Right-click here for hands.
Board 4: West has an awkward hand: 19 hcp and about 9 tricks, but no major suit and very unbalanced. A 2C opening may work out, but it will be easy to miss 3NT on an auction such as 2C-2D; 3D-? Responder may not be willing to bid 3NT, and the King of spades may be exposed in any case. West may need an entry in partner's hand to finesse a diamond, so the simplest plan is to open 1D and rebid 3NT. This shows a "strong gambling" type hand, not a balanced one.
East responds 1S and thinks for a bit over partner's 3NT. The singleton in partner's suit isn't encouraging, and the spades are not good enough to insist on (opener may well have a singleton or void), so pass is probably safest. I think West must open 2C for the partnership to reach slam; a simple auction might be 2C-2S; 3D-3S; 4S-4NT, etc.
Everything goes right and 13 tricks roll home at spades, diamonds or notrump. Seven spades looks like a good bet but at matchpoints I'd be happy with 6S making 7. Only five pairs reached slam, all at 6D, so no reason to risk the grand slam.
Board 6: East opens 1NT and West can immediately picture slam opposite as little as xxxx Axx Kxxx Ax (perhaps conceding a club.) An old-fashioned forcing jump to 3H would be fine, or transfer and then 3C. A new suit at the three level after Stayman or a transfer is game-forcing. East can simply
confirm support with 3H, or make an "advanced cue-bid" of 3S. This will temporarily sound like no support for hearts, but East plans to bid 4H next.
A reasonable auction might run 1NT-2D; 2H-3C; 3H-4D; 4S-4NT; 5S-5NT; 6C-? 4D is clearly a slam control bid after East confirms heart support; East might bid 4NT himself if playing some form of Key Card Blackwood, but if playing simple Blackwood it's better to cue-bid the sapdes and let partner ask. 5NT confirms all the Aces and 6C denies any Kings. This allows West to count 6 trump tricks, 2 side Aces, 3 top clubs and at least one more club if the suit breaks no worse than 4-2. As one of the long suits might behave badly I'd settle for 6H, hoping to score well if partner makes seven.
South leads the King of diamonds (no point in leading a singleton when the enemy has all the Aces!) East wins and can cash one or two high trumps, pitch a diamond on the Ace of spades, and should then set up the clubs before pulling the last trump. Seven hearts won't make if clubs split worse
than 4-2, and six making seven is odds on and will be worth extra matchpoints against those declarers who pull three rounds of trump, so take a small risk by cashing the two top clubs. When both opponents follow, ruff a club high, ruff a spade back to hand, pull trumps and play clubs from the top. Even at a team game, it's better to leave one trump out -- if you pull three trumps and clubs are 5-1, you have only 11 tricks. If South ruffs the second club he's ruffing "air", and if North has one club and three hearts you were always doomed.
All but one pair reached slam, three bidding the grand; but two of those failed and four other declarers took only 12 tricks, so six making seven was worth a solid 8.5 out of 11.
Board 22: After East and South pass, West may jam the bidding with 2D, or go quietly after glancing at the unfavorable vulnerability. Over 2D, North doubles, South bids hearts and North leaps to game. If West passses, North has a borderline 2C opening -- excellent controls but not much in the
way of tricks. I'd settle for one heart. South might pass (deducting one as responder for no Ace or King), but with four trumps I think South should raise. North, of course, bids game.
On that bidding East counts partner for no only about 4-6 points, so an aggessive lead in either minor seems too risky. I'd punt with a trump; from three small this will not often blow a trick and the auction does not suggest a threating side suit in dummy. Declarer pulls trumps, cashes three spades and exits with a diamond. A club to the Queen at some point and a club ruff will produce eleven winners, good for 7.5 out of 11 matchpoints.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Sunday, December 23rd
Right-click here for hands.
Board 4: North opens a maximum 1NT. East has a nice 2D overcall -- even vulnerable, it's worth bidding such a good suit. You wouldn't mind defending against two or three notrump, but at one notrump you are too likely to have to discard some of your diamonds before you can cash the rest. Many people play artificial methods these days -- 2D may show both majors (Cappaletti or Modified Cappaletti) or diamonds-plus-a-major (DONT.) So, you may have to start with a double (DONT, showing one suit) or 2C (Capp, showing a long suit, or Modified Capp, showing a long minor or major-minor two-suiter.) That makes the overcall less attractive -- N/S will have more time to sort out the hand. Still, a suit headed by AQ10 begs to be bid and it does seem better to disrupt the enemy's possible Stayman or transfer sequence. Overcalling is particularly attractive against pairs playing those horrible "Stolen Bid" doubles since they will have no way to double you for penalties.
Against a natural 2D, South has a standard 3D "Stayman" cue-bid. Those playing lebensohl with the "fast denies" agreement should bid 2NT as a puppet to 3C, then 2D to show "Stayman with a stopper." Over a DONT double, South redoubles to show the balance of strength (generally, a minimum of 23 hcp between the two hands.) Over a Cappaletti 2C, many would play double = Stayman, even if not playing Stolen Bid doubles in general. I recommend, however, that doubles of artificial bids show points (8+ balanced) rather than showing or asking for any particular distribution. This puts our side in good position to double any misfit for penalties.
Assuming a simple 1NT-(2D)-3D sequence, North bids 3H and South raises to game. East assumes 25+ hcp for N/S, leaving six or less for partner. This makes it unattractive to try and find a helping honor in partner's hand; I'd probably lead a trump. As it happens North can take three rounds of trumps, three rounds of spades, lose a club finesse and eventually score the King of diamonds and a trump in each hand. Be sure you don't ruff too early in either hand, you could lose control.
Against the "slow shows" lebensohl sequence, East can place South with the King-plus of diamonds and North with at least a doubleton; a shortage in partner's hand is a fair bet. East boldly leads out the Ace of his suit; I don't think North can false-card effectively, so East continues with his lowest diamond (suit-preference for clubs if partner can ruff.) He isn't sure West will be out of diamonds but a low diamond to the bare King can't cost. West does ruff and the defense holds N/S to an average score. (North must not, of course, allow West a second ruff; he can hop with the Ace on the club return or simply ruff another diamond high.)
If the bidding starts 1NT-(dbl)-redbl, West and North pass and East bids his diamonds. South could try passing to see if North can double (yes he can!) but trying to beat 2D three tricks looks iffier than game, so the bidding is apt to proceed as above (cue-bid or delayed cue-bid for Stayman.)
Capp sequence: 1NT-(2C = long suit)-dbl-(pass); pass-(2D), basically the same as with DONT -- South forces to game while checking on a major fit.
All bridge players should be familiar with using a cue-bid in the enemy suit as a Stayman replacement; novices be sure to discuss this one with partner.
Two pairs reached hopeless 6H contracts; either South over-rated his control-poor 13 count or North broke discipline, continuing beyond game. Remember, when you open 1NT, partner KNOWS you have a good hand; he's in charge of placing the contract.
Board 6: E/W have a rare vulnerable-vs-not sacrifice available at 4S, but most N/S pairs were allowed to play 4H and make an overtrick. An "open anything" East might start with 1D ("Two and half quick tricks partner") but I expect most passed, allowing South to start with 1C. West is itching to bid his 7330 hand, but the suit is rather poor for a leap to 3S when vul-vs.-not. I settled for 2S, North stretches for 3H; and East should pause to consider. It's poor tactics to bid 3S now and then 4S over 4H; that maximizes the chance they'll double you when they should defend and bid on when they should not. Bid 3S if you want to take your chances against 4H; if not, either blast to 4S (make 'em guess!) or try a lead directing 4D. Partner won't be on lead against 4H, but you might gamble on underleading to partner's King of spades. I think 4S is right -- you expect partner to take 6 or 7 spades, one or two diamonds, one or two heart ruffs, and possibly a side winner from partner. That adds up to nine or ten winners, and if, say, the diamond finessse is off you probably aren't beating 4H.
Over 4S, South appears to have relatively poor defense; bidding 5H with only three trumps is probably wrong but it may be tough to set 4S. Having opened the bidding I think pass is the disciplined action; North doubles based on his quick tricks. You can't wait for trump tricks to double at this level.
North leads the ten of diamonds; declarer suspects a sinngleton but needing diamond tricks, finesses anyway. South wins and returns his lowest diamond (suit-preference for clubs.) North ruffs and boldly underleads his Ace of clubs to try for a second ruff -- but West's void comes as a nasty shock and declarer pulls the remaining trumps in one round and can now ruff two hearts in dummy. West can always manage ten tricks via some combination of heart ruffs and setting up diamonds. Turns out N/S needed to sacrifice at 5H despite having a solid majority of the points!
Board 10: East opens 1D; West has a standard bid to show 16-17 hcp with any 4333 shape: 3NT! This assures East of a diamond fit and 30+ hcp, but the singleton in the hand with trump length does not add any playing strength. East should try visualizing: xxxx AQx KQx KQx would be a "perfect minimum" and produce 12 easy tricks. At a team game I think it would be clear to bid 4D as a slam try, planning to settle for 5D if partner does not show enthusiasm. But at matchpoints you really, really want to play 3NT (or 4) or 6D -- 5D will almost invariably be a poor second to one or the other. I don't think I have any partnerships where I could bid 4D and then stop at 4NT if we don't have the stuff for slam. A quantitative 4NT is a possibility, but many would take that as ace-asking. Key-card bidders should recognize that a 5H "two key cards without the queen" will leave you poorly placed, even if you are able to bid 5S to request a sign-off at 5NT. I think this is one where you consider slam chances and then pass 3NT as a practical matter.
Most pairs have adopted "limit notrump jumps" these days -- 2NT shows 11-12 and 3NT = 13-15. And they have NO WAY to show a flat 16+. West responds 1S, forcing for the moment; East rebids 2D or 1NT, depending on the partnership attitude toward rebidding notrump with a singleton in partner's suit. I strongly recommend you discuss this with partner -- don't bid 1NT on a hand like East's and then blame partner for rebidding a poor spade suit. For years I preferred to promise a balanced hand for a notrump rebid; I've recently switched to accepting a singleton in spades, only (when that's responder's suit.) Note that East is too weak for a strength-showing 2H reverse -- that bid effectively forces the partnership to 2NT or higher, and requires 17+ hcp.
Over 2D, West must force again with 3C (safer than 2H; if partner raises clubs you can always retreat to diamonds.) With KJxx in the unbid heart suit, East likely bids 3NT, so we have this auction: 1D-1S; 2D-3C; 3NT-? West has not described either his shape or strength accurately at this point; a 4D bid is clearly a slam try, but bidding three suits gives the impression of shortness in the fourth. Ugh! Anway, evey pair stumbled into 3NT or 4NT one way or another. The ten of diamonds mkaes the difference between a poor slam and an excellent one, so don't feel bad about missing 6D.
Board 13: With no Ace or ten, North should downgrade his poor, 5332 12 count and pass. East, owever, has a reasonable Rule of 20 or Goren 13 count, though many would pass for lack of major suit length. I suspect most opened as North and East certainly overcalled 2C. South has nothing to say.
West has a problem -- North stole his powerhouse suit! Looking at the King of clubs, it seemed reasonable to assume partner has something outside for her vulnerable overcall, so I guessed to bid 3NT. Other possibilities include 2S or 2H, but 3NT looks like the likely spot and anything else risks missing that golden contract. Even if partner has spade support the known bad breaks may make notrump a better bet.
North gives West a scare with the King of diamonds lead, but partner produces the expected stopper. Not fearing any shift declarer ducks the first two diamonds and wins the third, pitching low hearts. West should consider what contracts other declarers may be in: five clubs and six clubs are the obvious alternatives. North is marked with almost every missing high card, so the spade finesse appears to be losing. That makes 12 tricks at clubs a difficult proposition, so it makes sense to play safe for 9 tricks: test the clubs and cash winners. If you can read North for fewer than five diamonds, you can set up an extra heart or spade winner, but in fact 3NT making scored a cold top.
If North passes, E/W might reach 6C and go down on the reasonable line of trying both major suit finesses. If E/W somehow reach 6C after North opens, East can pull trumps set up two extra hearts with a ruffing finesse and a spade with a losing finesse. Ruffing a diamond in dummy looks fatal as declarer cannot return to his hand to pull South's trumps.
Board 23: West has a wild hand: AKQ10xxxx -- 10 AQ97. There are nine obvious winners and good chances in clubs for a tenth, along with excellent slam controls. This is the sort of hand to open 2C and rebid 4S, announcing ten tricks and great controls but somewhat below the expected number of high cards. You could open 1S and chances are someone would bid; if partner does not have six hcp the enemy have at least 20 and shortness in spades. But there is no good way to portray the playing strength of this hand beginning with 1S. Don't carry this notion to extremes: AKQxxxxxxx -- x xx may be ten tricks but 2C would be a gross distortion.
East should make a positive response in diamonds -- don't bid an anemic 2D "waiting" bid and try to catch up later. Any hand with an Ace, 8+ hcp and a five card or better suit headed by two top honors has too much slam potential opposite a 2C opener to begin with an unhelpful 2D call. ("Steps" bidders, of course, would show 10-12 hcpwith a 2NT response.)
Whatever the response, West carries through with his planned 4S rebid. East adds his 2.5 quick tricks to partner's announced 10; the only flaw would be the possibility that opener has only seven spades and therefore a possible extra loser opposite your void. Don't even consider any suit but spades on this bidding -- partner did not ask your opinion about trumps! If this bidding were to come up more than once every few years, it would be reasonable to define a 5S raise as " I have two tricks for you but a void in trumps -- is that a problem?" Well, 5S generally asks about trump quality but I think that's cutting things rather fine (i.e., AKQxxxx would not constitute adequate trump quality!) Some might argue that West should "go slower" over the positive response, but I think 4S gives the clearest description of his hand.
I think East should gamble that either the spades are solid or the diamond Queen will be worth a trick. It's reasonable to bid 4NT and then 5NT to confirm all the Aces or Key cards, then settle in 6S. North leads the King of hearts. I don't know the best line but I think ruff the lead and run seven more spades looks reasonable, leaving -- AJ AQ 8 opposite -- -- 10 AQ97 in hand. Now cash the two red Aces and if nothing wonderful happens try the club finesse. You may be able to read an endplay depending on the enemy discards. It would be nice to surrender a trick (rectifying the count for a squeeze) but a diamond return by North or a club return by South would foul your communications.
Board 4: North opens a maximum 1NT. East has a nice 2D overcall -- even vulnerable, it's worth bidding such a good suit. You wouldn't mind defending against two or three notrump, but at one notrump you are too likely to have to discard some of your diamonds before you can cash the rest. Many people play artificial methods these days -- 2D may show both majors (Cappaletti or Modified Cappaletti) or diamonds-plus-a-major (DONT.) So, you may have to start with a double (DONT, showing one suit) or 2C (Capp, showing a long suit, or Modified Capp, showing a long minor or major-minor two-suiter.) That makes the overcall less attractive -- N/S will have more time to sort out the hand. Still, a suit headed by AQ10 begs to be bid and it does seem better to disrupt the enemy's possible Stayman or transfer sequence. Overcalling is particularly attractive against pairs playing those horrible "Stolen Bid" doubles since they will have no way to double you for penalties.
Against a natural 2D, South has a standard 3D "Stayman" cue-bid. Those playing lebensohl with the "fast denies" agreement should bid 2NT as a puppet to 3C, then 2D to show "Stayman with a stopper." Over a DONT double, South redoubles to show the balance of strength (generally, a minimum of 23 hcp between the two hands.) Over a Cappaletti 2C, many would play double = Stayman, even if not playing Stolen Bid doubles in general. I recommend, however, that doubles of artificial bids show points (8+ balanced) rather than showing or asking for any particular distribution. This puts our side in good position to double any misfit for penalties.
Assuming a simple 1NT-(2D)-3D sequence, North bids 3H and South raises to game. East assumes 25+ hcp for N/S, leaving six or less for partner. This makes it unattractive to try and find a helping honor in partner's hand; I'd probably lead a trump. As it happens North can take three rounds of trumps, three rounds of spades, lose a club finesse and eventually score the King of diamonds and a trump in each hand. Be sure you don't ruff too early in either hand, you could lose control.
Against the "slow shows" lebensohl sequence, East can place South with the King-plus of diamonds and North with at least a doubleton; a shortage in partner's hand is a fair bet. East boldly leads out the Ace of his suit; I don't think North can false-card effectively, so East continues with his lowest diamond (suit-preference for clubs if partner can ruff.) He isn't sure West will be out of diamonds but a low diamond to the bare King can't cost. West does ruff and the defense holds N/S to an average score. (North must not, of course, allow West a second ruff; he can hop with the Ace on the club return or simply ruff another diamond high.)
If the bidding starts 1NT-(dbl)-redbl, West and North pass and East bids his diamonds. South could try passing to see if North can double (yes he can!) but trying to beat 2D three tricks looks iffier than game, so the bidding is apt to proceed as above (cue-bid or delayed cue-bid for Stayman.)
Capp sequence: 1NT-(2C = long suit)-dbl-(pass); pass-(2D), basically the same as with DONT -- South forces to game while checking on a major fit.
All bridge players should be familiar with using a cue-bid in the enemy suit as a Stayman replacement; novices be sure to discuss this one with partner.
Two pairs reached hopeless 6H contracts; either South over-rated his control-poor 13 count or North broke discipline, continuing beyond game. Remember, when you open 1NT, partner KNOWS you have a good hand; he's in charge of placing the contract.
Board 6: E/W have a rare vulnerable-vs-not sacrifice available at 4S, but most N/S pairs were allowed to play 4H and make an overtrick. An "open anything" East might start with 1D ("Two and half quick tricks partner") but I expect most passed, allowing South to start with 1C. West is itching to bid his 7330 hand, but the suit is rather poor for a leap to 3S when vul-vs.-not. I settled for 2S, North stretches for 3H; and East should pause to consider. It's poor tactics to bid 3S now and then 4S over 4H; that maximizes the chance they'll double you when they should defend and bid on when they should not. Bid 3S if you want to take your chances against 4H; if not, either blast to 4S (make 'em guess!) or try a lead directing 4D. Partner won't be on lead against 4H, but you might gamble on underleading to partner's King of spades. I think 4S is right -- you expect partner to take 6 or 7 spades, one or two diamonds, one or two heart ruffs, and possibly a side winner from partner. That adds up to nine or ten winners, and if, say, the diamond finessse is off you probably aren't beating 4H.
Over 4S, South appears to have relatively poor defense; bidding 5H with only three trumps is probably wrong but it may be tough to set 4S. Having opened the bidding I think pass is the disciplined action; North doubles based on his quick tricks. You can't wait for trump tricks to double at this level.
North leads the ten of diamonds; declarer suspects a sinngleton but needing diamond tricks, finesses anyway. South wins and returns his lowest diamond (suit-preference for clubs.) North ruffs and boldly underleads his Ace of clubs to try for a second ruff -- but West's void comes as a nasty shock and declarer pulls the remaining trumps in one round and can now ruff two hearts in dummy. West can always manage ten tricks via some combination of heart ruffs and setting up diamonds. Turns out N/S needed to sacrifice at 5H despite having a solid majority of the points!
Board 10: East opens 1D; West has a standard bid to show 16-17 hcp with any 4333 shape: 3NT! This assures East of a diamond fit and 30+ hcp, but the singleton in the hand with trump length does not add any playing strength. East should try visualizing: xxxx AQx KQx KQx would be a "perfect minimum" and produce 12 easy tricks. At a team game I think it would be clear to bid 4D as a slam try, planning to settle for 5D if partner does not show enthusiasm. But at matchpoints you really, really want to play 3NT (or 4) or 6D -- 5D will almost invariably be a poor second to one or the other. I don't think I have any partnerships where I could bid 4D and then stop at 4NT if we don't have the stuff for slam. A quantitative 4NT is a possibility, but many would take that as ace-asking. Key-card bidders should recognize that a 5H "two key cards without the queen" will leave you poorly placed, even if you are able to bid 5S to request a sign-off at 5NT. I think this is one where you consider slam chances and then pass 3NT as a practical matter.
