Worth a Thought ...

From Friday, 7 February 2020
Board 2 Dealer E, NS Vul

A85
AT8
KJT2
QJ2
KJ64
3
Q7
AT9874
Q73
K954
A95
K65
T92
QJ762
8643
3

Reader's question:
The bidding was:

Take a Lead

The bidding has been 1NT-3NT and you have to make the opening lead from:

A82
82
AQT9852
4

Before reading on, make your decision.

Going for the Jugular

How is your defensive bidding against a strong, usually Precision, opening 1C? In the following deal it really does not matter, nor does it matter if South opens an Acol 1D. All the EW pairs missed the boat, so let’s see why they did and why they should not have.

Board 6 from Tuesday 4/01/20
Dealer E EW Vul

K6
KQJ987
J8
T42
QT943
6
AT75
AJ8
J875
T542
Q9765
A2
A3
KQ96432
K3

Cutting Right to the Chase

From Monday AM, 3 February 2020 – Board 19 Dealer S EW Vul

A
KQJ9653
AKQT2
954
QJ962
42
J65
KQT87
AKT
AT7
83
J632
87543
8
974

Reader's question:
The bidding was:

SouthWestNorthEast
--22
PassPass5Pass
PassPass

A Mysterious Challenge

This one is an example of what I would call sloppy declarer play. West could hardly be blamed for raising East to a small slam when East opens with a preempt of 3D. That might make East a bit more careful in the declarer play if the results I saw are anything to go by.

Board 18 from Monday 27/01/20
Dealer E NS Vul

AKT9765
Q7
8
QT3
AT542
AJT
AJ542
4
83
KQ97632
K98
QJ832
KJ96
54
76

Vil Resumes ...

From Monday, 27 January 2020 – Board 25 Dealer N EW Vul

AJ42
T93
KQ63
A4
5
42
T985
QJT832
KQT8
AK865
AJ7
5
9763
QJ7
42
K976

Reader's question:
The bidding was:

SouthWestNorthEast
1NT2PassPass
Pass

My partner and I play Evil defence over 1NT. My partner overcalled 2H to show both majors. Was it a right call? Would 'Double' after 1NT be better to show her 17 hcp?

Vil Gravis on Weak Twos and Transfers

So much for taking a break over Christmas! The man can't sleep without a pen in his hand. Vil is favouring us with his thoughts on Weak Twos and Transfers in a new series of articles. This blog will be updated as he sends more articles. For the present we have:

  1. An Overview of Acol basics
  2. Basic Weak Twos
  3. No Trumps and Transfers
  4. No Trump Rebids
  5. Transfers and More
  6. Transfers after 2NT
  7. Opposition 1NT
  8. SSS: A Simple System Summary
  9. Bonus Article on play at No Trumps

If you wish to receive these articles via direct email when they're hot off the press just let Vil (villyn@xtra.co.nz) know and he'll add you to his mailing list.

Vil's Christmas Wishes

Here is an interesting Double Dummy problem from a recent session, Friday 29 November.

Dealer N, NS Vul

T74
JT652
93
KJ7
AJ532
9
7542
T43
KQ986
Q843
QT
Q5
AK7
AKJ86
A9862

Say It Once, Say It Right

AKJ93
T764
KJ32
QT7652
A983
Q7
5
QJ2
J863
AQT986
84
K5
AKT9542
74

From 48WED

The following deal gave me quite a shock when I went through the resulting contracts, not only at our
club but also all the other clubs across X-Clubs last Wednesday night.

A64
AT8762
QT9
7
KJ85
KQJ9
75
AJ3
Q73
4
KJ864
Q542
T92
53
A32
KT986

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