No hand records for the team game.
Competition Corner:
You deal and open 1D with AQxx K10xx Kxx xx . Your left-hand opponent (LHO) preempts with 3C. Partner doubles -- a negative double, basically a takeout double of clubs. RHO passes. The correct bid is 3S -- this is not an "up the line" bidding situation, a player who doubles will not freely bid their own four card suit. Generally, bid down-the-line over doubles. Partner now bids 3NT -- that's to play, right? Wrong! Partner could've bid 3NT if that's all he wanted to play; the double was clearly aimed at finding a major suit fit. Partner does not have 4 spades, so assume he has 4 hearts. You are not increasing the level of the bidding; four of a major can often be made with somewhat less high-card strength than required for 3NT. Bid 4H.
Partner's hand might be Kxx AJxx Axxx Jxx -- if you don't have a major suit, partner is gambling you have something like Qx in clubs.
Finding a minor suit slam over 2NT:
Partner opens 2NT and you have xx xx AJxx AQ10xx . That's 31-32 hcp, plus one for each doubleton if you can find a fit, so you should be thinking of slam in a minor. 6NT is generally poor with less than 33 hcp, unless you can count 12 tricks. How can you probe for 6C or 6D? I doubt many partnerships have a specific way to bid this hand. Generally, it pays to play the same basic system over 2NT that you use over 1NT, it isn't worth the memory burden of having a different system (though many do play Puppet Stayman.) A common use of 2S over 1NT is to ask opener to bid 3C, after which responder passses or corrects to 3D with 6+ in a minor and a weak hand. Over 2NT, it would be silly to try and stop in 4C or 4D, so 3S must be some sort of slam try. However, I would use that with a single minor six cards or longer.
With both minors, I think the best approach is to bid Stayman, then bid your longer minor over opener's reply. (Puppet bidders will have to make sure that doesn't show some other hand. I'm not a fan of Puppet because it puts too much focus on showing opener's five card major at the expense of bidding some common hands for responder.) To go back to the 1NT case, 1NT-2C-2H-3C is forcing, shows some doubt about playing 3NT (so an unblanced hand) and suggests a second suit if the partneship has an agreed way to make a forcing bid with a single-minor-suited hand. The second suit may or may not be the other major; opener can try the other major and if responder actually has both minors he'll go back to notrump.
Over 2NT, responder bids 3C, opener replies normally, and responder bids 4C suggesting clubs, a second suit, an unbalanced hand, and slam interest. Opener can then bid a second four-card suit if he has one, rebid a five card major, or retreat to 4NT (natural when we're just looking for a fit.) With the given responding hand, raising to six should be a good bet if opener bids diamonds or raises clubs. If not, 4NT should be safe. Note that 4NT is not Blackwood when the search for a fit continues beyond 3NT.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Wednesday 3/23/2011
Right-click here for hands.
Competition Corner -- Board 11:
South has 9 hcp and six diamonds headed by the AK, an obvious weak two but for the Qxxx heart suit. With a singleton spade, if partner has hearts the enemy is a heavy favorite to hold the master suit. Opening 2D will win far more often than it loses -- not today, though! West doubles for takeout; East, with 10 hcp, QJ9xx in diamonds, and no suit to respond, does better to pass than bid some number of notrump. West leads a high heart, switches to clubs when partner discourages, and East-West make 2D on defense -- +800. (OK, so I made the mistake of leading another heart, +500 still beats any game our way.) South should view the carnage philosophically, every bid carries some risk.
Better Bidding -- also Board 11:
If South passes, West opens a heavy 1S, but there's no reason to look for another bid -- if partner passes, 1S will be enough. East should respond 1NT; 10 hcp is not too strong for this bid even in standard, and East's aceless, balanced hand with scattered honors is not worth pushing the bidding. West has qualms about diamonds but there are three unbid suits and the hand is balanced -- raise to 3N, partner may have diamonds stopped (as here) or they may lead something else.
Slamarama
Board 1: North has 11 hcp, all in his two suits, two quick tricks including an ace, and a Goren 13 count or Rule of 20 qualifier. Some prefer not to open a minor with less than 12 hcp but this looks like a routine 1D to me. South reveals immediate slam interest with a strong jump to 2H, North rebids 3C and South continues with 3D. North has nothing new to offer and simply bids 4D to deny a spade stopper or anything better to bid. South bids 4NT and ends at 6D when opener confirms one ace. Note that South can infer partner has no more than two hearts, as 3H would be automatic at North's third turn with any three card support. So South can expect to set the hearts up by ruffing, and since North failed to bid notrump, can expect to pitch spades on North's clubs. The opening spade lead forces declarer to lead three rounds of clubs before starting on the trumps; East may continue with a fourth club; declarer may misguess to ruff high but all is well when trumps divide 2-2 and the fifth heart sets up.
If North passes originally, even getting to game may be difficult -- pass -1H; 2D-3D is best played as forcing, but North cannot show his club stoppers or bid 3NT himself. Having limited his hand with the intial pass, however, North may perhaps cue-bid 4C, but his weak trumps makes a slam try look risky, so again 4D looks right. The initial pass may discourage South from bidding anything but 5D.
Board 3: South has 20 hcp but that isn't enough for a 2C opening when the long suit is a five-card minor; once again, you probably won't miss game by opening 1C. West can show his two red suits by way of the Unusual Notrump (two lower unbid suits), planning a later cue-bid to show his power. East might leap to 4H (expecting a massive crossruff) but at this vulnerability probably settles for 3H. South doubles for takeout, and West redoubles to show his strength. North pulls to 3S, West competes to 4H (expecting to double 4S), South bids 4S, West, sure of a fit for hearts and with little defense to spades, competes to 5H, doubled by South on quick tricks. Where was the slam? 6C makes thanks to North's heart void and a friendly 2-2 club split. No reason to bid that one.
Board 7: The bidding starts 1C-1H;1S-? With 15 hcp, a doubleton and three Aces, North is bit strong for a slam-killing leap to 4S. The scientific bid is 2D (Fourth Suit Forcing); South shows delayed support with 3H, and North then bids 3S. There may be some confusion about what trump suit has been agreed here, I would assume spades but not be surprised if North later bid game or slam in hearts. South's diamond queen is of doubtful value but with KQ-K in partner's suits, a singleton and an Ace in the others South is worth 4NT. North shows 3 aces, and South bids 5NT to confirm all the key cards plus the Queen. If the style is to show number of side Kings, North bids 6C and South can hedge with 6H in case that was the trump suit North intended. If the style is specific Kings, North signs off at 6S to deny a side King and clarify the trump suit.
West doesn't like his lead choices and may exit with a safe trump. South could reverse the dummy by ruffing two diamonds in his hand, but the fourth heart may not be a winner; better to set up the long clubs, and as two ruffs may be needed for that, South plays the Ace and another club. East wins; the clubs look like they are splitting well, but there does not appear to be anything better than to continue trumps. South wins in hand and leads a third club; when West follows, South must ruff low since he cannot ruff high twice in dummy if clubs are 4-2. When East follows declarer pulls the last trump and claims.
Competition Corner -- Board 11:
South has 9 hcp and six diamonds headed by the AK, an obvious weak two but for the Qxxx heart suit. With a singleton spade, if partner has hearts the enemy is a heavy favorite to hold the master suit. Opening 2D will win far more often than it loses -- not today, though! West doubles for takeout; East, with 10 hcp, QJ9xx in diamonds, and no suit to respond, does better to pass than bid some number of notrump. West leads a high heart, switches to clubs when partner discourages, and East-West make 2D on defense -- +800. (OK, so I made the mistake of leading another heart, +500 still beats any game our way.) South should view the carnage philosophically, every bid carries some risk.
Better Bidding -- also Board 11:
If South passes, West opens a heavy 1S, but there's no reason to look for another bid -- if partner passes, 1S will be enough. East should respond 1NT; 10 hcp is not too strong for this bid even in standard, and East's aceless, balanced hand with scattered honors is not worth pushing the bidding. West has qualms about diamonds but there are three unbid suits and the hand is balanced -- raise to 3N, partner may have diamonds stopped (as here) or they may lead something else.
Slamarama
Board 1: North has 11 hcp, all in his two suits, two quick tricks including an ace, and a Goren 13 count or Rule of 20 qualifier. Some prefer not to open a minor with less than 12 hcp but this looks like a routine 1D to me. South reveals immediate slam interest with a strong jump to 2H, North rebids 3C and South continues with 3D. North has nothing new to offer and simply bids 4D to deny a spade stopper or anything better to bid. South bids 4NT and ends at 6D when opener confirms one ace. Note that South can infer partner has no more than two hearts, as 3H would be automatic at North's third turn with any three card support. So South can expect to set the hearts up by ruffing, and since North failed to bid notrump, can expect to pitch spades on North's clubs. The opening spade lead forces declarer to lead three rounds of clubs before starting on the trumps; East may continue with a fourth club; declarer may misguess to ruff high but all is well when trumps divide 2-2 and the fifth heart sets up.
If North passes originally, even getting to game may be difficult -- pass -1H; 2D-3D is best played as forcing, but North cannot show his club stoppers or bid 3NT himself. Having limited his hand with the intial pass, however, North may perhaps cue-bid 4C, but his weak trumps makes a slam try look risky, so again 4D looks right. The initial pass may discourage South from bidding anything but 5D.
Board 3: South has 20 hcp but that isn't enough for a 2C opening when the long suit is a five-card minor; once again, you probably won't miss game by opening 1C. West can show his two red suits by way of the Unusual Notrump (two lower unbid suits), planning a later cue-bid to show his power. East might leap to 4H (expecting a massive crossruff) but at this vulnerability probably settles for 3H. South doubles for takeout, and West redoubles to show his strength. North pulls to 3S, West competes to 4H (expecting to double 4S), South bids 4S, West, sure of a fit for hearts and with little defense to spades, competes to 5H, doubled by South on quick tricks. Where was the slam? 6C makes thanks to North's heart void and a friendly 2-2 club split. No reason to bid that one.
Board 7: The bidding starts 1C-1H;1S-? With 15 hcp, a doubleton and three Aces, North is bit strong for a slam-killing leap to 4S. The scientific bid is 2D (Fourth Suit Forcing); South shows delayed support with 3H, and North then bids 3S. There may be some confusion about what trump suit has been agreed here, I would assume spades but not be surprised if North later bid game or slam in hearts. South's diamond queen is of doubtful value but with KQ-K in partner's suits, a singleton and an Ace in the others South is worth 4NT. North shows 3 aces, and South bids 5NT to confirm all the key cards plus the Queen. If the style is to show number of side Kings, North bids 6C and South can hedge with 6H in case that was the trump suit North intended. If the style is specific Kings, North signs off at 6S to deny a side King and clarify the trump suit.
West doesn't like his lead choices and may exit with a safe trump. South could reverse the dummy by ruffing two diamonds in his hand, but the fourth heart may not be a winner; better to set up the long clubs, and as two ruffs may be needed for that, South plays the Ace and another club. East wins; the clubs look like they are splitting well, but there does not appear to be anything better than to continue trumps. South wins in hand and leads a third club; when West follows, South must ruff low since he cannot ruff high twice in dummy if clubs are 4-2. When East follows declarer pulls the last trump and claims.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Sunday 3/20/2011
Right-click here for hands.
