Bridge in New Zealand

More Unauthorized Information

2011-04-05T13:23:00.000-07:00

Palmerston North Club Swiss Pairs

Board 21
North Deals
N-S Vul

♠ —
♥ Q J 10 6 2
♦ 10 7 2
♣ K Q 10 7 3

♠ A Q 10 6 4
♥ K 7 4
♦ A 5
♣ A 6 4

N
W		E
S

♠ K J 9 2
♥ A 3
♦ J 6 4
♣ J 9 8 2

♠ 8 7 5 3
♥ 9 8 5
♦ K Q 9 8 3
♣ 5

West	North	East	South
	Pass	Pass	Pass
1 ♠	Dbl	3 ♣¹	3 ♦
4 ♣	Pass	4 ♠	All pass

Invitational Spade Raise but explained as weak with clubs

4 ♠ by West

Made 4 — +420

It is strange how things happen in themes. This hand turned up at the club on Tuesday night.

West misexplained their partnership agreement as a weak jump shift.

The question arises, as east, what are your responsibilities over partner's 4♣ given her misexplanation?

Lawfully you "must carefully avoid taking any advantage from that unauthorized information".

To my mind bidding 4♠ is the bid most likely to clear up the misunderstanding and therefore you 'must carefully avoid' bidding 4♠ if there is any reasonable alternative. Here there is such an alternative. Partner's 4♣ looks like a cuebid in search of slam. (For some it could even be Gerber!) In either case 4♥ is a logical alternative. The law is clear that is the bid you 'must' make. It 'must' be made even though you know that after 4♥ the auction is highly likely to spiral out of control. Bidding 4♠ is deliberately taking advantage of the unauthorized information and therefore an illegal option.

After 4♠ is chosen the director is empowered to adjust the score. It can be difficult to decide what to adjust to. Its certainly not clear here where the auction will go after 4♥. Perhaps west will bid 4♠ as another cue bid and then east is free to pass - a lucky escape. Perhaps west will bid 4NT Blackwood in search of a club slam. Perhaps west will attempt to sign-off in 5♣. After which east may bid 5♠ with nothing else to cue-bid but its not completely clear how west will interpret that bid - maybe west will pass but maybe not.

You can see how the auction can spiral out of control leading to imminent disaster. Your job as east as much as it might go against your natural instinct is to not avoid the disaster by making bids that are more likely to wake your partner up. That would be taking advantage of the unauthorized information.

In the event the director adjusted the board giving a split ruling - 50% of 4♠ making and 50% of 5♠ down one. My feeling having thought about it overnight is that this is too generous to the offending side here. Superficially there are two actions from west that might lead to a higher contract and only one that will lead to 4♠. Further if the auction goes beyond 4♠ who is to say it will stop at 5♠.

In addition to any adjustment the law almost demands a penalty be imposed on east for bidding 4♠. Remember the law is "must carefully avoid taking any advantage from that unauthorized information".

"Must" is a very strong term. The laws of bridge include an interpretation of such terms. Here is what it says:

"“must” do (the strongest word, a serious matter indeed)"

The weaker term "shall" has this comment:

"“shall” do (a violation will incur a procedural penalty more often than not)"

If a failure to do what one "shall" do incurs a procedural penalty more often than not then a failure to do what one "must" do by extrapolation should almost always attract a penalty.

And in my opinion so it should be. The player is deliberately trying to gain an advantage from their partner's unauthorized information. This needs to be discouraged and imposing penalties on such actions is perfectly reasonable.

That it is not done only encourages players to take advantage next time and contributes to the reason why these issues of misusing unauthorized information are rife in our game.

Do You Cheat?

2011-04-03T21:19:00.000-07:00

In recent bridge publications there is little written on ethics and cheating. Not so in days past. Victor Mollo and Nico Gardener in Bridge for Beginners devote a section to ethics in the second chapter.

"What a player should bid will be discussed in the next lesson. How he should bid can be laid down firmly this minute. The manner must be impersonal and the voice even."

"Intonation and inflection, and even bouncing up and down in one's chair, all are frowned upon in the best circles. The word for these emotional aids to science is 'unethical', and that is almost a synonym for cheating."

The 1947 book Steamlined Bridge or Bidding without Tears by Mollo has an entire chapter devoted to the subject and from there I have stolen the title of this blog.

"A number of honest and highly respected people cheat at Bridge. They don't mark their cards or slip Aces or even signal to their partners by means of snorts and kicks. If they did anything so crude, they would be quickly exposed and disgraced. But many a man with a virtuaous past and many a woman with a rosy future, pursue tactics that are fraudulent, both in the letter and in the spirit. Sometimes it is practiced in a moral twilight, consciousness being obscured partly - though not wholly - by ignorance. Occasionally it is quite deliberate."

How have things progressed in the sixty plus years since those words were written? Very poorly. With little or no education how could they? In a word the cheaters flourish. By and large they are not reprimanded and there is therefore no incentive for them to mend their ways.

Sure there are a few high profile cases where players are penalized or even banned for cheating. I am not writing about those incidents.

And on the other extreme we all or almost all probably commit some minor misdemenour from time to time. It can be hard to do the right ethical thing every time when faced with extraneous information from partner etc. Again I am not writing about those incidents.

