Vil Gravis's blog

Competing over an opponent’s 1NT can be fraught with danger, as many EW pairs discovered when they played this deal. It certainly helps, if you’re going to have the nerve to come in with a poor hand, if your declarer play is good enough to handle what may happen later.

Board 6 from Thursday 23/05/2019
Dealer E EW Vul

	A T98632 K92 876
Q9853 AJ4 84 QJ5		7642 AQT53 AT42
	KJT KQ75 J76 K93

As declarer, what risks are you prepared to take for extra match points? And how do you assess your risk? Here is a very good example of when you might consider taking a risk and why.

Board 15 from Thursday 16/05/2019
Dealer S NS Vul

	QT9 KJT753 6 A83
K4 A96 T84 KQ975		J76532 82 J975 4
	A8 Q4 AKQ32 JT62

To bid or not to bid? That is the question. Simply passing a (suitable) hand out at the one level (as in yesterday’s article) or in 1NT is most likely to result in a below average score on the board, and this one was no exception.

Board 14 from Thursday 9/05/2019
Dealer E Nil Vul

	T87652 95 J5 AKQ
K3 K432 9843 J98		AQJ QT87 K76 T42
	94 AJ6 AQT2 7653

Takeout doubles are something that you and partner will need to learn, understand, and agree about as soon as possible. You have probably been taught different things about when you can double an opening one level bid and when you can make an overcall. I am pretty much fixated on “Major Oriented” takeout doubles, so would have no problem with the hand that South had when East opened the bidding with 1H.

Board 20 from 1/5/19
Dealer W All Vul

	T962 98 AT954 AQ
43 43 KJ863 9762		K87 AKQT62 2 853
	AQJ5 J75 Q7 KJT4

There are always match points to be gained or lost even on the most ordinary part score hands like this one. The bidding should be pretty well universal: after a pass from East, 1S from South, 1NT from North and 2S from South should close the auction. It is in the declarer play and defence that things may differ.

Board 22 from Thursday 18/04/2019
Dealer E EW Vul

	Q5 T74 6532 AQT7
97 J65 A74 K9842		KT6 A983 KJT8 65
	AJ8432 KQ2 Q9 J3