Competition Corner -- Board 3: Lots of judgment calls on this one. Despite two aces, South has a poorish, balanced 11 count: three jacks, no tens, doubleton ace. Even a Precision pair could pass that. West either passes or opens 2H depending on the partnership attitude toward suit quality for a vulnerable weak two. If you open this sort of hand, you want to play Ogust so partner can inquire about your suit quality. The suit is actually fairly sturdy (J1098 at the top protects against a bad break) but with no side ace as an entry it is not clear you want a heart lead at any contract. North, in third seat, has a fine suit (AQ10953); some players worry that such a hand is "too good" for a non-vulnerable weak two. This isn't something to worry about in third seat, the only question is whether a "heavy" 2S or "light" 1S is the best tactical bid (or an off-beat 3S.) I strongly prefer 2S in any position: it gives partner a proper picture of your overall high card and suit strength. The side five card suit and void are "extras" which you may or may not have a chance to describe; but I find opening 1S or 3S misleads partner far more often than 2S, and I can't imagine passing such a fine suit. I tell my partners there is no such thing as a hand "in-between" 1 and 2 -- the best weak twos are the ones closest to an opening bid, not the super-light variety where the opponents surely have the strength to bid.
Assuming Pass-Pass-2S, what can East do? Over 1S, East could overcall 2H, but with only a five card suit 3H (over 2S) is quite a risky bid vulnerable, while double risks missing the likely heart fit. At IMP scoring (teams) I believe I'd pass, but at matchpoints (where you can't get worse than a zero) I would assume a heart fit (better than 50% odds) and bid 3H. Should South compete? The known 9 card fit justifies 3S, but bidding over 3 of a major always risks chasing the enemy into a game they weren't going to bid -- your first instinct should be to let the opponents play 3 or 5 of a major. However, South's hand is the sort I recommend for a 3S bid in this auction: a combination of offense and defense (9 card fit and 11 hcp, including two aces which will be useful either way.) If E/W have a game, South could bid 4S as a sacrifice, expecting partner to take 7 or 8 tricks and be down 300 or 500 vs. 620. But do they have a game and will they bid it? I used to pass in such situations but have now decided it is better to bid 3S with the understanding partner is invited back in to the auction to double or sacrifice if his hand has distinctly more defense or offense than expected.
West, with 6 card support (!) raises to 4H, and North in fact does have extra shape and bids 4S. (North would pass with a routnie hand like AQxxx xx xx Qxx.) And this proves to be the winning call -- both sides can make ten tricks, West competes to 5H, which South doubles. If North opened 1S, South might well double 4H, making. If West opened 2H, North overcalls and South makes the winning 4S bid over East's 4H.
Better Bidding: Opener's 3 level rebid and Quantitative 4NT
Board 2: South opens 1H with a prime 19 count, planning a jump shift to 3C over the expected 1S or 1NT response. Instead, North bids 2D, and South bids 3C without jumping. A new suit at the three level shows extra strength; South should "temporize" by rebidding 2H with a minimum 5-4 hand. There simply isn't room below 3NT to bid intelligently if opener can bid 3C with anything from 11 to 21 hcp. But the non-jump 3C only sugests 15+, not South's actual monster; when North rebids 3NT, South must try again. If 2D was game-forcing, South can reasonably bid 5NT, "pick a slam", in case responder concealed support for clubs. If 2D is standard, promising only 10 or 11 hcp, South raises 3NT to 4 as a quantitative slam try (not Blackwood.) North, with 14 rather than 11, bids 6NT despite having no aces. How do you know 4NT is not Blackwood? When notrump is raised and no suit has been agreed, 4NT is quantitative -- if the partnership has 33 hcp, it cannot be missing 3 aces; conversely, number of aces will not tell you whether you have the power to take 12 tricks.
In the play, a spade lead pressures declarer at trick one: one spade, three hearts, one diamond and four clubs totals only 9 tricks; a winning diamond finesse will add only one more trick, as there is no combination that will allow declarer to win three or more diamond tricks without a loser. Looks like the slam depends on a 3-3 heart split. The spade is ducked to West's King to establish a second trick in the suit, and the hearts do split. Double-dummy 13 tricks can be made by finessing East for the King of diamonds and squeezing West in diamonds and spades, but the odds are very poor.
Competition Corner -- Board 3: Lots of judgment calls on this one. Despite two aces, South has a poorish, balanced 11 count: three jacks, no tens, doubleton ace. Even a Precision pair could pass that. West either passes or opens 2H depending on the partnership attitude toward suit quality for a vulnerable weak two. If you open this sort of hand, you want to play Ogust so partner can inquire about your suit quality. The suit is actually fairly sturdy (J1098 at the top protects against a bad break) but with no side ace as an entry it is not clear you want a heart lead at any contract. North, in third seat, has a fine suit (AQ10953); some players worry that such a hand is "too good" for a non-vulnerable weak two. This isn't something to worry about in third seat, the only question is whether a "heavy" 2S or "light" 1S is the best tactical bid (or an off-beat 3S.) I strongly prefer 2S in any position: it gives partner a proper picture of your overall high card and suit strength. The side five card suit and void are "extras" which you may or may not have a chance to describe; but I find opening 1S or 3S misleads partner far more often than 2S, and I can't imagine passing such a fine suit. I tell my partners there is no such thing as a hand "in-between" 1 and 2 -- the best weak twos are the ones closest to an opening bid, not the super-light variety where the opponents surely have the strength to bid.
Assuming Pass-Pass-2S, what can East do? Over 1S, East could overcall 2H, but with only a five card suit 3H (over 2S) is quite a risky bid vulnerable, while double risks missing the likely heart fit. At IMP scoring (teams) I believe I'd pass, but at matchpoints (where you can't get worse than a zero) I would assume a heart fit (better than 50% odds) and bid 3H. Should South compete? The known 9 card fit justifies 3S, but bidding over 3 of a major always risks chasing the enemy into a game they weren't going to bid -- your first instinct should be to let the opponents play 3 or 5 of a major. However, South's hand is the sort I recommend for a 3S bid in this auction: a combination of offense and defense (9 card fit and 11 hcp, including two aces which will be useful either way.) If E/W have a game, South could bid 4S as a sacrifice, expecting partner to take 7 or 8 tricks and be down 300 or 500 vs. 620. But do they have a game and will they bid it? I used to pass in such situations but have now decided it is better to bid 3S with the understanding partner is invited back in to the auction to double or sacrifice if his hand has distinctly more defense or offense than expected.
West, with 6 card support (!) raises to 4H, and North in fact does have extra shape and bids 4S. (North would pass with a routnie hand like AQxxx xx xx Qxx.) And this proves to be the winning call -- both sides can make ten tricks, West competes to 5H, which South doubles. If North opened 1S, South might well double 4H, making. If West opened 2H, North overcalls and South makes the winning 4S bid over East's 4H.
Better Bidding: Opener's 3 level rebid and Quantitative 4NT
Board 2: South opens 1H with a prime 19 count, planning a jump shift to 3C over the expected 1S or 1NT response. Instead, North bids 2D, and South bids 3C without jumping. A new suit at the three level shows extra strength; South should "temporize" by rebidding 2H with a minimum 5-4 hand. There simply isn't room below 3NT to bid intelligently if opener can bid 3C with anything from 11 to 21 hcp. But the non-jump 3C only sugests 15+, not South's actual monster; when North rebids 3NT, South must try again. If 2D was game-forcing, South can reasonably bid 5NT, "pick a slam", in case responder concealed support for clubs. If 2D is standard, promising only 10 or 11 hcp, South raises 3NT to 4 as a quantitative slam try (not Blackwood.) North, with 14 rather than 11, bids 6NT despite having no aces. How do you know 4NT is not Blackwood? When notrump is raised and no suit has been agreed, 4NT is quantitative -- if the partnership has 33 hcp, it cannot be missing 3 aces; conversely, number of aces will not tell you whether you have the power to take 12 tricks.
In the play, a spade lead pressures declarer at trick one: one spade, three hearts, one diamond and four clubs totals only 9 tricks; a winning diamond finesse will add only one more trick, as there is no combination that will allow declarer to win three or more diamond tricks without a loser. Looks like the slam depends on a 3-3 heart split. The spade is ducked to West's King to establish a second trick in the suit, and the hearts do split. Double-dummy 13 tricks can be made by finessing East for the King of diamonds and squeezing West in diamonds and spades, but the odds are very poor.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Thursday 3/17/2011
Right-click here for hands.
Competition Corner -- Board 21: Three voids in one deal make for wild bidding!
South opens 1C after two passes; West overcalls 1D. North has just enough to bid 1H -- you would certainly bid had West passed, and may as well compete for the part-score. East can raise diamonds but may as well show his major suit on the way, 1S. South has a huge hand for hearts; grand slam could be on opposite xxx KQxx xxxx Ax . South can best describe his hand with a splinter jump to 4D or even a void-showing jump to 5D (some would play that as Voidwood, RKCB for hearts but exclude the Ace of diamonds.) North may not have much so it's risky to go past game; 4D by South. North can expect to ruff several diamonds in South's hand but slam requires South to have 4 key cards or 3 plus the Queen; 4H seems prudent. East has defensive tricks in hearts but also a great offensive hand; with no worries they can make slam, uncertain about setting 4H, and chances 5D could make, may as well push them to the five level with 5D. South takes the push, seeing good chances for 5H and uncertain whether partner can provide any help on defense. (If the 4D bid seemed a compete description, South would pass the decision to partner, but here the diamond void and seven card club suit are unknown to partner.)
The auction sounds good for West -- partner has help in spades and diamonds, the clubs are located over the club bidder, and West is void in hearts. Partner already knows about the diamonds, may as well show the spades (5S.) Partner is unlikely to expect more than 3 card support for such a delayed bid. North expects to set either 5S or 6D and so doubles 5S. East ponders, but the good spots in diamonds argue for 6D, with the chance of pitching a spade loser on a heart. South has done enough; after two passes North doubles 6D. At the club, all three N/S pairs bought the contract in hearts, managing only 8 or 9 tricks with against the extremely bad breaks. At diamonds, best defense is for North to play the Ace and another trump, but the holding looks ideal for a club lead and West should manage to score a spade, heart, club, and eight ruffs.
Better Bidding -- Board 10: South has 20 hcp with 1444 shape including the stiff Ace of spades. Strong 4441's can be awkward; one solution is to open 2NT, treating the singleton ace as a doubleton. Another would be to open 1C or 1D and jump to 3NT over partner's 1S, but that bidding usually indicates a long running minor suit. On this hand I'd open 1C, reverse to 2H over partner's 1S (portraying 4-5 shape, but the clubs are fairly sturdy.) Responder rebids 2NT, either natural (a good description on this hand) or "lebensohl", a puppet to 3C preparing to sign off at three of a suit. Either way, opener raises to 3NT.
If the initial response is 1D; opener jump-shifts with 2H, responder bids 2NT, and opener can bid 3D, forcing since the jump shift created a game force. But responder is unlikely to bid notrump again and the final contract is apt to be 5D down one. With help in spades opener does better to raise 2NT to 3NT at the risk of missing a diamond slam.
Slamarama
Board 2: Is South's hand worth a vulnerable 2S opening in second seat? I'd pass, and with a like-thinking partner prefer to play "Features" over responder's 2NT; but with those who like to open such hands, Ogust makes sense so responder can find out something about suit quality. North can count 9 running tricks only of partner has the KQ of spades and a side Ace, and even so there should be extra chances at a spade contract, so I'd raise straight to 4S, expecting some play for 10 tricks opposite almost any vulnerable weak two. 12 tricks roll in if South guesses trumps correctly, but that's mostly due to a 3-2 break and successful finesse in diamonds.
