I enjoy finding opportunities to use free bids to introduce both a fit and another important feature of my hand. One came up this weekend in a sectional pair game. My partner opened a red/white 3 Hearts in 3rd seat. My RHO overcalled 3 Spades. My hand was:
xx
J9x
AQTx
Qxxx
I was comfortable competing to 4 Hearts with these cards, but it would be a gross shot in the dark to act over the 4 Spade bid that I was sure would come on my left. It looked clear to me that 4 Diamonds was the call, both helping partner evaluate his cards and possibly to help us on defense later. LHO did indeed bid 4 Spades, which ended the auction. I led a heart to partner's ace and he promptly returned a diamond into a dummy of:
QJTxx
x
xx
KJTxx
I cashed my 2 diamonds and we eventually conceded the rest, -420. I lamented that we had missed a rare bird, the red on white save. Partner's hand was:
x
AQTxxxx
J9xx
x
Sacrificing would have netted -200 or +50 if the opponents had competed further. In the recap, though, we scored 28/38 for -420. Apparently many had returned their singleton club after winning the first trick with the ace of hearts, allowing declarer to hold his diamond losers to 1. I was pleased with the result and am glad to get rewarded for making bids like this that have several ways to win and very little to lose. It's a standout if you think about it, but it is very easy to lazily bid 4 Hearts at the table.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Wolff Signoff After 2NT Rebid
A friend from Chicago recently asked me to post notes on the system that I use with Joe after a 2NT rebid. Transfers are popular these days, but I've had decent success with this, so here it:
applies after 1m-1M-2NT start, not after 1H-1S-2NT or 1C-1D-2NT
3C=relay to 3D (usually some slam try but could be to play 3 diamonds)
After opener accepts the relay, responder's bids:
3 of bid major=6+ suit, slam try
3 of OM=slam try in minor not opened
3NT=slam try in opener's minor
3D=checkback for majors (opener bids hearts first)
3 of bid major=signoff, 6 card suit
3 of OM:
over original 1S=5-5 or 6-5 forcing
over original 1H=4/5 forcing, slammish--partner cues clubs with good hand for hearts and diamonds with good hand for spades
applies after 1m-1M-2NT start, not after 1H-1S-2NT or 1C-1D-2NT
3C=relay to 3D (usually some slam try but could be to play 3 diamonds)
After opener accepts the relay, responder's bids:
3 of bid major=6+ suit, slam try
3 of OM=slam try in minor not opened
3NT=slam try in opener's minor
3D=checkback for majors (opener bids hearts first)
3 of bid major=signoff, 6 card suit
3 of OM:
over original 1S=5-5 or 6-5 forcing
over original 1H=4/5 forcing, slammish--partner cues clubs with good hand for hearts and diamonds with good hand for spades
Sunday, December 13, 2009
No Cigar Follow-Up
I made a new post for this in case any new readers would like to read the problems first before seeing what happened. Thanks again for the comments...I was relieved to see that my table actions received a decent amount of support. See what you think of the results.
On Board 9 I held AK9x Axx xxx KQx and faced an invitational 3 spade bid in a Stayman sequence. I'm not sure why I was gun-shy on this one...usually it is my style to go for game in close situations. Arguing for bidding, my cards are all prime and well-located. The hand isn't "max" but rates to play better than many 17 counts on this auction. Arguing against is the minimum distribution. For whatever reason I passed...as Joe mentioned in the comments, game was pretty good. He had xxxx KJx Ax Jxxx. I got a club lead to the ace, trump split 3-2 and I had no problem taking 10 tricks. The board was doubly painful, though, because we had a chance to win it at both tables. Our teammates lost their way defending a notrump partial at the other table, also allowing 10 tricks. Pipped!
On Board 14 with Kxx AKQx Axx Kxx i opened 1 Club in 2nd seat, got a 1 Diamond overcall, a preemptive 3 Club raise and 3 Diamonds from RHO. I doubled (scary, as Weinstein pointed out). My partner sat for it, which was scarier, and then they made the contract, which took the cake. Partner had to find a trump lead from T98x xxx J QJxxx to beat it. It was a tough break, but I think the disciplined pass is really the way to go at these colors...our teammates had a nice result here, scoring 110 in 3 diamonds (undoubled of course).