I am referrng to a significant number of players who always or almost always bid based on their partner's hesitation or mannerisms. Who never deliberately choose the losing option when their partner has illegally and perhaps subtlely indicated the winning option.

For me this issue came to a head last weekend at a tournament where two hands in my mind very similar in nature came up two boards apart. The closeness of the hands emphasised the use of unauthorized information.

Swiss Pairs (IMPs v Datum)

Board 5
North Deals
N-S Vul

♠ 5 4
♥ Q 9 8 7 2
♦ 9 8 6
♣ Q 6 2

♠ 3
♥ K J
♦ A K J 7 5
♣ A 9 8 4 3

N
W		E
S

♠ 7 2
♥ 10 6 5 3
♦ Q 10 3
♣ J 10 7 5

♠ A K Q J 10 9 8 6
♥ A 4
♦ 4 2
♣ K

West	North	East	South
	Pass	Pass	4 ♠
Dbl	Pass	5 ♣	All pass

5 ♣ by East

Down 1 — -50

Swiss Pairs (IMPs v Datum)

Board 7
South Deals
Both Vul

♠ —
♥ A K J 10 4
♦ Q 5 2
♣ 9 8 6 3 2

♠ J 8 2
♥ Q 5 2
♦ A K 8 7
♣ A K 5

N
W		E
S

♠ Q 5 3
♥ 8 7 3
♦ J 9 6 4
♣ Q J 10

♠ A K 10 9 7 6 4
♥ 9 6
♦ 10 3
♣ 7 4

West	North	East	South
			3 ♠
Dbl	All pass

3 ♠ x by South

Down 1 — -200

As you can see one double was taken out and the other left in. So what its a game of judgement and these things happen you say. However I have not told you the whole story. This pair were playing their version of optional doubles. A method that is very sensitive to unauthorized information. Its very easy to leave in or take out an optional double when partner's speed or mannerisms convey additional information.

When asked East explained the double on the first board as "Either takeout or penalty. I have to decide". In the presence of the director West concurred with this saying "Yes we play optional doubles".

Perhaps this is not what everyone would call an 'optional double' but that is what was said at the table.

When the second double was made the specific question asked was "Do you play this double the same as the previous one?" This was answered in the affirmative.

So why was the first double removed and the second double passed?

The secret is in the tempo of the double.

These hands were played where a stop card is required before a jump bid. South on both occasions used the stop card and waited the required ten seconds before removing it.

On board five west angonized for a further 20+ seconds (30 seconds in all) before doubling and her partner pulled the double.

On board seven west doubled immediately after the bid was made and while the stop card was still on the table. Surprise surprise this double was left in.

Amazingly the director allowed both actions.

Superficially 4♠ fails on the first board so at first glance you might see no damage. However the play is interesting. After three rounds of diamonds, the third ruffed in hand, declarer can put west to the test by playing the ♣K. This may give the illusion of trying to create an entry to dummy in order to take a trump finesse. And even if west takes the ♣A it is not completely clear how to continue - a trump or a diamond defeat the contract and a club or a heart see declarer home.

On the published datums declarer is winning 13 IMPs or losing 3 IMPs in 4♠ doubled. While 5♣ -1 was worth 4 IMPs to north south. So the misdefense needs to occur a little less than one time in two for declarer to in profit on average playing in 4♠ doubled. One commentator has suggested that 4♠ might make around 60% of the time. On that basis an adjusted score of 60% of 13 IMPs and 40% of -3 IMPs, a total of 6.6 IMPs, would be justified.

The second hand was taken to appeal.

The relevant laws are:
Law 73 C
"Player Receives Unauthorized Information from Partner
When a player has available to him unauthorized information from his partner, such as from a remark, question, explanation, gesture, mannerism, undue emphasis, inflection, haste or hesitation, an unexpected* alert or failure to alert, he must carefully avoid taking any advantage from that unauthorized information."

Law16B1a
"Extraneous Information from Partner
1. (a) After a player makes available to his partner extraneous information that may suggest a call or play, as for example by a remark, a question, a reply to a question, an unexpected* alert or failure to alert, or by unmistakable hesitation, unwonted speed, special emphasis, tone, gesture, movement, or mannerism, the partner may not choose from among logical alternatives one that could demonstrably have been suggested over another by the extraneous information."

Law 73 is the most interesting. The player "must carefully avoid taking any advantage" this is a very strong statement. The pattern of the two boards suggests that for this player taking advantage of partner's tempo is routine rather than something to be avoided.

Board Five established that for this player removing one of these 'optional' doubles it a logical alternative with balanced rubbish. On the assumption that the fast double suggests leaving the 'optional' double in Law 16 disallows that action.

To me this seems clear.

Nevertheless the appeal committee allowed the pass. Thus east west gained an advantage over the two boards of up to 23 IMPs (or perhaps even more if their final contract had been doubled had the double of 3♠ been removed). 9 IMPs on the first board losing 4 rather than losing 13 IMPs if 4♠ doubled made and 14 IMPs on second where they won seven rather than losing seven (more if they get doubled).

These sort of rulings are patently absurd. The offenders gain a significant advantage whilst the non-offenders are left to lick their wounds.