Board 7: South opens 1D, North responds 1H, South raises to 2H. North counts 5 losers (King of spades, KQ of hearts, AQ of clubs) and partner could easily have four of those cards for his opening bid, but more likely has something wasted in diamonds. North can bid 2S, ostensibly a game try; South has a ruffing value there along with good trumps and controls, and so should accept by jumping to 4H. North reveals his slam interest with a 5C cue-bid; this suggests some reason for avoiding 4NT, such as two diamond losers or a void. South cue-bids his diamond control, which doesn't help, and North retreats to 5H. Twelve tricks can be made by taking the losing spade finesse early, pitching a club from dummy, and ruffing both a club and the fourth spade, but a lot of luck is required.
Note: the 2D result at our table was a mistake, as was the 660; I actually played 4H making 5, +650. This should be corrected sometime tomorrow.
Board 11: South opens 1D, West overcalls 1S, North responds 2C, and East competes with 2S. South has only 12 hcp
Board 20: East opens 1D, South overcalls 1H, West passes and North has a huge hand in support of hearts. A 4C splinter seems the best description and South, with half his values in clubs, signs off at 4H. As it happens North can make 6S or 6NT with the King of diamonds protected from East's lead and two finesse working. That's no great surprise given East's opening bid, but North cannot be sure how strong South is for his overcall.
Competition Corner -- Board 21: Three voids in one deal make for wild bidding!
South opens 1C after two passes; West overcalls 1D. North has just enough to bid 1H -- you would certainly bid had West passed, and may as well compete for the part-score. East can raise diamonds but may as well show his major suit on the way, 1S. South has a huge hand for hearts; grand slam could be on opposite xxx KQxx xxxx Ax . South can best describe his hand with a splinter jump to 4D or even a void-showing jump to 5D (some would play that as Voidwood, RKCB for hearts but exclude the Ace of diamonds.) North may not have much so it's risky to go past game; 4D by South. North can expect to ruff several diamonds in South's hand but slam requires South to have 4 key cards or 3 plus the Queen; 4H seems prudent. East has defensive tricks in hearts but also a great offensive hand; with no worries they can make slam, uncertain about setting 4H, and chances 5D could make, may as well push them to the five level with 5D. South takes the push, seeing good chances for 5H and uncertain whether partner can provide any help on defense. (If the 4D bid seemed a compete description, South would pass the decision to partner, but here the diamond void and seven card club suit are unknown to partner.)
The auction sounds good for West -- partner has help in spades and diamonds, the clubs are located over the club bidder, and West is void in hearts. Partner already knows about the diamonds, may as well show the spades (5S.) Partner is unlikely to expect more than 3 card support for such a delayed bid. North expects to set either 5S or 6D and so doubles 5S. East ponders, but the good spots in diamonds argue for 6D, with the chance of pitching a spade loser on a heart. South has done enough; after two passes North doubles 6D. At the club, all three N/S pairs bought the contract in hearts, managing only 8 or 9 tricks with against the extremely bad breaks. At diamonds, best defense is for North to play the Ace and another trump, but the holding looks ideal for a club lead and West should manage to score a spade, heart, club, and eight ruffs.
Better Bidding -- Board 10: South has 20 hcp with 1444 shape including the stiff Ace of spades. Strong 4441's can be awkward; one solution is to open 2NT, treating the singleton ace as a doubleton. Another would be to open 1C or 1D and jump to 3NT over partner's 1S, but that bidding usually indicates a long running minor suit. On this hand I'd open 1C, reverse to 2H over partner's 1S (portraying 4-5 shape, but the clubs are fairly sturdy.) Responder rebids 2NT, either natural (a good description on this hand) or "lebensohl", a puppet to 3C preparing to sign off at three of a suit. Either way, opener raises to 3NT.
If the initial response is 1D; opener jump-shifts with 2H, responder bids 2NT, and opener can bid 3D, forcing since the jump shift created a game force. But responder is unlikely to bid notrump again and the final contract is apt to be 5D down one. With help in spades opener does better to raise 2NT to 3NT at the risk of missing a diamond slam.
Slamarama
Board 2: Is South's hand worth a vulnerable 2S opening in second seat? I'd pass, and with a like-thinking partner prefer to play "Features" over responder's 2NT; but with those who like to open such hands, Ogust makes sense so responder can find out something about suit quality. North can count 9 running tricks only of partner has the KQ of spades and a side Ace, and even so there should be extra chances at a spade contract, so I'd raise straight to 4S, expecting some play for 10 tricks opposite almost any vulnerable weak two. 12 tricks roll in if South guesses trumps correctly, but that's mostly due to a 3-2 break and successful finesse in diamonds.
Board 7: South opens 1D, North responds 1H, South raises to 2H. North counts 5 losers (King of spades, KQ of hearts, AQ of clubs) and partner could easily have four of those cards for his opening bid, but more likely has something wasted in diamonds. North can bid 2S, ostensibly a game try; South has a ruffing value there along with good trumps and controls, and so should accept by jumping to 4H. North reveals his slam interest with a 5C cue-bid; this suggests some reason for avoiding 4NT, such as two diamond losers or a void. South cue-bids his diamond control, which doesn't help, and North retreats to 5H. Twelve tricks can be made by taking the losing spade finesse early, pitching a club from dummy, and ruffing both a club and the fourth spade, but a lot of luck is required.
Note: the 2D result at our table was a mistake, as was the 660; I actually played 4H making 5, +650. This should be corrected sometime tomorrow.
Board 11: South opens 1D, West overcalls 1S, North responds 2C, and East competes with 2S. South has only 12 hcp
Board 20: East opens 1D, South overcalls 1H, West passes and North has a huge hand in support of hearts. A 4C splinter seems the best description and South, with half his values in clubs, signs off at 4H. As it happens North can make 6S or 6NT with the King of diamonds protected from East's lead and two finesse working. That's no great surprise given East's opening bid, but North cannot be sure how strong South is for his overcall.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Wednesday 3/16/2011
Right-click here for hands.
Competition Corner -- Board 23:
South has a clear 1S opener: ignoring the stiff Jack, there are still 10 hcp, 2 quick tricks including an Ace, and 13 Goren points or a Rule of 20 qualifier. The odds partner has at least 2 spades are about 78%, and when he doesn't he will often have 4 hearts. If his hand does misfit, the Jack of diamonds will be useful as a filler. Second choice would be 2S; pass should not be considered.
West does not have a vulnerable two level overcall, so there should be two passes to East; far to strong for a balancing 1NT, East doubles first, planning to bid notrump later. South passes, West bids a simple 2C (the balancing double may be only 9 hcp or even less), and East rebids 2NT. How strong is this? Many mark the "Balancing Notrump" section of their card for no more than 14 hcp, leaving an uncomforatble wide range for the double-then-notrump sequence. In fact, if that's your agreement, East should jump to 2NT in the balancing seat. However, Mike Lawrence recommends a wide range balancing notrump over a major suit opening, 10-16; now the double-then-notrump sequence promises about 17-19. West can comforatble raise to game, and the nine of spades provides a crucial extra stopper if South makes the normal lead of his King from KQ10xxx. (A low spade, such as the 4th best 8, actually defeats 3NT, but would be costly if partner has two small spades and a side entry to allow a lead through declarer's AJx.)
Discuss balancing notrump ranges with your partner.
Better Bidding -- Board 11:
West's hand is questionable for an opening bid -- 6-4 shape (like South on Board 23), but no Ace, a stiff King, and only 1.5 quick tricks. Assume West opens, however, and North does not indulge in a ridicoulously weak jump; East does not have quite enough for an immediate jump shift, so 1H. West rebids 1S. Now what does East do? 15 hcp, so East must force to game; but no stopper in the unbid suit (diamonds.) This is exactly the hand type for which Fourth Suit Artificial was invented. (The convention is known as Fourth Suit Forcing, since the British adopted the idea long before us Americans; 2D would not have been forcing for them back in the 1930's but in America a new suit by responder has always been forcing.) Point is, you need help from partner to decide on the final contract. If East actually had diamonds he could simply rebid 3NT; so the bid of the fourth suit suggests a relatively balanced hand but no stopper in the fourth suit.
West's stiff King will not appeal to many as a stopper, so West rebids his long clubs. East can raise clubs, but with that strong suit a 5-2 heart fit may be as good or better than a 5-3 club fit, as 10 tricks at hearts outscore 11 at clubs. East can rebid 3H; this bid is forcing even if the agreement is that the 4th suit is forcing only 1 round. Why? East could have rebid 3H, invitational but not forcing, the previous round; he doesn't need two different ways to shoe the same hand. When responder bids the fourth suit with merely invitational values, he plans to pass opener's rebid. Bidding again shows game-forcing values.
West raises 3H to 4 (East is implying 6 hearts since West would've shown three card support over 2D) and East loses two Aces and perhaps the Queen of clubs. Well-bid!
Slamarama
Board 7: East opens 1S after three passes; West has an excellent hand either for a limit 3S jump raise or Reverse Fit Drury 2C. (West should not force to game; give partner some leeway for opening light when you are a passed hand.) Over 3S East counts 5 losers (any missing A,K or Q among the first three cards of a suit, after a fit has been found); can partner cover 4? Picture AQxx x xxx Kxxxx and the answer is yes; some play 3NT after a limit raise as asking for a singleton, after which East can bid 4NT and cruise to slam. Lacking that agreement East can cue-bid 4C and West should drive to slam, perhaps with a 5H splinter over 4C. (I don't favor cue-bidding 4H since high cards and shortages have different values when comined with honors in partner's hand.)
Over R.F.Drury, East should bid 2NT as an artificial slam try, and now West can splinter with 4H.
South leads his singleton club and declarer counts five trumps in hand, one heart and four clubs; two heart ruffs in dummy will net 12 tricks. Trumps may be 3-1 and it isn't safe to lead either minnor before trumps are in, so declarer wins the club in hand, cashes the Ace of hearts, ruffs a heart, trump to hand, ruff a heart, pull trumps, Ace of clubs, overtake a club and pitch a red suit loser on the 10 of clubs.
Board 13: North opens a hefty 1D, South scrapes up a 1H response, and North can revalue to more than 20 points in support of hearts. 4H ends the auction, but the diamonds set up with a single ruff and the heart suit miraculously comes in without a loser for 12 tricks. Not a slam to consider bidding.
Board 28: West may open a light 2H not vul vs. vul. If so, North should hope for about 7 points in partner's hand and simply bid 3NT with his triple stopper. South suspects there may be a slam but must essentially guess to pass 3NT or blast 6C. At matchpoints, I'd pass.
East could lead partner's suit or try a low diamond (hoping partner has Ax), but at matchpoints I'd lead the obvious King of diamonds. North counts ten or eleven fast tricks; he can afford to duck once but no point in ducking again when East can switch to hearts. West keeps his Ace and East keeps a high diamond, one of which wins the last trick.
If West passes originally, North opens 1C (too strong for 1NT) and South bids an invitational 3C or inverted 2C. Over 3C I think 3NT is the practical rebid for North. Over 2C, there is room for North to show his stoppers, 2H and then 3S, so South will likely play 3NT. With no reason to lead diamonds (one heart stopper should not deter West from leading his suit) South will score twelve tricks on the likely heart lead. As it happens, 6C also makes if West cannot find a reason to lead diamonds.
