Vil Gravis's blog

RealBridge 03

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Tue, 22/03/2022 - 15:55

This comes from a Swiss pairs event at the Wellington Club. There must have been some very average defence, because a number of Souths made 1NT, most with an overtrick.

Board 21 From Monday 21/03/22
Dealer N NS Vul

AQ432
AT9
74
KT2
J965
J85
AT5
J85
T8
K643
Q82
AQ94
K7
Q72
KJ963
763

Vil's Answers for the Bidding Question

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Wed, 16/03/2022 - 16:50

Thanks for all your answers to what were not easy questions. Not everyone was in agreement, and nobody, unsurprisingly, agreed with me on the very first problem. Here is what most of our panelists thought:

You are South each time and match points.

1. Dealer East NS Vul
The bidding has been:

SouthWestNorthEast
---1
?

Your bid holding

J9632
AKT2
AK43

RealBridge 02

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Wed, 16/03/2022 - 13:53

There was some not so good declarer play and defence on this deal, a deal that should not have presented either declarer or defenders with a problem. As it happened, nothing made any difference to the end results. But there is a lesson to be learnt nevertheless.

Board 2 from Monday 14/03/22
Dealer E NS Vul

862
643
QJT7652
KT973
J7542
AQ
9
AJ54
Q8
KT972
K4
Q
AKT963
J85
A83

Some Bidding For You

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Mon, 14/03/2022 - 11:41

You are South each time and match points.

1. Dealer East NS Vul
The bidding has been:

SouthWestNorthEast
---1
?

Your bid holding

J9632
AKT2
AK43

X-Clubs Play 12

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Mon, 07/03/2022 - 09:49

Here is a simple declarer play problem. Well, it should be simple. The hand pretty well plays itself, but declarer needs to think just one step ahead in order to get the best result.

Board 10 from Tuesday 1-Mar
Dealer E All Vul

97
KQJ96
AT73
AQ
8
T83
KQJ65
J432
AKJ2
754
942
876
QT6543
A2
8
KT95

RealBridge 01

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Tue, 22/02/2022 - 18:27

This series will review deals from RealBridge as played at the Hutt Bridge Club. This one was also played in X-Clubs sessions on 21/02/22. Playing on line is a bit different to the real thing, some things you can do and some you can’t. One thing you can do on line is ask for an “Undo”. Playing the wrong card at the table just can’t be undone.

This deal provided the players with a bit of a chuckle.
Dealer S Nil Vul

QJT52
86
74
AJ72
AK9643
32
8
QT94
8
AK7
AJ932
K865
7
QJT954
KQT65
3

Evil 22-08

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Fri, 11/02/2022 - 12:20

This rather freakish deal came up in a teams match some time ago. Yes, the hands were somewhat freakish but such freakish hands do occur, and in a teams match can create huge swings both ways.

Dealer S All Vul

AQ4
83
QT
JT9532
T975
AQT7642
K4
J862
KJ95
KJ986
K3
A75432
AQ876

Evil 22-07

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Fri, 04/02/2022 - 12:39

As I will be away for a week, I guess I had better not keep you in suspense about the “Evil Doubles”. In competitive bidding, when three suits have been bid or implied, a double of opponents’ suit shows either two or four cards in the unbid suit and either ace or king. There is good reason for this being so specific. Three or five cards seldom present an opportunity for a ruff for the defence and there are other ways to bid a hand that does not meet this very specific requirement. So, let’s take a look at the deal from No.6 and see what might happen after an Evil double.

Dealer N Nil Vul

A
JT653
AQT2
532
T752
A97
J954
AT
KQ864
42
876
KJ8
J93
KQ8
K3
Q9764

Evil 22-06

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 03/02/2022 - 15:17

Match point bridge can be cut throat at times, as a correspondent who sent me this deal found out.

Dealer N Nil Vul

A
JT653
AQT2
532
T752
A97
J954
AT
KQ864
42
876
KJ8
J93
KQ8
K3
Q9764

Evil 22-05

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Tue, 01/02/2022 - 12:31

From across the world, a reader sent me this deal from a teams contest in Ireland. Neither side distinguished themselves on the deal, my correspondent ending up in the ungainly contract of 2H in the South seat. Their team mates, in the EW seats, were in 4S. Both contracts failed. Let’s take a look at the full deal:

Dealer S All Vul

A97
6
97542
KQ87
KJT2
QT42
AKJ6
6
Q8543
753
QT83
A
6
AKJ98
JT96543

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