In fact in addition to the redress for the damage caused I believe east west should have suffered a sizeable penalty. The word "must" in Law 73 is very strong. The preface to the laws state that the weaker term "shall" when not complied with will be penalized more often than not therefore for failing to do what one "must" do ought to receive a nearly automatic penalty.

Failing to give redress and failing to penalize whilst contemporaneously failing to make any attempt to educate these unethical players just encourages them to continue with their skullduggery. Sadly this is born out in that in some circles these tactics are fast becoming the norm rather the exception.

Well then "Do you Cheat?"

Centre Island Teams Match 2 Board 20

2008-09-01T02:23:00.001-07:00

Centre Island Teams Match 2

This hand featured a related theme to the last hand. After partner shows shortage in the majors I could have been optimistic about the likelihood of a minor suit fit. As it was this was our auction...

Board 20
West Deals
Both Vul

♠ 7 6 4
♥ 10 7 4 3
♦ K 6 5 4
♣ K 6

♠ A Q
♥ K Q 2
♦ A 8 3 2
♣ A 9 4 3

	N
W		E
	S

♠ K 9 8 5
♥ A 5
♦ Q J 10 9 7
♣ Q 5

♠ J 10 3 2
♥ J 9 8 6
♦ —
♣ J 10 8 7 2

West	North	East	South
Livingston		Burrows
2 ♦¹	Pass	3 NT	Pass
Pass	Pass

18-Bad 20 Balanced or nearly balanced

3 NT by East

At the table I took the pessimistic view and bashed 3NT with extra values but thinking two 'balanced' hands would make slam unlikely.

Especially at IMPs I should have been more optimistic. If a fit could be found in either spades or diamonds a slam might be possible with marginal values. The slight risk of giving the opponents extra information or of getting to 5-minor when 3NT would have been better should have been taken for the big gain of bidding slam if an appropriate fit could be found. In fact our methods were ideal for the hand.

Had I taken the more optimistic view then our auction would have developed as follows:

West	North	East	South
	2 ♦¹	Pass	2 ♠²
Pass	2 NT	Pass	3 ♣³
Pass	3 NT⁴	Pass	4 ♦
Pass	4 ♠⁵	Pass	4 NT⁶
Pass	5 ♣⁵	Pass	6 ♦
Pass	Pass	Pass

18-Bad 20 Balanced or nearly balanced
Puppet to 2NT
Puppet Stayman
Exactly 2=3 in the majors (or worse)
cue - 1st or 2nd
heart cue - 1st or 2nd

After the 3NT response showing only five-cards (at most) in the majors I would have been optimistic about a good diamond fit. Partner would have cue-bid and we would have found slam. Note for us the spade cue-bid does not deny a heart control as 4♥ would have be kick-back RKCB.

Centre Island Teams Match 2 Board 13

2008-08-31T01:13:00.001-07:00

Centre Island Teams Match Two

Board 13
North Deals
Both Vul

♠ Q 8 4
♥ J 10 4 3
♦ J 9 2
♣ 9 8 2

♠ K 10 2
♥ A K 8 6
♦ A 8 4 3
♣ A 7

	N
W		E
	S

♠ 5 3
♥ 7 5 2
♦ K 10
♣ K Q J 10 5 3

♠ A J 9 7 6
♥ Q 9
♦ Q 7 6 5
♣ 6 4

West	North	East	South
Livingston		Burrows
	Pass	Pass	Pass
2 ♦¹	Pass	2 ♠²	Pass
2 NT	Pass	3 ♣³	Pass
3 ♦⁴	Pass	3 ♥⁵	Pass
3 NT⁶	Pass	5 ♣	Pass
Pass	Pass

18-19(20) Balanced or nearly balanced
Puppet to 2NT
Puppet Stayman
no five-card major and not precisely 2=3 or worse in majors
asks for four spades
denies four spades

5 ♣ by East

This hand featured one of our pet conventions and a IMP theory of my own.

We use the Mexican 2♦ popularized by George Rosenkranz and currently played by some of the top Italian pairs. Our responses are home grown.

At a different vulnerability I might have opened 3♣ but second seat vulnerable we have higher standards.

In our style we frequently bash 3NT with balanced (no singleton or void) hands however here I chose to investigate a possible 5=3 heart fit. This decision was made because of the weak doubleton spade. Having not found a heart fit the vagaries of our system meant that I was forced to ask for four spades on route to 3NT - an immediate 3NT would have shown two four-card majors. When partner denied four spades I knew that we had at most five spades between our two hands. This led me to choose 5♣ rather than 3NT as the final contract. At IMPs we should play 5-minor more often than in Matchpoint duplicate pairs. Perhaps 3NT is reasonable on this hand but over the past couple of years I have done many simulations in which on similar hands 5-minor was at least as good as 3NT.

In addition sometimes going beyond 3NT will allow you to find a good minor suit slam.

Caccia Birch Charity

2008-08-17T16:47:00.001-07:00

Caccia Birch Daffodil Day Tournament - Session One

On Sunday I played in the Caccia Birch Charity at which $2500 was raised for the Cancer Society.

It was a good day with a well run tournament. I say this despite the fact that my partner and I finished in a disappointing 21st place. Of course I cannot claim that we played our best but we did have some bad luck.