Competition Corner -- Board 23:
South has a clear 1S opener: ignoring the stiff Jack, there are still 10 hcp, 2 quick tricks including an Ace, and 13 Goren points or a Rule of 20 qualifier. The odds partner has at least 2 spades are about 78%, and when he doesn't he will often have 4 hearts. If his hand does misfit, the Jack of diamonds will be useful as a filler. Second choice would be 2S; pass should not be considered.
West does not have a vulnerable two level overcall, so there should be two passes to East; far to strong for a balancing 1NT, East doubles first, planning to bid notrump later. South passes, West bids a simple 2C (the balancing double may be only 9 hcp or even less), and East rebids 2NT. How strong is this? Many mark the "Balancing Notrump" section of their card for no more than 14 hcp, leaving an uncomforatble wide range for the double-then-notrump sequence. In fact, if that's your agreement, East should jump to 2NT in the balancing seat. However, Mike Lawrence recommends a wide range balancing notrump over a major suit opening, 10-16; now the double-then-notrump sequence promises about 17-19. West can comforatble raise to game, and the nine of spades provides a crucial extra stopper if South makes the normal lead of his King from KQ10xxx. (A low spade, such as the 4th best 8, actually defeats 3NT, but would be costly if partner has two small spades and a side entry to allow a lead through declarer's AJx.)
Discuss balancing notrump ranges with your partner.
Better Bidding -- Board 11:
West's hand is questionable for an opening bid -- 6-4 shape (like South on Board 23), but no Ace, a stiff King, and only 1.5 quick tricks. Assume West opens, however, and North does not indulge in a ridicoulously weak jump; East does not have quite enough for an immediate jump shift, so 1H. West rebids 1S. Now what does East do? 15 hcp, so East must force to game; but no stopper in the unbid suit (diamonds.) This is exactly the hand type for which Fourth Suit Artificial was invented. (The convention is known as Fourth Suit Forcing, since the British adopted the idea long before us Americans; 2D would not have been forcing for them back in the 1930's but in America a new suit by responder has always been forcing.) Point is, you need help from partner to decide on the final contract. If East actually had diamonds he could simply rebid 3NT; so the bid of the fourth suit suggests a relatively balanced hand but no stopper in the fourth suit.
West's stiff King will not appeal to many as a stopper, so West rebids his long clubs. East can raise clubs, but with that strong suit a 5-2 heart fit may be as good or better than a 5-3 club fit, as 10 tricks at hearts outscore 11 at clubs. East can rebid 3H; this bid is forcing even if the agreement is that the 4th suit is forcing only 1 round. Why? East could have rebid 3H, invitational but not forcing, the previous round; he doesn't need two different ways to shoe the same hand. When responder bids the fourth suit with merely invitational values, he plans to pass opener's rebid. Bidding again shows game-forcing values.
West raises 3H to 4 (East is implying 6 hearts since West would've shown three card support over 2D) and East loses two Aces and perhaps the Queen of clubs. Well-bid!
Slamarama
Board 7: East opens 1S after three passes; West has an excellent hand either for a limit 3S jump raise or Reverse Fit Drury 2C. (West should not force to game; give partner some leeway for opening light when you are a passed hand.) Over 3S East counts 5 losers (any missing A,K or Q among the first three cards of a suit, after a fit has been found); can partner cover 4? Picture AQxx x xxx Kxxxx and the answer is yes; some play 3NT after a limit raise as asking for a singleton, after which East can bid 4NT and cruise to slam. Lacking that agreement East can cue-bid 4C and West should drive to slam, perhaps with a 5H splinter over 4C. (I don't favor cue-bidding 4H since high cards and shortages have different values when comined with honors in partner's hand.)
Over R.F.Drury, East should bid 2NT as an artificial slam try, and now West can splinter with 4H.
South leads his singleton club and declarer counts five trumps in hand, one heart and four clubs; two heart ruffs in dummy will net 12 tricks. Trumps may be 3-1 and it isn't safe to lead either minnor before trumps are in, so declarer wins the club in hand, cashes the Ace of hearts, ruffs a heart, trump to hand, ruff a heart, pull trumps, Ace of clubs, overtake a club and pitch a red suit loser on the 10 of clubs.
Board 13: North opens a hefty 1D, South scrapes up a 1H response, and North can revalue to more than 20 points in support of hearts. 4H ends the auction, but the diamonds set up with a single ruff and the heart suit miraculously comes in without a loser for 12 tricks. Not a slam to consider bidding.
Board 28: West may open a light 2H not vul vs. vul. If so, North should hope for about 7 points in partner's hand and simply bid 3NT with his triple stopper. South suspects there may be a slam but must essentially guess to pass 3NT or blast 6C. At matchpoints, I'd pass.
East could lead partner's suit or try a low diamond (hoping partner has Ax), but at matchpoints I'd lead the obvious King of diamonds. North counts ten or eleven fast tricks; he can afford to duck once but no point in ducking again when East can switch to hearts. West keeps his Ace and East keeps a high diamond, one of which wins the last trick.
If West passes originally, North opens 1C (too strong for 1NT) and South bids an invitational 3C or inverted 2C. Over 3C I think 3NT is the practical rebid for North. Over 2C, there is room for North to show his stoppers, 2H and then 3S, so South will likely play 3NT. With no reason to lead diamonds (one heart stopper should not deter West from leading his suit) South will score twelve tricks on the likely heart lead. As it happens, 6C also makes if West cannot find a reason to lead diamonds.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Sunday 3/13/2011
Right-click here for hands.
Competition Corner -- Board 10:
After two passes, West opens 1D. North does not really have a vulnerable overcall but I expect few would pass at matchpoints. East competes with 2D -- this is an important bid; if you play "inverted minors" that does not apply over an intervening bid, responder needs to show a four-card or better raise to allow opener to compete. A limit raise hand can cue-bid, while the jump to three should be strictly preemptive, 0-5 hcp with 5+ diamonds and perhaps a side singleton. South could double to show spades, but what's the point? When you've found an 8 card major suit fit, don't go fishing for another. South bids 2H. West would pass if South passed but over the raise should compete to 3D -- when both sides have a fit, try to make them play it at the three level. North and South have no extra distributional reason to bid again, and should be content to defend 3D. Perfect defense requires an unlikely club lead from North, so E/W will usually make 3D; it turns out that N/S have a double fit and E/W have nine trumps, so competing to 3H might work this time, but you will gain more often than not if you resist the urge to bid one more when they are already at the three level and you have no extra trumps or a singleton or a side suit source of tricks. Your high cards on balanced hands will work just as hard on defense.
Slam Away: after sessions where multiple small and grand slams could be bid and made, this one was rather tame. Board 22: East opens 1NT, West checks on a fit with Stayman (2C), and East replies 2S. Counting 6 losers, West might expect East's 15 hcp to cover five, if not much is wasted in hearts; but 4441 hands don't always play that well, and normal Goren valuation would be 28 to 30 hcp plus 2 for the singleton, not quite enough for slam, so 4S looks normal. Suppose West had a better hand -- trade his K10 of diamonds for South's AJ -- what's the best approach? Splinter bids -- an unusual jump promising four-card support for partner, a singleton or void in the suit jumped, and slam interest -- help partner decide whether the hands fit well or have wastage opposite the shortage. A jump to 4H should be an obvious splinter -- responder does not use Stayman and then insist on his own major. Here the King of hearts is wasted opposite the singleton, but lucky positions in the other three suits allow 12 tricks to be made at notrump. 6S would usually have better chances but on this occasion fails on a defensive ruff.
Board 24: North opens 1H and South has a difficult hand to value -- with 6 card support, there's a huge fit, but it's value will depend on how shapely opener's hand is. I'd count the hand as worth around 11 points and bid an invitational 3H. North counts 5 losers; slam could be on if responder's values are outside diamonds. Counting two points for the jack singleton (don't count both high cards and shortness in the same suit) North's hand values to 17, so the combines total is around 28 or 29 and 4H looks normal. The two hands fit perfectly, however: declarer pulls trumps, pitches a club on the fourth spade, ruffs a club and concedes a diamond to set up a ruff for trick 12. Can't bid'em all.
Competition Corner -- Board 10:
After two passes, West opens 1D. North does not really have a vulnerable overcall but I expect few would pass at matchpoints. East competes with 2D -- this is an important bid; if you play "inverted minors" that does not apply over an intervening bid, responder needs to show a four-card or better raise to allow opener to compete. A limit raise hand can cue-bid, while the jump to three should be strictly preemptive, 0-5 hcp with 5+ diamonds and perhaps a side singleton. South could double to show spades, but what's the point? When you've found an 8 card major suit fit, don't go fishing for another. South bids 2H. West would pass if South passed but over the raise should compete to 3D -- when both sides have a fit, try to make them play it at the three level. North and South have no extra distributional reason to bid again, and should be content to defend 3D. Perfect defense requires an unlikely club lead from North, so E/W will usually make 3D; it turns out that N/S have a double fit and E/W have nine trumps, so competing to 3H might work this time, but you will gain more often than not if you resist the urge to bid one more when they are already at the three level and you have no extra trumps or a singleton or a side suit source of tricks. Your high cards on balanced hands will work just as hard on defense.
Slam Away: after sessions where multiple small and grand slams could be bid and made, this one was rather tame. Board 22: East opens 1NT, West checks on a fit with Stayman (2C), and East replies 2S. Counting 6 losers, West might expect East's 15 hcp to cover five, if not much is wasted in hearts; but 4441 hands don't always play that well, and normal Goren valuation would be 28 to 30 hcp plus 2 for the singleton, not quite enough for slam, so 4S looks normal. Suppose West had a better hand -- trade his K10 of diamonds for South's AJ -- what's the best approach? Splinter bids -- an unusual jump promising four-card support for partner, a singleton or void in the suit jumped, and slam interest -- help partner decide whether the hands fit well or have wastage opposite the shortage. A jump to 4H should be an obvious splinter -- responder does not use Stayman and then insist on his own major. Here the King of hearts is wasted opposite the singleton, but lucky positions in the other three suits allow 12 tricks to be made at notrump. 6S would usually have better chances but on this occasion fails on a defensive ruff.
Board 24: North opens 1H and South has a difficult hand to value -- with 6 card support, there's a huge fit, but it's value will depend on how shapely opener's hand is. I'd count the hand as worth around 11 points and bid an invitational 3H. North counts 5 losers; slam could be on if responder's values are outside diamonds. Counting two points for the jack singleton (don't count both high cards and shortness in the same suit) North's hand values to 17, so the combines total is around 28 or 29 and 4H looks normal. The two hands fit perfectly, however: declarer pulls trumps, pitches a club on the fourth spade, ruffs a club and concedes a diamond to set up a ruff for trick 12. Can't bid'em all.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Thursday 3/10/2011
Right-click here for hands.
Competition Corner -- Board 11: North, too strong for 1NT, opens 1C after two passes. East overcalls 1H; the hand is not strong enough to double and then bid hearts, and chances are better than 50% partner will fit hearts. If not, the opportunity for a takeout double to show spades may crop up later. South and West still have nothing to say, and North shows his strength by bidding 1NT. Why does this show strength? Had partner responded, North could rebid 1NT with a balanced 12-14; but to do so when partner has shown nothing begs for a large minus score. With 18 however, partner can have 3-5 hcp and 1NT may be a good part-score or enable partner to remove to a suit. East passes, expecting 6 tricks against 1NT but unsure of setting the contract. South counts 22 hcp, not enough to make game a good bet even with the six card suit. With few entries, it is probably better to make the long suit trumps, though pass is a reasonable alternative. 2D is natural here (transfers don't apply over notrump rebids.) West may compete with a double if the partnership follows the modern style where undiscussed doubles at the one or two level are generally for takeout. North, having shown his powerhouse, passes, and East bids 2S. South can compete to 3D which should end the auction. South wins the heart lead, cashes the AQ of trumps (noting both follow), exits a heart, ruffs the fourth round of hearts high, pulls the last trump and finesses in clubs to make 9 tricks.
