18+

1NT

K 1♦ 1♠ pass pass 2NT here does NOT show 18-19, but is an unnecessary jump

2NT showing a lack of understanding of bidding theory

L 1♦ 1♥ pass 2♦ 2♦ here, bidding the opener’s suit, is best played as showing a sound raise to 3♥ or better, the Unassuming cue Bid.

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	1871.3 Janne Roos 1846.9 Paul Quodomine 1816.9 Hans Vikman	658.5 Janne Roos 642.1 Hans Vikman 640.1 Paul Quodomine 626.8 Tomas Wikman 619.8 Lars Broman 615.9 Jean Wissing 615.9 Sally Watson 609.5 Duplessy & Coutlet 597.8 Bengt Malgren 591.0 Johan Bratsburg	335.5 Janne Roos 329.6 Tomas Wikman 327.9 Hans Vikman 324.8 Sally Watson 323.4 Paul Quodomine 322.9 Lars Broman 320.3 Jean Wissing 319.5 Duplessy & Coutlet 316.0 Sigurd Zahl 314.2 Niels Krojhaard

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