August
06' ATE
Question
1 :
Barry Kalman (Flight C)
East
Dealer None Vul.
| North |
East
|
9763 |
A84 |
AK4 |
QJT92 |
642 |
A5 |
976 |
AK5 |
What
is the optimum contract and how do you bid it ?
Panel's
Responses
Ken
Bland
a)
3NT, there are 9 tricks off the top
b)
1H-P-1NT-P
5
card major system
1
major (opener) 1NT (responder)
2NT (opener) = 17/18 pts
Tom
Kniest
While
some would reply 1S to 1H, I prefer my partners to raise to
2H - it shows a fit and has more preemptive value than 1S.
Over that, I would bid 3NT- choice of contracts; partner
would not want to disturb that contract. If for some
reason partner responded 1NT to 1H, I would bid 3NT - again,
partner would expect my heart suit to run and 9 tricks would
be easier than 10.
Roger
Lord
1H-2H-2NT-3N,
or
1H-2H-3N
Tom
Oppenheimer
1H-P-2H-P-2N-P-3N.
2N shows a good 17 or 18 balanced with 5 hearts.
I
open 1N with less. With no ruffing value and the AK partner
should raise to 3N.
Nancy
Popkin
The
optimum contract is 3 notrump since you have 5 heart tricks,
1 spade (maybe 2 if they don't lead a diamond and the spades
are 3 - 3), 1 diamond, and 2 clubs, totaling 9 tricks. Four
hearts can make if the spades are 3 - 3 but notrump is the
better contract. The bid could go 1H-2H-3N.
Ed
Schultz
Optimum
contract is 3NT, 9 off the top. How to bid = 1H-2H-2NT-3NT.
Karen
Walker
After
the obvious 1H-2H start, South can bid 3NT to offer a choice
of games. With no ruffing value, North will be happy
to pass.
A
less-aggressive South might try 2NT as a game try. Even though
North has only 7 pts., they're perfect ones, so he should
accept by bidding 3NT.
En
Xie
3NT
will be the winning contract in most cases. There are 9 quick
tricks if you play 3nt. It's hard to get more than 9 tricks
unless opponents want to help. 4H will make if spades split
3-3, Hearts split 3-2, and clubs split no worse than 5-2.
Your chance to make 4H is about 22.3%. In those cases you
would beat pairs who are in 3NT contract. I am not sure how
many players
will
land in 3H. Don't feel bad if you are one of them, you have
good chance to beat the pairs with 4h contract.
There
are several ways to reach 3nt. Following are some of them.
a)
1H=2H=3NT
b)
1H=1S=2NT=3NT
c)
1H=2H=2NT*=3H=3NT (*: some players play 2NT as a conventional
asking bid.)
Milt
Zlatic
Obviously,
there are nine tricks on top for 3NT. 4H will go down
if you get a club lead and spades don't break 3-3 and
trumps are not 3-2. This makes 3NT the optimum. A suggested
auction would be 1H-2H-2NT-3NT. You didn't open 1NT, did you
? This hand is much too good to open 1NT even if you're playing
16-18.
Question
2 :
Linda Lubeck (Flight B)
At
a tournament during the play of the hand, the declarer asked
me what my partner's card meant (i.e. what signals we were
using). Since he was declaring a suit contract and the
card played was to a non-trump trick that declarer led first,
I answered it could be count. We don't play attitude
signals to tricks that Declarer initiates. He seemed
dissatisfied. What does he know that I don't ?
Panel's
Responses
Ken
Bland
Most
casual partnerships don't have agreements about discarding.
Your answer is forthright and sufficient.
Tom
Kniest
Some
opponents deserve to have coffee spilled on them. Be
sure yours has lots of sugar in it. Maybe he would be
satisfied if you showed him your hand.
Roger
Lord
Your
answer seems right to me.
Tom
Oppenheimer
You
need to explain your carding agreements only. If you play
with a regular partner you must have carding agreements. If
you do not give count then explain that. However, if you do
not give count or attitude, it would be virtually impossible
to defend and I believe that it would be to your advantage
to do so unless it would assist declarer in the play of the
hand.
Nancy
Popkin
It
could be that he/she may have wanted to know if you give standard
or upside down count.
Ed
Schultz
You
should answer that if it is anything, it is count, not that
it could be count. Count should be given when needed, not
to every trick.