Most pairs have adopted "limit notrump jumps" these days -- 2NT shows 11-12 and 3NT = 13-15. And they have NO WAY to show a flat 16+. West responds 1S, forcing for the moment; East rebids 2D or 1NT, depending on the partnership attitude toward rebidding notrump with a singleton in partner's suit. I strongly recommend you discuss this with partner -- don't bid 1NT on a hand like East's and then blame partner for rebidding a poor spade suit. For years I preferred to promise a balanced hand for a notrump rebid; I've recently switched to accepting a singleton in spades, only (when that's responder's suit.) Note that East is too weak for a strength-showing 2H reverse -- that bid effectively forces the partnership to 2NT or higher, and requires 17+ hcp.
Over 2D, West must force again with 3C (safer than 2H; if partner raises clubs you can always retreat to diamonds.) With KJxx in the unbid heart suit, East likely bids 3NT, so we have this auction: 1D-1S; 2D-3C; 3NT-? West has not described either his shape or strength accurately at this point; a 4D bid is clearly a slam try, but bidding three suits gives the impression of shortness in the fourth. Ugh! Anway, evey pair stumbled into 3NT or 4NT one way or another. The ten of diamonds mkaes the difference between a poor slam and an excellent one, so don't feel bad about missing 6D.
Board 13: With no Ace or ten, North should downgrade his poor, 5332 12 count and pass. East, owever, has a reasonable Rule of 20 or Goren 13 count, though many would pass for lack of major suit length. I suspect most opened as North and East certainly overcalled 2C. South has nothing to say.
West has a problem -- North stole his powerhouse suit! Looking at the King of clubs, it seemed reasonable to assume partner has something outside for her vulnerable overcall, so I guessed to bid 3NT. Other possibilities include 2S or 2H, but 3NT looks like the likely spot and anything else risks missing that golden contract. Even if partner has spade support the known bad breaks may make notrump a better bet.
North gives West a scare with the King of diamonds lead, but partner produces the expected stopper. Not fearing any shift declarer ducks the first two diamonds and wins the third, pitching low hearts. West should consider what contracts other declarers may be in: five clubs and six clubs are the obvious alternatives. North is marked with almost every missing high card, so the spade finesse appears to be losing. That makes 12 tricks at clubs a difficult proposition, so it makes sense to play safe for 9 tricks: test the clubs and cash winners. If you can read North for fewer than five diamonds, you can set up an extra heart or spade winner, but in fact 3NT making scored a cold top.
If North passes, E/W might reach 6C and go down on the reasonable line of trying both major suit finesses. If E/W somehow reach 6C after North opens, East can pull trumps set up two extra hearts with a ruffing finesse and a spade with a losing finesse. Ruffing a diamond in dummy looks fatal as declarer cannot return to his hand to pull South's trumps.
Board 23: West has a wild hand: AKQ10xxxx -- 10 AQ97. There are nine obvious winners and good chances in clubs for a tenth, along with excellent slam controls. This is the sort of hand to open 2C and rebid 4S, announcing ten tricks and great controls but somewhat below the expected number of high cards. You could open 1S and chances are someone would bid; if partner does not have six hcp the enemy have at least 20 and shortness in spades. But there is no good way to portray the playing strength of this hand beginning with 1S. Don't carry this notion to extremes: AKQxxxxxxx -- x xx may be ten tricks but 2C would be a gross distortion.
East should make a positive response in diamonds -- don't bid an anemic 2D "waiting" bid and try to catch up later. Any hand with an Ace, 8+ hcp and a five card or better suit headed by two top honors has too much slam potential opposite a 2C opener to begin with an unhelpful 2D call. ("Steps" bidders, of course, would show 10-12 hcpwith a 2NT response.)
Whatever the response, West carries through with his planned 4S rebid. East adds his 2.5 quick tricks to partner's announced 10; the only flaw would be the possibility that opener has only seven spades and therefore a possible extra loser opposite your void. Don't even consider any suit but spades on this bidding -- partner did not ask your opinion about trumps! If this bidding were to come up more than once every few years, it would be reasonable to define a 5S raise as " I have two tricks for you but a void in trumps -- is that a problem?" Well, 5S generally asks about trump quality but I think that's cutting things rather fine (i.e., AKQxxxx would not constitute adequate trump quality!) Some might argue that West should "go slower" over the positive response, but I think 4S gives the clearest description of his hand.
I think East should gamble that either the spades are solid or the diamond Queen will be worth a trick. It's reasonable to bid 4NT and then 5NT to confirm all the Aces or Key cards, then settle in 6S. North leads the King of hearts. I don't know the best line but I think ruff the lead and run seven more spades looks reasonable, leaving -- AJ AQ 8 opposite -- -- 10 AQ97 in hand. Now cash the two red Aces and if nothing wonderful happens try the club finesse. You may be able to read an endplay depending on the enemy discards. It would be nice to surrender a trick (rectifying the count for a squeeze) but a diamond return by North or a club return by South would foul your communications.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Sunday, December 2nd, 2012
Right-click here for hands.
Board 14: South opens a routine 1C. I'm sure most Norths responded 1S, but I would recommend 2S, forcing to game and showing immediate slam interest. However, it is normal in American methods to promise at least a five-card suit for a jump shift so 1S may be best if you haven't discussed this with partner. A good auction might be 1C-2S; 3S (promising 4 card support)-4NT; 5H-5NT; 6D-? With all the Aces,Kings and the Queen of spades, there might be a grand slam; but opener might have little besides his two Aces and one King. Best is to bid 6S -- the trump suit makes for a safer slam than 6NT and there may be a play for an overtrick. 19 hcp opposite an opening bid could add up to only 31 or 32 hcp -- enough for slam in a suit, but below the usual standard of 33 hcp for 6NT. As it happens, making 6NT requires some sort of squeeze or defensive error, while 6S makes easily by trumping a diamond in dummy.
If the bidding begins 1C-1S; 2S, does the raise promise four card support? If so North can proceed with Blackwood as above. Otherwise, he'd better make a forcing bid and see whether partner repeats the spade support. A plausible auction might be 1C-1S; 2S-3H; 3S etc., but if South thinks he's already shown four trumps he may bid 3NT instead and the auction could go off the rails. As usual, making any slam nets a decent score: only four of nine pairs bid and made slam.
Board 23: West opens 1C and East can show immediate slam interest with a strong jump to 2S. A good auction might be 1C-2S; 3C-3H; 3NT-? At this point East has told his story and partner wasn't interested, so East can pass 3NT in comfort.
Absent strong jump shifts, or with the restriction that the jumper cannot have a second suit, the auction begins 1C-1S; 2C-? Gadget-loving partnerships might play New Minor Forcing here (an extension, normally the convention only applies after opener rebids 1NT); that would allow 2H on a weak 5-4 hand. But the default agreement is that 2H is forcing, under the core rule of Standard American bidding: "A new suit-over-suit bid by a responder who has never passed is forcing." Despite the misfit, opener should like his clubs enough to leap to 3NT at this point -- the previous 2C bid limited his hand somewhat, so this just shows a good minimum-range hand. And now responder is uncomfortable passing with 16 hcp when all he has shown is eleven or so. Pass is probably best, but how much simpler to announce the strength up front with a strong jump!
I count two strong jumps and zero weak ones this session, a fairly typical result. But it would be zero strong jumps as well if you require a five card suit and prohibit a second suit, both common restrictions in American but not European methods. I generally prefer American methods except for two level jump shifts, as illustrated by today's hands. It's possible to land in the right spot without a strong jump, but it's easy to go wrong. An early jump saves much guesswork later.
Board 14: South opens a routine 1C. I'm sure most Norths responded 1S, but I would recommend 2S, forcing to game and showing immediate slam interest. However, it is normal in American methods to promise at least a five-card suit for a jump shift so 1S may be best if you haven't discussed this with partner. A good auction might be 1C-2S; 3S (promising 4 card support)-4NT; 5H-5NT; 6D-? With all the Aces,Kings and the Queen of spades, there might be a grand slam; but opener might have little besides his two Aces and one King. Best is to bid 6S -- the trump suit makes for a safer slam than 6NT and there may be a play for an overtrick. 19 hcp opposite an opening bid could add up to only 31 or 32 hcp -- enough for slam in a suit, but below the usual standard of 33 hcp for 6NT. As it happens, making 6NT requires some sort of squeeze or defensive error, while 6S makes easily by trumping a diamond in dummy.
If the bidding begins 1C-1S; 2S, does the raise promise four card support? If so North can proceed with Blackwood as above. Otherwise, he'd better make a forcing bid and see whether partner repeats the spade support. A plausible auction might be 1C-1S; 2S-3H; 3S etc., but if South thinks he's already shown four trumps he may bid 3NT instead and the auction could go off the rails. As usual, making any slam nets a decent score: only four of nine pairs bid and made slam.
Board 23: West opens 1C and East can show immediate slam interest with a strong jump to 2S. A good auction might be 1C-2S; 3C-3H; 3NT-? At this point East has told his story and partner wasn't interested, so East can pass 3NT in comfort.
Absent strong jump shifts, or with the restriction that the jumper cannot have a second suit, the auction begins 1C-1S; 2C-? Gadget-loving partnerships might play New Minor Forcing here (an extension, normally the convention only applies after opener rebids 1NT); that would allow 2H on a weak 5-4 hand. But the default agreement is that 2H is forcing, under the core rule of Standard American bidding: "A new suit-over-suit bid by a responder who has never passed is forcing." Despite the misfit, opener should like his clubs enough to leap to 3NT at this point -- the previous 2C bid limited his hand somewhat, so this just shows a good minimum-range hand. And now responder is uncomfortable passing with 16 hcp when all he has shown is eleven or so. Pass is probably best, but how much simpler to announce the strength up front with a strong jump!
I count two strong jumps and zero weak ones this session, a fairly typical result. But it would be zero strong jumps as well if you require a five card suit and prohibit a second suit, both common restrictions in American but not European methods. I generally prefer American methods except for two level jump shifts, as illustrated by today's hands. It's possible to land in the right spot without a strong jump, but it's easy to go wrong. An early jump saves much guesswork later.
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Friday, November 30th 2012
Right-click here for hands. These hands were originally generated for a Tuesday game.
Board 1: A wild hand, with each player facing choices. Should North open? 11 hcp and 6-5 shape says "yes", but two singleton honors and less than two quick tricks says "no". If the minors were reversed I'd open a weak two diamonds, planning to freely bid 3C (but no higher) later if given the opportunity. With clubs longer and stronger, I would pass, planning to enter the auction later with a descriptive Unusual 2NT. If North does open, should it be 1C or 1D ? Basically with 6-5 hands you have to decide whether to portray it as 5-5 or 6-4. Bidding both suits shows more of your cards, but with most the points in clubs, I'd probably open and rebid the clubs, burying the diamonds unless partner mentions them.
East has an obvious 1C bid if North passes, or a reasonable upgrade to a 15-17 NT. Aces, tens, nines and five card suits all are worth more than the simple point count allows, perhaps 1/2 each for the good five card suit and second ten. (You expect to have one Ace, one ten and one nine in an average hand.) Three quick tricks should please partner if he insists on a suit contract.
Over a 1D bid, the choice is between 1NT and 2C; the sturdy suit is fine for an overcall, but again 1NT is a reasonable description (and greatly simplifies West's bidding problems as it happens.) If East chooses 2C, is South good enough for a negative double? Only five hcp, but an Ace, good shape and tolerance for diamonds makes the double attractive.
Now it's West's turn, after 1D-2C-pass or dbl. Ordinarily, to show 5-5 shape, you bid "down the line", bidding spades first and planning to bid and rebid hearts later. But is West strong enough for that? Rebidding the hearts would have to be at at least the four level. Pass seems overly timid; an alternate strategy would be to bid 2H, trusting partner to mention spades if he has four. This will miss a 5-3 spade fit, but responding in spades risks never mentioning the hearts at all, or overbidding on a potential misfit.
If North opens 1C, East can pass (usually sound when they open your best suit) or again upgrade his hand to a 1NT overcall. I would expect notrump to play well and favor the overcall. South cannot double 1NT -- that would be strength-showing (10+ hcp); negative doubles apply only over suit bids. Any notrump bid or overcall by East allows West to confidently force to game on his 5-5 ten count. Some pairs play a gadget 3S bid for strong 5-5 hands, but simple transfers work better: transfer to spades and then rebid 3H. As it would be normal to use Stayman on a 5-4 hand, bidding both majors shows 5-5, and a new suit at the three level after a transfer is always game-forcing.
Any time you can give partner a good description of your hand with one bid, you are apt to come out ahead in the bidding. That doesn't justify ignoring your agreed notrump range; I see players claiming 15-17 or 15-18 ranges while routinely including average 14, 18 or 19 counts. Stick to your range, but judgement is allowed on exceptional hands such as this one.
Against 4H, South will likely lead his singleton club, but a diamond is possible if that's what North opened and West has shown his 5-5 pattern -- the idea would be to try and force the long trump hand (dummy) to ruff twice, putting South's trumps in control.
North should take time to plan the defense before winning his Ace of clubs -- it's good practice never to play quickly as third hand to trick one; think! West has 10 hcp, North has 11, East has shown 15-17; that leaves only 2-4 points for South. Also, 4H looks like a normal contract (North is unaware of East's other bidding options.) If North opened 1C the lead appears more likely to be from 3 rather than a singleton. South may have a club honor. North's stiff heart means either East or South has four. Continuing clubs probably allows declarer to pitch something in dummy, but unless South has a high diamnd this doesn't look like it will cost. Leading the stiff Jack of spades hoping for a ruff would be foolish -- a single trump lead eliminates the heart Queen. Better to hope South has something like J9xx in trumps and the Queen will promote a natural trick. I'd continue the clubs, hoping to give nothing away.
East tries the Jack or ten of clubs and South ruffs to prevent a diamond discard; dummy overuffs. The extreme split in clubs suggest South is more likely to have heart length; East would like to lead twice through South and hope to capture the trump Jack or Queen. A diamond to hand, ten of hearts (ducked, covering won't promote anything for South, best is to hope North has a stiff honor as here) to the Queen, another club, but it looks like declarer will score ten tricks easily. On repeated diamond leads declarer has a harder time, probably needing to ruff a spade in hand between the first and second round of trumps.
Several Easts played in clubs; a possible auction might be 1D-2C-dbl-pass; North passes, converting the double to penalties and East has no place to run. I think West would do better to pull the double to 2S or perhaps 2H. On the penalty pass auction, South must lead a trump. No reason for North to grab his Ace; why lead into that dummy? Just cover the seven with the nine. East wins and may be tempted to try for a fast discard on spades, but North's bidding (1D, the passing a negative double) suggests 5-5 in the minors and it's unlikely he has three spades. Instead, East runs the ten of hearts (or makes a brilliant guess with the King, but a stiff Ace on North is just as likely as a stiff Queen.) North exits with the Jack of spades. East wins and tries another heart; South hops up with the Ace and switches to diamonds when North pitches the six. After this North can safely exit with a diamond every time he gets in, which should limit declarer to two or three trump tricks, one spade and three diamonds. Ouch!
Board 2: Twelve high card points is usually too much for an opening preemptive bid, but East is looking at favorable vulnerability, strong hearts, no Ace and fewer than two quick tricks -- I'd gamble that 4H won't miss a slam. After two passes, North has too much to go quietly and double is the obvious choice no matter how partner takes it. (The modern style is described as "takeout", but it's more like "optional" at this level; I still prefer "partner, I've got too much to pass!", usually 16+ but I'd stretch with this quick-trick rich beauty.)
South's choice is pass or 5C; I think I'd pass and lead the stiff spade -- partner rates to be able to give you more than one ruff. North wins and reads the lead as likely from shortness; he returns his lowest spade to signal for a club return. South wins and returns the Jack of clubs; he doesn't want North to duck the Queen. North wins the King and gives South another ruff. Now South cashes the Ace of diamonds (North signals with the 8), and leds to North's King for down 3 (+500 N/S.)
If the defense starts with two rounds of clubs, declarer ruffs, pulls trumps and sets up two spade winners for nine tricks. Five clubs for +600 was a top but +500 would've beat all other scores. Making slam requires guessing to drop the Queen of diamonds rather than taking the obvious finesse (which should be better than 50% in light of East's preempt, but might be plausible if East opens only 1H.)
Board 7: South has just enough for a 1D opening or 1C "could be short" depending on partnership style. Over 1D West's hand is horribly flawed for a takeout double; partner may never quit bidding hearts. I make it a rule never to start with a double on a hand with a singleton or void in an unbid major. Some might choose an off-beat 1NT, but partner may well transfer to a random five card heart suit. One spade on AKxx looks best. North passes and East's 8 hcp are just enough for a 1NT reply; I wouldn't worry too much about stoppers in an enemy minor. West could bid 2D, natural, but that does not sound forward-going; 2NT invites game. East might pass or bid 3C; over 3C, West bids 3D (natural, in effect stopper showing) and East should finish at 3NT.
Double-dummy, 3NT should go down while either 5C or 5D makes; but with no suit unstopped it's almost always right to try 3NT rather than venture the five level. A low heart can beat 3NT but five of six declarers playing notrump made nine or more tricks.
Board 9: East opens 1C, South jumps to 2D, and West bids the obvious 3NT. This ended the bidding at seven tables; one East reached 4H and another 6S, both theoretically makeable but both down one at the table. East can visulaize slam opposite many opening hands, but the likely wasted values in diamonds and East's unappealing 4414 shape (nothing useful to pitch on diamonds) argue against bidding on. If East does make a move, West should support clubs and the soundest slam should be reached. Twelve tricks makes on a finesse (hearts), so this is a slam you should not be sorry to miss.
Board 11: Another double-dummy slam, requiring two finesses. Every pair sensibly played 4S. South opens 1S; West may bid 2NT (Unusual.) However, it is common to play Unusual 2NT and Michaels cue-bids as "weak or strong", excluding hands of around 11-15 hcp. In that case West should overcall in one of his suits; I'd choose clubs for the good lead-direction rather than the anemic diamonds.
North expects 2C ot go down, but the known nine-card major suit fit argues against defending below the four level. North cue-bids 3C, promising at least a limit raise of spades. South has plenty enugh to accept and in fact shold want to leave North some bidding room in case there is a slam. 3D looks right; North assumes this is a game try but allows for the possibility of an advance control cue-bid. 3NT by North suggests his club values and also leaves more room in case South intended 3D as a cue-bid. South is uninspired by the watage in clubs and retreats to 4S.
East had support for clubs -- should he have gotten involved? Not with three small and a balanced, weakish hand -- a sacrifice is apt to be too costly. I suggest a firm agreement that doubling the cue-bid of partner's suit shows the Ace or King -- the opponents have just announced they are planning to play the hand, with partner on lead. It will be a big help to partner to be able to underlead his Ace or King with confidence -- and the failure to double (as here) will also be frequently helpful.
If West bids 2NT rather than a minor, North doubles first (to show strength) and later bids game in spades. This sets up a penalty double if E/W try the five level. Some pairs agree to play "Unusual over Unusual", where 3C (lower of overcaller's suits) shows a good hand with hearts and 3D (upper suit) shows a good hand with spades. 3H and 3S are competitive, say 8-10 points with your own six-card suit or support for partner. Double is thus more definitely for penalties -- if East were to bid 5C on today's hand, for example, North would have to double but would feel more comfortable if he had already shown spade support (via 3D) than if he started by doubling 2NT.
Board 21: East opens 1C; how many hearts does South bid? The poor suit and adverse vulnerability argue against 3H; South may settle for 1H or compromise with 2H. West bids 2S (at least 10+ hcp, 5+ spades and forcing one round; 2/1 game force does not apply over competition.) North "bounces" to 4H -- partner already looked at the vulnerability, so no reason to back off here. In fact, an argument can be made for 5H -- North expects the enemy to bid and make 4S; they may be too high at the five level. Picturing South with, say, xxx AKxxxx xx xx, the fate of both 5H and 5S would depend on the diamond finesse; you don't know whether they should bid or double you and neither do they. If you aren't going to sit for 4S, you should bid 5H now. Bidding 4H then 5H practically insures being doubled; a bold 5H may escape unscathed or with the enemy overbidding. On today's hand, 5H makes and E/W must sacrifice with a combined 24 hcp!
