Vil Gravis's blog

Game, Anyone?

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 14/03/2019 - 17:33

With Acol, there is good reason for the 1NT rebid to show a hand of 15-16, or the more up to date version of 15-17 high card points.

Board 5 from 13/03/2019
Dealer N NS Vul

K9842
Q7
6432
86
Q3
A652
AKQJ9
T7
T765
K98
T5
AQ32
AJ
JT43
87
KJ954

Choose your poison ...

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Fri, 08/03/2019 - 14:22

Some more questions resulting from board 5 this week:

Board 5 from Thursday 7/03/2019
Dealer N NS Vul

943
K9543
43
752
KT52
Q2
92
AT983
Q
AJT76
AQ85
KQ6
AJ876
8
KJT76
J4

East opens 1H. What would you do as South?
If South overcalls 1S, what would you do as West?
Do you play “Michaels”? If you do and are South, would you bid 2H?
If South bids 2H (Michaels, spades and a minor) what would you do as West?
These are just some questions that might come up in this deal. Have a think about them before reading on.

Standard Play Wins the Day

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 07/03/2019 - 15:22

While these NS hands should possibly be bid to a small slam, it is the play that I want to talk about today.

Board 11 from 6/03/2019
Dealer S Nil Vul

AK84
82
A863
K43
QJT92
94
9742
75
63
Q753
T5
QJ862
75
AKJT6
KQJ
AT9

Vil's TakeAways ...

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Fri, 01/03/2019 - 19:50

Here are my takes on the problems posed in the article before last:

Board 20 from 27/02/2019
Dealer W All Vul

AJ74
KT98
AK54
2
KQT932
A6
72
A64
85
543
QJT3
T985
6
QJ72
986
KQJ73

Who Dares Wins

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Fri, 01/03/2019 - 10:08

You hold the West hand and South opens 1S. What would you do?

Board 7 from Thursday 28/02/2019
Dealer S All Vul

J752
T52
QT
J954
Q
AJ84
AKJ972
T3
T83
KQ763
63
Q86
AK964
9
854
AK72

Thinking Caps On ...

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 28/02/2019 - 09:10

There are some bidding and play questions arising from this deal.

Board 20 from 27/02/2019
Dealer W All Vul

AJ74
KT98
AK54
2
KQT932
A6
72
A64
85
543
QJT3
T985
6
QJ72
986
KQJ73

  1. When West opens 1S what would you do as North?
  2. If North doubles 1S, what would you, as South, bid?
  3. If South ends up in 4H what would you lead if you were West?
  4. Should West ever be declarer in 2S? How and why would that happen?
  5. If West is declarer in 2S, what should North lead? And after North makes the opening lead, how should he then continue?

A Plug for Defence

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Tue, 26/02/2019 - 07:58

From 20/2/19. Continuing the defensive saga from our previous issues

Board 3 from 20/02/2019
Dealer S EW Vul

QJ642
7542
93
A4
A5
QT6
AJT74
K75
T973
9
Q62
Q9632
K8
AKJ83
K85
JT8

Give me a lead here ...

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Sun, 24/02/2019 - 08:58

From 20/2/19. Continuing on from last time, let’s take another look at the deal in question and see why good defence is so important.

Board 3 from 20/02/2019
Dealer S EW Vul

QJ642
7542
93
A4
A5
QT6
AJT74
K75
T973
9
Q62
Q9632
K8
AKJ83
K85
JT8

Quiz Time!

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Fri, 22/02/2019 - 10:04

This week, something different. Not just one deal reviewed but half a dozen! All with a point to make. I won’t repeat the full hand records, just the bidding situations that arose each time.

Board 1. Sitting West, after three passes, what would you do with:

T74
AK6543
K4
73

Board 4. As dealer and both vul, would you open this:

QJ6
KQ963
65
KT8

Uneasy Lies The Head ...

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Fri, 15/02/2019 - 10:35

When partner opens 1NT and you have 11 HCP, you would normally invite game. When I held the South hand and partner opened 1NT, I really did not know what to do. After a lot of uneasy consideration, I passed!

Board 13 from Thursday 14/1/19
Dealer N All Vul

JT4
AJ63
KQ5
Q73
Q976
T
JT97
AT98
K853
KQ8742
4
J4
A2
95
A8632
K652

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