Vil Gravis's blog

Better to Underbid and Overplay

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 29/06/2017 - 16:54

We're now back to our match point sessions at the Hutt Bridge Club junior's night. The following deal was could have been handled way better by nearly every EW pair.
Board 19 Dealer S EW Vul rom Wednesday 28th June

QT97
QJT9
QJT4
7
A2
A6532
93
AJT4
K43
K
A87
KQ9832
J865
874
K652
65

Bid Those Games at IMPs

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Fri, 16/06/2017 - 10:48

Another session of Swiss pairs at the Hutt club. It is very important that you bid all the available games. This one slipped past all but one pair.

From Wednesday 14th of June. Board 21 Dealer N NS Vul

52
AKT72
82
KT97
J74
J5
764
AJ854
AT863
Q963
K
Q62
KQ9
84
AQJT953
3

Swiss Pairs I

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Fri, 09/06/2017 - 07:14

This hand comes from Wednesday 7th June on which night my Hutt club was playing Swiss Pairs:
Board 20 Dealer W ALL Vul

K75
A962
J5
Q854
Q63
J87
KT43
J93
AJT9842
4
82
AK2
KQT53
AQ976
T76

Eight ever, nine never.

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Mon, 05/06/2017 - 09:54

From Wednesday 31st May
Board 2 Dealer E NS Vul

753
AT864
86
QT3
AJT9
K5
AQT42
95
KQ
QJ9
K9
AKJ742
8642
732
J753
86

Show Your Shape

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 27/04/2017 - 21:30

From Wednesday 26th
Board 5 Dealer N NS Vul

A965
T95
Q7
8542
7
Q764
K8432
K63
QT842
AK32
A9
JT
KJ3
J8
JT65
AQ97

The EW hands would provide a perfect example for a bridge teacher when teaching very basic bidding to beginners.

When not to rock the boat

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 20/04/2017 - 10:26

From Wednesday 19th April.
Board 19 Dealer S EW Vul

732
K9654
KT832
KQT
Q8
AQ964
A87
A5
A32
75
KQJ652
J9864
JT7
J
T943

No finesse some people!

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 13/04/2017 - 16:38

It's a pretty poor state of affairs when every pair in the room fails to make their contract, whatever it happens to be. Once more we can see the importance of a TRUMP FIT, and the folly of playing in No Trumps when there is a void in one hand.

Board 7 Wednesday 12th April
Dealer S All Vul

JT85
98763
AT63
Q96
K
J54
AJT942
42
JT42
Q97
Q753
AK73
AQ5
K82
K86

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

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