Better Bidding
You open 1D with AQxx Kxxx KJxx x and partner responds with the dreaded 2C. Why is this a problem? Because somewhere in the shift from four card to five card major openings, standard bidding forgot to fix this sequence. Most players will squirm a lot and then rebid 2NT, a space-eating misdescription. Responder's 2C has never in the history of standard bidding denied a four-card major; why make it hard to find such a fit?
Back in Old Goren days, the 2C response might be based on 8 hcp and a six card suit; opener needed extra values to "reverse" to 2H or 2S (or 2NT or 3C, for that matter.) Opener avoided this trap by opening the four-card major when too weak to reverse. Nowadays the 2C response shows sound values, at least enough for 2NT (or 3NT playing 2/1 Game Force), and the 1D opening is forced by the requirement to have a five card suit when opening a major. So, since the 2C bid promises enough for 2NT, no extra values are needed for opener to rebid 2H or 2S. Opener can simply rebid "up-the-line", 2D with 5, 2H with 4 hearts but not 5 diamonds, 2S with 4 of those but not 5 diamonds or 4 hearts, 2NT with a balanced minimum and none of the above, 3C with 4-4 or better in the minors.
"But how does opener show extra strength" you ask? How does opener show extra strength after 1S-2C? He doesn't -- the 2C bid is forcing to 2NT, and both players bid naturally up to that level. Then, a player with extra strength simply doesn't make a bid short of game partner can pass. Same principle here.
Slamarama -- Board 4: North opens 2C in second seat with a monster two-suiter, requiring little more than a fit to make game. East has a nice hand but cannot expect much help from partner; 3C looks a bit rich vulnerable, so pass is best. South dutifully replies with whatever negative noise the system provides; I like an immediate 2H "super-bust." Over this bid, North is not so sure of game and bids a simple 2S. Is this forcing? Yes, under the most common agreement that 2C is forcing until opener repeats a suit or bids notrump or game. South shows lack of support with 2NT and North bids 3D. Still forcing, and South leaps to five based on the big fit. Now North can expect to set up his spades by ruffing, and bids the excellent 6D. Good thing he didn't simply guess to rebid 4S!
Board 10: East opens 1D, and West has immediate thoughts of slam. Unfortunately, each hand has wasted values opposite partner's singleton, and slam requires some lucky guessing. Is there a good way to avoid this slam? One approach is for West to bid hearts and clubs before supporting diamonds, suggesting shortage in spades: 1D-1H; 2H-3C (looks like a game try at this point)-4H. That won't keep West out of slam.
1D-1H;2H-3S (splinter); ? East has good support but the spade Queen is wasted and the splinter suggests West may have wasted values in clubs. If East signs off at 4H West can reasonably pass.
1D-2C (see Better Bidding, above); 2H-3H (game forcing when responder bids or raises a major after his initial 2C response); 4H-? Can't see West passing that. We see the great advantage of explicit splinter bids in staying out of bad slams, but in this case either East or West might continue anyway. No one managed more than ten tricks as declarer.
Play Problem -- Board 24: The bidding starts 1C-(2H)-3NT-(pass), and West can hope partner covers four of his five losers. 4C should be an obvious slam move (no point in running from game to a silly four-level part-score) but 6C is the surest way to reach slam.
North leads the King of hearts and declarer counts seven club winners and three Aces. Where to find two more tricks? The diamond finesse may provide one, and a squeeze might yield one in hearts, but at least one extra trick will be needed from spades. And if the suit splits 3-3, spades could provide two tricks. So, don't guess what to pitch on the Ace of hearts, play low and ruff in hand. Draw trumps and lead low toward the Q10 of spades (without playing the Ace, hate to go down without a fight if South has both the King and Jack.) North plays the 8 or 9 and declarer must guess to play the 10 rather than the Queen. That works, South wins the King and must return a spade -- either red suit would give declarer trick #12. No matter, the spades break 3-3 and declarer finally takes his two red Aces, pitching the diamond loser. Try to remember this technique with an Ace opposite a void -- wait until you know what to pitch before grabbing the Ace.
Competition Corner -- Board 11: North, too strong for 1NT, opens 1C after two passes. East overcalls 1H; the hand is not strong enough to double and then bid hearts, and chances are better than 50% partner will fit hearts. If not, the opportunity for a takeout double to show spades may crop up later. South and West still have nothing to say, and North shows his strength by bidding 1NT. Why does this show strength? Had partner responded, North could rebid 1NT with a balanced 12-14; but to do so when partner has shown nothing begs for a large minus score. With 18 however, partner can have 3-5 hcp and 1NT may be a good part-score or enable partner to remove to a suit. East passes, expecting 6 tricks against 1NT but unsure of setting the contract. South counts 22 hcp, not enough to make game a good bet even with the six card suit. With few entries, it is probably better to make the long suit trumps, though pass is a reasonable alternative. 2D is natural here (transfers don't apply over notrump rebids.) West may compete with a double if the partnership follows the modern style where undiscussed doubles at the one or two level are generally for takeout. North, having shown his powerhouse, passes, and East bids 2S. South can compete to 3D which should end the auction. South wins the heart lead, cashes the AQ of trumps (noting both follow), exits a heart, ruffs the fourth round of hearts high, pulls the last trump and finesses in clubs to make 9 tricks.
Better Bidding
You open 1D with AQxx Kxxx KJxx x and partner responds with the dreaded 2C. Why is this a problem? Because somewhere in the shift from four card to five card major openings, standard bidding forgot to fix this sequence. Most players will squirm a lot and then rebid 2NT, a space-eating misdescription. Responder's 2C has never in the history of standard bidding denied a four-card major; why make it hard to find such a fit?
Back in Old Goren days, the 2C response might be based on 8 hcp and a six card suit; opener needed extra values to "reverse" to 2H or 2S (or 2NT or 3C, for that matter.) Opener avoided this trap by opening the four-card major when too weak to reverse. Nowadays the 2C response shows sound values, at least enough for 2NT (or 3NT playing 2/1 Game Force), and the 1D opening is forced by the requirement to have a five card suit when opening a major. So, since the 2C bid promises enough for 2NT, no extra values are needed for opener to rebid 2H or 2S. Opener can simply rebid "up-the-line", 2D with 5, 2H with 4 hearts but not 5 diamonds, 2S with 4 of those but not 5 diamonds or 4 hearts, 2NT with a balanced minimum and none of the above, 3C with 4-4 or better in the minors.
"But how does opener show extra strength" you ask? How does opener show extra strength after 1S-2C? He doesn't -- the 2C bid is forcing to 2NT, and both players bid naturally up to that level. Then, a player with extra strength simply doesn't make a bid short of game partner can pass. Same principle here.
Slamarama -- Board 4: North opens 2C in second seat with a monster two-suiter, requiring little more than a fit to make game. East has a nice hand but cannot expect much help from partner; 3C looks a bit rich vulnerable, so pass is best. South dutifully replies with whatever negative noise the system provides; I like an immediate 2H "super-bust." Over this bid, North is not so sure of game and bids a simple 2S. Is this forcing? Yes, under the most common agreement that 2C is forcing until opener repeats a suit or bids notrump or game. South shows lack of support with 2NT and North bids 3D. Still forcing, and South leaps to five based on the big fit. Now North can expect to set up his spades by ruffing, and bids the excellent 6D. Good thing he didn't simply guess to rebid 4S!
Board 10: East opens 1D, and West has immediate thoughts of slam. Unfortunately, each hand has wasted values opposite partner's singleton, and slam requires some lucky guessing. Is there a good way to avoid this slam? One approach is for West to bid hearts and clubs before supporting diamonds, suggesting shortage in spades: 1D-1H; 2H-3C (looks like a game try at this point)-4H. That won't keep West out of slam.
1D-1H;2H-3S (splinter); ? East has good support but the spade Queen is wasted and the splinter suggests West may have wasted values in clubs. If East signs off at 4H West can reasonably pass.
1D-2C (see Better Bidding, above); 2H-3H (game forcing when responder bids or raises a major after his initial 2C response); 4H-? Can't see West passing that. We see the great advantage of explicit splinter bids in staying out of bad slams, but in this case either East or West might continue anyway. No one managed more than ten tricks as declarer.
Play Problem -- Board 24: The bidding starts 1C-(2H)-3NT-(pass), and West can hope partner covers four of his five losers. 4C should be an obvious slam move (no point in running from game to a silly four-level part-score) but 6C is the surest way to reach slam.
North leads the King of hearts and declarer counts seven club winners and three Aces. Where to find two more tricks? The diamond finesse may provide one, and a squeeze might yield one in hearts, but at least one extra trick will be needed from spades. And if the suit splits 3-3, spades could provide two tricks. So, don't guess what to pitch on the Ace of hearts, play low and ruff in hand. Draw trumps and lead low toward the Q10 of spades (without playing the Ace, hate to go down without a fight if South has both the King and Jack.) North plays the 8 or 9 and declarer must guess to play the 10 rather than the Queen. That works, South wins the King and must return a spade -- either red suit would give declarer trick #12. No matter, the spades break 3-3 and declarer finally takes his two red Aces, pitching the diamond loser. Try to remember this technique with an Ace opposite a void -- wait until you know what to pitch before grabbing the Ace.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Wednesday, 3/9/2011
Right-click here for hands.
Competition Corner -- Board 18:
South opens 1C, West overcalls 1D, North responds 1S -- does this show 4 or 5? Probably most play that a negative double after specifically 1C-(1D) shows 4-4 in the majors, but some double with only 4 and promise 5 if they bid. I would assume most Kennedy Club bidders have that understanding.
East raises to 2D; the hand seems a bit strong for a preemptive 3D bid. Penalty doubles are rarely useful below the 3 level when the opponents bid and raise a suit, so South can double to show a desire to compete but no obvious bid. West has no reason to bid again with his balanced shape; North bids his hearts, which reveals his 5-4 shape (with 4-4, he would clearly have doubled 1D.) East competes to 3D based not on any extra high cards but on his extra shape -- a fourth trump and side five card suit. In competitive bidding, where both sides may be able to make a part score, bidding freely says nothing about high card strength but instead reveals a hand more suitable for offense than defense. South competes to 3H on the same basis -- a known double fit plus the shortage in diamonds (at least there won't be three fast losers.) West passes -- the only plausible bid would be double to show extra high cards (compared to the 8 or so promised by his overcall) but the opponents have just volunteered for the three level, neither game nor the desirable two level for part-scores. Why rescue them? North has minimal values, including the dubious King of diamonds (it won't combine with anything in partner's hand on this auction, and may or may not be located over the Ace) and having already revealed his shape has nothing to add.
With both majors breaking well and both of North's Kings favorably placed, game can be made in either major, but only one N/S pair managed as much as +140.
