Submitted by Vil Gravis on Tue, 08/09/2020 - 15:55
The DOUBLE is a tool that is very much underused, and when used, totally MISused. I intend to write much more about the basic takeout double, as well as our “Evil Double”, but for now I want to start with a typical deal where there is competition in the bidding.
Dealer N EW Vul
J4
QT76
AQ862
K5
KT32
A83
T43
J96
AQ876
52
K5
QT87
95
KJ94
J97
A432
The bidding at our table, in a match point session, was:
Submitted by Vil Gravis on Sun, 06/09/2020 - 10:34
How can you improve your defence? Well, the first step to good defence is the opening lead, so let’s talk about that. There is no short cut to becoming a good opening leader, but nothing beats a bit of thought. Your thinking should be about two things: the actual hands as you can best work them out, and that includes your partner’s hand as well as declarer and dummy; and then, an anticipation of how declarer is likely to play the hand.
Submitted by Vil Gravis on Fri, 28/08/2020 - 13:42
The two opening lead problems from the previous issue were set for a reason: not to show the reader that the lead of the ace from AQx makes sense and should be used whenever possible, but that it makes sense to have that option in the ‘opening lead repertoire’. Nothing can replace good thinking and logic, but a certain amount of imagination and lateral thinking is also required for you to become a really good defender. And I must also stress here that it is vital that your partner also reads this so you are on the same page.
1.You are South and the bidding has been 1NT from East, 2NT (invitational) from West, 3NT from East and it is now your lead from:
Submitted by Vil Gravis on Wed, 26/08/2020 - 16:43
Did anything occur to you when you read File No.4? If not, you were not thinking about the implication of the opening lead and the total defence that is always needed for best results, especially against lower level contracts, whether they are No Trump contracts or you have to battle against a trump suit. The next few files will look further at defence as well as declarer play, but for now let us return to the deal that I have been discussing, ad nauseam you might say.
Submitted by Vil Gravis on Wed, 26/08/2020 - 13:07
As promised, here is the ‘eye opener’. We now turn our attention to South as declarer. I stumbled on a very interesting, and similar situation many years ago when I had to make the opening lead from a very similar West hand. I did not want to lead from my heart suit and did not want to lead one of the black suits because the lead of a useless three card suit against 1NT is not being very proactive. What to do?
Submitted by Vil Gravis on Sat, 22/08/2020 - 10:09
So many of us say we don’t like No Trumps, especially 1NT, either from a play or defence point of view. But there is a great deal to be learnt, and gained from, an appreciation of what No Trumps is about. Here is a very ordinary deal I have discussed in a booklet on “Twos and No Trumps”.
Submitted by Vil Gravis on Wed, 19/08/2020 - 12:47
Before we launch into this new series featuring Evil Acol, I am sure that all readers will enjoy a repeat of this amazing deal from X-Clubs. It actually occurred about a year ago but of course the bidding and play never went according to the story as I have written it, but nevertheless it is an amazing deal, because, for the story to come to life, the play involves four Ace-King plays where the ace and king are played at the same trick, and the deepest possible finesse needs to be taken at trick two. A grand slam that can be made when one opponent holds K1082 in the trump suit as well as an opening bid!
Submitted by Vil Gravis on Fri, 14/08/2020 - 14:08
No doubt most of those who played this board thought: what a bore. Nearly every East opened 1NT and played there. Most made exactly one, some made an overtrick, and a couple of declarers found a way to fail to make what should have been an easy enough seven tricks. So, if you were one of the lucky pairs to defeat 1NT, you did well. But not as well as the one pair that was using the principle of not allowing 1NT to be passed out if there was any way to compete. Those readers who have followed the “Evil” way of competing against 1NT will be interested in this one.
This is what happened:
Board 1 from Tuesday 11/08/2020
Dealer N Nil Vul
Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 06/08/2020 - 16:21
“Points, schmoints” ... if I may quote a well known American bridge mentor. That advice was obviously NOT taken by nearly all the Norths who took part in this deal.
Board 14 from Wednesday 5/08/2020
Dealer E Nil Vul
J4
QT76
AQ862
K5