Tonight I am due to run a session on slam bidding for some of this year's beginners in the club. These two slam hands caught my attention of how not to bid a slam ...

Board 5
North Deals
N-S Vul

♠ A 10 5
♥ K Q 10 6 5
♦ A
♣ A 7 6 2

♠ K Q 8 7 6 2
♥ 9 4 3
♦ J 8 5
♣ 3

	N
W		E
	S

♠ 9
♥ J 7 2
♦ Q 10 9 6 4 3 2
♣ 5 4

♠ J 4 3
♥ A 8
♦ K 7
♣ K Q J 10 9 8

West	North	East	South
		Burrows
	1 ♥	Pass	2 ♣
2 ♠	4 NT¹	Pass	5 ♦²
Pass	6 ♥!	Pass	Pass
Pass

Blackwood
One Ace

6 ♥ by North

Made 7 — +1460

North has a great hand when partner shows values and clubs with her two-over-one response. So launching into Blackwood is reasonable. Maybe a diamond splinter is better. However the final choice of 6♥ is seems to be based more on hope than sound bidding. North only knows south has one heart because she admitted to an ace. So 6♥ was a possible five-one fit. On the actual hand if there was a 4=2 or 5=1 heart break the slam was in danger provided the player with the long trump was west or if east he had a second spade.

On second thoughts perhaps if you think that west has six spades then east is most likely to have the long trump. If this is the case 6♥ will be playable even in a 5=1 fit and could therefore be worth a lot of matchpoints.

If you consider the play in 6♥ when partner turns up with ♥A8 then when west follows to the second heart some consideration should be given to finessing the ♥10 if you have had a spade lead. Your only danger is that the defense have a trump trick and can cash a spade. How likely in a two-over-one auction is it that west would come in with a weak hand and only a five-card suit? If you think it is not at all like then the ♥10 is standout.

In the actual play declarer dropped the jack and made 13 tricks.

We were lucky!!!! The didn't bid a grand slam. 7♣ is a little tricky to bid - north doesn't immediately know about the long clubs with south and south doesn't know for sure how his spade losers are going to disappear.

Caccia Birch Daffodil Day Tournament - Session Two

Board 4
West Deals
Both Vul

♠ 7 6 5 4 3
♥ J 4 3
♦ J 9
♣ A 10 7

♠ K J 10 2
♥ A K Q 2
♦ 3 2
♣ K 9 8

	N
W		E
	S

♠ A Q 9
♥ 9
♦ A Q 8
♣ Q J 5 4 3 2

♠ 8
♥ 10 8 7 6 5
♦ K 10 7 6 5 4
♣ 6

West	North	East	South
			Burrows
1 ♣¹	Pass	2 ♣²	Pass
2 ♥	Pass	4 ♣³	Pass
4 ♥⁴	Pass	5 ♣⁵	Pass
5 NT⁶	Pass	6 ♣!	Pass
Pass	Pass

Precision 16+ any
8+ hcp 5+ clubs
Gerber
One ace
Gerber asking for kings
Three kings

6 ♣ by West

Made 6 — +1370

This hand follows the same theme as the last where the bidder did not take the fundamental step of confirming a fit before bidding a slam. This time the final bid of 6♣ has little to recommend it. It is possible on this auction that partner has no clubs or even if she does have a club or two there is no guarantee of the ♣A or ♣K.

Having said that east is not entirely to blame. Playing Precision it is normal for west's 2♥ rebid to show a five-card suit. I don't know her reasons for bidding 2♥ - perhaps she was fearful of her two small diamonds - but a 2NT rebid by west would have been much more helpful to east. She then could be sure of a club fit.

Caccia Birch Daffodil Day - Session Two

Board 7
South Deals
Both Vul

♠ A 10 8 5
♥ A 10 4 3 2
♦ —
♣ K 9 6 2

	N
W		E
	S

♠ K Q J 9 7 6 4 2
♥ K J
♦ 7 4
♣ A

West	North	East	South
			1 ♠
Pass	4 ♦¹	Pass	4 NT²
Pass	5 ♥³	Pass	7 ♠
Pass	Pass	Pass

void splinter
RKCB
two no trump queen

7 ♠ by South

Another hand from the second session would have showed off a favourite convention of mine - void splinters at the four-level (for me normal splinters are one level lower). This would have allowed us to find the short route to the grand. Identifying the void allows us to use Blackwood (RKCB) from either side unambiguously. If the 4♦ bidder subsequently uses Blackwood then partner discounts the ace in the void suit.

Perhaps it is not that likely that the auction would be uncontested - although at the event we had an uncontested auction (it was different than the auction shown).

Caccia Birch Daffodil Day - Session Two

Board 20
West Deals
Both Vul

♠ A Q 8 3
♥ 9 4 3
♦ 6 2
♣ J 6 5 3

♠ 9 6
♥ K Q J 8
♦ Q J 3
♣ Q 10 8 2

	N
W		E
	S

♠ K 7
♥ A 7 2
♦ 9 8 7 5 4
♣ K 9 7

♠ J 10 5 4 2
♥ 10 6 5
♦ A K 10
♣ A 4

West	North	East	South
			Burrows
1 NT¹	Pass	Pass	Pass

12-14

1 NT by West

Made 1 — -90

I am not sure if west miscounted her points or frequently opens these eleven counts but that is one pretty weak 1NT. I am fond of light 1NT openings but I don't think I would have found this bid.