On Board 20 I was caught speeding again...with xxx AKQJxxx x xx I overcalled 4 Hearts with both vul after my RHO's 3rd seat 1 Diamond opening. This was passed out. Partner had a smattering of values including the ace of spades and 2 trump. Unfortunately there was no play for a 9th trick and I was -200. My hand overcalled 3 hearts and played there down 1 at the other table.
Board 22 was interesting. I held Qx QT QJxx QT9xx and had the final decision about sacrificing over 5 Spades. Normally I would pass this one out instantly...trust me, all the reasons in the comments were going through my head. Still I felt like I had a decent amount of table feel--something was telling me that bidding was right. My RHO was one of the most solid citizens I knew in the world of bridge and he hesitated forever over 5 spades...I knew he was too disciplined to bid a slam on the auction and that his eventual pass was inevitable, but the fact that he was thinking so long made me nearly certain that 5 spades was making. Finally I passed, deciding bidding was too much of a position. My partner led a top club--dummy was JTxxxx AKxxx x x. Partner cased the diamond ace and exited. Til near the end I held out hope that there was a heart loser, but alas declarer had 4 small hearts and eventually scored up his game. We had 10 tricks available in clubs...this result was a push, and I don't think I did anything wrong, but will resolve to trust my instincts and table feel when the decision looks close.
Finally, Board 24. This one was embarassing, but I'm still not sure what really should have happened. I led the king of spades from AKxx KJx x 9xxxx against 3nt on the given auction and saw: 6 QTxxx Kxx K8xx. Any attention to cashing out/holding in overtricks was immediately replaced by the necessity to beat the contract. My partner followed with an encouraging 9. It looked normal to continue a low spade, which I did--partner won the queen and played a 3rd spade to my ace. I didn't know this for certain, but we had just set up declarer's 9th trick. I had to find a heart shift now to get our 5 tops and failed to do it. Declarer's hand was JTxx xx AQJx AQJ. Our teammates again came through with a reasonable +120 on this board, but they understandably couldn't cover -400. I was thinking that perhaps my lead had made it more difficult for us to cash our tricks--maybe I should have stuck with a 4th-best club. More likely it is a combination of bad luck and my own defensive slip later--it was certainly possible to find the heart shift.
On Board 9 I held AK9x Axx xxx KQx and faced an invitational 3 spade bid in a Stayman sequence. I'm not sure why I was gun-shy on this one...usually it is my style to go for game in close situations. Arguing for bidding, my cards are all prime and well-located. The hand isn't "max" but rates to play better than many 17 counts on this auction. Arguing against is the minimum distribution. For whatever reason I passed...as Joe mentioned in the comments, game was pretty good. He had xxxx KJx Ax Jxxx. I got a club lead to the ace, trump split 3-2 and I had no problem taking 10 tricks. The board was doubly painful, though, because we had a chance to win it at both tables. Our teammates lost their way defending a notrump partial at the other table, also allowing 10 tricks. Pipped!
On Board 14 with Kxx AKQx Axx Kxx i opened 1 Club in 2nd seat, got a 1 Diamond overcall, a preemptive 3 Club raise and 3 Diamonds from RHO. I doubled (scary, as Weinstein pointed out). My partner sat for it, which was scarier, and then they made the contract, which took the cake. Partner had to find a trump lead from T98x xxx J QJxxx to beat it. It was a tough break, but I think the disciplined pass is really the way to go at these colors...our teammates had a nice result here, scoring 110 in 3 diamonds (undoubled of course).
On Board 20 I was caught speeding again...with xxx AKQJxxx x xx I overcalled 4 Hearts with both vul after my RHO's 3rd seat 1 Diamond opening. This was passed out. Partner had a smattering of values including the ace of spades and 2 trump. Unfortunately there was no play for a 9th trick and I was -200. My hand overcalled 3 hearts and played there down 1 at the other table.