Karen
Walker
Of
course, declarer would have liked for you to have told him
exactly what partner's card meant, but he shouldn't have been
surprised that you couldn't give him a guarantee. However,
if all you said was "it could be
count", that wording may have made him think you were being
purposely evasive. A more complete answer would be something
along the lines of: "We play primarily count signals in this
situation, but may withhold the signal if we think it will
help declarer more than partner."
En
Xie
Your
response to his question seems ok with me. He might know no
more than what you do. By the way, some players play suit
preference in some cases when declarer leads a side suit.
Milt
Zlatic
I
think declarer was asking if you were playing any other signalling
besides what is considered standard. For example, some pairs
play upside-down count (and/or attitude). Any carding agreements
that you have should be stated when asked this question. "It
could be count" is pretty ambiguous. Say something similar
to , "We use standard carding and give count when needed
but we don't show attitude." Full disclosure applies
to carding as well as bidding.
Question
3 : Matt
Diehl (Flight B)
We
had an interesting hand this week at local club game. John
and Gabe also would like to hear from the experts.
North Deals/NS Vul:
(a)
Playing weak NT, partner opens 1D intending to rebid 1N to
show a strong NT (15-17 HCP) hand. What is the optimum contract
at IMPS and MPs and how do you get there ?
(b) Playing strong NT, partner opens
1N. What is the optimum contract at IMPS and MPs and how do
you get there ?
Panel's
Responses
Ken
Bland
a)
7 Diamonds is a very, very good contract - only 3 or 4 diamonds
in the same hand as singleton spade (if you get singleton
lead and diamonds don't break you can play for double squeeze)
(b)
7NT is odds on with a double squeeze. If you guess the position
and cash your tricks properly.
Many
auctions can get you to seven
1.
Forcing Stayman
2.
Minor Wood
3.
4 way transfers
4.
Exclusion Blackwood
Tom
Kniest
What
system allows partner to open a diamond rather than a club
with this hand? In any event, I would expect some shape
from partner due to my club void, so assigning some length
in diamonds and spades to him, I would expect some major
suit shortness which would fit my hand well. Thus,
I expect I would work towards a grand in diamonds at IMPs.
However, since I can bid 1S and hear partner's natural rebid,
I guess no harm can come from that choice. When he rebids
1NT, I use Gerber to inquire about aces; then kings.
When partner has no K, he likely has 3 queens or at the least
a few QJ combos. At IMPs, I would bid the grand in diamonds
just in case he has a hand like Jx AQJ Qxxx AJxx. At
matchpoints, 7NT is a standout in an open event. In
a B event, I would expect 7D to get most of the MPs.
If partner
opens a strong NT immediately, I start with Stayman; when
partner denies spades, 3D is forcing and slammish. With
partner's hand, I would expect a 3H cuebid after which I would
bid a grand in diamonds at IMPs and NT at MPs (after checking
for aces and kings.)
Roger
Lord
At
any form of scoring, 7 diamonds is best, no matter how astute
you might be in guessing squeeze positions at 7 NT.
(a)
The problem after opening of 1D ( as opposed to 1C) can not
reasonably answered without knowledge of the system.
(b)
My auction: 1N-2N-3D-5C-5H-7D
2N
transfers to diamonds, 3D says opener would accept a game
invitation (3 clubs would say he would not); 5 clubs is Exclusion
Blackwood; 5H shows one keycard outside of clubs; 7D is not
too much of a gamble, even though (thinking pessimistically)
partner could hold Jxx AQx Qxx AQJx ( in which case we'd still
be a favorite).
Tom
Oppenheimer
7D
is an overwhelming favorite at IMPS and will get you a good
score at MPs. Only Roger would probably prefer to be in 7NT
at MPs so he can find a squeeze for the 13th trick (joke).
Playing
weak NT I would make whatever diamond raise is forcing...inverted
etc and after a cue bidding sequence hopefully, you will find
what you need....all the controls and extra values.
After
a strong no trump I would Stayman and then make a forcing
diamond bid...whatever is in your system. Once again you will
find you have all the controls hopefully. The key is that
you need to have agreements on what is forcing, etc. There
is no one answer here .
Nancy
Popkin
I
am confused. Did the North hand open 1C intending to rebid
1NT? Or did they open 1D because 1C shows 16 plus points?