Some might have bid 2♠ in the passout seat with my hand but that's not my style with a balanced hand particularly with such a bad suit.

If partner had lead a spade we would have had a relatively quick seven tricks. She chose to lead a club and seven tricks were there for declarer.

Again we were lucky!!! After I had won the ace declarer and switched to a spade declarer could have crossed to her hand with a heart and hooked my partner for the ♣J and made eight tricks.

KiwiTeams 080813 - A few hands

2008-08-13T04:33:00.001-07:00

I thought I would celebrate the Central Climbers first win by posting some hands from the match...

Early on Palmer and Wilson found their three-three fit in the simplest of auctions.

Board 3
South Deals
E-W Vul

♠ J 8 2
♥ A Q 10 6
♦ 10 7 4
♣ A 10 8

♠ A K Q 10
♥ K 4 3
♦ Q 8 3
♣ J 5 4

	N
W		E
	S

♠ 6 5 4 3
♥ 9 8
♦ J 6 5 2
♣ K 9 3

♠ 9 7
♥ J 7 5 2
♦ A K 9
♣ Q 7 6 2

West	North	East	South
gerry	lmu	tarakiwi	seychelles
			Pass
1 ♣	All pass

1 ♣ by West

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. N	♠ 2	3	9	10
2. W	♠ A	8	4	7
3. W	♠ K	J	5	♣ 2
4. S	♦ A	3	4	2
5. S	♦ K	Q	7	5
6. S	♦ 9	8	10	J
7. E	♥ 8	2	K	A
8. N	♥ Q	9	5	3
9. N	♥ 6	♣ 3	7	4
10. E	♦ 6	♥ J	♠ Q	♣ 8
11. N	♥ 10	♠ 6	♣ 6	♣ J
12. W	♣ 4	10	K	7
13. E	♣ 9	Q	5	A

Down 1 — E-W -100

The auction was more eventful in the closed room ...

Board 3
South Deals
E-W Vul

♠ J 8 2
♥ A Q 10 6
♦ 10 7 4
♣ A 10 8

♠ A K Q 10
♥ K 4 3
♦ Q 8 3
♣ J 5 4

	N
W		E
	S

♠ 6 5 4 3
♥ 9 8
♦ J 6 5 2
♣ K 9 3

♠ 9 7
♥ J 7 5 2
♦ A K 9
♣ Q 7 6 2

West	North	East	South
sandrac	kermit	jenter62	cascade
			1 NT¹
Dbl	All pass

10-13 can be off-shape

1 NT x by South

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. W	♠ A	2	3	7
2. W	♠ K	8	4	9
3. W	♠ Q	J	5	♣ 2
4. W	♠ 10	♦ 4	6	♥ 2
5. W	♦ 3	7	J	A
6. S	♥ J	3	6	8
7. S	♥ 7	4	10	9
8. N	♥ A	♣ 3	5	K
9. N	♥ Q	♦ 2	♣ 6	♣ 4
10. N	♣ 8	K	7	5
11. E	♦ 6	K	8	10
12. S	♣ Q	J	A	9
13. N	♣ 10	♦ 5	♦ 9	♦ Q

Made 2 — N-S +280

The mini-1NT bought a double from west. East with only four points and a balanced hand had nowhere to go so chose to defend. With the distribution being friendly Burrows came to eight tricks. Perhaps he should just play for one club honour to be onside. However trying to combine chances in clubs and diamonds he needed a squeeze to overcome a blockage ...

♠ —
♥ Q
♦ 10
♣ A 10 8

♠ —
♥ —
♦ Q 8
♣ J 5 4

	N
W		E
	S

♠ —
♥ —
♦ 6 5 2
♣ K 9

♠ —
♥ —
♦ K 9
♣ Q 7 6

On the last heart west is squeezed. She cannot pitch a diamond as then the ♦Q will fall making declarer's nine good. A club is equally fatal as eventually north's ♣10 comes good.

Differing opening styles led to a big swing on board 7 ...

Board 7
South Deals
Both Vul

♠ 10 8 4
♥ 10 7 5 2
♦ 7 6 4 3
♣ K 9

♠ J 9 7 6 3 2
♥ K J 9 8 6
♦ J
♣ A

	N
W		E
	S

♠ A K
♥ A 3
♦ A K 9 2
♣ 8 7 6 4 3

♠ Q 5
♥ Q 4
♦ Q 10 8 5
♣ Q J 10 5 2

West	North	East	South
gerry	lmu	tarakiwi	seychelles
			Pass
1 ♠	Pass	2 ♦	Pass
2 ♥	Pass	3 ♣¹	Pass
3 ♥	Pass	3 ♠	Pass
4 ♠	Pass	5 ♦²	Pass
6 ♠	All pass

4th suit forcing to game
cue - first round control

6 ♠ by West

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. N	♠ 4	K	5	2
2. E	♠ A	Q	3	8
3. E	♣ 3	10	A	9
4. W	♠ J	10	♦ 2	♦ 5
5. W	♥ 6	5	A	4
6. E	♥ 3	Q	K	2
7. W	♥ J	7	♣ 4	♣ 2
8. W	♥ 9	10	♣ 6	♣ 5
9. N	♣ K	-	-	-

Made 6 — E-W +1430

Palmer opened 1♠ in the open room and despite having no guaranteed fit Wilson tried for slam based on his sharp honours. Palmer accepted the slam try based on extra distribution - he certainly didn't have extra values.