Board 22 was interesting. I held Qx QT QJxx QT9xx and had the final decision about sacrificing over 5 Spades. Normally I would pass this one out instantly...trust me, all the reasons in the comments were going through my head. Still I felt like I had a decent amount of table feel--something was telling me that bidding was right. My RHO was one of the most solid citizens I knew in the world of bridge and he hesitated forever over 5 spades...I knew he was too disciplined to bid a slam on the auction and that his eventual pass was inevitable, but the fact that he was thinking so long made me nearly certain that 5 spades was making. Finally I passed, deciding bidding was too much of a position. My partner led a top club--dummy was JTxxxx AKxxx x x. Partner cased the diamond ace and exited. Til near the end I held out hope that there was a heart loser, but alas declarer had 4 small hearts and eventually scored up his game. We had 10 tricks available in clubs...this result was a push, and I don't think I did anything wrong, but will resolve to trust my instincts and table feel when the decision looks close.
Finally, Board 24. This one was embarassing, but I'm still not sure what really should have happened. I led the king of spades from AKxx KJx x 9xxxx against 3nt on the given auction and saw: 6 QTxxx Kxx K8xx. Any attention to cashing out/holding in overtricks was immediately replaced by the necessity to beat the contract. My partner followed with an encouraging 9. It looked normal to continue a low spade, which I did--partner won the queen and played a 3rd spade to my ace. I didn't know this for certain, but we had just set up declarer's 9th trick. I had to find a heart shift now to get our 5 tops and failed to do it. Declarer's hand was JTxx xx AQJx AQJ. Our teammates again came through with a reasonable +120 on this board, but they understandably couldn't cover -400. I was thinking that perhaps my lead had made it more difficult for us to cash our tricks--maybe I should have stuck with a 4th-best club. More likely it is a combination of bad luck and my own defensive slip later--it was certainly possible to find the heart shift.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
No Cigar
Well I'm back from another enjoyable trip to nationals...the most exciting moments and ulitimately my biggest regrets came from my team's one day in the main event, the Reisinger Teams. It is scored by point-a-board--in other words, you score one point for beating your opponents' score on a hand, a half for tying and 0 for scoring worse. We played 26 boards in the afternoon and evening and ended up dead average with 26/52. Unfortunately we came on the wrong side of the tiebreaker format and were sent to the showers...2 of 7 teams with our score advanced. This is my favorite event of the year, and it would have been a great experience to advance to the 2nd day, but I guess there is always the next bridge tournament. Here are a few hands from the 2nd session for you to ponder. You hold the same South cards that I had.
Bd 9:
AK9x
Axx
xxx
KQx
The auction starts with two passes to you--you open 1NT, partner staymans and bids 3 spades over you 2 spade reply. Do you go?
Bd 14:
none vul
Kxx
AKQx
Axx
Kxx
You open 1 Club in 2nd seat. LHO overcalls 1 Diamond, partner raises to 3 Clubs (weak) and RHO bids 3 Diamonds. You?
Bd 20
Both Vul
xxx
AKQJxxx
x
xx
RHO opens 1 Diamond in 3rd seat. How many hearts do you bid?
Bd 22
E-W Vul
Qx
QT
QJxx
QT9xx
LHO opens 1 Spade in 3rd seat. Partner overcalls 2 Clubs and RHO bids 4 Clubs (splinter). You double (do you?), LHO passes, partner bids 5 Clubs, RHO bids 5 Hearts, you pass, LHO bids 5 Spades, partner passes and RHO takes 2 minutes to pass. Do you sacrifice?
Bd 24
AKxx
KJx
x
9xxxx
RHO opens 1NT, LHO transfers with 2 Diamonds. RHO bids 2 Hearts, LHO 3 Clubs and RHO 3NT. What do you lead?