Slamarama:
Board 9: East has a borderline opening, with 11 hcp but a Goren 13 count. It fails the Rule of 20 -- the Goren short-suit count is a bit more aggressive on three-suiters, due to the high probability of a 4-4 or better fit. The stiff Ace should be devalued but two the two tens are encouraging,
Assuming East passes, South has a clear second-seat pass, deducting for both the stiff Queen and no Ace. West opens 1S, East trots out Reverse Drury or perhaps blasts to game; a splinter 4C bid is possible but I usually avoid that with a stiff Ace or King since partner will discount high cards opposite the short suit. We were the only pair to reach slam after a Precision 1D opening (11-15 with 2+ diamonds) and strong jump shift. The opening heart lead was ducked to the King and I think South returned the Jack, establishing the fourth heart for me to discard my diamond loser.
Board 10: East has an excellent 3C opening but Axxx support for spades argues for an initial pass. South has an equally wild hand; expecting E/W to have a big spade fit, an offbeat 2D or 2D opening might steal some bidding room, but again pass looks normal. West opens 1S (or overcalls 2S if South opened) and East's hand becomes worthy of inviting slam. A splinter bid of 4H is possible; better is a passed hand jump to 3C, promising a good suit and four-card support for partner. This should be the agreement of every pair that plays strong jump shifts, and is probably better than weak jumps after both opponents have passed, but could be hard to remember. West has excellent controls and a fitting honor in clubs; 4NT confirms partner has an Ace and West knows with 10 trumps no spade loser is likely; the clubs can probably be established, but seven is not clear-cut as partner passed originally and bad breaks could be fatal. 6S seems a reasonable contract, and in fact no pairs bid it so bidding the grand would be an unnecessary risk.
In the play, West may lead the Jack of trumps from his hand and North must be prepared to duck smoothly -- there is nothing to promote by covering. West is apt to go up with the Ace and expostulate when South shows out. However, another spade, then Ace and King of clubs establishes all the tricks needed for slam.
***continued***
Board 19: South might preempt 3S, not vul vs.vul, but I'm not a fan of bidding such weak hands -- the enemy has enough strength to bid freely, and partner probably has enough to get you in trouble. West opens 1D, North might overcall but should pass for lack of the usual 8 hcp minimum for one level overcalls. Many an East bid 3NT if the bidding developed this way at their table; with a good source of tricks and good slam controls, I would start with 2C. West jumps to 3D to show his extra strength and strong suit. East should like his hand but 16+13 = 29, not enough for slam; East bids 3NT. West, however, has 17 hcp plus a six card suit and a fit for partner' clubs; a heart control and an Ace should be enough. West bids 4C; removing 3NT to 4 of a minor is a clear slam try unless you've already limited your hand. East would like to ask about key cards for diamonds or have partner ask for clubs, but 4NT appears to ask about clubs while bidding 4D probably forces partner to ask. Instead, cue-bid 4H, which allows West to bid 4NT, RKCB for clubs. East shows three key cards (5C in regular, 5D in 1430 style; the cue-bid eliminates the possibility of 0), then 5H (cheapest suit that can't be trumps) asks about the Queen. East makes a positive reply (5NT either as second step = yes or as yes, but no side King to show.) If both minors run West can count 13 tricks; the Jack of clubs solidifies that suit, but partner might have only one diamond or the suit could break 4-1. Best slam choices would be 6NT or 7C, where a ruff could set up the diamonds if needed, hoping for a 13th trick elsewhere. Not surprisingly, with only 30 hcp only two pairs reached slam -- no need to risk bidding seven.
Board 23: South's suit is below par for a vulnerable weak two, so West may be able to start with a strong 2C. East replies 2D negative, waiting, semi-positive (where 2H = bust) or 2H ("steps", 4-6.) I favor 2H = 0-3, 2D = 4+ (forcing to game.) So, 2C-2D; 2H-2NT; 3H-4H. Neither partner has enough extra to move beyond game.
If South opens 2S, West starts with a double, and East bids a lebensohl 2NT to show a weak hand (0-6 hcp generally.) This asks West to bid 3C with a normal takeout double, but here West follows through with his planned rebid of 4H, arriving at the same place.
Board 26: South has normal opening bid values and a seven card suit; some might open 4S or a Namyats 4D but 1S should be routine. West's crummy collection is not worth a double with no Ace, four points in a doubleton, and only three card support for the unbid major. North has a fit for spades and a hand full of slam controls, but slam may be better in either red suit where the spades can be used for discards. North starts with 2D. Assuming a modern style where a 2/1 bid is forcing to at least 2NT if not game, South can simply rebid 2S without fear of partner passing. North now raises spades, to 3 if the 2D bid was game-forcing, to 4 if it wasn't. South counts roughly 8 tricks (6 spades and the two Kings); partner has forced to game, which suggests 4 cover cards, so slam may be on. Bidding beyond 4S looks risky but the 2/1 GF style leaves room for a 4C control bid. North can then ask for key cards (5D or 5C = 1) followed by a 5H bid to check on the Queen (5NT = yes, or 5H = yes, plus this King.)
The King of diamonds opening lead puts the slam in immediate peril. South must dispose of the second diamond, and so must guess one opponent or the other for Qxx or Qxxx in hearts. South can stand to lose a trump but not a heart; so, low heart or Jack to the King, heart to the Jack or Ten, dump the diamond on the Ace of hearts, and finally take the losing finesse in spades.
Board 27: I would probably open South's hand 3C at this vulnerability at matchpoints, but most probably passed. If it looks like a good weak two in a suit I don't play weak twos, I go ahead and open 3 not vulnerable. Assuming South passes, West counts 10 tricks and a wealth of controls, easily good enough for a strong 2C. East should respond 3NT: 10-12 hcp, a balanced hand, but not very good slam controls. West can expect some of those points to cover his spade and heart loser, and hope partner has three diamonds or Qx or the suit breaks 2-2 -- 2C-3NT; 7D! "Step" responders might bid 2C-2NT (10-12); 3D-3S; 4D (West is uncertain how many diamonds partner has)-4NT; 5C or 5D (4 key cards)-6D, and now West can assume no diamond loser and take a shot at 7D.
If the 3NT response is not one partner would understand, the bidding may begin 2C-2D (4+ GF); 3D-3S; 4D, East should again drive to 6D with 11 hcp opposite a 2C opener; and West can again bid 7D once he's confident of some diamond support. 3 pairs of 9 bid the grand (one doubled), and four more bid six of something.
Board 31: After two passes, North may preempt 3S, but pass would be normal vulnerable vs. not. East has a terrific hand but only about 7 tricks if partner cannot respond to a one bid, so 1H rather than 2C is best. West bids a natural, passed-hand 2D, East leaps to 4NT (or 4D if that's agreed as Minorwood), West shows one key card, East continues with 5S as a Queen ask (not 5H, that might be passed!), West answers "yes" (6C, or 6D "yes, no King I can afford to show.") Here, either black King is probably enough for East to bid the grand slam. West has tricks to burn.
Norths who preempted (such as against us) scored well since East is apt to make the practical bid of 3NT and West has no ideas of slam.
Board 34: South opens a slightly off-shape 1NT (15-17). North transfers to spades and then rebids a game-forcing 3D, showing his second suit and some doubt about 3NT, such as a singleton or interest in slam. South bids 3NT with both unbid suits well-controlled. North continues with 5NT, "pick a slam." This may be a slight stretch but there are at least 32 hcp and North has good shape if partner fits either suit, or the spades may split 3-3 or opener may have Jx. South bids 6D or, if he thinks carefully about what partner must have for such bidding, 7D. Quite a hand when 6NT making 7 nets an average score!
Competition Corner -- Board 18:
South opens 1C, West overcalls 1D, North responds 1S -- does this show 4 or 5? Probably most play that a negative double after specifically 1C-(1D) shows 4-4 in the majors, but some double with only 4 and promise 5 if they bid. I would assume most Kennedy Club bidders have that understanding.
East raises to 2D; the hand seems a bit strong for a preemptive 3D bid. Penalty doubles are rarely useful below the 3 level when the opponents bid and raise a suit, so South can double to show a desire to compete but no obvious bid. West has no reason to bid again with his balanced shape; North bids his hearts, which reveals his 5-4 shape (with 4-4, he would clearly have doubled 1D.) East competes to 3D based not on any extra high cards but on his extra shape -- a fourth trump and side five card suit. In competitive bidding, where both sides may be able to make a part score, bidding freely says nothing about high card strength but instead reveals a hand more suitable for offense than defense. South competes to 3H on the same basis -- a known double fit plus the shortage in diamonds (at least there won't be three fast losers.) West passes -- the only plausible bid would be double to show extra high cards (compared to the 8 or so promised by his overcall) but the opponents have just volunteered for the three level, neither game nor the desirable two level for part-scores. Why rescue them? North has minimal values, including the dubious King of diamonds (it won't combine with anything in partner's hand on this auction, and may or may not be located over the Ace) and having already revealed his shape has nothing to add.
With both majors breaking well and both of North's Kings favorably placed, game can be made in either major, but only one N/S pair managed as much as +140.
Slamarama:
Board 9: East has a borderline opening, with 11 hcp but a Goren 13 count. It fails the Rule of 20 -- the Goren short-suit count is a bit more aggressive on three-suiters, due to the high probability of a 4-4 or better fit. The stiff Ace should be devalued but two the two tens are encouraging,
Assuming East passes, South has a clear second-seat pass, deducting for both the stiff Queen and no Ace. West opens 1S, East trots out Reverse Drury or perhaps blasts to game; a splinter 4C bid is possible but I usually avoid that with a stiff Ace or King since partner will discount high cards opposite the short suit. We were the only pair to reach slam after a Precision 1D opening (11-15 with 2+ diamonds) and strong jump shift. The opening heart lead was ducked to the King and I think South returned the Jack, establishing the fourth heart for me to discard my diamond loser.
Board 10: East has an excellent 3C opening but Axxx support for spades argues for an initial pass. South has an equally wild hand; expecting E/W to have a big spade fit, an offbeat 2D or 2D opening might steal some bidding room, but again pass looks normal. West opens 1S (or overcalls 2S if South opened) and East's hand becomes worthy of inviting slam. A splinter bid of 4H is possible; better is a passed hand jump to 3C, promising a good suit and four-card support for partner. This should be the agreement of every pair that plays strong jump shifts, and is probably better than weak jumps after both opponents have passed, but could be hard to remember. West has excellent controls and a fitting honor in clubs; 4NT confirms partner has an Ace and West knows with 10 trumps no spade loser is likely; the clubs can probably be established, but seven is not clear-cut as partner passed originally and bad breaks could be fatal. 6S seems a reasonable contract, and in fact no pairs bid it so bidding the grand would be an unnecessary risk.
In the play, West may lead the Jack of trumps from his hand and North must be prepared to duck smoothly -- there is nothing to promote by covering. West is apt to go up with the Ace and expostulate when South shows out. However, another spade, then Ace and King of clubs establishes all the tricks needed for slam.