The final contract was a little thin needing either spades or hearts to play for no losers. When the ♠Q was doubleton and the ♥Q doubleton in front of the jack Palmer had no problem bringing home 12 tricks.

In the other room ...

Board 7
South Deals
Both Vul

♠ 10 8 4
♥ 10 7 5 2
♦ 7 6 4 3
♣ K 9

♠ J 9 7 6 3 2
♥ K J 9 8 6
♦ J
♣ A

	N
W		E
	S

♠ A K
♥ A 3
♦ A K 9 2
♣ 8 7 6 4 3

♠ Q 5
♥ Q 4
♦ Q 10 8 5
♣ Q J 10 5 2

West	North	East	South
sandrac	kermit	jenter62	cascade
			Pass
2 ♥¹	Pass	2 NT!	Pass
3 ♠	Pass	4 ♥	All pass

hearts and another at least 5/5

4 ♥ by West

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. N	♣ K	3	5	A
2. W	♥ 6	2	A	4
3. E	♥ 3	Q	K	5
4. W	♥ J	7	♣ 4	♣ 2
5. W	♠ 2	4	K	Q
6. E	♠ A	5	3	8
7. E	♦ A	5	J	4
8. E	♦ K	8	♠ 6	3
9. E	♣ 6	10	♥ 8	9
10. W	♠ J	10	♣ 7	♣ J
11. W	♠ 9	♥ 10	♣ 8	♦ 10
12. N	♦ 7	2	Q	♥ 9
13. W	♠ 7	♦ 6	♦ 9	♣ Q

Made 6 — E-W +680

Calvert opened a weak two-suiter. Its a matter for partnership style and agreement but perhaps with some extra distribution and 10 hcp the hand is too strong for 2♥ even vulnerable.

Even with 18 prime points it is hard for jenter62 to imagine slam especially when she is not even certain of a fit.

An aggressive pass by Palmer helped produce another good swing ...

Board 10
East Deals
Both Vul

♠ 9 6 4 3
♥ K 9 6 3
♦ J 8 5
♣ J 9

♠ K 5
♥ J 8 2
♦ A 9 6 3
♣ 8 6 5 2

	N
W		E
	S

♠ A Q J 10 7
♥ A 10 5 4
♦ —
♣ A 10 4 3

♠ 8 2
♥ Q 7
♦ K Q 10 7 4 2
♣ K Q 7

EW 3♠; EW 3♥; EW 4♣; EW 2N; NS 1♦

West	North	East	South
gerry	lmu	tarakiwi	seychelles
		1 ♠	2 ♦
Pass	Pass	Dbl¹	All pass

re-opening

2 ♦ x by South

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. W	♠ K	3	A	2
2. E	♠ Q	8	5	4
3. E	♠ J	♦ 10	♣ 2	6
4. S	♦ K	3	5	♣ 3
5. S	♦ 2	6	8	♣ 4
6. N	♣ J	10	7	6
7. N	♣ 9	A	Q	5
8. E	♠ 10	♥ 7	♦ 9	9
9. W	♦ A	J	♥ 4	4
10. W	♣ 8	♥ 3	♥ 5	K
11. S	♦ Q	♥ 8	♥ 6	♥ 10
12. S	♦ 7	♥ 2	♥ 9	♠ 7
13. S	♥ Q	J	K	A

Down 1 — N-S -200

Would you pass 2♦Dbl with the west cards. South is hardly maximum for the 2♦ overcall and on the surface there are eight tricks for declarer - five diamonds, two clubs and a heart. A closer analysis shows that the defense can defeat the contract with two spades, two side aces and two trump tricks (or by forcing declarer off by repeatedly leading spades).

If you consider that Gonthier would have overcalled with the ♣A rather than the ♣K and that Wilson would still double (he could even have the ♣J or ♥K from dummy) with those cards swapped then you see the danger of converting the takeout double for penalties.

Some might argue that Wilson should not double with a diamond void. No one though can argue with the result +200 for east-west.

Board 10
East Deals
Both Vul

♠ 9 6 4 3
♥ K 9 6 3
♦ J 8 5
♣ J 9

♠ K 5
♥ J 8 2
♦ A 9 6 3
♣ 8 6 5 2

	N
W		E
	S

♠ A Q J 10 7
♥ A 10 5 4
♦ —
♣ A 10 4 3

♠ 8 2
♥ Q 7
♦ K Q 10 7 4 2
♣ K Q 7

West	North	East	South
sandrac	kermit	jenter62	cascade
		1 ♠	2 ♦
Dbl	Pass	3 ♥	Pass
3 NT	All pass

3 NT by West

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. N	♦ 5	♣ 3	10	3
2. S	♦ 4	9	J	♣ 4
3. N	♦ 8	♥ 4	Q	A
4. W	♥ 2	6	10	Q
5. S	♦ K	6	♠ 3	♥ 5
6. S	♦ 7	♣ 2	♠ 4	♣ 10
7. S	♦ 2	♣ 5	♠ 6	♠ 7
8. S	♣ 7	6	9	A
9. E	♠ A	2	-	-

Down 2 — E-W -200

In the closed room east-west got into a different sort of trouble. After the same start to the auction as the open room Calvert chose to double where Palmer had passed. jenter62 perhaps believing that her partner had four hearts jumped to 3♥ which effectively pushed her side into a hopeless 3NT.

