Vil Gravis's blog

X-Clubs Play 15

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Tue, 03/05/2022 - 09:58

From “The Archives”. I came across this deal while reviewing some of my more interesting files from many years ago. This one was from an Open match point tournament. There are some interesting aspects and I asked a number of current players what they would do with the South hand.

Dealer North All Vul

JT32
3
AJ74
A984
Q94
Q5
QT9852
K6
AK6
KJ7652
7
T52
875
AT98
K6
QJ73

Your Bid?

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Mon, 02/05/2022 - 08:52

Match Points EW VUL Dealer East. You are South.
The bidding has been:

SouthWestNorthEast
---1
Pass1NTPass2
PassPassXPass
?

What do you bid holding

875
AT98
K6
QJ73

Answers to me at villyn@xtra.co.nz please.

Killing Lead Required

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Wed, 27/04/2022 - 11:01

From Wellington Open Pairs Saturday 23/04/2022
Nobody likes opening leads, much less so against slams.
Board 14 Dealer E Nil Vul

A86532
Q
QJT765
AKT8
Q
AJ9742
A2
Q54
KJ9
K65
K984
J97632
T74
T83
3

Two Bidding Questions Answered

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Wed, 20/04/2022 - 15:53

Thanks for the input of the many who responded - it should be valuable for all of us. Below is a summary of some of your answers and my own view of things.

Match Points
You are SOUTH

1. Dlr W EW Vul

SouthWestNorthEast
-PassPassPass
1Pass1Pass
?

Your bid holding:

A95
AKQT5
AT6
J8

X-Clubs Play 14

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Fri, 15/04/2022 - 20:16

Declarers and defenders both had the chance to shine on this deal, though I suspect that the best defence and best declarer play was not much often in evidence.

Board 15 from Tuesday 12/04/22
Dealer S NS Vul

T982
T543
QT632
J942
AQ7
K76
K87
AT853
KJ653
A
J9
KQ76
4
QJ982
A54

A Bird’s Eye View

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Fri, 15/04/2022 - 09:58

Brilliant defence has always fascinated me, to the extent that I offer this commentary on defence, which comes from an article I wrote 20 years ago inspired by something I read in a very old copy of a well known New Zealand magazine, one I picked up in the local fish and chip shop. This is basically how the story went:

Dealer South NS Vul

984
72
94
AQT964
Q53
QJT94
KJ
J82
JT72
863
Q872
K5
AK6
AK5
AT653
73

Continuing from earlier:

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Tue, 29/03/2022 - 10:47

Dummy:

A
AKJ9862
J98
K

You:

Q9752
73
AQ73
Q9

What should be your plan in a 6D contract given AC lead followed by another club?

Horses for Courses

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Mon, 28/03/2022 - 08:45

The question

Here is your hand and at nil vul you are fourth in hand after three passes:

Q92
AT876
AJ5
97

Match point scoring: what would you bid
a) if playing at your club (just an ordinary session)?
b) if playing in a multigrade or open tournament?

Answers with reasons to me at villyn@xtra.co.nz please

Some More Answers For You

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Fri, 25/03/2022 - 10:23

The two questions I sent out came from the same deal, did you put 1 and 2 together? Of course I did change the vulnerability and NS orientation and also changed the C7 to the jack to make your answers more 'tempting', amazing what difference just one point makes. Here they are again:

You are South
1. Dealer N Nil Vul
The biding has been:

SouthWestNorthEast
--11
?

Some More Bidding For You

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 24/03/2022 - 07:02

Another couple of bidding questions, from a match point session.
You are South
1. Dealer N Nil Vul
The biding has been:

SouthWestNorthEast
--11
?

Your bid holding

742
T98643
AT
J2

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