Bd 9:
AK9x
Axx
xxx
KQx
The auction starts with two passes to you--you open 1NT, partner staymans and bids 3 spades over you 2 spade reply. Do you go?
Bd 14:
none vul
Kxx
AKQx
Axx
Kxx
You open 1 Club in 2nd seat. LHO overcalls 1 Diamond, partner raises to 3 Clubs (weak) and RHO bids 3 Diamonds. You?
Bd 20
Both Vul
xxx
AKQJxxx
x
xx
RHO opens 1 Diamond in 3rd seat. How many hearts do you bid?
Bd 22
E-W Vul
Qx
QT
QJxx
QT9xx
LHO opens 1 Spade in 3rd seat. Partner overcalls 2 Clubs and RHO bids 4 Clubs (splinter). You double (do you?), LHO passes, partner bids 5 Clubs, RHO bids 5 Hearts, you pass, LHO bids 5 Spades, partner passes and RHO takes 2 minutes to pass. Do you sacrifice?
Bd 24
AKxx
KJx
x
9xxxx
RHO opens 1NT, LHO transfers with 2 Diamonds. RHO bids 2 Hearts, LHO 3 Clubs and RHO 3NT. What do you lead?
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Your Call?--Updated
Red on white you hold in 1st seat: x x AK98x AQxxxx. You open?
I chose 1 Diamond...this hand is plenty for a reverse if you could be guaranteed a fit, but life is not always great with hands like these, and until you get some good news from partner, my experience tells me to start cautiously. The auction did not develop particularly well for me. LHO overcalled 1 Heart, partner bid 1 Spade and RHO jumped to 4 Hearts. You have your 10 seconds, but must act then or you could put your partner in a tight position at his next turn...what's your call?
Thanks guys...no traps on this one, Mojo--it looks relatively obvious to bid 5 Clubs, and in retrospect I agree with that bid. I was about to do it at the table but in my 10 seconds of waiting after the skip bid I talked myself out of it. Bidding can certainly be wrong...often you will turn a plus position into a minus one and it would be nice to hear some input from partner--his range of hands is enormous at this point. Also sometimes even if you can make, partner will correct, blissfully unaware that clubs is your 6-bagger. One problem with the pass comes when partner does show signs of life with a double. Now you got the input you wanted but it's back to you and can you really bid just 5 Clubs now? Wouldn't you do that with xx x AQJxx KJTxx? You've endplayed yourself into a guess--my guess might have been 6 clubs but if the hand is good enough to bid a slam when partner reopens with a double, it should be good enough to bid 5 Clubs now. Also if you've made up your mind that you are never passing a double (and with 6-5, who really would?), there is no way you are going to get them on this auction if they are stepping way out of line. So you are drawing a bit thin with a pass...you can play 4 hearts undoubled, possibly 5 diamonds, or a slam (if that is your choice over partner's double). And that's without considering what you may do if partner bids 4 spades. I hadn't seen this situation before and certainly wasn't capable of all of this analysis within 10 seconds--actually i only got as far as the point about partner correcting to diamonds when it was wrong. So I made the 2nd best bid, pass. Fortunately it was in tempo and my partner brought a smile back to my face by reopening not with a double, but with an aggressive 6 diamonds. His hand was AKxxx Axx QT9x x. The play was as easy as it looks...I made 12 tricks for a major swing against 5 diamonds at the other table. One possible moral--in some of these tough situations, if you don't know exactly what to do, at least do it in tempo!
I chose 1 Diamond...this hand is plenty for a reverse if you could be guaranteed a fit, but life is not always great with hands like these, and until you get some good news from partner, my experience tells me to start cautiously. The auction did not develop particularly well for me. LHO overcalled 1 Heart, partner bid 1 Spade and RHO jumped to 4 Hearts. You have your 10 seconds, but must act then or you could put your partner in a tight position at his next turn...what's your call?