Board 1: A wild hand, with each player facing choices. Should North open? 11 hcp and 6-5 shape says "yes", but two singleton honors and less than two quick tricks says "no". If the minors were reversed I'd open a weak two diamonds, planning to freely bid 3C (but no higher) later if given the opportunity. With clubs longer and stronger, I would pass, planning to enter the auction later with a descriptive Unusual 2NT. If North does open, should it be 1C or 1D ? Basically with 6-5 hands you have to decide whether to portray it as 5-5 or 6-4. Bidding both suits shows more of your cards, but with most the points in clubs, I'd probably open and rebid the clubs, burying the diamonds unless partner mentions them.
East has an obvious 1C bid if North passes, or a reasonable upgrade to a 15-17 NT. Aces, tens, nines and five card suits all are worth more than the simple point count allows, perhaps 1/2 each for the good five card suit and second ten. (You expect to have one Ace, one ten and one nine in an average hand.) Three quick tricks should please partner if he insists on a suit contract.
Over a 1D bid, the choice is between 1NT and 2C; the sturdy suit is fine for an overcall, but again 1NT is a reasonable description (and greatly simplifies West's bidding problems as it happens.) If East chooses 2C, is South good enough for a negative double? Only five hcp, but an Ace, good shape and tolerance for diamonds makes the double attractive.
Now it's West's turn, after 1D-2C-pass or dbl. Ordinarily, to show 5-5 shape, you bid "down the line", bidding spades first and planning to bid and rebid hearts later. But is West strong enough for that? Rebidding the hearts would have to be at at least the four level. Pass seems overly timid; an alternate strategy would be to bid 2H, trusting partner to mention spades if he has four. This will miss a 5-3 spade fit, but responding in spades risks never mentioning the hearts at all, or overbidding on a potential misfit.
If North opens 1C, East can pass (usually sound when they open your best suit) or again upgrade his hand to a 1NT overcall. I would expect notrump to play well and favor the overcall. South cannot double 1NT -- that would be strength-showing (10+ hcp); negative doubles apply only over suit bids. Any notrump bid or overcall by East allows West to confidently force to game on his 5-5 ten count. Some pairs play a gadget 3S bid for strong 5-5 hands, but simple transfers work better: transfer to spades and then rebid 3H. As it would be normal to use Stayman on a 5-4 hand, bidding both majors shows 5-5, and a new suit at the three level after a transfer is always game-forcing.
Any time you can give partner a good description of your hand with one bid, you are apt to come out ahead in the bidding. That doesn't justify ignoring your agreed notrump range; I see players claiming 15-17 or 15-18 ranges while routinely including average 14, 18 or 19 counts. Stick to your range, but judgement is allowed on exceptional hands such as this one.
Against 4H, South will likely lead his singleton club, but a diamond is possible if that's what North opened and West has shown his 5-5 pattern -- the idea would be to try and force the long trump hand (dummy) to ruff twice, putting South's trumps in control.
North should take time to plan the defense before winning his Ace of clubs -- it's good practice never to play quickly as third hand to trick one; think! West has 10 hcp, North has 11, East has shown 15-17; that leaves only 2-4 points for South. Also, 4H looks like a normal contract (North is unaware of East's other bidding options.) If North opened 1C the lead appears more likely to be from 3 rather than a singleton. South may have a club honor. North's stiff heart means either East or South has four. Continuing clubs probably allows declarer to pitch something in dummy, but unless South has a high diamnd this doesn't look like it will cost. Leading the stiff Jack of spades hoping for a ruff would be foolish -- a single trump lead eliminates the heart Queen. Better to hope South has something like J9xx in trumps and the Queen will promote a natural trick. I'd continue the clubs, hoping to give nothing away.
East tries the Jack or ten of clubs and South ruffs to prevent a diamond discard; dummy overuffs. The extreme split in clubs suggest South is more likely to have heart length; East would like to lead twice through South and hope to capture the trump Jack or Queen. A diamond to hand, ten of hearts (ducked, covering won't promote anything for South, best is to hope North has a stiff honor as here) to the Queen, another club, but it looks like declarer will score ten tricks easily. On repeated diamond leads declarer has a harder time, probably needing to ruff a spade in hand between the first and second round of trumps.
Several Easts played in clubs; a possible auction might be 1D-2C-dbl-pass; North passes, converting the double to penalties and East has no place to run. I think West would do better to pull the double to 2S or perhaps 2H. On the penalty pass auction, South must lead a trump. No reason for North to grab his Ace; why lead into that dummy? Just cover the seven with the nine. East wins and may be tempted to try for a fast discard on spades, but North's bidding (1D, the passing a negative double) suggests 5-5 in the minors and it's unlikely he has three spades. Instead, East runs the ten of hearts (or makes a brilliant guess with the King, but a stiff Ace on North is just as likely as a stiff Queen.) North exits with the Jack of spades. East wins and tries another heart; South hops up with the Ace and switches to diamonds when North pitches the six. After this North can safely exit with a diamond every time he gets in, which should limit declarer to two or three trump tricks, one spade and three diamonds. Ouch!
Board 2: Twelve high card points is usually too much for an opening preemptive bid, but East is looking at favorable vulnerability, strong hearts, no Ace and fewer than two quick tricks -- I'd gamble that 4H won't miss a slam. After two passes, North has too much to go quietly and double is the obvious choice no matter how partner takes it. (The modern style is described as "takeout", but it's more like "optional" at this level; I still prefer "partner, I've got too much to pass!", usually 16+ but I'd stretch with this quick-trick rich beauty.)
South's choice is pass or 5C; I think I'd pass and lead the stiff spade -- partner rates to be able to give you more than one ruff. North wins and reads the lead as likely from shortness; he returns his lowest spade to signal for a club return. South wins and returns the Jack of clubs; he doesn't want North to duck the Queen. North wins the King and gives South another ruff. Now South cashes the Ace of diamonds (North signals with the 8), and leds to North's King for down 3 (+500 N/S.)
If the defense starts with two rounds of clubs, declarer ruffs, pulls trumps and sets up two spade winners for nine tricks. Five clubs for +600 was a top but +500 would've beat all other scores. Making slam requires guessing to drop the Queen of diamonds rather than taking the obvious finesse (which should be better than 50% in light of East's preempt, but might be plausible if East opens only 1H.)
Board 7: South has just enough for a 1D opening or 1C "could be short" depending on partnership style. Over 1D West's hand is horribly flawed for a takeout double; partner may never quit bidding hearts. I make it a rule never to start with a double on a hand with a singleton or void in an unbid major. Some might choose an off-beat 1NT, but partner may well transfer to a random five card heart suit. One spade on AKxx looks best. North passes and East's 8 hcp are just enough for a 1NT reply; I wouldn't worry too much about stoppers in an enemy minor. West could bid 2D, natural, but that does not sound forward-going; 2NT invites game. East might pass or bid 3C; over 3C, West bids 3D (natural, in effect stopper showing) and East should finish at 3NT.
Double-dummy, 3NT should go down while either 5C or 5D makes; but with no suit unstopped it's almost always right to try 3NT rather than venture the five level. A low heart can beat 3NT but five of six declarers playing notrump made nine or more tricks.
Board 9: East opens 1C, South jumps to 2D, and West bids the obvious 3NT. This ended the bidding at seven tables; one East reached 4H and another 6S, both theoretically makeable but both down one at the table. East can visulaize slam opposite many opening hands, but the likely wasted values in diamonds and East's unappealing 4414 shape (nothing useful to pitch on diamonds) argue against bidding on. If East does make a move, West should support clubs and the soundest slam should be reached. Twelve tricks makes on a finesse (hearts), so this is a slam you should not be sorry to miss.
Board 11: Another double-dummy slam, requiring two finesses. Every pair sensibly played 4S. South opens 1S; West may bid 2NT (Unusual.) However, it is common to play Unusual 2NT and Michaels cue-bids as "weak or strong", excluding hands of around 11-15 hcp. In that case West should overcall in one of his suits; I'd choose clubs for the good lead-direction rather than the anemic diamonds.
North expects 2C ot go down, but the known nine-card major suit fit argues against defending below the four level. North cue-bids 3C, promising at least a limit raise of spades. South has plenty enugh to accept and in fact shold want to leave North some bidding room in case there is a slam. 3D looks right; North assumes this is a game try but allows for the possibility of an advance control cue-bid. 3NT by North suggests his club values and also leaves more room in case South intended 3D as a cue-bid. South is uninspired by the watage in clubs and retreats to 4S.
East had support for clubs -- should he have gotten involved? Not with three small and a balanced, weakish hand -- a sacrifice is apt to be too costly. I suggest a firm agreement that doubling the cue-bid of partner's suit shows the Ace or King -- the opponents have just announced they are planning to play the hand, with partner on lead. It will be a big help to partner to be able to underlead his Ace or King with confidence -- and the failure to double (as here) will also be frequently helpful.
If West bids 2NT rather than a minor, North doubles first (to show strength) and later bids game in spades. This sets up a penalty double if E/W try the five level. Some pairs agree to play "Unusual over Unusual", where 3C (lower of overcaller's suits) shows a good hand with hearts and 3D (upper suit) shows a good hand with spades. 3H and 3S are competitive, say 8-10 points with your own six-card suit or support for partner. Double is thus more definitely for penalties -- if East were to bid 5C on today's hand, for example, North would have to double but would feel more comfortable if he had already shown spade support (via 3D) than if he started by doubling 2NT.
Board 21: East opens 1C; how many hearts does South bid? The poor suit and adverse vulnerability argue against 3H; South may settle for 1H or compromise with 2H. West bids 2S (at least 10+ hcp, 5+ spades and forcing one round; 2/1 game force does not apply over competition.) North "bounces" to 4H -- partner already looked at the vulnerability, so no reason to back off here. In fact, an argument can be made for 5H -- North expects the enemy to bid and make 4S; they may be too high at the five level. Picturing South with, say, xxx AKxxxx xx xx, the fate of both 5H and 5S would depend on the diamond finesse; you don't know whether they should bid or double you and neither do they. If you aren't going to sit for 4S, you should bid 5H now. Bidding 4H then 5H practically insures being doubled; a bold 5H may escape unscathed or with the enemy overbidding. On today's hand, 5H makes and E/W must sacrifice with a combined 24 hcp!
Friday, November 16, 2012
Friday, November 16th
With all these team games I don't seem to play very often when hand records are available. One auction from today seemed worth mentioning: 1S-(pass)-2NT-(3H); double. 2NT was the popular Jacoby game-forcing raise. What should opener's double mean? Larry Cohen gives a list of auctions in the November Bridge Bulletin where double should be for penalties; this qualifes under #5 and #7 : we've bid and raised a suit, and, we are in a game-forcing auction. Opener, despite the knowledge of a nine-card fit, can nevertheless anticipate a healthy penalty on a hand like AJxxx Q10xx x AKx. Responder is free to pull the double on a poor defensive hand such as KQxx xx KQxx QJx. (Note that a singleton in responder's hand is unlikely if you play splinter raises.)
On today's hand E/W had no clear agreement about the double, and opener actually had a singleton heart. I would suggest that opener pass with two or three hearts and bid something (4H or, really, any suit) with zero or one.
A possible layout:
E/W vulnerable, West deals:
Q10x
x
xxxxx
9xxx
AJxxx Kxxx
Q10xx xx
x AKxx
AKx Qxx
x
AKJxxx
QJx
J10x
South has a pefectly reasonable lead-directing overcall, and the vulnerability is favorable. Yet a double nets +800 or +1100 for E/W, with no slam. The key is that, in a game-forcing auction, you don't need double to ask partner to "do something." Pass works just fine.
On today's hand E/W had no clear agreement about the double, and opener actually had a singleton heart. I would suggest that opener pass with two or three hearts and bid something (4H or, really, any suit) with zero or one.
A possible layout:
E/W vulnerable, West deals:
Q10x
x
xxxxx
9xxx
AJxxx Kxxx
Q10xx xx
x AKxx
AKx Qxx
x
AKJxxx
QJx
J10x
South has a pefectly reasonable lead-directing overcall, and the vulnerability is favorable. Yet a double nets +800 or +1100 for E/W, with no slam. The key is that, in a game-forcing auction, you don't need double to ask partner to "do something." Pass works just fine.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Friday, Nov. 2nd 2012
Right-click here for hands.
Board 3: East holds 22 hcp in fourth seat and likely hears three passes. East should open 2C with the intention of rebidding in notrump, not diamonds. There isn't room to bid out your shape below 3NT if East opens 2C and rebids 3D. A reasonable auction might be 2C-2D (negative, waiting or steps) or 2H (super-bust); 2NT-pass.
South leads the Queen of spades from his sequence. The normal play in diamonds (missing six cards including the Jack) is to play off the Q-K-A; however, a thoughtful declarer may prefer to finesse -- if South wins a diamond, he may continue with another high spade, establishing the nine as a third stopper, or try a desparation switch to a heart or club. The drop is only about a 52% play vs. 50% for the finesse, and if North gets in to lead a spade South will be able to play low on the second round of the suit. Since the finesse happens to succeed East has a sure 8 tricks and South must find three discards on the diamonds (dummy can pitch spades.) There's a good chance a low club will catch South's Ace.
Board 9: All roads lead to slam; should the grand be bid? I don't think so, you have to pick up the Queen of hearts for trick #13. A typical auction might be 1C or 1D, 1S or 2S (strong), raise, 4NT, one ace or key card reply, 5NT, reply showing one King or specifically the King of diamonds. Nothing allows North or South to count 13 tricks. What about 6NT? At matchpoints the suit contract may allow more chances to pick up a 13th trick, so 6S making seven looks normal.
Board 11: Should South open 2H in first seat? I wouldn't; the side four card major, void, and relatively weak suit (QJ-empty) are all flaws. It should be easy to compete later, though it's possible the bidding will come back to you at a high level in clubs. A normal auction would be North opening 1NT, South checking for a spade fit via Stayman, and raising to 4S. West might double 2C for the lead; the suit is borderline for that purpose but West does have a side entry so a club lead would often be the best defense against 3NT. It looks like at least one East then competed in clubs, pushing N/S to 5S. 5C could be doubled for 500 (East is really too balanced to sacrifice) but South is reluctanct to defend with his club void. Both majors break evenly for an easy 11 tricks.
Board 18: East opens 1D; South would like to overcall 2C (good suit, takes up a lot of bidding room) but is likely to pass vulnerable vs. not. West has a classic 3NT response: 16-17 hcp with 4333 shape. However, West may prefer to respond in his major or make a negative double over 2C, so most pairs found the 4-4 heart fit. Two pairs reached slam but that seems over-optimistic with only 29 hcp and two balanced hands. 4H making six scored well; anyone playing 3NT had to strive for at least 11 tricks since it appears hearts will make at least that many tricks. Picking up the hearts looks like a pure guess.
Board 3: East holds 22 hcp in fourth seat and likely hears three passes. East should open 2C with the intention of rebidding in notrump, not diamonds. There isn't room to bid out your shape below 3NT if East opens 2C and rebids 3D. A reasonable auction might be 2C-2D (negative, waiting or steps) or 2H (super-bust); 2NT-pass.
South leads the Queen of spades from his sequence. The normal play in diamonds (missing six cards including the Jack) is to play off the Q-K-A; however, a thoughtful declarer may prefer to finesse -- if South wins a diamond, he may continue with another high spade, establishing the nine as a third stopper, or try a desparation switch to a heart or club. The drop is only about a 52% play vs. 50% for the finesse, and if North gets in to lead a spade South will be able to play low on the second round of the suit. Since the finesse happens to succeed East has a sure 8 tricks and South must find three discards on the diamonds (dummy can pitch spades.) There's a good chance a low club will catch South's Ace.
Board 9: All roads lead to slam; should the grand be bid? I don't think so, you have to pick up the Queen of hearts for trick #13. A typical auction might be 1C or 1D, 1S or 2S (strong), raise, 4NT, one ace or key card reply, 5NT, reply showing one King or specifically the King of diamonds. Nothing allows North or South to count 13 tricks. What about 6NT? At matchpoints the suit contract may allow more chances to pick up a 13th trick, so 6S making seven looks normal.
Board 11: Should South open 2H in first seat? I wouldn't; the side four card major, void, and relatively weak suit (QJ-empty) are all flaws. It should be easy to compete later, though it's possible the bidding will come back to you at a high level in clubs. A normal auction would be North opening 1NT, South checking for a spade fit via Stayman, and raising to 4S. West might double 2C for the lead; the suit is borderline for that purpose but West does have a side entry so a club lead would often be the best defense against 3NT. It looks like at least one East then competed in clubs, pushing N/S to 5S. 5C could be doubled for 500 (East is really too balanced to sacrifice) but South is reluctanct to defend with his club void. Both majors break evenly for an easy 11 tricks.
Board 18: East opens 1D; South would like to overcall 2C (good suit, takes up a lot of bidding room) but is likely to pass vulnerable vs. not. West has a classic 3NT response: 16-17 hcp with 4333 shape. However, West may prefer to respond in his major or make a negative double over 2C, so most pairs found the 4-4 heart fit. Two pairs reached slam but that seems over-optimistic with only 29 hcp and two balanced hands. 4H making six scored well; anyone playing 3NT had to strive for at least 11 tricks since it appears hearts will make at least that many tricks. Picking up the hearts looks like a pure guess.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Friday, October 26th 2012
Online hand records are wrong; they seem to link to Thursday's hands, although the pair results are for Friday's game.
Board 2: West holds 10x AKQxx xx 9xxx, not vulnerable. This is a suit that screams to be bid. In third seat, a light 1H opening is possible, but personally I'd open 2H in any position; at matchpoints I would even do so vulnerable vs. not. You will take five tricks a majority of the time, whether on a 5-3 fit or 5-2 with a 3-3 break. You would like a heart lead against any contract. You don't need to make a habit of opening weak twos with a five card suit but it pays to make an exception for AKQxx, and no, this requires no alert or special indication on your card -- it's called judgement.
Absent the weak two, North opens 1D; East might risk a 1S overcall on KQxx xx J987x Ax but I expect most passed. South responds 1S and now West overcalls 2H. North has a minimum in high cards but good playing strength in the minors with xx xx AKQ10x KJ108. With 5-5 it would be clear to bid but N/S are vulnerable and pass seems prudent -- partner has another bid coming. East should remember West did not open and should not take a bid without a fit -- that nice 10 count may be just enough for partner to make, and East's cards look good for defense.
Around to South, who has no obvious rebid holding AJxxx J10xx x Qxx. Defending looks better than overbidding on a misfit. Should South double? What would that mean? Probably either penalties if that's the general partnership style for undiscussed doubles, or "do something" if it isn't. Careful defense can hold West to 6 tricks: North cashes two top diamonds (South pitching a club) and switches to a spade; South returns the Queen of clubs. Declarer leads another club hoping to ruff in dummy, but North wins and leads another spade. Dummy is now finished: South can over-ruff in clubs and keep pounding away at spades. +100 N/S would have scored 9 out of 12 matchpoints.
2NT was the top-scoring contract for N/S, reached by three pairs; after West's overcall, if N/S play most low-level doubles as takeout (and not playing support doubles) North can double to show clubs and South can retreat to 2NT. I don't know how North reached 2NT. Even better would be if South passed the double for penalties and a tidy +300.
Now back to that 2H opening -- North cannot double (no spades) or bid 2NT (no stopper, and not strong enough) and so must overcall 3D (or make a very timid pass.) 3D is likely to end the auction and fail miserably on the bad split.
Board 7: West opens 1C and North jumps to 2S, weak. East has no sensible bid; South raises on AQ10x 1098 KJx xxx . How high? "Law of Total Tricks" newbies might leap to 4S (ten trumps = bid 10 tricks, either to make or as a sacrifice) but keep in mind that 4333 shape calls for a "negative adjustment." Kit Woolsey recommends bidding to the level where you aren't sure what they can make. You expect at most one spade trick, a diamond or two, and possibly a side trick from partner; beating 4H seems unlikely, but it doesn't look like they have a heart fit. So, 4S to preempt 3NT and make them guess about five of a minor looks right despite the flat shape. On a bad day partner might be down four but down two seems more likely.
West must act again with -- KQxx Axxx AK10xx; hard to see an alternative to doubling for takeout -- even if partner passes you may be able to beat 4S. East expects a spade void or at most a singleton based on the N/S bidding; it isn't clear 5D will make so I think I'd pass for penalties. E/W can take the first seven tricks for 1100 and a top -- maybe that 4S bid wasn't such a good idea! But in practice no spade bidder was doubled -- defense is tough is and most pairs prefer to bid or go quietly without an trump stack.
