A Risque Business

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Sun, 19/05/2019 - 15:19

As declarer, what risks are you prepared to take for extra match points? And how do you assess your risk? Here is a very good example of when you might consider taking a risk and why.

Board 15 from Thursday 16/05/2019
Dealer S NS Vul

QT9
KJT753
6
A83
K4
A96
T84
KQ975
J76532
82
J975
4
A8
Q4
AKQ32
JT62

Point Count Schmoint Count!

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 16/05/2019 - 18:43

How many lessons can we learn from just one deal? Look at board 4 from this session:
Board 4 from 15/05/2019
Dealer W All Vul

652
K73
AKT82
K6
KT73
QJ654
A752
AJ94
Q962
73
T84
Q8
AJT854
9
QJ93

Better Get Thee to a Nunnery, perhaps?

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Fri, 10/05/2019 - 11:53

To bid or not to bid? That is the question. Simply passing a (suitable) hand out at the one level (as in yesterday’s article) or in 1NT is most likely to result in a below average score on the board, and this one was no exception.

Board 14 from Thursday 9/05/2019
Dealer E Nil Vul

T87652
95
J5
AKQ
K3
K432
9843
J98
AQJ
QT87
K76
T42
94
AJ6
AQT2
7653

What happened at your table?

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 09/05/2019 - 11:43

There could be a lot of different bidding on this board, some of it right, some of it clearly wrong, and some of it debatable. Which category would you have fitted in? Let’s take a look.

Board 4 from 8/05/2019
Dealer W All Vul

A32
A63
K9
AT987
K6
QT842
QT84
Q2
J987
K9
AJ65
KJ5
QT54
J75
732
643

Doubles vs Overcalls

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 02/05/2019 - 19:13

Takeout doubles are something that you and partner will need to learn, understand, and agree about as soon as possible. You have probably been taught different things about when you can double an opening one level bid and when you can make an overcall. I am pretty much fixated on “Major Oriented” takeout doubles, so would have no problem with the hand that South had when East opened the bidding with 1H.

Board 20 from 1/5/19
Dealer W All Vul

T962
98
AT954
AQ
43
43
KJ863
9762
K87
AKQT62
2
853
AQJ5
J75
Q7
KJT4

Slowly Slowly Catchee Monkey

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 25/04/2019 - 13:39

Seldom do I write about slams but this deal was one that prompted me to discuss slam bidding, mainly because it is more about thought processes than straight out bidding theory. The latter is based on point count, the former more on processes of communication and fact finding.

Board 17 from 24/04/2019
Dealer N Nil Vul

6532
Q5
954
8432
AK
K986
872
AQJ6
T98
AT432
AQT
K7
QJ74
J7
KJ63
T95

Just An Ordinary Day (not)

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Fri, 19/04/2019 - 20:08

There are always match points to be gained or lost even on the most ordinary part score hands like this one. The bidding should be pretty well universal: after a pass from East, 1S from South, 1NT from North and 2S from South should close the auction. It is in the declarer play and defence that things may differ.

Board 22 from Thursday 18/04/2019
Dealer E EW Vul

Q5
T74
6532
AQT7
97
J65
A74
K9842
KT6
A983
KJT8
65
AJ8432
KQ2
Q9
J3

All Things Considered

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 18/04/2019 - 18:37

Most learners have been taught two things about Acol: that you should always show a suit if you can, and that if you open the bidding in a suit, you must have a REBID prepared. They have also been taught that a 1NT response to an opening one level bid shows 6-9 high card points,. All that considered, even those beginners who have not been taught anything more than that, should be able to stop in the correct contract on these very unexciting NS cards.

Board 7 from 17/04/2019
Dealer S All Vul

T92
KQ84
KJ965
K
A853
952
AT73
J5
KQ7
JT73
Q
QT762
J64
A6
842
A9843

BSOL to the Fore

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Fri, 12/04/2019 - 19:53

Nobody at our club managed to make thirteen tricks in a heart contract on this board. Deep Finesse tells us that thirteen tricks can be made. It will give the reader an exercise in declarer play and the reader will be able to judge for themselves whether this is a sensible way to play a 4H contract or not. And should East land up in 6H, should the play be the same?

Board 6 from Thursday 11/04/2019
Dealer E EW Vul

KJT983
JT
QJ6
85
A
A6
K97
AT97632
75
KQ8752
A543
Q
Q642
943
T82
KJ4

It's Simple ...

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 11/04/2019 - 10:56

Simple and basic attention to declarer play should be all that is necessary a lot of the time. While these NS hands could well be bid to a slam, it is the very basic declarer play that we need to talk about, because almost half the Souths who played in game in spades managed ONLY eleven tricks! Take a look:

Board 15 from 10/4/19
Dealer S NS Vul

QJ872
T5
AQ3
AK3
8764
J6
JT98762
T64
AQ2
T98752
Q
AK953
KJ93
K4
54

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