I'll assume the latter. Assuming North opens 1D the bidding
should go something like:
1D,
1S, 1NT, 2C* (artificial-new minor forcing asking for further
description of partner's hand, forcing to 2NT or 3 of a suit),
3NT (based on such good clubs, not wanting to get passed in
2NT), 4D (forcing -anytime removing 3NT to 4 of an agreed
upon minor should ask key cards), 5S (showing 2 keycards-the
ace of clubs and the ace of hearts-plus the queen of trumps),
7D.
In
either MP or IMPS responder now knows that the opening bidder
only has 2 spades, (because over new minor forcing the opener
should show his 3 spades instead of repeating notrump), so
2 spades can be ruffed in the dummy if need be, that the ace
of clubs will take care of the losing heart, and that diamonds
are solid. Thirteen tricks can be counted.
Ed
Schultz
Optimum
contract at both is forms of scoring is 7D. How to get there
depends on system and methods. A) why would partner open 1D
instead of 1C?
A
weak NT auction: 1C-2D-3D-3S-4H-4NT-5S-5NT-6D-7D. 6D no side
king.
A
strong NT auction: 1NT-2C-2D-3D-3H-4NT-5S-5NT-6D-7D. Responder
might worry about
missing 7NT which will probably make if you correctly evaluate
which squeeze to play for. At IMPs I would always want to
be in 7D. At MPs, I've been in worse 7NTs.
Karen
Walker
7D
is a pretty good contract, although not guaranteed.
Over
a strong 1NT opening, the auction might go:
1NT - 2C Stayman
2D - 3D
3H (cuebid for diamonds) - 5C (exclusion BW)
5H (one keycard) - 5S (queen ask)
5NT (queen, but no kings) - ?
I'd
gamble 7D here. Partner has shown the two cover cards
you need most, and he has to have other useful cards.
The absolute worst 15-count he can have is Jxx, AQJ, Qxx,
KQxx, and even that dummy gives him a play (albeit remote)
for 13 tricks.
If
you play weak NT (along with a strong club, I assume, since
partner is opening 1D instead of 1C?), the auction would start
1D-1S-1NT. From there, it depends on your specific agreements
about how South shows a forcing diamond raise. Eventually,
South will BW and be faced with the same decision as above.
En
Xie
7D
will be my choice at IMPs. You have more than 90% of chance
to make 7D. At MPs, it becomes complicated. 7D and 7NT both
will be fine with me. I might choose 7D or 7NT, depending
on the field and how well I am doing during the game. Most
of time, You will get Avg.+ by bidding 7D, get top by bidding
7NT, and get Avg.- by bidding 6NT. You have more than 65%
of chance making 7NT.
Following
are two possible solutions for weak NT and strong NT players:
a)
Weak NT
1C=1D=1NT=2S=3D=4C=4H=4NT=5S=5NT=6C/D=6S=7C=7D/NT
1NT:
15-17 HCP
4C/4H:
Cue bid
4NT:
RKC
5S:
Two keycards with DQ
5NT:
asking number of Kings
6C/D:
No kings, depending on your system
6S:
asking SQ or ruffing value in S
7C:
SQ and good club suit
7D/NT:
your choice
b)
Strong NT
1NT=2C=2D=3D=3H=3S=3NT=4C=4H=4NT=5S=5NT=6C/D=6S=7C=7D/NT
2C:
Stayman
2D:
no major
3D:
D suit, game forcing. Note that some players might use different
ways to show D suit and gf.
Milt
Zlatic
(a)
The optimum contract at IMPs is 7D. All you need is for both
defenders to follow to two rounds of spades and that's only
a problem if trumps aren't 2-2. At matchpoints, if you are
playing in a strong field, I'd try 7NT since there are so
many squeeze possibilities. You should have lots of company
if it goes down. In a weaker field, 6NT will garner an average-plus
because some are afraid of playing NT with a void. Since I
don't know what methods you are using over a minor suit opener
to show a forcing raise, I'm forced to make a jump shift of
2S. After that, a flock of cuebids followed with a trump
queen ask will land you in 7D (or 7NT).
(b)
Playing weak or strong NT's has no bearing on what the optimum
contract is. Over 1NT, I would Stayman first to see if 7S
is a possibility. Barring that, I'd push it into 7D at IMPs
and 7NT at MPs.
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