Thanks guys...no traps on this one, Mojo--it looks relatively obvious to bid 5 Clubs, and in retrospect I agree with that bid. I was about to do it at the table but in my 10 seconds of waiting after the skip bid I talked myself out of it. Bidding can certainly be wrong...often you will turn a plus position into a minus one and it would be nice to hear some input from partner--his range of hands is enormous at this point. Also sometimes even if you can make, partner will correct, blissfully unaware that clubs is your 6-bagger. One problem with the pass comes when partner does show signs of life with a double. Now you got the input you wanted but it's back to you and can you really bid just 5 Clubs now? Wouldn't you do that with xx x AQJxx KJTxx? You've endplayed yourself into a guess--my guess might have been 6 clubs but if the hand is good enough to bid a slam when partner reopens with a double, it should be good enough to bid 5 Clubs now. Also if you've made up your mind that you are never passing a double (and with 6-5, who really would?), there is no way you are going to get them on this auction if they are stepping way out of line. So you are drawing a bit thin with a pass...you can play 4 hearts undoubled, possibly 5 diamonds, or a slam (if that is your choice over partner's double). And that's without considering what you may do if partner bids 4 spades. I hadn't seen this situation before and certainly wasn't capable of all of this analysis within 10 seconds--actually i only got as far as the point about partner correcting to diamonds when it was wrong. So I made the 2nd best bid, pass. Fortunately it was in tempo and my partner brought a smile back to my face by reopening not with a double, but with an aggressive 6 diamonds. His hand was AKxxx Axx QT9x x. The play was as easy as it looks...I made 12 tricks for a major swing against 5 diamonds at the other table. One possible moral--in some of these tough situations, if you don't know exactly what to do, at least do it in tempo!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Gambling at the 4-Level--Updated
I'm not sure what my fascination is with high-level bidding decisions. I guess part of it could be an overall love for excitement, gambling, and adventure, which all play their parts when your bidding space is sparse. I just got back from Lake Geneva--it was a fun weekend and generally successful tournament. I got some solid practice time in with my partners for the upcoming NABC in San Diego. Hopefully this will be the first of a few posts about the tournament.
I'll do this one in the form of a poll...what do you like on this auction?
Love all-
xx
QTxxxx
x
AQxx
Ax
AKxx
xx
KT9xx
The above hands are North and South respectively. West opens 4 Diamonds (natural) in front of the North hand. The scoring is IMPs and here are your options for entering the auction (I'll let you know my own opinions later, which could certainly change...actually i don't think any of these choices are insane, so please don't feel bashful about stating your opinion!)
a) North should overcall 4 Hearts.
b) If North passes, South should balance with 4 Hearts
c) If North passes, South should balance with a double
d) Everyone should pass--the preempt worked this time
Let me know what you think...if you choose a, let me know if you would also agree with b or c! This is fun. I must be sick :).
Thanks for the comments. Situations like this don't pop up all that often, but my general experience has told me that it's right on hands like these to bid aggressively with distribution. That is why, though most of you seem to shudder at the thought of overcalling with the north cards in this example, I personally don't think overcalling is that bad. In fact, throw in the jack of hearts and jack of clubs and I would call the hand a sound minimum 4 heart overcall. The reason I think bidding with distribution is important is that often your partner will have some kind of decent balanced hand, perhaps with 3 of the enemy suit and have no safe-looking action available. Picture Axx Axx Axx Kxxx. I would feel very nervous bidding over a 4 level preempt with this, even in balancing seat...opposite the north hand with the two jacks thrown in, you will be odds on to make 6 hearts, and opposite the actual north hand 4 hearts would be a very resonable contract. The consequence of this line of thinking is that as partner of the overcaller in this type of situation you have to give a lot of leeway. It's a little bit analagous to responding to a 3rd seat opening...be careful not to hang your partner for acting aggressively. If a slam is there, you know that the other table may well face the same difficulty and guesses in the bidding. Indeed on this hand getting to game would have been plenty. At my table I help the 2-4-2-5 hand and faced the auction 4d-p-4s-?. I should probably have doubled, but I passed...we set it 3 for what looked like a horrible result. We gained 3 imps when the auction was 4d-p-p-p at the other table.