***continued***
Board 19: South might preempt 3S, not vul vs.vul, but I'm not a fan of bidding such weak hands -- the enemy has enough strength to bid freely, and partner probably has enough to get you in trouble. West opens 1D, North might overcall but should pass for lack of the usual 8 hcp minimum for one level overcalls. Many an East bid 3NT if the bidding developed this way at their table; with a good source of tricks and good slam controls, I would start with 2C. West jumps to 3D to show his extra strength and strong suit. East should like his hand but 16+13 = 29, not enough for slam; East bids 3NT. West, however, has 17 hcp plus a six card suit and a fit for partner' clubs; a heart control and an Ace should be enough. West bids 4C; removing 3NT to 4 of a minor is a clear slam try unless you've already limited your hand. East would like to ask about key cards for diamonds or have partner ask for clubs, but 4NT appears to ask about clubs while bidding 4D probably forces partner to ask. Instead, cue-bid 4H, which allows West to bid 4NT, RKCB for clubs. East shows three key cards (5C in regular, 5D in 1430 style; the cue-bid eliminates the possibility of 0), then 5H (cheapest suit that can't be trumps) asks about the Queen. East makes a positive reply (5NT either as second step = yes or as yes, but no side King to show.) If both minors run West can count 13 tricks; the Jack of clubs solidifies that suit, but partner might have only one diamond or the suit could break 4-1. Best slam choices would be 6NT or 7C, where a ruff could set up the diamonds if needed, hoping for a 13th trick elsewhere. Not surprisingly, with only 30 hcp only two pairs reached slam -- no need to risk bidding seven.
Board 23: South's suit is below par for a vulnerable weak two, so West may be able to start with a strong 2C. East replies 2D negative, waiting, semi-positive (where 2H = bust) or 2H ("steps", 4-6.) I favor 2H = 0-3, 2D = 4+ (forcing to game.) So, 2C-2D; 2H-2NT; 3H-4H. Neither partner has enough extra to move beyond game.
If South opens 2S, West starts with a double, and East bids a lebensohl 2NT to show a weak hand (0-6 hcp generally.) This asks West to bid 3C with a normal takeout double, but here West follows through with his planned rebid of 4H, arriving at the same place.
Board 26: South has normal opening bid values and a seven card suit; some might open 4S or a Namyats 4D but 1S should be routine. West's crummy collection is not worth a double with no Ace, four points in a doubleton, and only three card support for the unbid major. North has a fit for spades and a hand full of slam controls, but slam may be better in either red suit where the spades can be used for discards. North starts with 2D. Assuming a modern style where a 2/1 bid is forcing to at least 2NT if not game, South can simply rebid 2S without fear of partner passing. North now raises spades, to 3 if the 2D bid was game-forcing, to 4 if it wasn't. South counts roughly 8 tricks (6 spades and the two Kings); partner has forced to game, which suggests 4 cover cards, so slam may be on. Bidding beyond 4S looks risky but the 2/1 GF style leaves room for a 4C control bid. North can then ask for key cards (5D or 5C = 1) followed by a 5H bid to check on the Queen (5NT = yes, or 5H = yes, plus this King.)
The King of diamonds opening lead puts the slam in immediate peril. South must dispose of the second diamond, and so must guess one opponent or the other for Qxx or Qxxx in hearts. South can stand to lose a trump but not a heart; so, low heart or Jack to the King, heart to the Jack or Ten, dump the diamond on the Ace of hearts, and finally take the losing finesse in spades.
Board 27: I would probably open South's hand 3C at this vulnerability at matchpoints, but most probably passed. If it looks like a good weak two in a suit I don't play weak twos, I go ahead and open 3 not vulnerable. Assuming South passes, West counts 10 tricks and a wealth of controls, easily good enough for a strong 2C. East should respond 3NT: 10-12 hcp, a balanced hand, but not very good slam controls. West can expect some of those points to cover his spade and heart loser, and hope partner has three diamonds or Qx or the suit breaks 2-2 -- 2C-3NT; 7D! "Step" responders might bid 2C-2NT (10-12); 3D-3S; 4D (West is uncertain how many diamonds partner has)-4NT; 5C or 5D (4 key cards)-6D, and now West can assume no diamond loser and take a shot at 7D.
If the 3NT response is not one partner would understand, the bidding may begin 2C-2D (4+ GF); 3D-3S; 4D, East should again drive to 6D with 11 hcp opposite a 2C opener; and West can again bid 7D once he's confident of some diamond support. 3 pairs of 9 bid the grand (one doubled), and four more bid six of something.
Board 31: After two passes, North may preempt 3S, but pass would be normal vulnerable vs. not. East has a terrific hand but only about 7 tricks if partner cannot respond to a one bid, so 1H rather than 2C is best. West bids a natural, passed-hand 2D, East leaps to 4NT (or 4D if that's agreed as Minorwood), West shows one key card, East continues with 5S as a Queen ask (not 5H, that might be passed!), West answers "yes" (6C, or 6D "yes, no King I can afford to show.") Here, either black King is probably enough for East to bid the grand slam. West has tricks to burn.
Norths who preempted (such as against us) scored well since East is apt to make the practical bid of 3NT and West has no ideas of slam.
Board 34: South opens a slightly off-shape 1NT (15-17). North transfers to spades and then rebids a game-forcing 3D, showing his second suit and some doubt about 3NT, such as a singleton or interest in slam. South bids 3NT with both unbid suits well-controlled. North continues with 5NT, "pick a slam." This may be a slight stretch but there are at least 32 hcp and North has good shape if partner fits either suit, or the spades may split 3-3 or opener may have Jx. South bids 6D or, if he thinks carefully about what partner must have for such bidding, 7D. Quite a hand when 6NT making 7 nets an average score!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Sunday 3/6/2011
Right-click here for hands. Another nice turnout, ten tables.
Board 1: East opens 1C, South overcalls 1S, West bids 1NT, North might raise but I think I'd pass the flat 5 count despite four card support for spades. East has 8 tricks in hand and excellent controls; 3NT would be good if the clubs run but 5C has chances even if they don't. East has guesses in both minors. I don't see an obvious way to make 12 tricks.
Board 5: North opens 1S, which should silence East -- don't feel you must bid something just because you would have opened the bidding, pass in tempo when they bid your long suit. South can respond 2C or a strong jump to 3C, but it is difficult to find a bidding sequence that will reveal anything useful about opener's hand. With nine tricks opposite a partner who opened, 6C is a reasonable gamble. South wins the opening heart lead with North's Ace, pitches his other heart on the Ace of spades, and must play the diamond suit for one loser. With no re-entry to dummy, declarer can play West for the King (low to the Ace, low back toward the Queen) or East for the Jack (low toward the ten, covering either the Jack or King if East plays one of those.) At our table East doubled 1S, which made the King with West unlikely.
Board 17: East can open 1C, planning to rebid spades twice, or open 1S and bid clubs according to how the auction proceeds. With this sort of hand I expect the opponents to have a big fit in one of the red suits and ask myself if I open 1C, will I be comfortable showing the spades for the first time at the four level? If the clubs were stronger I think I would, but here I believe I'd open 1S.
South's hand is light for a two-level overcall, and a bit iffy for a leap to 3D, so pass seems best. West has a monster; there is little point in bidding the hearts (partner can hardly have any help in the suit, and you can't improve on a 5-5 major fit) so a direct 4NT is simplest. East shows 2 key cards and West bids 6S. South cashes his Ace after which delcarer has tricks to burn, with the Jack of hearts dropping or the clubs setting up with the help of one ruff.
Board 18: East's spades look good enough for a non-vulnerable 2S to me, but some will pass and other open 1S despite the stiff Queen and lack of quick tricks. At our table East passed, I opened the normal 2NT, and North's Ace plus two four card majors justified a 3C Stayman response. The combined points are 24 or 25 and it is better than 50% South has a four (or five) card major. The normal-looking 4H dies a quick death with E/W each having a singleton opposite partner's Ace.
If East opens 2S, South should hope for five points or more from partner (a bit less than 1/4 of the high cards not in South's hand) and bid a practical 3NT. The contract looks shaky but North's spade spots brng home the game. A possible line would be opening spade lead won by the Ace (East can tell partner will not be able to lead them again, so no point in ducking), diamond Queen ducked, low spade won in hand, three top clubs dropping the Jack, fourth club pitching a diamond, Ace, King and a third heart; East must concede two spade tricks to dummy.
Board 1: East opens 1C, South overcalls 1S, West bids 1NT, North might raise but I think I'd pass the flat 5 count despite four card support for spades. East has 8 tricks in hand and excellent controls; 3NT would be good if the clubs run but 5C has chances even if they don't. East has guesses in both minors. I don't see an obvious way to make 12 tricks.
Board 5: North opens 1S, which should silence East -- don't feel you must bid something just because you would have opened the bidding, pass in tempo when they bid your long suit. South can respond 2C or a strong jump to 3C, but it is difficult to find a bidding sequence that will reveal anything useful about opener's hand. With nine tricks opposite a partner who opened, 6C is a reasonable gamble. South wins the opening heart lead with North's Ace, pitches his other heart on the Ace of spades, and must play the diamond suit for one loser. With no re-entry to dummy, declarer can play West for the King (low to the Ace, low back toward the Queen) or East for the Jack (low toward the ten, covering either the Jack or King if East plays one of those.) At our table East doubled 1S, which made the King with West unlikely.
Board 17: East can open 1C, planning to rebid spades twice, or open 1S and bid clubs according to how the auction proceeds. With this sort of hand I expect the opponents to have a big fit in one of the red suits and ask myself if I open 1C, will I be comfortable showing the spades for the first time at the four level? If the clubs were stronger I think I would, but here I believe I'd open 1S.
South's hand is light for a two-level overcall, and a bit iffy for a leap to 3D, so pass seems best. West has a monster; there is little point in bidding the hearts (partner can hardly have any help in the suit, and you can't improve on a 5-5 major fit) so a direct 4NT is simplest. East shows 2 key cards and West bids 6S. South cashes his Ace after which delcarer has tricks to burn, with the Jack of hearts dropping or the clubs setting up with the help of one ruff.
Board 18: East's spades look good enough for a non-vulnerable 2S to me, but some will pass and other open 1S despite the stiff Queen and lack of quick tricks. At our table East passed, I opened the normal 2NT, and North's Ace plus two four card majors justified a 3C Stayman response. The combined points are 24 or 25 and it is better than 50% South has a four (or five) card major. The normal-looking 4H dies a quick death with E/W each having a singleton opposite partner's Ace.
If East opens 2S, South should hope for five points or more from partner (a bit less than 1/4 of the high cards not in South's hand) and bid a practical 3NT. The contract looks shaky but North's spade spots brng home the game. A possible line would be opening spade lead won by the Ace (East can tell partner will not be able to lead them again, so no point in ducking), diamond Queen ducked, low spade won in hand, three top clubs dropping the Jack, fourth club pitching a diamond, Ace, King and a third heart; East must concede two spade tricks to dummy.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Friday 3/4/2011
Right-click here for hands.
Board 2: An aggressive not-vul vs. vul matchpoint 3D call (we use 2D for other things) went for -1100 after double, all pass. (The 1110 appears to be a typo; the Bridgemates quit qorking at some point.) N/S have 27 hcp but would do well to stop at 3NT, the only game likely to make.
Over a 2D opening, North starts with a double, South leaps to 3H, North shows his "too strong to overcall" hand with 3S, and South bids 3NT. North has not shown his complete shape but South points appear to be in the red suits and pass will be the winning choice.
Board 9: North opens 1C; this hand is an average 14 count, the five card suit compensating for poor intermediates (no tens or nines), so not worth an upgrade to a 15-17 notrump. South counts five losers and should smell a possible slam if a fit can be located, but his hand is poor in controls and 1S is a reasonable first move.
If West passes, N/S should reach 5S after a 1NT rebid, New Minor Forcing 2D gadget, jump to 3S by North, and 4NT discovering two key cards are missing. But West jumps to 3D and most N/S pairs land in 4S, making six on the trump finesse.