If East bids 5D it looks best to cash two top hearts, two clubs, another heart, and then crossruff for 11 tricks.
Board 8: West has too much for 1NT, not enough for 2NT; he plans to open 1C and rebid 2NT to show 18 or 19. Don't mark your card "15-17" and "20-21" if you routinely open 1NT on 18 and 2NT on 19. East responds 1S with his 5-5 hand, planning to rebid the hearts twice if possible. ("Up-the-line" only applies when you expect partner to cooperate; you do not expect partner to rebid in a 3 card spade suit so responding 1H is clearly wrong.) West jumps to 2NT as planned.
It's vital for East to know what bids are forcing after this jump. The simplest and generally best answer is "any non-game bid." East will often have slam ambitions and may need time to fix the suit. So, three of any suit should be treated as 100% forcing. Discuss this with partner -- it would be a shame to bid 3H as East and have West pass with the usual "you know what I've got" comment. (Really? How does East know how many hearts West has?)
Assuming East can bid 3H with no risk of being passed, West should not simply raise to 4H -- with a boatload of controls, West should cue-bid "on the way." Spades, hearts and clubs have all been bid and so ought to be natural, but 4D cannot make sense as a suggestion of where to play and so must be a slam try, either showing a diamond control or "last train" (general, non-specific slam try) if that's the partnership style. East is delighted and can head for 6H by way of 4NT (Blackwood or RKCB.)
South has no good lead; perhaps a diamond won't cost anything. Declarer has plenty of tricks after pulling trumps, leading to the King of spades and later finessing against the Jack. The "free finessse" in diamonds doesn't matter. Five pairs bid and made slam and four more made 12 tricks at game. Almost half the pairs played in the inferior spade fit but as often happens with double fits it made no difference.
Board 9: North opens 2C; I expect most Souths responded 2D "waiting" or "semi-positive." If you play 2D negative, South should respond 2NT (8-10 more or less balanced) and of course "Steps" bidders would reply 2S (7-9.) North shows his heart suit and South must drive to slam. A reasonable sequence might be 2C-2D; 2H-3H (forcing; 2NT or 3C or an initial 2H "bust" would cover a weak hand, depending on your agreements); 3S-4D (control cue-bids); 4NT-etc. All but one pair bid slam, with top scores for making 13 tricks or bidding 6NT. 13 tricks are likely if East leads the Jack of diamonds (declarer can later finesse him for the ten) and unlikely otherwise. If N/S employ a key card sequence such as 4NT-5D (one key card); 5NT-6C (all the key cards plus the Queen of trumps; no side King); pass, East should lead his singleton trump to avoid breaking any suit for declarer. Against a less informative auction East would hate to save declarer a guess in the trump suit and should instead lead one of his Jacks.
Board 13: Yet another powerful hand; North has a reasonable 2C opening despite "only" 18 hcp, based on 5 quick tricks and 6-4 in the red suits. If you play 2H as a super-bust, you might prefer to open 1H, or agree with partner that you can pass a 2H response. (That agreement should only apply at matchpoints, never IMP scoring.) South responds 2D in most styles, or 2H = 4-6 playing "Steps." West should try to jam the bidding with a 3S preempt -- the enemy has exchanged strength information but not shape. North could make a "forcing pass" (we don't let the enemy play any contract undoubled after a 2C opening) but the shapely hand argues for a straightforward 4H call.
East has a mild spade fit -- should he try 4S? It isn't clear the enemy have a fit, but East's low doubleton heart makes that more likely than not and East has no reasonable prospects of beating 4H. Partner is likely to have at least seven spades (vulnerable) so 4S looks correct. South can now bid, double, pass (forcing) or plan to "pass and pull" (pass and then bid if partner doubles.) Among experts, "pass and pull" is generally treated as the strongest sequence, but I expect few club pairs have discussed that idea. Given the preempt and raise, a genuine penalty double is unlikely; I think South should double with any hand that sees no compelling reason to bid. Pass then becomes mildly encouraging and that looks correct if South's initial response did not promise any values. Again, we don't let them play undoubled after our 2C opening.
North has a good defensive hand so 4S doubled seems like the normal contract. However, the defense only collects North's five quic tricks and, as it happens, 5H can be made. Three N/S pairs reached 5H making; one went set; and three E/W pairs stole the contract at 4S undoubled. Even if North does not open 2C I can't see allowing 4S to escape undoubled.
Board 2: West holds 10x AKQxx xx 9xxx, not vulnerable. This is a suit that screams to be bid. In third seat, a light 1H opening is possible, but personally I'd open 2H in any position; at matchpoints I would even do so vulnerable vs. not. You will take five tricks a majority of the time, whether on a 5-3 fit or 5-2 with a 3-3 break. You would like a heart lead against any contract. You don't need to make a habit of opening weak twos with a five card suit but it pays to make an exception for AKQxx, and no, this requires no alert or special indication on your card -- it's called judgement.
Absent the weak two, North opens 1D; East might risk a 1S overcall on KQxx xx J987x Ax but I expect most passed. South responds 1S and now West overcalls 2H. North has a minimum in high cards but good playing strength in the minors with xx xx AKQ10x KJ108. With 5-5 it would be clear to bid but N/S are vulnerable and pass seems prudent -- partner has another bid coming. East should remember West did not open and should not take a bid without a fit -- that nice 10 count may be just enough for partner to make, and East's cards look good for defense.
Around to South, who has no obvious rebid holding AJxxx J10xx x Qxx. Defending looks better than overbidding on a misfit. Should South double? What would that mean? Probably either penalties if that's the general partnership style for undiscussed doubles, or "do something" if it isn't. Careful defense can hold West to 6 tricks: North cashes two top diamonds (South pitching a club) and switches to a spade; South returns the Queen of clubs. Declarer leads another club hoping to ruff in dummy, but North wins and leads another spade. Dummy is now finished: South can over-ruff in clubs and keep pounding away at spades. +100 N/S would have scored 9 out of 12 matchpoints.
2NT was the top-scoring contract for N/S, reached by three pairs; after West's overcall, if N/S play most low-level doubles as takeout (and not playing support doubles) North can double to show clubs and South can retreat to 2NT. I don't know how North reached 2NT. Even better would be if South passed the double for penalties and a tidy +300.
Now back to that 2H opening -- North cannot double (no spades) or bid 2NT (no stopper, and not strong enough) and so must overcall 3D (or make a very timid pass.) 3D is likely to end the auction and fail miserably on the bad split.
Board 7: West opens 1C and North jumps to 2S, weak. East has no sensible bid; South raises on AQ10x 1098 KJx xxx . How high? "Law of Total Tricks" newbies might leap to 4S (ten trumps = bid 10 tricks, either to make or as a sacrifice) but keep in mind that 4333 shape calls for a "negative adjustment." Kit Woolsey recommends bidding to the level where you aren't sure what they can make. You expect at most one spade trick, a diamond or two, and possibly a side trick from partner; beating 4H seems unlikely, but it doesn't look like they have a heart fit. So, 4S to preempt 3NT and make them guess about five of a minor looks right despite the flat shape. On a bad day partner might be down four but down two seems more likely.
West must act again with -- KQxx Axxx AK10xx; hard to see an alternative to doubling for takeout -- even if partner passes you may be able to beat 4S. East expects a spade void or at most a singleton based on the N/S bidding; it isn't clear 5D will make so I think I'd pass for penalties. E/W can take the first seven tricks for 1100 and a top -- maybe that 4S bid wasn't such a good idea! But in practice no spade bidder was doubled -- defense is tough is and most pairs prefer to bid or go quietly without an trump stack.
If East bids 5D it looks best to cash two top hearts, two clubs, another heart, and then crossruff for 11 tricks.
Board 8: West has too much for 1NT, not enough for 2NT; he plans to open 1C and rebid 2NT to show 18 or 19. Don't mark your card "15-17" and "20-21" if you routinely open 1NT on 18 and 2NT on 19. East responds 1S with his 5-5 hand, planning to rebid the hearts twice if possible. ("Up-the-line" only applies when you expect partner to cooperate; you do not expect partner to rebid in a 3 card spade suit so responding 1H is clearly wrong.) West jumps to 2NT as planned.
It's vital for East to know what bids are forcing after this jump. The simplest and generally best answer is "any non-game bid." East will often have slam ambitions and may need time to fix the suit. So, three of any suit should be treated as 100% forcing. Discuss this with partner -- it would be a shame to bid 3H as East and have West pass with the usual "you know what I've got" comment. (Really? How does East know how many hearts West has?)
Assuming East can bid 3H with no risk of being passed, West should not simply raise to 4H -- with a boatload of controls, West should cue-bid "on the way." Spades, hearts and clubs have all been bid and so ought to be natural, but 4D cannot make sense as a suggestion of where to play and so must be a slam try, either showing a diamond control or "last train" (general, non-specific slam try) if that's the partnership style. East is delighted and can head for 6H by way of 4NT (Blackwood or RKCB.)
South has no good lead; perhaps a diamond won't cost anything. Declarer has plenty of tricks after pulling trumps, leading to the King of spades and later finessing against the Jack. The "free finessse" in diamonds doesn't matter. Five pairs bid and made slam and four more made 12 tricks at game. Almost half the pairs played in the inferior spade fit but as often happens with double fits it made no difference.
Board 9: North opens 2C; I expect most Souths responded 2D "waiting" or "semi-positive." If you play 2D negative, South should respond 2NT (8-10 more or less balanced) and of course "Steps" bidders would reply 2S (7-9.) North shows his heart suit and South must drive to slam. A reasonable sequence might be 2C-2D; 2H-3H (forcing; 2NT or 3C or an initial 2H "bust" would cover a weak hand, depending on your agreements); 3S-4D (control cue-bids); 4NT-etc. All but one pair bid slam, with top scores for making 13 tricks or bidding 6NT. 13 tricks are likely if East leads the Jack of diamonds (declarer can later finesse him for the ten) and unlikely otherwise. If N/S employ a key card sequence such as 4NT-5D (one key card); 5NT-6C (all the key cards plus the Queen of trumps; no side King); pass, East should lead his singleton trump to avoid breaking any suit for declarer. Against a less informative auction East would hate to save declarer a guess in the trump suit and should instead lead one of his Jacks.
Board 13: Yet another powerful hand; North has a reasonable 2C opening despite "only" 18 hcp, based on 5 quick tricks and 6-4 in the red suits. If you play 2H as a super-bust, you might prefer to open 1H, or agree with partner that you can pass a 2H response. (That agreement should only apply at matchpoints, never IMP scoring.) South responds 2D in most styles, or 2H = 4-6 playing "Steps." West should try to jam the bidding with a 3S preempt -- the enemy has exchanged strength information but not shape. North could make a "forcing pass" (we don't let the enemy play any contract undoubled after a 2C opening) but the shapely hand argues for a straightforward 4H call.
East has a mild spade fit -- should he try 4S? It isn't clear the enemy have a fit, but East's low doubleton heart makes that more likely than not and East has no reasonable prospects of beating 4H. Partner is likely to have at least seven spades (vulnerable) so 4S looks correct. South can now bid, double, pass (forcing) or plan to "pass and pull" (pass and then bid if partner doubles.) Among experts, "pass and pull" is generally treated as the strongest sequence, but I expect few club pairs have discussed that idea. Given the preempt and raise, a genuine penalty double is unlikely; I think South should double with any hand that sees no compelling reason to bid. Pass then becomes mildly encouraging and that looks correct if South's initial response did not promise any values. Again, we don't let them play undoubled after our 2C opening.
North has a good defensive hand so 4S doubled seems like the normal contract. However, the defense only collects North's five quic tricks and, as it happens, 5H can be made. Three N/S pairs reached 5H making; one went set; and three E/W pairs stole the contract at 4S undoubled. Even if North does not open 2C I can't see allowing 4S to escape undoubled.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Friday, October 19th 2012
Right-click here for hands.
Board 3: South opens 1D with a shapely 18 count. North has enugh playing strength to consider a jump shift, but with no Aces 1S looks best. South shows 17+ with a 2H reverse -- this must be strong since partner may not have hearts and would be forced to bid 2NT or 3S with a weak hand. In the modern style this is forcing, but what do responder's rebids mean? A good method over reverses is an extension of lebensohl -- North rebids 2S to show 5+ (weak or strong) and otherwise bids 2NT with any weak hand. This asks opener to bid 3C, allowing responder to pass or correct to 3D or 3H on a minimum hand. Direct rebids of 3D or 3H therefore show 8+ and are forcing to game. This makes it far easier to show good hands than a style where every minimum rebid by responder is weak.
On today's hand, then, North can rebid either 2S (showing the 5th spade) or 3D (showing diamond support and 8+ hcp.) I like 3D; if opener has 3 spades that will be his natural third bid. Instead, South bids 3NT and can feel he's put partner in a good position to decide whether to pass or bid on. With his great playing strength I would continue with 4D as North. This should always be viewed as a slam try, not a passable (let's play part-score in a minor insted of game!) nonsense bid. With his excellent controls South should certainly drive to slam. Although it is tempting to aim for 6NT rather than 6D, the score-sheet reveals the usual truth about slams with fewer than 33 hcp: any making slam scores well, while a minus score at 6NT when 6D would make would be a very cold bottom. 6NT scored an 11 top, 6D making seven (on a non-heart lead) scored 10, and 6D making 6 scored a solid 8.
Board 13: North opens a routine 1C. South, with a prime 4405 14 count, should be thinking "possible slam." The easiest way to clue partner in about that is an immediate, 2 level jump shift -- there's still plenty of bidding room and you can support clubs at your next bid. However, there's one flaw: the heart suit (QJ9x) lacks first or second round control, but is too good to bury with a jump to 2S. So, like everyone else in the room, I'm sure I'd bid an amorphous 1H. Sure, this bid is 100% forcing, but it's awfully hard to show this much strength later. North rebids 1S. Neither 3S nor 4S by South would be forcing (in the modern style) or do justice to this hand, but a 4D splinter can help -- singleton or void in diamonds, four card support, game-going values. A common range for responder's splinters is 11-14 hcp, maybe a bit stronger when raising opener's second suit since thre won't be a nine-card fit. Call it 12-15 then. Opener counts only five losers (two spades, a heart, no diamonds opposite the shortage, and two clubs.) At about 3 points a trick, responder's 12 hcp can be expected to cover 4 losers, so slam looks plausible. Visualizing, perhaps responder has AQxx Axx x Qxxxx -- hmm, not so great, need responder to have QJ in clubs. Once again, the Ace opposite the singleton is a subtle form of "wasted values" -- give opener KJxx Kx xx AKxxx and slam would be a laydown (on only 26 hcp!) 4S would be a reasonable, cautious bid, especially at matchpoints where a minus score when you have the cards almost always scores badly.
If North does decide to push on, 4NT (RKCB) is as good as anything since North has controls in every suit. South has 2 key cards, the Queen of trumps, and a void. What should South reply? I personally have no agreements about showing a void and think most partnerships are better off ignoring them in reply to 4NT. Over a splinter, in particular, if partner were interested in a possible void he might cue-bid rather than launch into 4NT. And that's exactly the case today. So, South replies 5S (2 key cards plus the Queen of trumps) and North ends the bidding at 6S. East cashes his Ace of hearts (no point in leading the singleton with this much strength against a slam, partner won't have an entry to give you a ruff) and declarer claims 4 spades, 5 clubs, a diamond and two hearts. Only one pair reached 6S, so 6C making six would also be an excellent (and bullet-proof) contract. If East leads, say a diamond, South should ruff, drive out the Ace of hearts, make sure trumps aren't 5-0, and claim the same tricks. A club is more frightening -- declarer wins, plays two rounds of trumps, and cannot finish pulling trumps until the heart tricks are established. If West has the Ace of hearts and can return a club, you're down one, but there's no better line and the slam succeeds when East, not West, produces the missing Ace.
Board 3: South opens 1D with a shapely 18 count. North has enugh playing strength to consider a jump shift, but with no Aces 1S looks best. South shows 17+ with a 2H reverse -- this must be strong since partner may not have hearts and would be forced to bid 2NT or 3S with a weak hand. In the modern style this is forcing, but what do responder's rebids mean? A good method over reverses is an extension of lebensohl -- North rebids 2S to show 5+ (weak or strong) and otherwise bids 2NT with any weak hand. This asks opener to bid 3C, allowing responder to pass or correct to 3D or 3H on a minimum hand. Direct rebids of 3D or 3H therefore show 8+ and are forcing to game. This makes it far easier to show good hands than a style where every minimum rebid by responder is weak.
On today's hand, then, North can rebid either 2S (showing the 5th spade) or 3D (showing diamond support and 8+ hcp.) I like 3D; if opener has 3 spades that will be his natural third bid. Instead, South bids 3NT and can feel he's put partner in a good position to decide whether to pass or bid on. With his great playing strength I would continue with 4D as North. This should always be viewed as a slam try, not a passable (let's play part-score in a minor insted of game!) nonsense bid. With his excellent controls South should certainly drive to slam. Although it is tempting to aim for 6NT rather than 6D, the score-sheet reveals the usual truth about slams with fewer than 33 hcp: any making slam scores well, while a minus score at 6NT when 6D would make would be a very cold bottom. 6NT scored an 11 top, 6D making seven (on a non-heart lead) scored 10, and 6D making 6 scored a solid 8.
Board 13: North opens a routine 1C. South, with a prime 4405 14 count, should be thinking "possible slam." The easiest way to clue partner in about that is an immediate, 2 level jump shift -- there's still plenty of bidding room and you can support clubs at your next bid. However, there's one flaw: the heart suit (QJ9x) lacks first or second round control, but is too good to bury with a jump to 2S. So, like everyone else in the room, I'm sure I'd bid an amorphous 1H. Sure, this bid is 100% forcing, but it's awfully hard to show this much strength later. North rebids 1S. Neither 3S nor 4S by South would be forcing (in the modern style) or do justice to this hand, but a 4D splinter can help -- singleton or void in diamonds, four card support, game-going values. A common range for responder's splinters is 11-14 hcp, maybe a bit stronger when raising opener's second suit since thre won't be a nine-card fit. Call it 12-15 then. Opener counts only five losers (two spades, a heart, no diamonds opposite the shortage, and two clubs.) At about 3 points a trick, responder's 12 hcp can be expected to cover 4 losers, so slam looks plausible. Visualizing, perhaps responder has AQxx Axx x Qxxxx -- hmm, not so great, need responder to have QJ in clubs. Once again, the Ace opposite the singleton is a subtle form of "wasted values" -- give opener KJxx Kx xx AKxxx and slam would be a laydown (on only 26 hcp!) 4S would be a reasonable, cautious bid, especially at matchpoints where a minus score when you have the cards almost always scores badly.
If North does decide to push on, 4NT (RKCB) is as good as anything since North has controls in every suit. South has 2 key cards, the Queen of trumps, and a void. What should South reply? I personally have no agreements about showing a void and think most partnerships are better off ignoring them in reply to 4NT. Over a splinter, in particular, if partner were interested in a possible void he might cue-bid rather than launch into 4NT. And that's exactly the case today. So, South replies 5S (2 key cards plus the Queen of trumps) and North ends the bidding at 6S. East cashes his Ace of hearts (no point in leading the singleton with this much strength against a slam, partner won't have an entry to give you a ruff) and declarer claims 4 spades, 5 clubs, a diamond and two hearts. Only one pair reached 6S, so 6C making six would also be an excellent (and bullet-proof) contract. If East leads, say a diamond, South should ruff, drive out the Ace of hearts, make sure trumps aren't 5-0, and claim the same tricks. A club is more frightening -- declarer wins, plays two rounds of trumps, and cannot finish pulling trumps until the heart tricks are established. If West has the Ace of hearts and can return a club, you're down one, but there's no better line and the slam succeeds when East, not West, produces the missing Ace.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Sunday, August 26th 2012
Right-click here for hands.