I'll do this one in the form of a poll...what do you like on this auction?
Love all-
xx
QTxxxx
x
AQxx
Ax
AKxx
xx
KT9xx
The above hands are North and South respectively. West opens 4 Diamonds (natural) in front of the North hand. The scoring is IMPs and here are your options for entering the auction (I'll let you know my own opinions later, which could certainly change...actually i don't think any of these choices are insane, so please don't feel bashful about stating your opinion!)
a) North should overcall 4 Hearts.
b) If North passes, South should balance with 4 Hearts
c) If North passes, South should balance with a double
d) Everyone should pass--the preempt worked this time
Let me know what you think...if you choose a, let me know if you would also agree with b or c! This is fun. I must be sick :).
Thanks for the comments. Situations like this don't pop up all that often, but my general experience has told me that it's right on hands like these to bid aggressively with distribution. That is why, though most of you seem to shudder at the thought of overcalling with the north cards in this example, I personally don't think overcalling is that bad. In fact, throw in the jack of hearts and jack of clubs and I would call the hand a sound minimum 4 heart overcall. The reason I think bidding with distribution is important is that often your partner will have some kind of decent balanced hand, perhaps with 3 of the enemy suit and have no safe-looking action available. Picture Axx Axx Axx Kxxx. I would feel very nervous bidding over a 4 level preempt with this, even in balancing seat...opposite the north hand with the two jacks thrown in, you will be odds on to make 6 hearts, and opposite the actual north hand 4 hearts would be a very resonable contract. The consequence of this line of thinking is that as partner of the overcaller in this type of situation you have to give a lot of leeway. It's a little bit analagous to responding to a 3rd seat opening...be careful not to hang your partner for acting aggressively. If a slam is there, you know that the other table may well face the same difficulty and guesses in the bidding. Indeed on this hand getting to game would have been plenty. At my table I help the 2-4-2-5 hand and faced the auction 4d-p-4s-?. I should probably have doubled, but I passed...we set it 3 for what looked like a horrible result. We gained 3 imps when the auction was 4d-p-p-p at the other table.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Rebid Problem/Possible Solution--Updated
You hold:
AKQJ9
ATxxx
K
xx
You open 1 Spade, partner responds 1NT and you bid?
Well, I bid 2 Hearts as well and we did miss a cold game this time. Partner had: x xx AQJTx J9xxx. One of the biggest problems I've had with standard bidding is this exact situation--opener's simple rebid in a new suit has a very wide range. One possible solution is the Gazzilli convention. Stacy Jacobs has a nice write up on her blog here:http://stacyjacobs.com/system-notes/major-suit-openings/. Basically a 2 Club rebid on this auction could be arificial, encompassing your jumpshift hands but also the problem-range hands. It starts around a good 16 points and responder's 2 Diamonds is a relay, game-forcing if opener has 16+. Our auction on the given hand would go-1S-1NT-2C*-2D**-3H***-3NT
*-Gazzilli--either semi-natural or 16+
**-8+ points any (gameforcing opposite 16+)
***-16+, 5-5 majors
AKQJ9
ATxxx
K
xx
You open 1 Spade, partner responds 1NT and you bid?
Well, I bid 2 Hearts as well and we did miss a cold game this time. Partner had: x xx AQJTx J9xxx. One of the biggest problems I've had with standard bidding is this exact situation--opener's simple rebid in a new suit has a very wide range. One possible solution is the Gazzilli convention. Stacy Jacobs has a nice write up on her blog here:http://stacyjacobs.com/system-notes/major-suit-openings/. Basically a 2 Club rebid on this auction could be arificial, encompassing your jumpshift hands but also the problem-range hands. It starts around a good 16 points and responder's 2 Diamonds is a relay, game-forcing if opener has 16+. Our auction on the given hand would go-1S-1NT-2C*-2D**-3H***-3NT
*-Gazzilli--either semi-natural or 16+
**-8+ points any (gameforcing opposite 16+)
***-16+, 5-5 majors
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