See also ... Lessons with Gary
Q & A
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January 2006
Hi Mark,
Happy New Year! I hope you're still available to comment on a
bridge hand for the club web page. This deal is #12 from Monday's
(01/16/06) open/199er game at the club...
Dealer: W
Vul: N-S
North S; J 9 6 4
H: K 9 6
D: 8 6 2
C: 8 6 5
West S: A K T East S: 8 3 2
H: A 8 5 3 H: T 7
D: A K ( D: Q J T 7 4 3
C: A K 9 C: T 3
South S:Q 7 5
H: Q J 4 2
D: 5
C: Q J 7 4 2
According to the Deep Finesse hand analysis, E/W can make 5NT
and 6D. None of the E/W pairs playing reached the 6D contract.
The questions afterwards were: " How do you get there?" and
"What's the line of play?"
Thanks for your comments.
Frank
Happy New Year to you also. I will always be available to answer
any questions anyone may have---I only wish more people would ask
for help.
Briefly, playing standard american bidding it is almost impossible
to bid 6D. Playing a forcing club system where you have more asking
bids and the bidding tends to stay at a lower level while the bids
are still forcing you have a chance---in my opinion not a good
chance. Some contracts are just almost impossible to get to. You
can make 6D by double finessing in clubs, and then throwing your
losing spade away. It would go like this, win the opening lead, pull
3 rounds of trumps, lead the 10 of clubs and either finesse, or if
right hand opponent covers, win with an honor, play ace and another
heart, win the return, ruff a heart to your hand, and finesse the
clubs again. You will notice that this play cost you nothing if it
loses, as you have a sure spade loser otherwise. This way there is
a 25% chance that your left hand opponent has both club honors. If
he does not, you still only lose one trick--the spade still goes
away. A 25% chance is better then none. So in reality, this is a
25% slam and you really do not want to bid slams that are only 25%---
you go down 3 out of 4 times. Thanks for asking,
Mark
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April 2004
Hi Mark,
This came up in a recent Bloomington club game.
Dealer(West) is not vulnerable and opens 1S. North doubles, East passes, and you
(South) are vulnerable and hold the following...
S: x x x
H: A x
D: J 10 9 x
C: A x x x
What would you bid and why? An informal poll of about 20 Springfield club players
ranging from novice to silver LM resulted in about 1/3 for 1N, 1/3 for 2C, and
1/3 for 2D.
Thanks for your analysis.
Thanks for writing. First, I would never bid NT, partner said he had the other suits
not spades. I would bid 2D because if the opener rebids 2S, I am better placed to compete
with 3C. If you had bid 2C and then 3D, partner would have to take a choice at the 4 level
to play clubs. If the opponents compete beyond 3C, I would double--you do have a very good
defensive hand opposite a takeout double. Mind you, if partner is light with a big fit in
one of your suits and say a singleton spade he can certainly remove the double. If I can be
of further help, please email. Thanks, Mark
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Hi Mark,
A club member at Wednesday's (06/18/03) game has asked for your opinion on board #1...
The dealer N opens 3D...
East holds S H D C
J K x A
x 10 x K
x x x
x x
West holds S H D C
K A K x
x Q x x
x x x
x x
What would you do as East? And as West?
Thanks for your input.
Here are my observations and opinions of the hand you asked about...
East should pass over 3D because he does not have enough to bid at the 3 level.
West should "balance" with a takeout double to protect a partner with exactly
the type of hand East holds, a good hand, but not enough to bid directly over 3D.
West could have even less and still make a takeout double in the passout seat.
While East has a good hand, considering he did not bid over 3D, bidding 3H is
quite enough given that his partner could have less then he has and still double.
There are many hands where East has a pretty good hand, but no good bid at the 3
or 4 level, therefore in passout seat his partner needs to take action with less
then you normally would to protect his partner.
I hope this helps. If there are more points that need to be answered, please let
me know.... Mark Kessler
How was the hand played? The traveler shows: N playing 3D... making two times,
down 1 two times, and down 2 once; E playing 3H down 2 once; E playing 4H down 2
two times; and W playing 3H making 4 once.
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Hi Mark,
Liz Zalar suggested that this board would be a good one to ask for your opinion.
Liz and I both sat S for this one....
This deal occurred in the club game on Friday 06/20/03 ....
North
S H D C
- A A 8
10 Q
9 10
8 6
7 4
6
2
West East
S H D C S H D C
10 K K 9 K Q 5 K
9 9 7 Q J 3 J
7 8 6 8 5 4
5 5 4 3
3
South
S H D C
A 4 J A
J 7 Q
6 2 10
2 3
2
East is dealer, and E/W are vulnerable.
East opens 1C. How should the bidding proceed?
Thanks for your input.
As you are aware distributional hands are very hard to predict. One possible
auction is 1C-P-1S-2H
2S-2NT-P-4H
I believe 2NT is an easy call, values in the suits the opponents have bid, no big
fit for partner. Partner knows this shows 10-13 points more or less, and most of
those points are going to be in the suits he does not have, therefore he should
just settle for game in his 7-card suit. I know 6D is a great spot on most 3-2
heart splits, but it is really tough to find out if partner has the jack of
diamonds and if his stoppers are A's, very good, or K's, very bad. I say take
your plus score which is usually good at matchpoints. Tell Liz hello. Mark
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