Vul Survivor: Bridge Club!

[E. Blackadder]

Playing in the Novice Unit Wide game... excuse me, with the predealt-cards in that game, it doesn't take long to demonstrate that once again, I'm the double dummy. Today, we're having a mass Howell movement, which reeks havoc on the local... er... facilities.

All hands are scored at matchpoints.

Hand 1; Dlr: N; None vul

          32
          J652
          AQ952
          54
A85                 J97
AK987               QT
3                   T74
AK73                QJ862
          KQT64
          43
          KJ86
          T9

In third seat South trotted out the standard Drury-supported 1, and I made the obvious overcall. North led spade to the ace and while I considered ducking a heart, in practice I just couldn't wait to lead a heart to the queen, and pray for a 3-3 fit. Where's my brain??

Theme: Never Trust an Opponent
Board 3; Dlr: S; E/W Vul

          KJ87
          8754
          -
          AQ987
QT5                 A9643
A                   J92
AQJ9832             KT743
65                  -
          2
          KQT63
          5
          KJT432

Same players, same bat positions, and now south now passes an (IMVHO) a clear, minimum opening bid, which allows me to open 1, again clear and minimum. North doubled, and partner raised to the five-level in two steps, South bidding hearts and hearts.

South ended up declaring. Having learned about not leading unsupported aces, I suffered the pangs of the damned when declarer ruffed my diamond lead, and led a trump. I looked and looked, and finally decided to play partner for the K. She didn't have it, but fortunately, she didn't have any other clubs, either.

It was silly of me to fret over the diamond ruff, and probably silly to lead one in the first place. Partner isn't going to rebid diamonds with only four.

Hand 6; Dlr:E; E/W Vul
          AKQ4
          AJ753
          J75
          2
JT853               92
K2                  Q8
AK4                 QT932
J75                 AQ86
          76
          T964
          86
          KT943

Since this is a Howell, now I have the lovely South hand. And I'm beginning to believe this club is in the Twilight Zone, for West opened 1 Sure, 13 HCP and 2 1/2 QT is normally an opening bid, but look at the lovely suits the big guns are in. I just checked with Jeff Goldsmith's Kaplan/Rubens evaluator and it valued West at 11.00 HCP. Partner overcalled, and I raised (should I have?). Unfortunately partner couldn't take a joke and correctly continued to four. Sad.

Board 7; Dlr: S; All Vul

          T
          73
          96
          AQJT9754
A72                 943
96                  KQJT654
KJ8543              QT
32                  6
          KQJ865
          A2
          A72
          K6

partner bid a forcing notrump over my opening, and East bid 2. 3 was fairly clear, and partner has an interesting rebid problem here (she took me to four), and I welcome your comments.

Boad 9; Dlr: N; E/W Vul

Holding

Tx
Qxxx
-
T9xxxxx

Partner opened 1NT, and RHO bid 2. The good news is that we're playing lebensohl. The bad news is that I invoked it, and worse news is the opponents drove to a cold 5. The worstest news is that partner doubled. My fault, partner.

It looks like Table 5 screwed up the duplication for all three of their boards, for I sat South and recall holding all the North hands.

Board 13 (reversed); Dlr: N; All vul.

          AJ8542
          KJT43
          5
          2
96                  T
A962                87
832                 QT764
JT75                KQ964
          KQ73
          Q5
          AKJ9
          A83

I STILL don't know what I'd have done with the north hand in 1st seat. Normally my loser count of 7.5 with only 1 1/2 QT isn't an opening, but the two well-placed jacks might have caused me to open. If I didn't open at the one-level, a two bid is then clear cut, IMO.

But I didn't have that problem, as partner opened 1, and took 1 to 4, and I carried on to six for about average.

I warned partner I'd post these, and I would like input here.

Board 15 (inverted, or something); Dlr: S; N/S vul

          QJ754
          AT9
          8
          AJT6
A986                KT2
43                  652
AT62                KQ743
Q72                 43
          3
          KQJ87
          J95
          K985

It went pass (pass) to me, and I made a dubious 1 opening. K/R thinks it's clear (14.15 HCP), so what do I know? Partner bid 1NT (2/1, forcing), I rebid 2 and East finally woke up and bid 2, over which partner bid 2, and West bid 3. Should double EDIT: By North at this point be penalty, takeout, or cards? Do I have a call?

Hand 23; Dlr: S; All Vul

          T
          Q864
          KJ92
          KQ87
A74                 KQ65
T2                  A976
AQT8653             74
3                   T52
          J9832
          KJ3
          -
          AJ964

for some reason I wasn't tempted to bid 1, or even two. West (an elderly, combative gent, opened 1, and East (a LOW) responded 1. West persisted with 2 and partner doubled. East overrebid 2. A bridge-playing South would probably double now, but noooooo, and 3 undoubled became the final, tear-filled contract.

Board 24; Dlr: W; None vul

          J976
          K7
          K8752
          95
AT3                 KQ84
QT4                 AJ82
A                   QJT93
AKQ842              -
          52
          9653
          64
          JT763

I said combative, didn't I? West opened a routine 3NT (24-26), and East, with 13 HCP, bravely carried on to six. Which west reraised, ending the auction. There's no point in doubling at any form of the game. It seems west could have held this to minus one, but he played for a miracle, and why not?

Until next time.

