Rate Yourself 01

Because teams bridge has started this week, I will not be doing a review as I cannot get the hand records and results together for analysis.

However, I did start a new series where the readers could answer some problems and rate themselves. That seemed to go down quite well with a number of readers, and a big thank you to those who participated by sending in their answers.

I’m sure they will learn even if they did not score as well as they might have. The attached file is the first part of the series. Those who answered the earlier email and gave their answers are invited to continue by reading this file and then sending me their answers to the next set of questions posed.

Also, if you come across any tricky situations or problems in your teams play, please let me know by email to villyn@xtra.co.nz, together with the full hand record, what went right or wrong and ask any question you might want a view on. I’ll be happy to answer and maybe send it to the other readers.

With best wishes for better bridge and better results,
Vil

Rate Yourself 01

You are SOUTH and playing MATCH POINTS. Dealer South, all vul.

The bidding has been

South	West	North	East
1NT1	Pass	2	Pass
2	Pass	3	Pass
?

1. 12-14

What is your bid? You do play transfers and Stayman. You hold:

J75

AQJ3

J74

QJ6

This presents a very good example of why inexperienced players should NOT play transfers until they have learnt basic bidding properly, or when they do decide to play transfers, they should learn the basic system of transfers and then agree with their partner about what certain sequences mean.

If you play STAYMAN but not transfers, the sequences could have different meanings and implications than if you play Stayman AND transfers. Let me tell you why.

Partner has bid STAYMAN and you have dutifully responded as asked, by bidding 2H. Now partner bids 3D. If you were playing fairly old fashioned Acol with no transfers, your interpretation of the 3D bid should be that partner now wants to play in 3D, having heard your 2H response. Because partner used Stayman, that implies, reasonably, that partner has a weakish hand with four SPADES and six diamonds. So you should PASS partner's 3D. There is no such thing as a transfer any more, but some people who do not know enough about transfers might be confused and bid 3H thinking the 3D was a transfer but how can it be? Partner has already found out about your hearts and is NOT interested in them.

But if you do play transfers, some of the more expert players would interpret the 3D bid as not a weak hand with four spades and 6+ diamonds, but as a strong hand with four spades and longer diamonds and an interest in slam. With a weak hand in diamonds, they would bid 2NT, which is a transfer (to EITHER clubs or diamonds) rather than look for four spades in opener's hand. This is why it is important not only that you learn the BASIC system of transfers but also discuss different situations with any new partner. As far as I am concerned, hardly worth the hassle.

Let me now show you partner's hand and you can then tell me what YOU think of partner's bidding and also criticise the bidding and tell me how partner SHOULD have bid his/her hand. Here is what partner's hand was:

North

QT62

982

AKT85

7

After your 1NT opening, how SHOULD partner have bid? Feel free to criticise him/her and tell me where partner went wrong.

Problem 2. Match Points again. West opens 1, East responds 1, 3NT from West. North (partner) leads the 2.

This is dummy (East):

J76

T4

QJT743

QT

This is YOUR hand (South):

T94

KJ83

A2

K753

The 4 is called for from dummy. Which card do you play?

Now let's have a look at what should happen next. There is no right or wrong answer to the first problem, but there is only ONE correct answer to the second one. Let's see why.

When partner has led a low card, he will have SOMETHING in the suit, and will expect you to co-operate by playing the highest card you need to play in order for you to drive out declarer's highest card. You should ask yourself what your partner's possible holding in hearts is, to have led the suit.

That should be easy, because the lead of the two tells you that partner has only four hearts. They should be headed by the ace or the queen. If the lead has been fourth highest from four small cards, then it does not matter which high heart you play, does it? But if the lead is from the ACE, and declarer has the queen, then not playing your king is surrendering the trick to the queen. You should know enough about opening leads that to lead fourth highest from an ACE against a TRUMP contract is a terrible lead when you have e.g. A974 but against NO TRUMPS it is a standard lead aimed at establishing deeper tricks for the defence. In No Trumps you may lose a trick or two to establish later tricks, but against a trump contract you do not have the luxury of giving tricks away early IF YOU CAN HELP IT.

That may also go for Non Trumps, especially if you can win an early trick without giving one away. That is why learners are taught that 'third hand plays HIGH and second hand plays LOW. If you don't follow that advice and play your JACK, then what will happen? Nothing much if partner has led form the queen but if partner has led from the ACE, you have surrendered to declarer's queen absolutely needlessly.

Why should you EVER give a trick away unless it is a GOOD idea. How CAN it be this time? Now let's say you have finally seen the light and made the proper play of the KING. That in fact holds. Next question: what card do you continue with next?

Score yourself for your bridge so far:

• Question 1: If you PASSED 3D, score 10. If you bid 3NT BECAUSE you understood 3D to be FORCING, score 10. If you bid 3NT for any other reason, score 5. If you bid anything else, score 0.
• Question 2: If you played the JACK, score 0. If you played the KING, score 10.

Now you have your second chance: Tell me first of all, how partner SHOULD have bid the hand in Q1.
AND, to continue the exercise, tell me which card you lead after your king of hearts holds.

Vil