Board 3: West opens 1C, silencing North. When the enemy opens your best suit, it's usually best to pass and defend -- why volunteer your side to play with such lousy breaks? East responds 1H, which West raises to two. East has more than enough for game -- 13 hcp, two extra trumps and a void. But the void is in partner's first suit, increasing the likelihood of wasted values. East can count five losers (the fourth diamond should be no problem with such a good trump fit) and at three points per trick West may be able to cover four of those, but again values in clubs may not be useful. Visualizing, slam would be easy opposite, say, Ax Qxxx AKx xxxx; in fact that looks good for a grand. But opposite xx Qxxx Axx AQxx ten tricks may be the limit. So East is justified in making a below-game slam try, but should not risk the five level without encouragement from partner. It would be great if partner would take 4C as a "self-splinter", but in partner's suit it sounds more like a double-fit -- 3C might not be viewed as strictly forcing. At the table I might try 2S (initially taken as a game try), but when West leaps to 4H there is still no clear path to slam -- imagine West with the Ace of clubs rather than diamonds. Every pair finished at 4H, making six.
One path to slam would be for East to start with a strong jump shift: 1C-2H; 3H-3S; 4D-4H; 4S-6H or the like. Perhaps the void, even in partner's suit, justifies such bidding. One argument against strong jumps is that you may learn more from opener's rebid over the simple response -- but what could be more encouraging than a raise, yet it's hard to show slam interest after 1C-1H; 2H. As usual, the immediate jump clarifies responder's interest in slam. East can reflect that slam makes opposite Ax Qxxx Axx xxxx, which is less than an opening bid.
Board 4: West's flat 18 is too strong for 1NT -- don't get in the habit of finding excuses to downgrade 18 into the 15-17 range, unless you have no ace. West opens 1D, planning a strong rebid in notrump. North overcalls 2C -- the suit is "topless", only five cards long and N/S are vulnerable, but 2C preempts both major suits. East has enough to bid 2S; would a negative double be better? East would like to check on a 4-4 heart fit, a 5-3 or 5-4 spade fit, and then settle in 3NT; but there isn't enough room to do everything. A trap pass might score a bundle if partner re-opens with a double, but there's too much risk of a major-suit fit weakening the combined defense. All in all, double followed by 3NT may be the best approach, giving up on a possible 5-3 spade fit. See how much havoc 2C over 1D can cause?
West has a serious problem responding to the double -- no four card major, no five card suit to rebid, and no club stopper. I would assume partner is short in clubs and rebid 2D -- better than over-exciting partner by bidding a major you don't have, and a 4-3 diamond fit should play better than either major. You may even survive a 4-2 fit. East rebids 3NT as planned and that ends the auction.
With such a weak hand, South may as well lead partner's clubs despite the singleton. East quickly cashes 11 tricks (clearing the heart suit from dummy before tackling spades) and may take all 13 if North fails to keep two club honors.
Four pairs played 3NT by West, probably on an over-strength 1NT opening. Three Easts played 4S, perhaps with a minor opening and no overcall. Two pairs reached 6S; one path might be 1D-1S; 2NT-3H; 3S-6S . I think the slam can be made on a dummy reversal, ruffing three diamonds in hand along with four hearts, two clubs and the top three trumps.
Board 6: All I heard all day way how poor the E/W cards were -- and here's yet another potential slam! East opens 1D and West responds 1H. 19 hcp might not be enough for game if West has stretched his bid, so East must choose between the value rebid of 2NT (allowing partner to pass a weak hand) or a game-forcing 2S. With every high card working (two AK's along with KQ in partner's suit) I'd choose the jump shift. Responder wonders if he should support diamonds, but rebidding a six-card major is usually best -- you don't want to land in 5D when 4H could make. East raises to 4H -- should West try for slam? I would count West's hand as eight losers and expect partner to cover six of them -- six sounds iffy and the five level may not be safe. Visualizing, partner might have AKxx AK QJxxx xx; not really enough to jump shift yet slam is virtually cold. Good trumps are a must; I'd pass playing normal Blackwood but would risk 4NT playing Roman Key Card. East replies 5C, zero or three key cards (which includes the King of hearts along with the Aces.) Zero would be inconsistent with the jump shift so West can safely assume three. With one key card missing, it would be best not to bid slam without the Queen of trumps. The cheapest "illogical" suit asks aboput the Queen, but are any suits "illogical" here? I always think it's dangerous to make a bid such as 5D here that could, in fact, sound natural, so I would simply gamble 6H now and discuss it with partner later. I prefer not to allow previously-bid suits to be artificial unless it is clear the bidder cannot mean to play in that suit.
As it happened, no one bid 6H and the slam makes only because the ten of spades gets promoted when the QJ fall under the AK. The same tricks are vailable at notrump; perhaps the bidding went 1D-1H; 3NT-pass or 1D-1H; 2NT-3H; 3NT-pass.
Board 10: South opens and the bidding proceeds 1H-2C; 2D, and apparently three Norths rebid 3C, a non-forcing bid in standard, and played it there. With 14 hcp opposite an opening bid, North must force to game. One possibility is an immediate jump to 3C; "only" 14 hcp but four quick tricks and good playing strength does give the hand some slam potential. South rebid depends on the style of jump shifts played -- I favor a very "loose" approach to two level jumps, but the lack of bidding room makes it undesirable to have a second suit for any three level jump. 3NT seems reasonable as any attempt to show South's 5-5 pattern will drive the bidding beyond that level. North should pass 3NT.
Those playing strict 2/1 Game Force have an easier time: 1H-2C; 2D-3C is still game forcing; but again, 3NT (protecting the Kx of spades) seems better than rebidding the poor diamond suit, so the end result is the same. "Scientific" Standard bidders can employ the 4th suit gadget: 1H-2C; 2D-2S, artificial and forcing either one round or to game. (I recommend forcing to game unless the partnership plays that all jump rebids by responder are game-forcing, as was normal in Old Goren.) The 2S bid essentially denies the ability to make a more descriptive rebid; notrump shape with no stopper in spades would be typical, or hand too strong to rebid clubs (as here.) South shows his spade stopper with 2NT and now North can raise to 3NT or rebid the clubs without fear of being passed. Even if you play "4th Suit Forcing one round" the 3C bid should logically be forcing rather than having two different ways to rebid 3C without forcing to game -- but it's simpler just to play "4th suit forcing to game."
It's hard to see getting past 3NT on these cards, but if South rebids 3D rather than 2NT North must, of course, raise.With five losers opposite the equivalent of an opening bid, South may drive to slam, but poor trumps and a misfit for partner's suit look discouraging. Still, 5D is apt to lose matchpoints to 3NT, 6D, or even 4H, so it may be better to drive to slam than languish at five. 3NT making six proved to be a near top, and if only one of the red suits broke well 3NT would outscore any other contract. Bottom line: don't chase minor suit games when notrump may be playable. Showing 5-5 shape isn't as important as getting to the right contract.
Board 3: West opens 1C, silencing North. When the enemy opens your best suit, it's usually best to pass and defend -- why volunteer your side to play with such lousy breaks? East responds 1H, which West raises to two. East has more than enough for game -- 13 hcp, two extra trumps and a void. But the void is in partner's first suit, increasing the likelihood of wasted values. East can count five losers (the fourth diamond should be no problem with such a good trump fit) and at three points per trick West may be able to cover four of those, but again values in clubs may not be useful. Visualizing, slam would be easy opposite, say, Ax Qxxx AKx xxxx; in fact that looks good for a grand. But opposite xx Qxxx Axx AQxx ten tricks may be the limit. So East is justified in making a below-game slam try, but should not risk the five level without encouragement from partner. It would be great if partner would take 4C as a "self-splinter", but in partner's suit it sounds more like a double-fit -- 3C might not be viewed as strictly forcing. At the table I might try 2S (initially taken as a game try), but when West leaps to 4H there is still no clear path to slam -- imagine West with the Ace of clubs rather than diamonds. Every pair finished at 4H, making six.
One path to slam would be for East to start with a strong jump shift: 1C-2H; 3H-3S; 4D-4H; 4S-6H or the like. Perhaps the void, even in partner's suit, justifies such bidding. One argument against strong jumps is that you may learn more from opener's rebid over the simple response -- but what could be more encouraging than a raise, yet it's hard to show slam interest after 1C-1H; 2H. As usual, the immediate jump clarifies responder's interest in slam. East can reflect that slam makes opposite Ax Qxxx Axx xxxx, which is less than an opening bid.
Board 4: West's flat 18 is too strong for 1NT -- don't get in the habit of finding excuses to downgrade 18 into the 15-17 range, unless you have no ace. West opens 1D, planning a strong rebid in notrump. North overcalls 2C -- the suit is "topless", only five cards long and N/S are vulnerable, but 2C preempts both major suits. East has enough to bid 2S; would a negative double be better? East would like to check on a 4-4 heart fit, a 5-3 or 5-4 spade fit, and then settle in 3NT; but there isn't enough room to do everything. A trap pass might score a bundle if partner re-opens with a double, but there's too much risk of a major-suit fit weakening the combined defense. All in all, double followed by 3NT may be the best approach, giving up on a possible 5-3 spade fit. See how much havoc 2C over 1D can cause?
West has a serious problem responding to the double -- no four card major, no five card suit to rebid, and no club stopper. I would assume partner is short in clubs and rebid 2D -- better than over-exciting partner by bidding a major you don't have, and a 4-3 diamond fit should play better than either major. You may even survive a 4-2 fit. East rebids 3NT as planned and that ends the auction.
With such a weak hand, South may as well lead partner's clubs despite the singleton. East quickly cashes 11 tricks (clearing the heart suit from dummy before tackling spades) and may take all 13 if North fails to keep two club honors.
Four pairs played 3NT by West, probably on an over-strength 1NT opening. Three Easts played 4S, perhaps with a minor opening and no overcall. Two pairs reached 6S; one path might be 1D-1S; 2NT-3H; 3S-6S . I think the slam can be made on a dummy reversal, ruffing three diamonds in hand along with four hearts, two clubs and the top three trumps.
Board 6: All I heard all day way how poor the E/W cards were -- and here's yet another potential slam! East opens 1D and West responds 1H. 19 hcp might not be enough for game if West has stretched his bid, so East must choose between the value rebid of 2NT (allowing partner to pass a weak hand) or a game-forcing 2S. With every high card working (two AK's along with KQ in partner's suit) I'd choose the jump shift. Responder wonders if he should support diamonds, but rebidding a six-card major is usually best -- you don't want to land in 5D when 4H could make. East raises to 4H -- should West try for slam? I would count West's hand as eight losers and expect partner to cover six of them -- six sounds iffy and the five level may not be safe. Visualizing, partner might have AKxx AK QJxxx xx; not really enough to jump shift yet slam is virtually cold. Good trumps are a must; I'd pass playing normal Blackwood but would risk 4NT playing Roman Key Card. East replies 5C, zero or three key cards (which includes the King of hearts along with the Aces.) Zero would be inconsistent with the jump shift so West can safely assume three. With one key card missing, it would be best not to bid slam without the Queen of trumps. The cheapest "illogical" suit asks aboput the Queen, but are any suits "illogical" here? I always think it's dangerous to make a bid such as 5D here that could, in fact, sound natural, so I would simply gamble 6H now and discuss it with partner later. I prefer not to allow previously-bid suits to be artificial unless it is clear the bidder cannot mean to play in that suit.
As it happened, no one bid 6H and the slam makes only because the ten of spades gets promoted when the QJ fall under the AK. The same tricks are vailable at notrump; perhaps the bidding went 1D-1H; 3NT-pass or 1D-1H; 2NT-3H; 3NT-pass.
Board 10: South opens and the bidding proceeds 1H-2C; 2D, and apparently three Norths rebid 3C, a non-forcing bid in standard, and played it there. With 14 hcp opposite an opening bid, North must force to game. One possibility is an immediate jump to 3C; "only" 14 hcp but four quick tricks and good playing strength does give the hand some slam potential. South rebid depends on the style of jump shifts played -- I favor a very "loose" approach to two level jumps, but the lack of bidding room makes it undesirable to have a second suit for any three level jump. 3NT seems reasonable as any attempt to show South's 5-5 pattern will drive the bidding beyond that level. North should pass 3NT.
Those playing strict 2/1 Game Force have an easier time: 1H-2C; 2D-3C is still game forcing; but again, 3NT (protecting the Kx of spades) seems better than rebidding the poor diamond suit, so the end result is the same. "Scientific" Standard bidders can employ the 4th suit gadget: 1H-2C; 2D-2S, artificial and forcing either one round or to game. (I recommend forcing to game unless the partnership plays that all jump rebids by responder are game-forcing, as was normal in Old Goren.) The 2S bid essentially denies the ability to make a more descriptive rebid; notrump shape with no stopper in spades would be typical, or hand too strong to rebid clubs (as here.) South shows his spade stopper with 2NT and now North can raise to 3NT or rebid the clubs without fear of being passed. Even if you play "4th Suit Forcing one round" the 3C bid should logically be forcing rather than having two different ways to rebid 3C without forcing to game -- but it's simpler just to play "4th suit forcing to game."
It's hard to see getting past 3NT on these cards, but if South rebids 3D rather than 2NT North must, of course, raise.With five losers opposite the equivalent of an opening bid, South may drive to slam, but poor trumps and a misfit for partner's suit look discouraging. Still, 5D is apt to lose matchpoints to 3NT, 6D, or even 4H, so it may be better to drive to slam than languish at five. 3NT making six proved to be a near top, and if only one of the red suits broke well 3NT would outscore any other contract. Bottom line: don't chase minor suit games when notrump may be playable. Showing 5-5 shape isn't as important as getting to the right contract.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Thursday, August 23rd 2012
Right-click here for hands.
Board 5: West opens 1D in fourth seat and East replies 1H. By point-count, West can add 3 for his singleton club in a hand with 4-card trump support; added to his excellent 17 count that makes enough to force to game. West can leap directly to 4H or describe his hand better with a 4C "splinter" raise, promising four trumps, a singleton or void in clubs, and game-going values. The splinter covers one of East's small clubs and the expected 17 hcp might cover 6 more losers; let's try visualizing. AKx Kxxx AKxxx x would make for a laydown slam, so East's hand is worth a try, but East has no control in diamond or spades andso there is no obvious slm try available below game. East can reasonably proceed with 4NT or bid a cautious 4H. As it happens, the slam depends on a diamond finesse, so at matchpoints it's probably better to stop at game since most pairs won't be in slam and down one will be a very cold bottom. Every pair bid 4H, making 6.
Board 6: East opens 1S and West responds 2D or a strong 3D. I was not encouraged by the spade void and opted for 2D myself. East rebids the spades and West can probe further with a 3C or 3H bid -- either should be taken as 100% forcing; the most fundamental principal of American bidding methods is that a new suit-over-suit bid by a responder who has never limited his hand is forcing, and at this level that effectively means game forcing. Over 3H, East bids 3NT, which was enough encouragement for me to try 6D. A better bid would be 4D; although rebidding a new suit is not ordinarily forcing, it would be silly for 4D to mean "let's play a part-score rather than game!" There are occassions when the bidding might die at four of a minor, but when an unlimited hand pulls 3NT to 4C or 4D, it should be taken as a slam try, not weakness. Having limited his hand, East's hand looks quite good; but 4S looks like the obvious call, whether partner takes it as a strong suit or good controls there. RKCB bidders may have some doubt about what suit 4NT by West would be asking about here; I'd be inclined to think spades.
Four pairs stopped at 3NT, two bid 4S, and tthree bid 6D. At my table North led a club; I won in dummy and, not fearing a singleton lead, cashed a high spade and led a diamond to the nine. Disaster! North won, returned another diamnd and South ruffed! Didn't see that coming, but really, since there was no way for me to get back to dummy after pitching a heart I might as well have played Ace and another diamond -- there was little hope if the trumps were not 2-2. Six making would tie for top while down one tied for bottom. Those playing four spades should recognize that other pairs will be in notrump and try to outscore them, but the spade Jack doesn't fall and a diamond must be lost for a poor +650 score.
Board 7: South's hand (10x AQJ9xxx 10x Kx) is a bit too strong for 3H; 10hcp + 2 quick tricks + a good seven card suit = opening bid, with 4H as a plausible alternative. Assuming 1H, North responds 2C -- bid the longer suit first with a full opening bid, there may well be slam in clubs. South rebids 2H (showing little more than minimum values and an unbalanced hand, not specifically 6 card length as most experts play) and North bids 2S, natural and game-forcing. (With a weaker hand, respond 1S.) South repeats the hearts and North ends the bidding at 4H.
West, on lead, considers the strong club holding, but leading it could easily help set the suit up for declarer. Assuming 24-26 hcp for N/S, partner should have 5-7 hcp. Diamonds are the unbid suit but partner may be too weak for that to be effective. When leading, I'm inclined to hope for a King or Ace in partner's hand when I can expect at least 8 hcp; perhaps the club is best after all.
South counts at least 6 heart tricks, a spade, and two clubs. There are finesses in three suits and the possibility of a 3-3 club split. A thoughtful line would be to win the club in hand and lead to the Ace of hearts -- if East has the King, he can be endplayed. When the King drops declarer can use the ten as an entry and proceed with Ace of clubs, ruff a club, trump to the ten, ruff a club, spade to the Queen. East wins that trick and sooner or later the Ace of diamonds, declarer pitching a diamond if needed on the last club.
If instead declarer decides to finesse in hearts, he may win the first club in dummy and lose a trump to West's King. West returns another club to avoid breaking a new suit. Declarer can try a heart to the ten, ruff a club but won't have enough entries to set up a pitch, and will later have to guess to avoid two diamond losers. Or, declarer may hope clubs are no worse than 4-2: win the King of clubs, club to the Ace, finesse the heart. Now West cannot safely continue clubs; counting high cards, partner may have the King of spades and so a low spade looks best -- let declarer guess the diamonds. If declarer plays low, however, East must win his King and grab the Ace of diamonds. All but one declarer finished with ten tricks.
Board 5: West opens 1D in fourth seat and East replies 1H. By point-count, West can add 3 for his singleton club in a hand with 4-card trump support; added to his excellent 17 count that makes enough to force to game. West can leap directly to 4H or describe his hand better with a 4C "splinter" raise, promising four trumps, a singleton or void in clubs, and game-going values. The splinter covers one of East's small clubs and the expected 17 hcp might cover 6 more losers; let's try visualizing. AKx Kxxx AKxxx x would make for a laydown slam, so East's hand is worth a try, but East has no control in diamond or spades andso there is no obvious slm try available below game. East can reasonably proceed with 4NT or bid a cautious 4H. As it happens, the slam depends on a diamond finesse, so at matchpoints it's probably better to stop at game since most pairs won't be in slam and down one will be a very cold bottom. Every pair bid 4H, making 6.
Board 6: East opens 1S and West responds 2D or a strong 3D. I was not encouraged by the spade void and opted for 2D myself. East rebids the spades and West can probe further with a 3C or 3H bid -- either should be taken as 100% forcing; the most fundamental principal of American bidding methods is that a new suit-over-suit bid by a responder who has never limited his hand is forcing, and at this level that effectively means game forcing. Over 3H, East bids 3NT, which was enough encouragement for me to try 6D. A better bid would be 4D; although rebidding a new suit is not ordinarily forcing, it would be silly for 4D to mean "let's play a part-score rather than game!" There are occassions when the bidding might die at four of a minor, but when an unlimited hand pulls 3NT to 4C or 4D, it should be taken as a slam try, not weakness. Having limited his hand, East's hand looks quite good; but 4S looks like the obvious call, whether partner takes it as a strong suit or good controls there. RKCB bidders may have some doubt about what suit 4NT by West would be asking about here; I'd be inclined to think spades.
Four pairs stopped at 3NT, two bid 4S, and tthree bid 6D. At my table North led a club; I won in dummy and, not fearing a singleton lead, cashed a high spade and led a diamond to the nine. Disaster! North won, returned another diamnd and South ruffed! Didn't see that coming, but really, since there was no way for me to get back to dummy after pitching a heart I might as well have played Ace and another diamond -- there was little hope if the trumps were not 2-2. Six making would tie for top while down one tied for bottom. Those playing four spades should recognize that other pairs will be in notrump and try to outscore them, but the spade Jack doesn't fall and a diamond must be lost for a poor +650 score.
