All News

Moving Forward….and “Minties’ Moments”.

A board for all tastes, whether you like the difficult problem an opposition bid can cause or some lighter moments that happen frequently at the table. Let’s look:

 

We are playing Pairs and have a problem. Double here would be take-out style, applauded and rejected by the Panel:

Nigel Kearney “Double. 4 on a 5-3 could easily be right but is a stab in the dark, as is 6. If partner passes the double, he probably has a strong notrump and I hope for 500. If not, I will convert 5 to 5. Over 4, I'm probably worth another move.”

Stephen Blackstock “Double. Traditionally shows “cards” and welcomes a take-out to 4. Not ideal if East passes with 5 diamonds and a strong NT, but even that might be OK as 4 should go down and we have no guarantee of 11 tricks in 5. 4 is too wild for me. Partner will often pass in a silly contract, and double will locate any 5-4 fit.”   But:

Michael Cornell “5: what other sensible bid can one make? 4 is not a suggestion. Unless partner has extreme distribution, all he can do is pass. If partner has say Jx, that will normally be a 3 loser suit and is more likely to have 4 losers than 2! Double is off the menu with a known 9+ fit.
Then, we have the good and the bad about Key Card. With more ambition is:

Kris Wooles “4NT: I’ve got a choice of a conservative 5 or a forward going 4NT. After a 5 response, I would pass. After any other response I would punt 6. Nothing is perfect after high level interference but following the 4 bid, partner’s values should be in the other suits.”

That is the black suits.Agreeing is:

Bruce Anderson “ 4NT: RKC (1430) agreeing diamonds: the risk of playing a slam off 2 aces is reduced by that fact partner cannot have a balanced 12/14 points as they would have opened 1NT.  So, with a balanced or semi-balanced hand, partner will have 15+ points. Admittedly, partner may have a 4144 shape and soft values in spades and clubs but that risk is low.

 Over 5 showing one ace I am bidding 6; to make up an opening hand, partner should have both black kings and the trump queen. A response above 5 means a small slam must be good. I will not bid a grand no matter what partner shows as there may be a deep spade loser, and usually just bidding and making a small slam is good at Pairs.”
Wise words except that there is one player at the table who could make the auction even spicier…North.

Peter Newell “5: Tough problem. I don’t like double as partner will pass most of the time with balanced hands unless he has 4 spades.  I expect the penalty will be less than 5 making.  I cannot see a good way of exploring slam, and am worried unless partner has great cards in spades (eg Kx) we likely have a spade, and a heart loser.– So, key card is too much of a blunt instrument.”

A choice of three bids. I wonder what North would have made of the conservative 5. Could they resist bidding some more?

I am sure North would/could/should (your choice) bid 5. As East, I would now force myself to the 6 level…but in clubs as that must surely be the lead I would like should the opponents go 6, which they “could, would, should”…and then the fun really might start!

Some "doozy" moments

There is of course no defence to 7 which meant doubling either diamond slam was not a great idea. 23 tables played a sedate 5 while 22 more made it to 6, twice doubled. The “Greed” Award goes to the 2 East-Wests who redoubled 6. Pride alone may have induced North-South to stand the redouble. In days gone by, the penalty for doing so was having to work out the score made with one overtrick. We have it all on a plate…or a tablet…these days.

6 has just a spade and two clubs to lose, a great sacrifice even doubled as compared with 5…-300. As South, I would be much happier working out that score. However, at two tables, South or the tablet had the great pleasure of working out the score for a doubled heart slam making!

oh bother!

The lead at one table was A while the other has it recorded as 3! WhenJ scored, South could do worse than continue with their second spade. As East, I would adorn West's A with a fairly loud discard, another black ace. However, West saw no reason to play that suit, with disastrous consequences for the defence. As for what happened to the club tricks after A lead, the mind boggles. A trump drawn and 8 from the South hand probably did the damage. There is a semi-legitimate way for 6 to make, the lead of A and a spade continuation. South would ignore East’s request for the loan of a heart!

The Power of the singleton trump

At one table, South must have been delighted to play in 5x. East took my advice about bidding clubs as West led one…and on the third round of the suit, oh dear, the trump played was not high enough to do the job and Q scored! The low ruff occurred at a couple of other tables, too. Around a third of the field played in hearts, another third in 5 and most of the rest in 6.

Only three tables made it to the 7 level with no joy for North-South who all defended 7, once doubled.

The Panel were of course not privy to these later happenings though their choice of actions over South’s aggressive 4 call  was interesting to see. Next time, we will give the Panel the North hand and see if they reach the par 7 contract, surely doubled and beaten by more than one trick.

Go down to bad breaks, not good ones.

You took on the responsibility of being declarer. How are you going to make at least 9 tricks on the lead of 3 from West? If forced, East plays J at trick 1.

Richard Solomon 

Go Back View All News Items