Board 10: East's 1S should be followed by two passes to North, though some Wests may raise or respond with 1NT forcing despite the limited high cards. North has 18 hcp but the queen of spades will probably be useless except in notrump; still, North is rather strong for a simple 2H balancing bid and likely doubles first. South leaps to 3H, leaving some room in case North has a strong minor-suited overcall or strong balanced hand. North has a good hand but does not know about South's void or the ten card fit, so I would expect a simpe raise to 4H.
The opening spade lead is ruffed in dummy, and to make 12 tricks North must ruff three more spades and so cannot afford two rounds of trumps. Instead, North leads a low diamond toward his Queen; if West has the King, a club can be pitched later, while if East has the King, he cannot attack clubs. West grabs his King and switches to a club, but declarer grabs the Ace, ruffs another spade, crosses to the Queen of diamonds, ruffs a third spade, pitches his club loser on the Ace of diamonds (praying for a 4-3 split), ruffs a diamond to hand, ruffs his last spade, and finally draws trumps.
If West raises spades, North doubles, East re-raises to 3S preemptively (he could redouble to show a good hand), and when South bids 4H freely, North can infer he has at most 1 sapde. Still, gettng to slam looks like a stretch, and it isn't a lydown or easy to play.
Board 15: South opens 3C which should end the auction -- neither West nor East has enough high cards to bid on power alone, and neither is short in clubs to justify bidding on "shape". Obviously several players did bid, trading a plus score for a minus.
Board 18: East can expect his hand to produce 9 1/2 tricks if he can lead toward his hearts twice, but that requires entries in partner's hand; I think I 'd settle for a heavy 1H opening. Some Souths may indulge themselves with an Unusual 2NT at the favorable vulenrability, but bidding on such weak hands generally hands the other side a "road map" to the correct bidding and play. Wst raises to 2H (don't trot out those spades with such a weak hand, there's no bonus for finding a second major suit fit.) North, unaware of East's powerhouse, "pre-balances" with 3C to push the enemy off the desired two level for part-scores. East can picture 12 tricks opposite two kings and perhaps a club finesse; it's hard to construct a reasonable hand for 13 tricks, and he does not need any key cards, so a direct 6H seems in order. Ordinarily you'd go through RKCB to make sure you're not missing a key card and the queen of trumps, but with this trump holding missing the KQ of trumps still gives you a 75% chance at only one loser. The slam rolls on the successful trump finesse.
Board 19: South opens 3H and West basically has a guess between 4S and 6S -- there is no clever bidding sequence likely to reveal whether partner has a club control and two more tricks. With 24 hcp in the other three hands, each (including the preemptor) will average about 8; it seems a fair bet that East will have the Ace or King of clubs or a singleton or North will lead a heart, and all East could easily provide two high card tricks and a heart ruff. No luck today, North cashes two clubs and gives partner a ruff.
Board 22: South opens 1D and West glances at the vulnerability before his prudent pass. North has obvious slam interest; South must have four diamonds or four hearts or both. This is the sort of hand where strong jump shifts help the most; 1D-2H; 2S-3D; 4NT-5S (two key cards plus the queen of trumps)-6D. don't worry about whether you should be in 6H, only one pair bid either slam. Declarer claims 14 tricks after West cashes his Ace. The jump shift lets opener evaluate his hand in terms of slam controls, and his mere 12 hcp turn into gold.
For those who have saddled themsleves with weak jump shifts, or who lack the imagination to see a slam with only 14 hcp as North, the bidding begins 1D-1H-1S. No heart or diamond rebid does justice to North's powerhouse, so he must resort to 2C, fourth suit artificial and forcing (to game, or North will continue to have problems the next round.) South rebids his diamonds, North rebids hearts. Even if you mark your card "fourth suit forcing one round", when responder bids the fourth suit and then makes a bid which would have been non-forcing a round earlier, such bid is now forcing. However, if you're not sure partner gets that, North jumps to 3H, which South probably raises without giving a thought to slam, and completely unaware of the big diamond fit. See how much easier strong jumps make things?
Back to the expert treatment, 4th suit forcing to game or 4th suit and rebid forcing to game, South raises 2H to 3H -- no need to leap, he has excellent controls if North is contemplating slam. This leaves room for 4D by North, finally revealing his slam interest but only showing a diamond control, not a fit. South has minimal trumps but three quick tricks, a singleton in the fourth suit and a source of tricks which the cue-bid should solidify, so 4NT (key card for hearts this time) - 5S (two plus the Queen)-6H.
Board 27: East opens a near-maximum 1S after three passes and forces to game with a jump to 3H over West's 1NT response.West has 9 hcp, a fit, and two big spade honors but his minor suit honors are of doubtful value (partner has shown 9+ cards in the majors) and so simply raises to 4H. East counts five losers and it isn't reasonable for partner to cover four of those on this bidding, so 4H should end the auction. Both majors behave well for a lucky 12 tricks.
Our "step Precision" auction proceeded 1C-1H (16+ artificial, 8-10 artificial); 1S-1NT; 2H-3H (all natural);
3S (control cuebid, as hearts were agreed.) At this point I signed off in 4H, but move the Queen of clubs over to the heart suit and I would've cooperated with a 4S cue-bid, which would lead to an excellent slam. The two artificial bids established a game force and left extra room for natural bidding and exploration.
Board 2: An aggressive not-vul vs. vul matchpoint 3D call (we use 2D for other things) went for -1100 after double, all pass. (The 1110 appears to be a typo; the Bridgemates quit qorking at some point.) N/S have 27 hcp but would do well to stop at 3NT, the only game likely to make.
Over a 2D opening, North starts with a double, South leaps to 3H, North shows his "too strong to overcall" hand with 3S, and South bids 3NT. North has not shown his complete shape but South points appear to be in the red suits and pass will be the winning choice.
Board 9: North opens 1C; this hand is an average 14 count, the five card suit compensating for poor intermediates (no tens or nines), so not worth an upgrade to a 15-17 notrump. South counts five losers and should smell a possible slam if a fit can be located, but his hand is poor in controls and 1S is a reasonable first move.
If West passes, N/S should reach 5S after a 1NT rebid, New Minor Forcing 2D gadget, jump to 3S by North, and 4NT discovering two key cards are missing. But West jumps to 3D and most N/S pairs land in 4S, making six on the trump finesse.
Board 10: East's 1S should be followed by two passes to North, though some Wests may raise or respond with 1NT forcing despite the limited high cards. North has 18 hcp but the queen of spades will probably be useless except in notrump; still, North is rather strong for a simple 2H balancing bid and likely doubles first. South leaps to 3H, leaving some room in case North has a strong minor-suited overcall or strong balanced hand. North has a good hand but does not know about South's void or the ten card fit, so I would expect a simpe raise to 4H.
The opening spade lead is ruffed in dummy, and to make 12 tricks North must ruff three more spades and so cannot afford two rounds of trumps. Instead, North leads a low diamond toward his Queen; if West has the King, a club can be pitched later, while if East has the King, he cannot attack clubs. West grabs his King and switches to a club, but declarer grabs the Ace, ruffs another spade, crosses to the Queen of diamonds, ruffs a third spade, pitches his club loser on the Ace of diamonds (praying for a 4-3 split), ruffs a diamond to hand, ruffs his last spade, and finally draws trumps.
If West raises spades, North doubles, East re-raises to 3S preemptively (he could redouble to show a good hand), and when South bids 4H freely, North can infer he has at most 1 sapde. Still, gettng to slam looks like a stretch, and it isn't a lydown or easy to play.
Board 15: South opens 3C which should end the auction -- neither West nor East has enough high cards to bid on power alone, and neither is short in clubs to justify bidding on "shape". Obviously several players did bid, trading a plus score for a minus.
Board 18: East can expect his hand to produce 9 1/2 tricks if he can lead toward his hearts twice, but that requires entries in partner's hand; I think I 'd settle for a heavy 1H opening. Some Souths may indulge themselves with an Unusual 2NT at the favorable vulenrability, but bidding on such weak hands generally hands the other side a "road map" to the correct bidding and play. Wst raises to 2H (don't trot out those spades with such a weak hand, there's no bonus for finding a second major suit fit.) North, unaware of East's powerhouse, "pre-balances" with 3C to push the enemy off the desired two level for part-scores. East can picture 12 tricks opposite two kings and perhaps a club finesse; it's hard to construct a reasonable hand for 13 tricks, and he does not need any key cards, so a direct 6H seems in order. Ordinarily you'd go through RKCB to make sure you're not missing a key card and the queen of trumps, but with this trump holding missing the KQ of trumps still gives you a 75% chance at only one loser. The slam rolls on the successful trump finesse.
Board 19: South opens 3H and West basically has a guess between 4S and 6S -- there is no clever bidding sequence likely to reveal whether partner has a club control and two more tricks. With 24 hcp in the other three hands, each (including the preemptor) will average about 8; it seems a fair bet that East will have the Ace or King of clubs or a singleton or North will lead a heart, and all East could easily provide two high card tricks and a heart ruff. No luck today, North cashes two clubs and gives partner a ruff.
Board 22: South opens 1D and West glances at the vulnerability before his prudent pass. North has obvious slam interest; South must have four diamonds or four hearts or both. This is the sort of hand where strong jump shifts help the most; 1D-2H; 2S-3D; 4NT-5S (two key cards plus the queen of trumps)-6D. don't worry about whether you should be in 6H, only one pair bid either slam. Declarer claims 14 tricks after West cashes his Ace. The jump shift lets opener evaluate his hand in terms of slam controls, and his mere 12 hcp turn into gold.
For those who have saddled themsleves with weak jump shifts, or who lack the imagination to see a slam with only 14 hcp as North, the bidding begins 1D-1H-1S. No heart or diamond rebid does justice to North's powerhouse, so he must resort to 2C, fourth suit artificial and forcing (to game, or North will continue to have problems the next round.) South rebids his diamonds, North rebids hearts. Even if you mark your card "fourth suit forcing one round", when responder bids the fourth suit and then makes a bid which would have been non-forcing a round earlier, such bid is now forcing. However, if you're not sure partner gets that, North jumps to 3H, which South probably raises without giving a thought to slam, and completely unaware of the big diamond fit. See how much easier strong jumps make things?
Back to the expert treatment, 4th suit forcing to game or 4th suit and rebid forcing to game, South raises 2H to 3H -- no need to leap, he has excellent controls if North is contemplating slam. This leaves room for 4D by North, finally revealing his slam interest but only showing a diamond control, not a fit. South has minimal trumps but three quick tricks, a singleton in the fourth suit and a source of tricks which the cue-bid should solidify, so 4NT (key card for hearts this time) - 5S (two plus the Queen)-6H.
Board 27: East opens a near-maximum 1S after three passes and forces to game with a jump to 3H over West's 1NT response.West has 9 hcp, a fit, and two big spade honors but his minor suit honors are of doubtful value (partner has shown 9+ cards in the majors) and so simply raises to 4H. East counts five losers and it isn't reasonable for partner to cover four of those on this bidding, so 4H should end the auction. Both majors behave well for a lucky 12 tricks.
Our "step Precision" auction proceeded 1C-1H (16+ artificial, 8-10 artificial); 1S-1NT; 2H-3H (all natural);
3S (control cuebid, as hearts were agreed.) At this point I signed off in 4H, but move the Queen of clubs over to the heart suit and I would've cooperated with a 4S cue-bid, which would lead to an excellent slam. The two artificial bids established a game force and left extra room for natural bidding and exploration.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)