Board 7: South's hand (10x AQJ9xxx 10x Kx) is a bit too strong for 3H; 10hcp + 2 quick tricks + a good seven card suit = opening bid, with 4H as a plausible alternative. Assuming 1H, North responds 2C -- bid the longer suit first with a full opening bid, there may well be slam in clubs. South rebids 2H (showing little more than minimum values and an unbalanced hand, not specifically 6 card length as most experts play) and North bids 2S, natural and game-forcing. (With a weaker hand, respond 1S.) South repeats the hearts and North ends the bidding at 4H.
West, on lead, considers the strong club holding, but leading it could easily help set the suit up for declarer. Assuming 24-26 hcp for N/S, partner should have 5-7 hcp. Diamonds are the unbid suit but partner may be too weak for that to be effective. When leading, I'm inclined to hope for a King or Ace in partner's hand when I can expect at least 8 hcp; perhaps the club is best after all.
South counts at least 6 heart tricks, a spade, and two clubs. There are finesses in three suits and the possibility of a 3-3 club split. A thoughtful line would be to win the club in hand and lead to the Ace of hearts -- if East has the King, he can be endplayed. When the King drops declarer can use the ten as an entry and proceed with Ace of clubs, ruff a club, trump to the ten, ruff a club, spade to the Queen. East wins that trick and sooner or later the Ace of diamonds, declarer pitching a diamond if needed on the last club.
If instead declarer decides to finesse in hearts, he may win the first club in dummy and lose a trump to West's King. West returns another club to avoid breaking a new suit. Declarer can try a heart to the ten, ruff a club but won't have enough entries to set up a pitch, and will later have to guess to avoid two diamond losers. Or, declarer may hope clubs are no worse than 4-2: win the King of clubs, club to the Ace, finesse the heart. Now West cannot safely continue clubs; counting high cards, partner may have the King of spades and so a low spade looks best -- let declarer guess the diamonds. If declarer plays low, however, East must win his King and grab the Ace of diamonds. All but one declarer finished with ten tricks.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Sunday, August 19th 2012
Right-click here for hands.
Board 1: After three passes, West opens 1C on Ax x AKxx AK9xxx . If the long suit were a major, a 2C opening would be reasonable, unless perhapp the suit were hearts and you are laying the 2H super-bust method. As is, you are unlikley to miss a game if you open 1C and everyone passes. East, with a flat 10 count, has the shape to respond 1NT, but may prefer 1D with only 10xx in spades. Over 1NT, West bids 2D, a forcing reverse. Why forcing? Anytime opener bids a suit responder skipped over, he must assume responder may be short will have to return to opener's first suit, which makes the 2D bid equivalent in strength to a 3C jump -- at least 17 points in effective value.
So 2D is forcing -- what should East bid? Those familiar with lebensohl may play that any weak hand bids 2NT as a puppet to 3C, while other bids show 8+ hcp and are forcing to game. With that agreement, East can simply raise 2D to 3D, forcing. Many partnerships, however, hoave no clear agrements about bidding over a reverse. In that case 3D sounds weak and must be avoided. A leap to 3NT could be wrong "in spades"; but leaping to 4D or 5D shuts out a notrump game. With a thoughtful partner, 2H is a standout -- once a major suit has been skipped over, it can be used as a "notrump probe", perfect for this hand. Opener feels there may be slam in a minor, but the 2H bid opposite West's singleton suggests wasted values and opener may rebid 2NT, 3C, or 3NT. Over either of the first two responder continues with 3D; now opener must either drive to slam or settle for 3NT. Responder's 1NT followed by 2H makes it unlikely he has either a doubleton club or both minor suit queens along with the promised heart stopper, so I believe I'd settle for 3NT, a contract no one reached today.
At our table it went pass-1C; 1D-3D. THe 3D bid was an underbid, but I felt I needed some extra values from partner to bid slam, and short of that did not want to rule out 3NT. Over 3D, East should probe with 3H (same logic as above, can't be a real suit) and West bids 3NT. Partner actually bid 5D (reasonable if not best) and I was encouraged to try 6D.
Six diamonds looks like an excellent contract -- solid trumps, no fast losers, and easy to set up 12 tricks if trumps break 3-2 or clubs are no worse than 3-1. Not a lucky day, but how should declarer play? On a spade lead, grab the Ace. That sets up a spade loser but there's no rush to get rid of it -- the Ace of hearts may be needed later as an entry. Now check the trumps -- I'd take the Ace and then Queen. When North shows out, put off pullng the trumps while you check out clubs. All will be well if clubs are 2-2, but what if they're 3-1? That will be OK if you can lead up to the club honors and through the short hand, which is more likely to be South anyway given his known extra length in diamonds. So, low club toward dummy. Ouch, South can ruff and cash a spade. You were never making this one, but South just ruffed your club loser and shortened his own trump holding.
With less horrible luck, South follows to the first club. Declarer returns ot the East hand with a heart, pitches the spade loser, and leads another club toward dummy. Whether SOuth ruffs or not the defense collects only one trick. Remember this device of leading up to honors in a long suit which might not break evenly.
Board 2: East picks up AJx AKJ109 9xx Kx as dealer. If this were a team game, there would be little reason to open anything but 1NT, describing your strength and most of your shape in one quick bid. At matchpoints, it's a bit more complicated -- chances are a little better than 50% you have a heart fit, which will likely produce an extra trick; +420 or +140 will outscore +400 or +120. But consider -- if partner raises to 2H, you must surely make a game try, and every now and then 3H will be too high. If,instead, partner responds 1S, you are too strong to rebid 1NT (suggesting 12-14) and not strong enough for 2NT (18-19.) Some might try a 2D rebid but that risks playing a silly 3-3 "fit" and doesn't really solve anything. Likewise, 2S is a clear underbid. How about 3S? A glance at the actual West hand shows the problem -- if partner is weak, the spades may be a horrible trump sui. ***Never jump raise partner without a genuine fit!*** If I put myselft in this position, I'd stretch for 2NT -- the good hearts and good controls may compensate for the missing points.
All in all, when you have exactly 16 hcp and no more than one doubleton, opening 1NT will, in the long run, probably win more matchpoints than it loses. As it happens, West passes 1NT and North may well bid 2S (I would, despite the vulenrrability, rather than suffering the likely heart lead by South.) West should double (for penalties) and any reasonable defense holds declarer to six or seven tricks. (For those who play "stolen bid doubles" such woud clearly not apply when West passed initially over 1NT.)
Board 6: East opens 1D and West has a classic strong jump shift (2H.) Most North American experts would say this denies a second suit, so East rebids 3C to show a slam control (or 2S, showing the cheapest first or second round control.) I prefer a more flexible style, but East still rebids 3C, this time showing a decent suit. Either way, West rebids 3NT, suggest a balanced 17-19 hcp. East has a fair suit and good controls; picturing, say, Axx AQxxx Qx KQx either 6D or 6NT looks good. With less in clubs, it might be possible to set up the hearts with a ruff, so I think 6D is the proper goal. East can pull 3NT to 4D; this should never be taken as "I'm weak, let's play a part score rather than game!"; that would be silly after West's strong bidding. So 4D is clearly a slam try. With three Aces, West drives to slam, probably after 4NT. A complete auction using Roman Key Card Blackwood might be 1D-2H; 3C-3NT; 4D-4NT; 5H-6D. South is likely to lead a spade, giving declarer time to set up hearts and avoid a club loser. On the more dangerous club lead, declarer would have to guess trumps correctly and I can't see any obvious reason to finesse North rather than play for the drop. 6D making scored a clear top.
At our table South threw a spanner in the works with an agressive 2H weak jump. Double, by West, would be negative, showing spades. West can pass and expect East to reopen, hopefully with a double, but vulnerable partners have been known to pass such hands out; I settled for simple jump to 3NT, making 6, for a decent 5 matchpoints out of 7.
Board 1: After three passes, West opens 1C on Ax x AKxx AK9xxx . If the long suit were a major, a 2C opening would be reasonable, unless perhapp the suit were hearts and you are laying the 2H super-bust method. As is, you are unlikley to miss a game if you open 1C and everyone passes. East, with a flat 10 count, has the shape to respond 1NT, but may prefer 1D with only 10xx in spades. Over 1NT, West bids 2D, a forcing reverse. Why forcing? Anytime opener bids a suit responder skipped over, he must assume responder may be short will have to return to opener's first suit, which makes the 2D bid equivalent in strength to a 3C jump -- at least 17 points in effective value.
So 2D is forcing -- what should East bid? Those familiar with lebensohl may play that any weak hand bids 2NT as a puppet to 3C, while other bids show 8+ hcp and are forcing to game. With that agreement, East can simply raise 2D to 3D, forcing. Many partnerships, however, hoave no clear agrements about bidding over a reverse. In that case 3D sounds weak and must be avoided. A leap to 3NT could be wrong "in spades"; but leaping to 4D or 5D shuts out a notrump game. With a thoughtful partner, 2H is a standout -- once a major suit has been skipped over, it can be used as a "notrump probe", perfect for this hand. Opener feels there may be slam in a minor, but the 2H bid opposite West's singleton suggests wasted values and opener may rebid 2NT, 3C, or 3NT. Over either of the first two responder continues with 3D; now opener must either drive to slam or settle for 3NT. Responder's 1NT followed by 2H makes it unlikely he has either a doubleton club or both minor suit queens along with the promised heart stopper, so I believe I'd settle for 3NT, a contract no one reached today.
At our table it went pass-1C; 1D-3D. THe 3D bid was an underbid, but I felt I needed some extra values from partner to bid slam, and short of that did not want to rule out 3NT. Over 3D, East should probe with 3H (same logic as above, can't be a real suit) and West bids 3NT. Partner actually bid 5D (reasonable if not best) and I was encouraged to try 6D.
Six diamonds looks like an excellent contract -- solid trumps, no fast losers, and easy to set up 12 tricks if trumps break 3-2 or clubs are no worse than 3-1. Not a lucky day, but how should declarer play? On a spade lead, grab the Ace. That sets up a spade loser but there's no rush to get rid of it -- the Ace of hearts may be needed later as an entry. Now check the trumps -- I'd take the Ace and then Queen. When North shows out, put off pullng the trumps while you check out clubs. All will be well if clubs are 2-2, but what if they're 3-1? That will be OK if you can lead up to the club honors and through the short hand, which is more likely to be South anyway given his known extra length in diamonds. So, low club toward dummy. Ouch, South can ruff and cash a spade. You were never making this one, but South just ruffed your club loser and shortened his own trump holding.
With less horrible luck, South follows to the first club. Declarer returns ot the East hand with a heart, pitches the spade loser, and leads another club toward dummy. Whether SOuth ruffs or not the defense collects only one trick. Remember this device of leading up to honors in a long suit which might not break evenly.
Board 2: East picks up AJx AKJ109 9xx Kx as dealer. If this were a team game, there would be little reason to open anything but 1NT, describing your strength and most of your shape in one quick bid. At matchpoints, it's a bit more complicated -- chances are a little better than 50% you have a heart fit, which will likely produce an extra trick; +420 or +140 will outscore +400 or +120. But consider -- if partner raises to 2H, you must surely make a game try, and every now and then 3H will be too high. If,instead, partner responds 1S, you are too strong to rebid 1NT (suggesting 12-14) and not strong enough for 2NT (18-19.) Some might try a 2D rebid but that risks playing a silly 3-3 "fit" and doesn't really solve anything. Likewise, 2S is a clear underbid. How about 3S? A glance at the actual West hand shows the problem -- if partner is weak, the spades may be a horrible trump sui. ***Never jump raise partner without a genuine fit!*** If I put myselft in this position, I'd stretch for 2NT -- the good hearts and good controls may compensate for the missing points.
All in all, when you have exactly 16 hcp and no more than one doubleton, opening 1NT will, in the long run, probably win more matchpoints than it loses. As it happens, West passes 1NT and North may well bid 2S (I would, despite the vulenrrability, rather than suffering the likely heart lead by South.) West should double (for penalties) and any reasonable defense holds declarer to six or seven tricks. (For those who play "stolen bid doubles" such woud clearly not apply when West passed initially over 1NT.)
Board 6: East opens 1D and West has a classic strong jump shift (2H.) Most North American experts would say this denies a second suit, so East rebids 3C to show a slam control (or 2S, showing the cheapest first or second round control.) I prefer a more flexible style, but East still rebids 3C, this time showing a decent suit. Either way, West rebids 3NT, suggest a balanced 17-19 hcp. East has a fair suit and good controls; picturing, say, Axx AQxxx Qx KQx either 6D or 6NT looks good. With less in clubs, it might be possible to set up the hearts with a ruff, so I think 6D is the proper goal. East can pull 3NT to 4D; this should never be taken as "I'm weak, let's play a part score rather than game!"; that would be silly after West's strong bidding. So 4D is clearly a slam try. With three Aces, West drives to slam, probably after 4NT. A complete auction using Roman Key Card Blackwood might be 1D-2H; 3C-3NT; 4D-4NT; 5H-6D. South is likely to lead a spade, giving declarer time to set up hearts and avoid a club loser. On the more dangerous club lead, declarer would have to guess trumps correctly and I can't see any obvious reason to finesse North rather than play for the drop. 6D making scored a clear top.
At our table South threw a spanner in the works with an agressive 2H weak jump. Double, by West, would be negative, showing spades. West can pass and expect East to reopen, hopefully with a double, but vulnerable partners have been known to pass such hands out; I settled for simple jump to 3NT, making 6, for a decent 5 matchpoints out of 7.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Tuesday Evening, 8/7.2012
Right-click here for hands.
Board 8: West opens 2NT, showing a balanced 20-21 hcp. East adds his 12, giving a total of 32-33;
this should be enough for slam if a fit can be uncovered, but is borderline to poor for 6NT.
Playing transfers, East can start with 3H, but how do you continue over partner's (forced) 3S?
Bidding methods matter here: If you play Texas Transfers (4D= hearts, 4H=spades) then it is normal
for responder to use Texas when he wants to stop at the four level OR set the suit and ask for Aces
or Key cards. In other words, with a six card major, use Texas if you rate your hand is clearly
worth 4 or 6, but not for hands in-between. How does that affect this hand? Since Texas-then-4NT is
some form of Blackwood, Jacoby-then-4NT is a quantitative slam try, not an Ace inquiry. That's what
I would bid on this hand, but if you hate to miss a slam on 32 hcp, transfer and then bid 5NT "pick
a slam." Not playing Texas, I'd use transfer-then 5NT if I had discussed it with partner, otherwise I'd just leap to 6NT to keep it simple. gerber is a possibility but it seems to be very error-prone -- everyone tends to bid hearts when they have two Aces, confusing the responses with Blackwood. Over either 4NT or 5NT West bids 6S. Three pairs reached this slam.
North has no good lead -- underleading a King vs. a slam is risky, but anything could be wrong. A
low club may at least avoid setting up a long trick for declarer. What luck! South has the
King-Jack poised over dummy's Queen, so the defense quickly establishes a winner. West must lose a
club and a heart. On any other lead West can afford to pull trumps, lose the heart finesse, and
pitch a club on the fourth heart. Oddly, the transfer backfired: 6S by East is impregnable. But
looking at the E/W hands, West will make slam far more often than not.
Competition Corner -- Board 11: South opens 1C and North raises to two. For those playing Inverted
Minors, North should leap to 3C, a bid which ought to show 6-9 hcp; but many players fail to
specify a lower limit for the jump bid -- a good reason not to play Inverted Minors in a casual or
inexperienced partnership. With no one but partner bidding, it's a fair bet that if you have a weak
hand, partner has a strong one -- so why preempt? The 6 hcp minimum along with 5+ clubs
allows opener to take a shot at 3NT with a balanced hand which was too strong to open 1NT.
Over the club raise, East bids hearts, hoping to double later to show the spades. After
1C-(pass)-2C-(2H), South should immediately bid 3C. A basic rule is that bids in competition are
assumed to be competitive, not game invitational; South should in fact rebid the clubs with almost
any hand containing four clubs, unless the distribution is completely flat (3334) or much of
South's strength is in hearts. What about West? With a known 9-card fit, it would usually be
correct to compete to the 3 level, but that assumes the high card points are split fairly evenly
(generally, at least 17 for each side.) West cannot be sure his side has that much strength and
with a potentially trickless hand I'd pass. North passes and East doubles as planned. South has no
reason to bid again -- it would be poor tactics to bid 4C only to chase the enemy into a game you
might not be able to beat. Always think twice before bidding over three of a major. West bids 3H
(or 3S, but it's doubtful spades will provide an extra trick, so play in the longer trump suit.) 3H
should end the bidding.
South has no sure lead, but it's reasonable to hope partner has the Ace or Queen for his raise, so
a low club looks best. North wins and, seeing little threatening in dummy, returns another club,
ruffed by declarer. East counts one club, one heart, and one or two spade losers; leading the King
of hearts looks right, hoping to set up the Jack as an entry to dummy for the spade finesse. South
wins perforce and tries the Jack of diamonds -- this looks fairly safe since dummy's second-highest
diamond is lower than South's seven. East wins, crosses to dummy with the Jack of trumps, and leads
the Jack of spades. If North had three spades it would be correct to duck the Jack, planning to
cover the last of equal honors; but with only a doubleton it's best to play the Queen immediately.
Either way declarer loses only one spade and finishes with 10 tricks for a very good score -- don't
feel like you should've been in game. Why does the recap show that E/W can only make 3H? South
could theoretically give North a ruff by leading spades at every opportunity.
Board 13: East has a clear 1D opening bid. Even if you discount the Jack of hearts, two five card
suits headed by 3 quick tricks has great potential. With 5-5 shape, be sure to open the higher
ranking suit, planning to rebid the lower suit twice if convenient. South passes -- 9 hcp, a crummy
suit and the poor 5332 shape is well below the mark for a 2 level overcall, especially vulnerable.
West starts thinking slam: a five loser hand with partner opening your second suit! An opening bid
will usually take care of four losers. The simple approach is a strong jump shift (2S) followed by
a diamond bid. East rebids 3C, West bids 3D as planned, and East should love his hand -- the spade
bid covers his weakest suit and the diamond support should help establish club winners. East may be
tempted to leap to 4NT, but Key card bidders should pause to consider -- what would you do over a
5H reply? Better to let partner do the asking. East can simply cue-bid 4C or try a 4H splinter
(showing the singleton, a bid that should be recognizable if the partnership uses splinters in a
variety of auctions.) 4D would keep the ball rolling but I see no reason not encourage partner with
either 4C or 4H. West happily bids 4NT (no response can embarass him), East replies 5H (two Aces or two Key cards missing the Queen.) The missing Queen makes grand slam a poor bet, and also rules out 6NT -- if the diamonds don't run a heart lead would be fatal. Six diamonds is the obvious choice
but in a strong field you might try 6S to grab extra matchpoints (+980 vs. +920.) Only two pairs
bid slam, one in the risky 6NT, so 6D would've scored very well. Declarer pulls trumps in two
rounds and pitches three clubs on the solid spades.
For those misguided souls who play weak jump shifts, or who never think to make a strong jump, West bids a murky 1S -- forcing, but unenlightening. East rebids 2C as planned, and now West must manufacture a forcing bid. In the old days a jump to 3D would be game-forcing, but in the modern style jumps in previously bid suits are merely invitational (unless partner has shown extra strength; 2C doesn't qualify.) West is forced to use the "poor crutch" of Fourth Suit Forcing (an artificial bid of 2H, best played as forcing to game) or to leap all the way to 4D. Either sequence can be disaster-prone -- 4D should be a slam try, but I've seen players pass such a bid! The fourth suit sequence fails to make West's slam ambitions clear, while the 4D leap wastes bidding room. As is often the case, the early jump saves room later.
Board 8: West opens 2NT, showing a balanced 20-21 hcp. East adds his 12, giving a total of 32-33;
this should be enough for slam if a fit can be uncovered, but is borderline to poor for 6NT.
Playing transfers, East can start with 3H, but how do you continue over partner's (forced) 3S?