[Steve White]

Originally Posted by E. Blackadder

Hand 1

In third seat South trotted out the standard Drury-supported 1, and I made the obvious overcall. North led spade to the ace and while I considered ducking a heart, in practice I just couldn't wait to lead a heart to the king, and pray for a 3-3 fit. Where's my brain??

Why do you think playing for hearts 3-3 (or jack with shortness) is wrong? Even if almost everyone is in 4H, you may as well try to beat any other pairs in 2 or 3.


Hand 6: south and eest have rather similar clubs, and east has 14 cards. If the south hand is as shown, it doesn't quite have the values for a raise, but it's tempting to raise overcalls with 4-card support.


Board 7: interesting rebid problems is right. I think 4 clubs should be forcing, and is better than 4 spades. Did they find the club lead to beat 4?

I warned partner I'd post these, and I would like input here.

Board 15 (inverted, or something); Dlr: S; N/S vul

          QJ754
          AT9
          8
          AJT6
A986                KT2
43                  652
AT62                KQ743
Q72                 43
          3
          KQJ87
          J95
          K985

It went pass (pass) to me, and I made a dubious 1 opening. K/R thinks it's clear (14.15 HCP), so what do I know? Partner bid 1NT (2/1, forcing), I rebid 2 and East finally woke up and bid 2, over which partner bid 2, and West bid 3. Should double at this point be penalty, takeout, or cards? Do I have a call?

Who knows what double should be? Probably suggesting defending, but it's got to be based on cards when opps have shown a fit. With 5=3=1=4 pattern, you should raise, even with no extra high cards. I think 1 S is a clear opening in any seat.

Hand 23: Partner's X of 2D is takeout? Not all would agree, nor would all agree this is the right hand for it even if takeout. Assuming takeout, lots of human Souths would bid 3C instead of doubling 2H.

I said combative, didn't I? West opened a routine 3NT (24-26), and East, with 13 HCP, bravely carried on to six. Which west reraised, ending the contract. There's no point in doubling at any form of the game. It seems west could have held this to minus one, but he played for a miracle, and why not?

What miracle? The pseudo-squeeze? You could reach an end position where east is pseudo-squeezed, but if east thinks back about the whole hand he'll realize declarer has badly misplayed it if east needs to keep 2+ diamonds. Probably best to hope for the stiff DK or JT9 tight of clubs, otherwise down one.

[E. Blackadder]

C'mon Steve! You can't hold me responsible for anything I type at that hour*.

My issue with board one was not with the play, right or wrong as it might have been, but rather with a failure to be thoughtful. Also the double-dummy result preyed on my brain.

Board 7, No they didn't find the club lead. This is a club game.



*or any other.

[E. Blackadder]

DATELINE: Wednesday. On our way to a club section top (until the handicap is assessed), playing with an avant garde player -- none of our calls are natural, not even the signoffs -- I hold...

Axx
-
Axxxx
Kxxxx

Playing 2/1, I open 1, of course. Partner responds 1. Playing with most B-level club players, I have no choice, but this person is prepared for the three-card raise, and a small, still voice tells me that a 2 rebid is passable.

Well??

Spoiler:

Almost all roads led to Rome, for in practice we can take ten tricks in Spades, or twelve tricks in Clubs. I responded two spades and we played it there.

[Steve White]

I agree with your choice, which seems not to have cost.

Spoiler:

2C making 6 and 2S making 4 score the same, don't they?

[E. Blackadder]

Third Seat, Red on white. Partner opened 3, and a scruffy-looking RHO passed. You hold:
62
AKQ5
QT742
K6

Just another routine hair-puller.

Here's why. Partner had

Spoiler:

QJ98753
9
86
QJ8

Too bad your RHO didn't lead a heart, isn't it.

I thought this could be a disaster. Playing ACBL-approved systems, it was just another average.

Board 16; Dlr W; EW vul

AKQ64               J93
5                   AT
AT932               K
KJ                  AQT8632

1 - 2
2 - 3
4 - 4
6 - Pass

yes, I was west. Getting to seven was further from trivial than even I supposed, as we were slightly above average.

This was amusing by my degenerated standards.
Board 5, NS Vul, N: Dlr

          AK6
          K875
          T763
          K5
J42                 T97
AJ92                T6
K82                 AQJ9
QT2                 A864
          Q853
          Q43
          54
          J973

The North-South auction was 1 - 1 - 1NT.

Partner led the ten, and it rode to the king. Dealer played the ace and king of spades, and on the second spade, dummy played the five and dropped the eight on the floor, leaving the queen as the only spade on the table. Declarer led the spade six and called "low." Dummy now returned with the spade eight, and we left this problem in the hands of the Director/proprietor.

Everyone was satisfied with the ruling.

Spoiler:

Declarer got her trick; we got our 11 of 12.

[4sigma]

Originally Posted by E. Blackadder

Third Seat, Red on white. Partner opened 3, and a scruffy-looking RHO passed. You hold:
62
AKQ5
QT742
K6

Just another routine hair-puller.

Here's why. Partner had

Spoiler:

QJ98753
9
86
QJ8

Too bad your RHO didn't lead a heart, isn't it.

Too bad your CHO didn't have a 3 preempt, isn't it?

[E. Blackadder]

Originally Posted by 4sigma

Too bad your CHO didn't have a 3 preempt, isn't it?

That would have been unlikely, as

Spoiler:

I was the scruffy-looking guy

.

I've started putting together notes for two offline partners.

Perhaps it's time to put together notes on preempting and responses to same (in my case that would also include rebids after same). Ideas are welcome.