Vil Gravis's blog

Good Basic Acol

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 06/04/2017 - 17:43

Judging by the results from Board 11 on Wednesday 5th April it is necessary to reinforce some very basic bidding theory relating to the weak 1NT opening and No Trump rebids, as well as the simple bidding when partner raises your suit. These things should be basic but still seem to be eluding many of our new players. Witness the following:

Board 11 Dealer S Nil Vul

AQ54
94
AJT
A872
KJ3
AJT8
762
Q65
976
K632
Q854
KT
T82
Q75
K93
J943

How far to go?

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 30/03/2017 - 19:58

It is a common dilemma with highly distributional hands - and even sometimes with not so distributional hands - just who should stick their neck out furthest. Take a look at the West hand in the following deal from last Wednesday 29-March:

Board 16 Dealer W EW Vul

Q2
JT6
T96
AJT96
T643
AK532
Q732
KJ985
Q5
QJ8
K54
A7
AK987432
74
8

Bidding Basics

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Fri, 24/03/2017 - 13:08

“An opening bid opposite an opening bid equals game”. Keep that in mind when you play, because it will make your bidding and decision making easier. Just knowing that of course does not make bidding to game easier unless you have a proper structure that you and partner work to. Witness this hand from Wednesday 22nd:

Board 20 Dealer W All Vul

AK54
965
K93
KJ9
QJ98
KT
QT2
QT42
632
QJ4
J764
876
T7
A8732
A85
A53

Vil's Tip for Bidding 4441 Hands

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 16/03/2017 - 17:48

Sometimes, the best results can be obtained from very ordinary deals. Often, the lower level contracts can be contested by both sides, with the best judgement in bidding winning out in the end.

Board 24 from Wednesday 15th March Dealer W Nil Vul

976
T4
AQJ
98732
T
A752
7642
KJT5
AJ54
K863
K853
4
KQ832
QJ9
T9
AQ6

Re: the ACOL 1NT

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 09/03/2017 - 19:26

Why do you play a “weak No Trump”? One of the first things that you are taught when learning the Acol system is that, unless you choose otherwise, you open 1NT with a balanced hand and 12 to 14 high card points. But maybe you haven't been taught WHY you choose to play the weak No Trump, nor what to do when you or your partner does open a weak 1NT.

It's all about the Pudding

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Fri, 03/03/2017 - 10:20

Sometimes, knowing how to finesse can be a bad thing, because you also need to know when to finesse and what the odds of success are.

Board 14 Dealer E Nil Vul from 09WED on 1st of March

Q
JT9763
QJ984
5
AJT8642
AKQ
K7
3
93
854
A6
AKQ742
K75
2
T532
JT986

You Owe It to P

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 23/02/2017 - 09:24

Bidding is about discussion with partner, as I have pointed out earlier. Declarer play is about taking care of business on your own. If you discuss things properly with partner, you will end up in the correct contract. Then, if you get to play the hand, you can make sure that you fulfill the agreement you have with partner. If partner has cooperated and you have reached the best spot, don't let partner down by sloppy declarer play.
Let's take a look at Board 7 from Week 08 Wednesday night's play:

Board 7 Dealer E All Vul

AQ82
KJ8
83
AQ93
K74
964
KJ764
T6
953
52
QT
J87542
JT6
AQT73
A952
K

e-Vil Two's

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Sun, 19/02/2017 - 18:30

This Friday series is not going to be simply about “Evil Acol” but also about what we can do to improve our results when playing the sort of match point game that is being played on Friday afternoons. I would not necessarily recommend that the reader switch to “Evil Acol” but I will be talking about the philosophy of playing weak, and sometimes weaker than weak, two level openings. If the reader wishes to try something as radical and different as that, will be up to them.

Love Thy PARTNER!!

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 16/02/2017 - 15:33

From 07WED on 15th Feb.
One of the most important things you should learn about bridge is that it is a PARTNERSHIP game when it comes to bidding. Doing your own thing is very well if you are declarer, when you are totally in charge, but when it comes to bidding, you will only get the best results if you respect your partner and listen to what he or she has to say during the auction. Let's take a look at Board 10 from the day's play:

Board 10 Dealer E All Vul

987642
Q965
3
Q9
AQJ
AT98752
A63
T
AKJ742
KJ64
KT
K53
T83
Q
J87542

Evil ACOL on FRIDs

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Mon, 13/02/2017 - 10:46

Since I will be playing quite few of the Friday sessions at our club, I thought I'd do a “Friday Review” now and again. In the current event I have been playing ACOL, but with what have earlier been termed “Evil Twos”, which can basically be described as weak two suited openings at the two level, including a 2C opening. The “Evil Twos” go as follows: 2C is a weak two suited hand at least four cards in each of clubs and hearts, 2D diamonds and hearts, 2H both majors, and 2S spades and a minor, with the stipulation that we have five spades.

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