Bidding methods matter here: If you play Texas Transfers (4D= hearts, 4H=spades) then it is normal
for responder to use Texas when he wants to stop at the four level OR set the suit and ask for Aces
or Key cards. In other words, with a six card major, use Texas if you rate your hand is clearly
worth 4 or 6, but not for hands in-between. How does that affect this hand? Since Texas-then-4NT is
some form of Blackwood, Jacoby-then-4NT is a quantitative slam try, not an Ace inquiry. That's what
I would bid on this hand, but if you hate to miss a slam on 32 hcp, transfer and then bid 5NT "pick
a slam." Not playing Texas, I'd use transfer-then 5NT if I had discussed it with partner, otherwise I'd just leap to 6NT to keep it simple. gerber is a possibility but it seems to be very error-prone -- everyone tends to bid hearts when they have two Aces, confusing the responses with Blackwood. Over either 4NT or 5NT West bids 6S. Three pairs reached this slam.
North has no good lead -- underleading a King vs. a slam is risky, but anything could be wrong. A
low club may at least avoid setting up a long trick for declarer. What luck! South has the
King-Jack poised over dummy's Queen, so the defense quickly establishes a winner. West must lose a
club and a heart. On any other lead West can afford to pull trumps, lose the heart finesse, and
pitch a club on the fourth heart. Oddly, the transfer backfired: 6S by East is impregnable. But
looking at the E/W hands, West will make slam far more often than not.
Competition Corner -- Board 11: South opens 1C and North raises to two. For those playing Inverted
Minors, North should leap to 3C, a bid which ought to show 6-9 hcp; but many players fail to
specify a lower limit for the jump bid -- a good reason not to play Inverted Minors in a casual or
inexperienced partnership. With no one but partner bidding, it's a fair bet that if you have a weak
hand, partner has a strong one -- so why preempt? The 6 hcp minimum along with 5+ clubs
allows opener to take a shot at 3NT with a balanced hand which was too strong to open 1NT.
Over the club raise, East bids hearts, hoping to double later to show the spades. After
1C-(pass)-2C-(2H), South should immediately bid 3C. A basic rule is that bids in competition are
assumed to be competitive, not game invitational; South should in fact rebid the clubs with almost
any hand containing four clubs, unless the distribution is completely flat (3334) or much of
South's strength is in hearts. What about West? With a known 9-card fit, it would usually be
correct to compete to the 3 level, but that assumes the high card points are split fairly evenly
(generally, at least 17 for each side.) West cannot be sure his side has that much strength and
with a potentially trickless hand I'd pass. North passes and East doubles as planned. South has no
reason to bid again -- it would be poor tactics to bid 4C only to chase the enemy into a game you
might not be able to beat. Always think twice before bidding over three of a major. West bids 3H
(or 3S, but it's doubtful spades will provide an extra trick, so play in the longer trump suit.) 3H
should end the bidding.
South has no sure lead, but it's reasonable to hope partner has the Ace or Queen for his raise, so
a low club looks best. North wins and, seeing little threatening in dummy, returns another club,
ruffed by declarer. East counts one club, one heart, and one or two spade losers; leading the King
of hearts looks right, hoping to set up the Jack as an entry to dummy for the spade finesse. South
wins perforce and tries the Jack of diamonds -- this looks fairly safe since dummy's second-highest
diamond is lower than South's seven. East wins, crosses to dummy with the Jack of trumps, and leads
the Jack of spades. If North had three spades it would be correct to duck the Jack, planning to
cover the last of equal honors; but with only a doubleton it's best to play the Queen immediately.
Either way declarer loses only one spade and finishes with 10 tricks for a very good score -- don't
feel like you should've been in game. Why does the recap show that E/W can only make 3H? South
could theoretically give North a ruff by leading spades at every opportunity.
Board 13: East has a clear 1D opening bid. Even if you discount the Jack of hearts, two five card
suits headed by 3 quick tricks has great potential. With 5-5 shape, be sure to open the higher
ranking suit, planning to rebid the lower suit twice if convenient. South passes -- 9 hcp, a crummy
suit and the poor 5332 shape is well below the mark for a 2 level overcall, especially vulnerable.
West starts thinking slam: a five loser hand with partner opening your second suit! An opening bid
will usually take care of four losers. The simple approach is a strong jump shift (2S) followed by
a diamond bid. East rebids 3C, West bids 3D as planned, and East should love his hand -- the spade
bid covers his weakest suit and the diamond support should help establish club winners. East may be
tempted to leap to 4NT, but Key card bidders should pause to consider -- what would you do over a
5H reply? Better to let partner do the asking. East can simply cue-bid 4C or try a 4H splinter
(showing the singleton, a bid that should be recognizable if the partnership uses splinters in a
variety of auctions.) 4D would keep the ball rolling but I see no reason not encourage partner with
either 4C or 4H. West happily bids 4NT (no response can embarass him), East replies 5H (two Aces or two Key cards missing the Queen.) The missing Queen makes grand slam a poor bet, and also rules out 6NT -- if the diamonds don't run a heart lead would be fatal. Six diamonds is the obvious choice
but in a strong field you might try 6S to grab extra matchpoints (+980 vs. +920.) Only two pairs
bid slam, one in the risky 6NT, so 6D would've scored very well. Declarer pulls trumps in two
rounds and pitches three clubs on the solid spades.
For those misguided souls who play weak jump shifts, or who never think to make a strong jump, West bids a murky 1S -- forcing, but unenlightening. East rebids 2C as planned, and now West must manufacture a forcing bid. In the old days a jump to 3D would be game-forcing, but in the modern style jumps in previously bid suits are merely invitational (unless partner has shown extra strength; 2C doesn't qualify.) West is forced to use the "poor crutch" of Fourth Suit Forcing (an artificial bid of 2H, best played as forcing to game) or to leap all the way to 4D. Either sequence can be disaster-prone -- 4D should be a slam try, but I've seen players pass such a bid! The fourth suit sequence fails to make West's slam ambitions clear, while the 4D leap wastes bidding room. As is often the case, the early jump saves room later.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Sunday, July 15th 2012
Right-click here for hands.
Board 1: East opens 1D. An enterprising South should jump to 2H; only a five card suit, but 4 certain tricks and little defense argues for the preempt. I expect most overcalled 1H or passed. If West were a bit stronger I'd suggest a 2C response, planning to then bid and rebid the spades. Clubs is the better suit and the hand has good slam potential; but with only 11 hcp I'd start with 1S in case the hand is a misfit. North players with only a rudimentary grasp of the Law of Total tricks may think a 4H jump is indicated; this isn't always correct with minimal (5332) shape. What North must do is decide how high he wants to compete and bid it immediately -- 3H, 4H or 5H now, then shut up. Kit Woolsey says to bid to the point you aren't sure what the opponents should do, making them take the last guess. You have an Ace and possible defense in both spades and diamonds; partner's overcall may produce two tricks as well, and it isn't clear the enemy have a spade fit or game anywhere. 4H looks right to me.
East surely bids 4S -- the four-card support and singleton heart argue strongly for bidding rather than defending. If 4S is down 4H may be making. South likely passes. West has a far better hand than he's shown; 6 losers, and while opener may have stretched to bid 4S, he is likely to have something extra. You must be careful not ot punish partner for stretching to a game, especially over competition, but I thnk West is good enough to try for slam. The problem is two quick losers in hearts. West can bid 5S asking partner to bid slam if he controls the enemy suit; or he can try 4NT RKCB and trust that East has a singleton heart, which seems consistent with both his and the enemy bidding so far. East replies 5S (two key cards + the Queen of spades) and West takes the plunge to 6S. Every declarer took the obvious 12 tricks so bidding slam would've been a cold top.
Board 2: A wild hand. East starts by deciding how many clubs to open. Despite only 11 hcp, no Ace and a stiff Jack, the playing strength plus two quick tricks qualify this hand for 1C, but 3C is not clearly wrong. 4C would be misguided, blasting past a possible 3NT game. Over 1C, in the old days South would start with a cue-bid; now that Michaels has become near universal, South must double first and cue-bid the next round. If the enemy would keep quiet, this would gain a round of bidding room; but West preempts with 3C. (Side note: preemptive raises over a takeout double have been standard for 70+ years; there's no place on the card to mark anything else!)
North has only 7 hcp but nine cards in the majors and a club void -- he clearly must bid something. The choices include 3H, which may be too little, and 4C (forcing to game) which may be too much but at least insures partner picks the right suit. I think I'd try 3H and assume the bidding won't stop there.
East is startled by West's preemptive raise; with at least a 12 card fit, how high should he compete? It seems unlikely E/W can take more than one trick on defense against whichever major suit N/S land in; whether they can take all the tricks is unclear. Once again, East should bid as high as he dares now and then sell out. Seven clubs forces them to guess, but against timid slam bidders you might try 5C.
Seven clubs to South! Does Noth have 5 hearts? Does North have 3 or more spades? Can North cover five losers? Bidding either grand looks too dicey, so I think South must take the sure plus score with a double. If East had bid only 5C, South could try 5S and North should raise. Over 6C South may reasonably gamble 6H. Three pairs reached 6S, plus one E/W at 7C doubled which may have been bid after N/S reached slam.
Board 1: East opens 1D. An enterprising South should jump to 2H; only a five card suit, but 4 certain tricks and little defense argues for the preempt. I expect most overcalled 1H or passed. If West were a bit stronger I'd suggest a 2C response, planning to then bid and rebid the spades. Clubs is the better suit and the hand has good slam potential; but with only 11 hcp I'd start with 1S in case the hand is a misfit. North players with only a rudimentary grasp of the Law of Total tricks may think a 4H jump is indicated; this isn't always correct with minimal (5332) shape. What North must do is decide how high he wants to compete and bid it immediately -- 3H, 4H or 5H now, then shut up. Kit Woolsey says to bid to the point you aren't sure what the opponents should do, making them take the last guess. You have an Ace and possible defense in both spades and diamonds; partner's overcall may produce two tricks as well, and it isn't clear the enemy have a spade fit or game anywhere. 4H looks right to me.
East surely bids 4S -- the four-card support and singleton heart argue strongly for bidding rather than defending. If 4S is down 4H may be making. South likely passes. West has a far better hand than he's shown; 6 losers, and while opener may have stretched to bid 4S, he is likely to have something extra. You must be careful not ot punish partner for stretching to a game, especially over competition, but I thnk West is good enough to try for slam. The problem is two quick losers in hearts. West can bid 5S asking partner to bid slam if he controls the enemy suit; or he can try 4NT RKCB and trust that East has a singleton heart, which seems consistent with both his and the enemy bidding so far. East replies 5S (two key cards + the Queen of spades) and West takes the plunge to 6S. Every declarer took the obvious 12 tricks so bidding slam would've been a cold top.
Board 2: A wild hand. East starts by deciding how many clubs to open. Despite only 11 hcp, no Ace and a stiff Jack, the playing strength plus two quick tricks qualify this hand for 1C, but 3C is not clearly wrong. 4C would be misguided, blasting past a possible 3NT game. Over 1C, in the old days South would start with a cue-bid; now that Michaels has become near universal, South must double first and cue-bid the next round. If the enemy would keep quiet, this would gain a round of bidding room; but West preempts with 3C. (Side note: preemptive raises over a takeout double have been standard for 70+ years; there's no place on the card to mark anything else!)
North has only 7 hcp but nine cards in the majors and a club void -- he clearly must bid something. The choices include 3H, which may be too little, and 4C (forcing to game) which may be too much but at least insures partner picks the right suit. I think I'd try 3H and assume the bidding won't stop there.
East is startled by West's preemptive raise; with at least a 12 card fit, how high should he compete? It seems unlikely E/W can take more than one trick on defense against whichever major suit N/S land in; whether they can take all the tricks is unclear. Once again, East should bid as high as he dares now and then sell out. Seven clubs forces them to guess, but against timid slam bidders you might try 5C.
Seven clubs to South! Does Noth have 5 hearts? Does North have 3 or more spades? Can North cover five losers? Bidding either grand looks too dicey, so I think South must take the sure plus score with a double. If East had bid only 5C, South could try 5S and North should raise. Over 6C South may reasonably gamble 6H. Three pairs reached 6S, plus one E/W at 7C doubled which may have been bid after N/S reached slam.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Friday, July 13th 2012
Right-click here for hands.
Board 1: North likely opens 3H. At this vulnerability, South can expect a broken 7 card suit, so 6 trump tricks and one trump loser seems likely. That leaves 6 side suit losers to dispose of; South's two AK's obviously cover four of those, and if partner has three cards in either minor the fifth club should dispose of another loser. That still leaves a trump and one or more spades. With AKJxxxx North might've opened 4H (I would), so slam looks ambitious and South should simply raise to 4H. Don't even think about notrump on such a hand -- you won't be able to use partner's long suit; it is often correct to raise even with a void, after allowing for an additional trump loser.
As it happens, it's a magic hand -- North's spade void controls that suit and his Qx in clubs allows for two diamond pitches as long as the suit breaks 3-3 or 4-2 (you can set up the last club with a ruff, although repeated diamond leads could leave you short of an entry.) All but two pairs recorded +480. Top score was for 3S doubled -- neither East nor West has a suitable hand to enter this auction (both are 5332, too many losers.)
Board 6: East opens 1S. With 14 hcp and 1444 shape, West simply responds 2C. There could be a slam if a 4-4 fit appears. East rebids 2D -- in the modern style, this new suit by opener after a 2/1 bid is 100% forcing; responder promises a rebid except possibly over 2S, 2NT or 3C according to style. (My recommendation is to play only 2NT as non-forcing.) When groping for the right contract, it's important to be able to bid without fear of being dropped suddenly. Responder should start with 1NT if he's too weak to continue over a 2D or 2H rebid.
After 1S-2C-2D, responder has to think. Slam is possible if opener's diamonds are fairly good, but there's still a bit of a misfit with the spades, and opeenr will need extra strength or perfect cards for 12 tricks. By point count responder can add two for his singleton for a total of 15, suggesting opener needs 18 for slam (16 + two doubletons, for example.) Visualizing, perhaps opener has Axxxx Qx AQxx Kx. That's a King better than a minimum, so any move that takes the bidding beyond 3NT cannot be justified. Those playing 2/1 game force can try a simple 3D raise, hoping to land at 3NT if opener doesn't head toward slam. For standard bidders, 3D might be passed, so the usual gadget is "fourth suit forcing", 2H simply to keep the ball rolling. This is best played as forcing to game. Having shown his 5-4 shape, opener bids a natural 2NT next, and responder can now bid 3D without fear of being passed. (That's why you want to play 4SF to game, not just one round.) Time for opener to consider: 4-4 diamond fit, at least 28 hcp plus some shape; still seems short of slam. Visualising, perhaps responder has Kx xxx AKxx Qxxxx, 12 easy tricks if diamonds split 3-2. When you can picture a minmum hand for partner that requires no more than ordinary luck for slam, it's worth inviting. East may try 3H at this point; however partner interprets that at the moment, any later move toward slam will make it clear that was a cue-bid. West has told most of his story and retreats to 3NT. East makes one more try, perhaps a 4C cue-bid (it can't be a suggestion to play clubs, given the previous bidding.) Now West can proceed with 4NT, Blackwood or RKCB; but wait, his trumps are poor and perhaps so are partner's -- Kxxx opposite Qxxx makes for a lousy slam. West can stall with 4D, but I can't see a good way to stop at 4NT. Neither player has good enough trumps to justify using 4NT, but once it becomes impossible to stop in notrump you may as well head for slam -- 5D will not score well when 3NT was a plausible contract. A complete RKCB auction might be 1S-2C; 2D-2H; 2NT-3D; 3H-3NT; 4C-4NT; 5S-6D; all pass.
South leads a heart or a spade, hoping to get North in to return a club for a ruff. But North has no entry; declarer leads a trump to the King and back to the Queen (smothering North's Jack.) South wins this and exits with his last trump. Either major suit lead gave declarer his twelfth trick; otherwise, a heart finesse or ruffing spade finesse works. 6D making outscores all but one of the two pairs that reached the riskier 6NT.
Board 21: After North passes, East looks at Q1098xx AQx xx xx, not vulnerable vs. vulnerable. Some pairs require 2 of the top 3 honors for a weak two, so this would be an automtic pass (at least in first or second seat.) Other open virtually any 6 card suit with 6-10 or 5-10 hcp, and this would be an automatic 2S. Myself, I like to have a good suit or a fair suit and a good hand. This seems to qualify -- 8 hcp including 1.5 quick tricks, and good intermediates in the spades. The vulnerability is "green" of course, and it's always nice to bid spades. I'd make the same bid at any vulnerability.
West holds AK -- AQ10xxx AJxxx . Partner likely has QJxxxx in spades, which is important since you may need to ruff a heart with one of those top honors. Give partner a fitting King in either minor and chances look good to set up a long card or two. For example, QJ10xxx xxx xx Kx looks like 12 tricks if one of two diamond finesses work, or the Queen of clubs drops. West bids 2NT to get more information. Playing "features", he hopes to hear 3C or 3D; on today's hand East rebids a disappointing 3H. Well, that may protect against a trump promotion, but 4S looks prudent.
Two pairs reached 6S. South expects partner to be broke and punts with a trump lead, rather than guessing which King to underlead. East can cash the AK of trumps but has no convenient entry back to hand. The goal is to lose no more than one minor suit card; clubs look safer in terms of ruffing a card back to your hand, but that requires a 3-3 split to set up a trick. Unfortunately Ace and low diamond allows the defense to attack your club entry back to dummy; leading the Queen of diamonds gives up the one unavoidable trick while preserving both Aces as entries back to dummy. South wins and attacks clubs, but declarer grabs the Ace, ruffs a club high, pulls South's last trump, and finally finesses the ten of diamonds. Well played!
On a heart leads, East wins the Queen and may as well finesse a diamond immediately. When this holds East cashes the two top trumps and the Ace of diamonds, ruffs a diamond high, pulls trumps and returns to dummy with the Ace of clubs to cash diamond winners.
Board 1: North likely opens 3H. At this vulnerability, South can expect a broken 7 card suit, so 6 trump tricks and one trump loser seems likely. That leaves 6 side suit losers to dispose of; South's two AK's obviously cover four of those, and if partner has three cards in either minor the fifth club should dispose of another loser. That still leaves a trump and one or more spades. With AKJxxxx North might've opened 4H (I would), so slam looks ambitious and South should simply raise to 4H. Don't even think about notrump on such a hand -- you won't be able to use partner's long suit; it is often correct to raise even with a void, after allowing for an additional trump loser.
As it happens, it's a magic hand -- North's spade void controls that suit and his Qx in clubs allows for two diamond pitches as long as the suit breaks 3-3 or 4-2 (you can set up the last club with a ruff, although repeated diamond leads could leave you short of an entry.) All but two pairs recorded +480. Top score was for 3S doubled -- neither East nor West has a suitable hand to enter this auction (both are 5332, too many losers.)
Board 6: East opens 1S. With 14 hcp and 1444 shape, West simply responds 2C. There could be a slam if a 4-4 fit appears. East rebids 2D -- in the modern style, this new suit by opener after a 2/1 bid is 100% forcing; responder promises a rebid except possibly over 2S, 2NT or 3C according to style. (My recommendation is to play only 2NT as non-forcing.) When groping for the right contract, it's important to be able to bid without fear of being dropped suddenly. Responder should start with 1NT if he's too weak to continue over a 2D or 2H rebid.
After 1S-2C-2D, responder has to think. Slam is possible if opener's diamonds are fairly good, but there's still a bit of a misfit with the spades, and opeenr will need extra strength or perfect cards for 12 tricks. By point count responder can add two for his singleton for a total of 15, suggesting opener needs 18 for slam (16 + two doubletons, for example.) Visualizing, perhaps opener has Axxxx Qx AQxx Kx. That's a King better than a minimum, so any move that takes the bidding beyond 3NT cannot be justified. Those playing 2/1 game force can try a simple 3D raise, hoping to land at 3NT if opener doesn't head toward slam. For standard bidders, 3D might be passed, so the usual gadget is "fourth suit forcing", 2H simply to keep the ball rolling. This is best played as forcing to game. Having shown his 5-4 shape, opener bids a natural 2NT next, and responder can now bid 3D without fear of being passed. (That's why you want to play 4SF to game, not just one round.) Time for opener to consider: 4-4 diamond fit, at least 28 hcp plus some shape; still seems short of slam. Visualising, perhaps responder has Kx xxx AKxx Qxxxx, 12 easy tricks if diamonds split 3-2. When you can picture a minmum hand for partner that requires no more than ordinary luck for slam, it's worth inviting. East may try 3H at this point; however partner interprets that at the moment, any later move toward slam will make it clear that was a cue-bid. West has told most of his story and retreats to 3NT. East makes one more try, perhaps a 4C cue-bid (it can't be a suggestion to play clubs, given the previous bidding.) Now West can proceed with 4NT, Blackwood or RKCB; but wait, his trumps are poor and perhaps so are partner's -- Kxxx opposite Qxxx makes for a lousy slam. West can stall with 4D, but I can't see a good way to stop at 4NT. Neither player has good enough trumps to justify using 4NT, but once it becomes impossible to stop in notrump you may as well head for slam -- 5D will not score well when 3NT was a plausible contract. A complete RKCB auction might be 1S-2C; 2D-2H; 2NT-3D; 3H-3NT; 4C-4NT; 5S-6D; all pass.