Personally I am in favour of the useful values sort of negative double rather than the more mainstream "guaranteeing four-cards in the unbid major". Especially when as I suggested earlier I have no intention of passing 2♦ doubled. In that style most often partner will only bid 2♥ with a four-card suit expecting a raise. Maybe though even in this style the east hand here is just too strong for 2♥.

Bridge is a cruel game north-south in the open room and east-west here did little or nothing wrong and lost 9 IMPs for their trouble.

Club Night 080812

2008-08-12T05:21:00.001-07:00

Palmerston North Club 080812

Board 3
South Deals
E-W Vul

	N
W		E
	S

♠ A 7
♥ 10 9
♦ A K Q 10 9 7 5 3
♣ 3

West	North	East	South
			2 ♦¹
Pass	2 ♥²	?

Multi - weak in either major or strong balanced
pass or correct

I found this bidding problem to be difficult. There were a number of issues:

The scoring was matchpoints which means that 3NT could easily be a better scoring contract;

We were vulnerable against not so I was wary of bidding 5♦ and potentially giving up 100s - maybe doubled.

In the end I decided my choice was between bidding 3NT or 5♦, I also gave some consideration to double hoping to be able to bid my diamonds later. I wasn't brave enough to bid 3NT without a heart stopper so I blasted 5♦ which ended the auction.

There was good and bad news in the full layout:

Board 3
South Deals
E-W Vul

♠ 9 4
♥ A 5 4 2
♦ J 2
♣ K 9 8 7 4

♠ 5 3 2
♥ K Q 8 7 3
♦ 8 6
♣ A 6 5

	N
W		E
	S

♠ A 7
♥ 10 9
♦ A K Q 10 9 7 5 3
♣ 3

♠ K Q J 10 8 6
♥ J 6
♦ 4
♣ Q J 10 2

West	North	East	South
			2 ♦
Pass	2 ♥	5 ♦	Pass
Pass	Pass

5 ♦ by East

Partner had two tricks so that 5♦ was cold but he also had one quick trick and a heart stopper so that we had 630 available in 3NT. Maybe next time I will be braver.

Another five-level decision gave me a pleasant surprise:

Board 14
East Deals
None Vul

♠ J
♥ 10
♦ K Q 8 5 2
♣ A 9 8 7 6 5

♠ K 8 7 5 3
♥ 8 7 4 3 2
♦ A 10 4
♣ —

	N
W		E
	S

♠ 9 6 2
♥ A J 5
♦ J 9
♣ K J 10 4 3

♠ A Q 10 4
♥ K Q 9 6
♦ 7 6 3
♣ Q 2

West	North	East	South
		Pass	1 NT¹
Pass	5 ♣	Dbl	Pass
Pass	Pass

12-14

5 ♣ x by North

North's 5♣ was close to the last bid I was expecting. I guess north-south had limited methods and north with limited values and lots of distribution elected to blast a suit game. On another day 5♣ might be a fine contract but not today unless you were a defender.

Fullarton Teams Round One Grand Slams

2008-08-11T19:43:00.001-07:00

Fullarton Teams Round 1

A couple of grand slams turned up in the first round of qualifying ...

... on both occasions we fell at the last hurdle and only bid the small slam. This is how we could have bid them.

Board 1
North Deals
None Vul

♠ J 7
♥ 9 7 3
♦ 6
♣ K Q J 10 9 5 2

♠ Q 10 5 4
♥ K J 6 5 4 2
♦ K
♣ A 8

	N
W		E
	S

♠ A K 9 8 3 2
♥ A 10
♦ A 8 7
♣ 6 4

♠ 6
♥ Q 8
♦ Q J 10 9 5 4 3 2
♣ 7 3

West	North	East	South
	3 ♣	4 ♠	Pass
4 NT¹	Pass	5 ♦²	Pass
7 ♠	Pass	Pass	Pass

RKCB
1 or 4

7 ♠ by East

Some might think that 4♠ is a slight overbid with only 15 hcp but with sharp working cards its a reasonable upgrade. With only five spades and these values most would consider the east hand a near maximum for a 3♠ overcall.

When west imagines the slam and asks for key cards the grand slam is a very reasonable proposition after partner shows up with four key cards. West can count six spades, two hearts, two diamonds, one club for eleven tricks. Leaving two ruffs in the west hand to make thirteen tricks or if they are not available there is a good chance that the hearts will provide a source of tricks.

