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Daily Bridge in New Zealand

Where did we go Wrong? For Less Experienced Players and others.

Today’s deal was sent in by a reader who was part of a bad sequence of bids. It was possible to make all 13 tricks in one suit though bidding and making small slam would have still been an excellent achievement. Even getting to game would have better than what actually happened. Where did it all go so wrong?

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West Deals
None Vul
   
A K 7 4
8 7 5 4
A K J
Q 6
 
N
W   E
S
 
9 3 2
Q 10 9 7 5
A K 10 5 2
West North East South
1  1  2  2 
Pass Pass 3  All pass

 

The above is the actual bidding sequence which occurred. West, playing a system where 1Club-small showed just 2+ cards in the suit, had no support for clubs and knew East almost certainly had no heart hold for no-trumps or four card spade suit.East-West were playing a 1NT opening as 12-14.

Do you agree with East’s first bid? What was West’s best action over 2Heart-small and what could West have bid over 3Diamond-smallin the actual auction?

These are the questions we put to our Panel. East’s 2Club-small received some heavy criticism:

Michael Ware “If East's 2Club-small bid is non-forcing, then I violently disagree.”

Nigel Kearney “East failed to recognise the value of their hand. Rules such as a raise showing 6-9 HCP assume a relatively balanced hand such as Spade-smallxxx Heart-smallxx Diamond-smallQxxx Club-smallAKxx. This hand is much better than that with a void, fifth trump, and a five- card side suit. There are various methods such as adding points for shortages when supporting partner, Losing Trick Count, or just picturing a typical hand for partner. All point to East doing a lot more. Remember that opener has either 15+ or an unbalanced hand with clubs.”

Michael Cornell “why not 2Diamond-small (1 round force ) and follow with 3Club-small or 4Club-small in a competitive auction?”

Stephen Blackstock “2Club-small is a significant underbid. Facing an opening showing “clubs”, this hand is on the high end of an invitational sequence or, if you prefer, on the very skinny end of a game force. I appreciate that not knowing whether West holds only two clubs makes it difficult for East; consequently I would bid 2Heart-small (over 1Heart-small) to show invitational with clubs, and hope to survive. Even experienced players find many problems with 2+ club methods. So, it isn’t surprising that less experienced ones have even more difficulties.”

Bruce Anderson “I do not like the 2Club-small bid, preferring a negative double, so long as that is possible; some play that a negative double after a 1Heart-small overcall shows 4 spades, and a bid of 1Spade-small shows 5, which I also dislike.”

 So, not 2Club-small but I am not sure I agree with Bruce’s alternative to 2Club-small:

 

Bruce Anderson “The negative double should show the kind of hand East holds, or a hand with a 6/7 card minor, but lacking the high card strength to bid the suit directly. After a negative double, I would bid 2Spade-small over the opposition 2Heart-small. East should then invite game with 3Spade-small; the excellent spade game on a 4/3 fit will then be reached.”

 I prefer this approach:

 Nigel Kearney “East can start with 2Diamond-small then support clubs. That works well here. But if supporting clubs immediately, either 2Heart-small showing a good club raise or a 3Heart-small splinter is better. Even a 3Club-small limit raise is not enough.”

As with Stephen Blackstock, a direct raise to 2Heart-small by East shows club support though the forcing 2Diamond-small has a lot going for it.

However, the Panel were not as critical of West’s pass of 2Heart-small in the above auction. With a 17 count, I would just have to find some bid, even if I hated clubs. Not so:

Michael Cornell “I cannot see anything other than pass after 2Heart-small. I cannot bid partner’s shortage for him.”  Nigel Kearney was also happy enough with West’s pass. For me, these seem better alternatives:

Stephen Blackstock “I would double, take-out. East presumably lacks four spades, so is marked with length in one or both minors.”

Bruce Anderson “After East’s misguided 2Club-small bid, I would have bid 2Spade-small over 2Heart-small, which should also lead to game in spades.”

You have a hand worthy of a reverse. Passing hardly indicates that. Yet, it was the final pass, that of the somewhat off-beat 3Diamond-small (these minors have surely been bid in the wrong order) which contributed largely to the disaster:

Michael Cornell “The pass of 3Diamond-small is a contender for the worst bid of the year. I can only assume 3Diamond-small is natural with 5+Diamond-small and not minimum for the 2Club-small bid. So, I am too good for 5Diamond-small. It looks like a 30- point deck for diamonds and so will bid 3Spade-small first.”

Nigel Kearney “I would not pass 3Diamond-small. I expect a weaker hand for partner,  e.g, Spade-smallxxHeart-smallx Diamond-smallQ10xxxx Club-smallKxxx but his 3Diamond-small has improved my hand and 5Diamond-small now looks possible.”

Stephen Blackstock “Over 3Diamond-small I would bid 3Spade-small forcing, and continue with 4Diamond-small over 4Club-small and 5Diamond-small over 4Diamond-small. East must have at least 10 cards in the minors now since he doesn’t know what West has wasted in hearts. I don’t want to push too hard since even 5Diamond-small will be marginal at best if East lacks either Club-smallK or Club-smallA.

It’s not easy to get to 6Diamond-small, but if West encourages then East should take the push to slam, looking at a super-maximum for 2Club-small and the heart void.”

 

Michael Ware “I'm not happy with West's pass of 3Diamond-small. They do have 17 HCP after all. Wouldn't hurt to bid 3Heart-small instead of pass.”

 

Bruce Anderson “After partner has distorted their hand by way of a non-existent reverse, we are out of control; I have great cards. So, it is all too likely we will play the inferior club slam, rather than the superior slam in diamonds.”

The fact that 3Diamond-small could now be a 4-card suit (with longer clubs) does tend to take the auction away from diamonds. However, West just does have to bid, now, though it does seem entirely appropriate for West to have bid over 2Heart-small. Here, then, were the four hands and a bidding sequence more in keeping with the East-West cards:

 

West Deals
None Vul
J 8 6
A K J 10 3
6 2
9 7 3
A K 7 4
8 7 5 4
A K J
Q 6
 
N
W   E
S
 
9 3 2
Q 10 9 7 5
A K 10 5 2
 
Q 10 5
Q 9 6 2
8 4 3
J 8 4
West North East South
1  1  2  2 
2  Pass 3  Pass
4  Pass 4  Pass
4  Pass 5  Pass
6  All pass    

 

Double is an alternative to 2Spade-small. The auction has momentum thanks to East starting with 2Diamond-small. 4Heart-small, 4Spade-small and 5Club-small were all cue-bids leaving West to bid the slam on the basis of excellent trumps.

perfection.jpg

Perfection!

East can ruff the heart lead and play 3 rounds of clubs, ruffing high on the third round, and then drawing trumps to concede eventually just one spade. So much better than playing in part-score.

Tough Board

 
East Deals
N-S Vul
   
7
4
K Q J 7 4 2
K 7 6 5 4
 
N
W   E
S
   
 
K 10 6 5
A K 10 9 2
10
J 9 3
West North East South
Dummy     You
    Pass 1 
2 NT 3  5  Dbl
All pass      

 

2NT showed the minors with your partner’s 3Diamond-small showing a good hand with spades. You do not like your minor holdings and elect to double and then lead a high heart which wins the first trick.Your partner plays Heart-smallQ. What now?

 

Richard Solomon

 

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