South leads a heart or a spade, hoping to get North in to return a club for a ruff. But North has no entry; declarer leads a trump to the King and back to the Queen (smothering North's Jack.) South wins this and exits with his last trump. Either major suit lead gave declarer his twelfth trick; otherwise, a heart finesse or ruffing spade finesse works. 6D making outscores all but one of the two pairs that reached the riskier 6NT.
Board 21: After North passes, East looks at Q1098xx AQx xx xx, not vulnerable vs. vulnerable. Some pairs require 2 of the top 3 honors for a weak two, so this would be an automtic pass (at least in first or second seat.) Other open virtually any 6 card suit with 6-10 or 5-10 hcp, and this would be an automatic 2S. Myself, I like to have a good suit or a fair suit and a good hand. This seems to qualify -- 8 hcp including 1.5 quick tricks, and good intermediates in the spades. The vulnerability is "green" of course, and it's always nice to bid spades. I'd make the same bid at any vulnerability.
West holds AK -- AQ10xxx AJxxx . Partner likely has QJxxxx in spades, which is important since you may need to ruff a heart with one of those top honors. Give partner a fitting King in either minor and chances look good to set up a long card or two. For example, QJ10xxx xxx xx Kx looks like 12 tricks if one of two diamond finesses work, or the Queen of clubs drops. West bids 2NT to get more information. Playing "features", he hopes to hear 3C or 3D; on today's hand East rebids a disappointing 3H. Well, that may protect against a trump promotion, but 4S looks prudent.
Two pairs reached 6S. South expects partner to be broke and punts with a trump lead, rather than guessing which King to underlead. East can cash the AK of trumps but has no convenient entry back to hand. The goal is to lose no more than one minor suit card; clubs look safer in terms of ruffing a card back to your hand, but that requires a 3-3 split to set up a trick. Unfortunately Ace and low diamond allows the defense to attack your club entry back to dummy; leading the Queen of diamonds gives up the one unavoidable trick while preserving both Aces as entries back to dummy. South wins and attacks clubs, but declarer grabs the Ace, ruffs a club high, pulls South's last trump, and finally finesses the ten of diamonds. Well played!
On a heart leads, East wins the Queen and may as well finesse a diamond immediately. When this holds East cashes the two top trumps and the Ace of diamonds, ruffs a diamond high, pulls trumps and returns to dummy with the Ace of clubs to cash diamond winners.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Sunday, June 24th 2012
Right-click here for hands.
Board 3: E/W vulnerable, South deals and the auction proceeds:
1D-(pass)-1H-(2S)
1NT-(2S)-?
As North you hold: -- QJ109842 A9 8652 . What's the best bid?
With no competition, you might settle for 2H or an invitational 3H over partner's 1NT rebid. But in a competitive auction, most bids are presumed to be competitive; Kit Woolsey says more matchpoints are won or lost in the battle for part-scores than anywhere else. So 3H would be merely competitive here, perhaps with a small spade and only six hearts. As game might make, it's best in competition for North just to bid it; South might have J9xx Kx KQxx Ax, for example. That might go down on a club lead, but should be an easy 10 tricks on the likely spade lead. Even if 4H won't fetch, it has an extra chance to win on this sort of bidding: East or West will often take a phantom sacrifice at 4S. Every now and then 4S will make, but with a side Ace opposite an opening bid, North should not worry too much about that (and should double 4S if they do bid it.) As it happens, 4H makes an overtrick while 2S doubled goes off two tricks on the King of diamonds lead.
Board 6: South opens 1S and the auction proceeds as follows:
1S-2C
2H-3S
Simple bidding would continue 4NT-5D; 6S. That's what I intended, but mistakenly passed partner's 5D(!) thinking "6S looks right." At 6S, West is apt to lead a diamond and South can quickly grab five spades, five clubs and two diamond tricks for a top board.
A more scientific auction would have South control cue-bid 4D; when North signs off at 4S or cue-bids either minor, South can guess there are two quick heart losers and stop at 4S or 5S. At a team game that would be good bidding; but at matchpoints, an alert West will try a heart lead and cost you a key overtrick.
Board 7: South deals and opens 1S; North, looking at KQJ9xx x AK10 KQx may as well blast into Blackwood. South replies 5H (two Aces or key-cards) and North signs off at 6S. Declarer claims immediately after pulling trumps, conceding the Ace of hearts. Although 6NT also makes, that depends too much on the location of the enemy heart honors.
Board 21: North opens 1D or 1C according to taste; while it's normal to open 1D with 4-4 in the minors to prepare for a non-reverse 2C rebid, on today's hand North plans to rebid notrump, and opening 1C may catch a diamond fit in an up-the-line style. Assuming 1D, South responds 2C. With game-going values, South should bid naturally (longest suit first) rather than automatically bidding the major. However, this requires good agreements about opener's rebids after 1D-2C, or the major suit fit may be lost. I recommend that opener rebid 2D on almost any hand with 5+ diamonds; 2H or 2S "up-the-line" on relatively balacned hands with one or both four-card majors; 3C with club support and extra values; and 2NT on a minimum with none of the above. Unfortunately, many textbooks and players insist reversing into 2H or 2S shows extra values. This is an obsolete relic of Old Standard American where a minimum 4-5 red suit hand could open 1H and where 2C might be only 8 hcp plus some shape. Yes, 2H and 2S force the bidding to a higher level, but in the modern style 2C promises enough strength for 2NT or 3 of some suit and therefore opener does not need any extra values for these bids. If you haven't discussed this with partner, it may be better to simply repond in the major and talk about it later.
North rebids 2NT on today's hand and South shows game-going values with 3H (this might not be a ral suit if North's 2NT denies a major as recomended above.) Under the asumption South would've simly raised to 3NT if that looked correct, North proceeds with 4C. South bids 4NT and proceeds to slam after the 1 Ace or 2 Key card reply. 12 tricks are made easily as long as trumps divide 2-1.
Why shouldn't North simply raise 2C to 3C? Well, if you bid that with today's minimum, what would you bid with xx Kx Axxxx AKxx ? Suit bids at the three level must be either clearly forcing or non-forcing, and if you play most of them non-forcing, you will have no way to describe stronger hands.
If South starts with 1H, a reasonable auction might begin 1D-1H; 1NT-? Hard to find the club slam, isn't it? I suppose 3C-4C might work, but wouldn't you bid that way with a strong 5-5 hand? Then North would rebid 3H rather than 4C with Qx Kxx Axxx Kxxx.
Board 25: North opens 1S, South responds 2H. By the way, that promises 5 hearts; with only four South should start with 2C or 2D. For example, with xxx AQxx QJx Axx, South bids 2C and supports spades next unless North bids hearts. With any other distribution South will have a four-card minor along with his four hearts.
After 1S-2H, North should rebid 2S. This would be correct even with only five spades -- once again, freely bidding a suit at the three level should promise extra values and be forcing to game. With only 12 and a void in partner's suit, North wants to slow the bidding down. South continues with 3D; this new suit by responder is not only forcing one more round but logically creates a game force since there may be no playable spot below 3NT. North considers 3NT but with KQxxxx -- Axxx Kxx either 4S or 5D looks more attractive, so North riases to 4D. South visualizes dumping a club or two on North's spades and decides slam is a reasonable gamble. 4NT produces a one-Ace or one-key-card reply. Playing straight Blackwood South may as well bid slam; it's rarely correct to stop at 5 of a minor when either 3NT or 6 could be better. Key-card bidders, however, will know that two Aces or one Ace and the King of trumps are missing and pass the 5D reply for a good board. Four spades is actually the best contract thanks to the lucky 3-3 suit split. Six diamonds would require West to have K10 doubleton of trumps.
Board 3: E/W vulnerable, South deals and the auction proceeds:
1D-(pass)-1H-(2S)
1NT-(2S)-?
As North you hold: -- QJ109842 A9 8652 . What's the best bid?
With no competition, you might settle for 2H or an invitational 3H over partner's 1NT rebid. But in a competitive auction, most bids are presumed to be competitive; Kit Woolsey says more matchpoints are won or lost in the battle for part-scores than anywhere else. So 3H would be merely competitive here, perhaps with a small spade and only six hearts. As game might make, it's best in competition for North just to bid it; South might have J9xx Kx KQxx Ax, for example. That might go down on a club lead, but should be an easy 10 tricks on the likely spade lead. Even if 4H won't fetch, it has an extra chance to win on this sort of bidding: East or West will often take a phantom sacrifice at 4S. Every now and then 4S will make, but with a side Ace opposite an opening bid, North should not worry too much about that (and should double 4S if they do bid it.) As it happens, 4H makes an overtrick while 2S doubled goes off two tricks on the King of diamonds lead.
Board 6: South opens 1S and the auction proceeds as follows:
1S-2C
2H-3S
Simple bidding would continue 4NT-5D; 6S. That's what I intended, but mistakenly passed partner's 5D(!) thinking "6S looks right." At 6S, West is apt to lead a diamond and South can quickly grab five spades, five clubs and two diamond tricks for a top board.
A more scientific auction would have South control cue-bid 4D; when North signs off at 4S or cue-bids either minor, South can guess there are two quick heart losers and stop at 4S or 5S. At a team game that would be good bidding; but at matchpoints, an alert West will try a heart lead and cost you a key overtrick.
Board 7: South deals and opens 1S; North, looking at KQJ9xx x AK10 KQx may as well blast into Blackwood. South replies 5H (two Aces or key-cards) and North signs off at 6S. Declarer claims immediately after pulling trumps, conceding the Ace of hearts. Although 6NT also makes, that depends too much on the location of the enemy heart honors.
Board 21: North opens 1D or 1C according to taste; while it's normal to open 1D with 4-4 in the minors to prepare for a non-reverse 2C rebid, on today's hand North plans to rebid notrump, and opening 1C may catch a diamond fit in an up-the-line style. Assuming 1D, South responds 2C. With game-going values, South should bid naturally (longest suit first) rather than automatically bidding the major. However, this requires good agreements about opener's rebids after 1D-2C, or the major suit fit may be lost. I recommend that opener rebid 2D on almost any hand with 5+ diamonds; 2H or 2S "up-the-line" on relatively balacned hands with one or both four-card majors; 3C with club support and extra values; and 2NT on a minimum with none of the above. Unfortunately, many textbooks and players insist reversing into 2H or 2S shows extra values. This is an obsolete relic of Old Standard American where a minimum 4-5 red suit hand could open 1H and where 2C might be only 8 hcp plus some shape. Yes, 2H and 2S force the bidding to a higher level, but in the modern style 2C promises enough strength for 2NT or 3 of some suit and therefore opener does not need any extra values for these bids. If you haven't discussed this with partner, it may be better to simply repond in the major and talk about it later.
North rebids 2NT on today's hand and South shows game-going values with 3H (this might not be a ral suit if North's 2NT denies a major as recomended above.) Under the asumption South would've simly raised to 3NT if that looked correct, North proceeds with 4C. South bids 4NT and proceeds to slam after the 1 Ace or 2 Key card reply. 12 tricks are made easily as long as trumps divide 2-1.
Why shouldn't North simply raise 2C to 3C? Well, if you bid that with today's minimum, what would you bid with xx Kx Axxxx AKxx ? Suit bids at the three level must be either clearly forcing or non-forcing, and if you play most of them non-forcing, you will have no way to describe stronger hands.
If South starts with 1H, a reasonable auction might begin 1D-1H; 1NT-? Hard to find the club slam, isn't it? I suppose 3C-4C might work, but wouldn't you bid that way with a strong 5-5 hand? Then North would rebid 3H rather than 4C with Qx Kxx Axxx Kxxx.
Board 25: North opens 1S, South responds 2H. By the way, that promises 5 hearts; with only four South should start with 2C or 2D. For example, with xxx AQxx QJx Axx, South bids 2C and supports spades next unless North bids hearts. With any other distribution South will have a four-card minor along with his four hearts.
After 1S-2H, North should rebid 2S. This would be correct even with only five spades -- once again, freely bidding a suit at the three level should promise extra values and be forcing to game. With only 12 and a void in partner's suit, North wants to slow the bidding down. South continues with 3D; this new suit by responder is not only forcing one more round but logically creates a game force since there may be no playable spot below 3NT. North considers 3NT but with KQxxxx -- Axxx Kxx either 4S or 5D looks more attractive, so North riases to 4D. South visualizes dumping a club or two on North's spades and decides slam is a reasonable gamble. 4NT produces a one-Ace or one-key-card reply. Playing straight Blackwood South may as well bid slam; it's rarely correct to stop at 5 of a minor when either 3NT or 6 could be better. Key-card bidders, however, will know that two Aces or one Ace and the King of trumps are missing and pass the 5D reply for a good board. Four spades is actually the best contract thanks to the lucky 3-3 suit split. Six diamonds would require West to have K10 doubleton of trumps.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Friday, June 15th 2012
Right-click here for hands.
Board 1: East opens 1D; South may throw in a 2D Michaels cue-bid (both majors.) A common agreement is to cue-bid with 6-10 or 16+ hcp, overcalling instead with 11-15. Mike Lawrence prefers to make the cue-bid with a wide range, but I would suggest 8+ for that style. West needs a forcing bid; a popular agreement is Unusual over Unusual, used against any two-suited overcall such as Michaels or Unusual Notrump. The idea is that bids in "their suits" (spades and hearts, in this case) are forward-going while bids in "our suits" (diamonds and clubs, the ones they haven't shown) are merely competitive. The lower cue-bid is tied to the lower of our suits, and higher to higher, so 2H here would show a good hand for clubs while 2S shows a strong diamond raise (game invitational or better.) Doubling their bid shows general strength and invites partner to cooperate in a penalty hunt. Short in both majors and with a likely 9+ card diamond fit, West bids 2S rather than double. North doubles this as a lead-director, promising the Ace or King. East bids 2NT, suggesting stoppers in both majors but minimum values. West raises to 3NT -- 16 hcp isn't enough to chase slam opposite a balanced minimum -- and that likely ends the bidding. Without North's double, South would likely lead hearts, his stronger suit, and declarer wraps up 10 easy tricks; a spade lead holds declarer to nine.
Back up to North -- not vulnerable, I would open 3C. You might take as few as four tricks if partner were broke, but in that case E/W can make a slam. East must pass with hs 12 hcp, and West must gamble 3NT. East has a better hand than partner expects (7 hcp is about normal) but East should realize West may have stretched for 3NT and pass rather than jeopardize game -- if West had 20+, it would be easy to double 3C first before bidding 3NT. On North's club lead, West can win in dummy and immediately lead a heart toward the Queen to set up an overtrick.
Board 9: A wild hand with many possible auctions. I would pass as either North or East; I'll open a good 6 card club suit with 3C, but 10-high doesn't qualify. 1H was probably a popular bid for East but if yo're going to open based on Rule of 20 or such, remember to have two quick tricks including an Ace. Once again the short-suit count points the way -- if you avoid counting more than 3 points for a stiff King or 2 for a doubleton Queen, you have only 12 Goren points, and then subtract one for no Ace. This hand has good shape but will disappoint partner on either offense or defense.
It looks like most Easts opened; a likely auction would be 1H-1S; 2S-3D (game try); now what? East's singelton King certainly qualifies as "help", but East's hand is still Aceless and with scattered values I'd retreat to 3S. makeable as the cards lie.
If both North and East pass, South opens 1H. Should West double or overcall? I'd pass -- a two level overcall, vulnerable, should have a suit like AQ10xxx or a stronger hand. North should pass again -- don't "rescue" partner with a weak hand void in his suit -- a 3H jump rebid is all too likely when partner is the only one bidding. East is glad it's South, not himself, playing this misft.
With partner passing out a suit at the one level, West expects some trump length, and it's often a good idea to lead out a high trump honor to clarify things for partner. However, this isn't quite the same as a penalty pass and the Ace is likely covering a trump honor. All leads look bad; I might gamble on the King of clubs, with the outside chance of scoring a ruff. South counts only three losers outside of trumps, but four trump losers are all too likely. South tries a low trump; West scores his nine and may try a spade through dummy's King. E/W finish with 6 trump tricks, 2 diamonds and a club for +100; most E/W pairs went down in a heart or spade contract.
Board 1: East opens 1D; South may throw in a 2D Michaels cue-bid (both majors.) A common agreement is to cue-bid with 6-10 or 16+ hcp, overcalling instead with 11-15. Mike Lawrence prefers to make the cue-bid with a wide range, but I would suggest 8+ for that style. West needs a forcing bid; a popular agreement is Unusual over Unusual, used against any two-suited overcall such as Michaels or Unusual Notrump. The idea is that bids in "their suits" (spades and hearts, in this case) are forward-going while bids in "our suits" (diamonds and clubs, the ones they haven't shown) are merely competitive. The lower cue-bid is tied to the lower of our suits, and higher to higher, so 2H here would show a good hand for clubs while 2S shows a strong diamond raise (game invitational or better.) Doubling their bid shows general strength and invites partner to cooperate in a penalty hunt. Short in both majors and with a likely 9+ card diamond fit, West bids 2S rather than double. North doubles this as a lead-director, promising the Ace or King. East bids 2NT, suggesting stoppers in both majors but minimum values. West raises to 3NT -- 16 hcp isn't enough to chase slam opposite a balanced minimum -- and that likely ends the bidding. Without North's double, South would likely lead hearts, his stronger suit, and declarer wraps up 10 easy tricks; a spade lead holds declarer to nine.
Back up to North -- not vulnerable, I would open 3C. You might take as few as four tricks if partner were broke, but in that case E/W can make a slam. East must pass with hs 12 hcp, and West must gamble 3NT. East has a better hand than partner expects (7 hcp is about normal) but East should realize West may have stretched for 3NT and pass rather than jeopardize game -- if West had 20+, it would be easy to double 3C first before bidding 3NT. On North's club lead, West can win in dummy and immediately lead a heart toward the Queen to set up an overtrick.
Board 9: A wild hand with many possible auctions. I would pass as either North or East; I'll open a good 6 card club suit with 3C, but 10-high doesn't qualify. 1H was probably a popular bid for East but if yo're going to open based on Rule of 20 or such, remember to have two quick tricks including an Ace. Once again the short-suit count points the way -- if you avoid counting more than 3 points for a stiff King or 2 for a doubleton Queen, you have only 12 Goren points, and then subtract one for no Ace. This hand has good shape but will disappoint partner on either offense or defense.
It looks like most Easts opened; a likely auction would be 1H-1S; 2S-3D (game try); now what? East's singelton King certainly qualifies as "help", but East's hand is still Aceless and with scattered values I'd retreat to 3S. makeable as the cards lie.
If both North and East pass, South opens 1H. Should West double or overcall? I'd pass -- a two level overcall, vulnerable, should have a suit like AQ10xxx or a stronger hand. North should pass again -- don't "rescue" partner with a weak hand void in his suit -- a 3H jump rebid is all too likely when partner is the only one bidding. East is glad it's South, not himself, playing this misft.
With partner passing out a suit at the one level, West expects some trump length, and it's often a good idea to lead out a high trump honor to clarify things for partner. However, this isn't quite the same as a penalty pass and the Ace is likely covering a trump honor. All leads look bad; I might gamble on the King of clubs, with the outside chance of scoring a ruff. South counts only three losers outside of trumps, but four trump losers are all too likely. South tries a low trump; West scores his nine and may try a spade through dummy's King. E/W finish with 6 trump tricks, 2 diamonds and a club for +100; most E/W pairs went down in a heart or spade contract.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)