Fullarton Teams Round 1

Board 8
West Deals
None Vul

♠ 10 9 4
♥ 2
♦ A 10 9 6 5
♣ 10 7 4 3

♠ A Q 8 5 2
♥ 10 9 8 7
♦ Q 4 3
♣ 5

	N
W		E
	S

♠ K J 6
♥ A K J 6
♦ —
♣ A K Q J 8 6

♠ 7 3
♥ Q 5 4 3
♦ K J 8 7 2
♣ 9 2

West	North	East	South
2 ♠¹	Pass	2 NT²	Pass
3 ♣³	Pass	3 ♠⁴	Pass
4 ♣⁵	Pass	5 ♦⁶	Pass
5 ♠⁷	Pass	5 NT⁸	Pass
7 ♠⁹	Pass	Pass	Pass

5-10 hcp with 5-6 spades
artificial forcing enquiry
at least three hearts
setting trumps and inviting slam
cue bid 1st or 2nd round control
exclusion RKCB
one or four key cards outside diamonds
asking for trump queen
showing trump queen

7 ♠ by West

Our weak twos are aggressive and are frequently on only a five-card suit especially not vulnerable. As you see we do not care too much about having a side four-card major that might dissuade others from a similar opening.

There are two keys to the above auction. Firstly we were able to set trumps at 3♠ and then responder was able to make an unusual jump to the five-level to ask for aces excluding the ♦A.

As I mentioned above on the actual hands we settled in 6♠ both times. We picked up on the first hand when the opponents only bid game and tied the second board. In a qualifying match where we were already getting a maximum 25 VPs it turned out not to be necessary to bid either grand.

Fullarton Teams Final 3 Board 27

2008-08-11T19:11:00.001-07:00

Fullarton Teams Final 3 Board 27

Board 27
South Deals
None Vul

♠ Q J 6 4 2
♥ A J 10 7
♦ —
♣ A J 5 3

♠ 9
♥ Q 6 4 3
♦ Q J 9
♣ K Q 10 6 2

	N
W		E
	S

♠ 10 7 3
♥ 8
♦ 10 8 7 6 5 4
♣ 9 8 4

♠ A K 8 5
♥ K 9 5 2
♦ A K 3 2
♣ 7

West	North	East	South
Livingston	Aldridge	Burrows	McLeod
			1 ♣¹
Pass	1 ♠²	Pass	4 ♣³
Pass	4 NT⁴	Pass	5 ♣⁵
Dbl	5 NT⁶	Pass	6 ♥⁷
Pass	7 ♠	Pass	Pass
Pass

16+ any distribution
8+ with 5+ spades
Splinter - 0 or 1 club and spade support
RKCB
0 or 3 key cards
Asking for kings
Two (not including spade king)

7 ♠ by North

Greg Aldridge and Debbie McLeod were the only pair in the final (six teams) of the Fullarton Teams to bid and make 7♠ on this deal. Some only reached the small slam and some failed in the grand.

After avoiding the 4-4 heart fit, which incidentally probably should also yield 13 tricks, declarer has to carefully time the play to come to thirteen tricks. West's double of 5♣ ensured a club lead. Then the correct sequence of plays involves ruffing three clubs in dummy. The key is to manage the entries back to the north hand to take the ruffs. At least two declarers failed when they ruffed diamonds twice (possibly after taking two pitches on the top diamonds) this failed when east disposed of the ♥8 on the third club ruff. It is easy to see that a 4-1 heart break will be a problem if the singleton heart can be discarded by a player with fewer than four clubs. This suggests that the heart entry should be used early. On this hand ruffing a diamond the first time and using the heart the second time would work but that would fail if the clubs were 6-2 and there is a suggestion that the clubs might not break after west's double although Livingston may have chosen to bid 2♣ or 3♣ earlier if she had six. The best play then is to return the first time to the north hand with a heart and use the diamond ruffs the next two times.

Also note that it is safest and best to save the ♦AK until after trumps have been drawn. Playing them early leaves open the possibility that east will be able to over-ruff when north returns to hand with the third or fourth diamond.

Fullarton Teams Final Two Board 14

2008-08-11T19:10:00.001-07:00

Fullarton Teams - Final Two

Board 14
East Deals
None Vul

♠ 2
♥ 9 7 3 2
♦ 10 6 3
♣ A K Q 9 5

♠ K Q 10 3
♥ A 8 6
♦ A J 9 8 7
♣ J

	N
W		E
	S

♠ A 8 6 5
♥ K Q J 4
♦ K 5
♣ 10 8 7

♠ J 9 7 4
♥ 10 5
♦ Q 4 2
♣ 6 4 3 2

West	North	East	South
Livingston	Stuck	Burrows	Woodhall
		1 NT¹	Pass
3 ♦²	Pass	3 ♥³	Pass
3 ♠³	Pass	4 ♣⁴	Pass
4 ♠⁵	Pass	4 NT⁶	Pass
5 ♣⁷	Dbl	5 ♦⁸	Pass
6 ♠⁹	Pass	Pass	Pass

10-13 can be offshape
4+ diamonds 0-1 clubs
Natural 4(+) card suit
Nothing wasted in clubs
Sign-off
RKCB
0 or 3 key-cards
Asking for trump queen
Trump queen and no side king

6 ♠ by West

6♠ is an excellent contract and indeed double dummy can be made. However after two rounds of clubs forcing west to ruff the line to make is to cross to dummy and take a first round trump finesse for the ♠J and then bank everything on the very favourable diamond position. In practice the obvious and much better line of ruffing one more club and relying on a normal 3=2 trump division is how declarer should play this hand. Unfortunately as you can see that line fails on this particular layout.