Hand of the Week - Good bidding and Match points explained

Suggested Bidding

West  North  East  South

                     1♠     Pass

1NT   Pass   3♥     Pass  Note East decides that he will make a Jump Shift which is a Game Forcing bid.

3NT   Pass   4♥     Pass  Note East now shows the 5 cards in Hearts and leaves West to choose either Hearts or Spades

Pass  Pass 

Dlr: East Vul: E/W  J 8 5 3  K  Q 9 7 6  Q 10 6 5 Optimum EW 4H  4 2  J 9 7  J 10 8 3  A K 7 3 W E S T NORTH E A S T 6 SOUTH  A Q 10 9 7  A Q 6 5 3  K 4 2  - -   8   9   15   8    K 6  10 8 4 2  A 5  J 9 8 4 2   N N 1 - - - - S - - - - - E - 3 5 3 4 W - 3 5 3 4

Board No 6 E/W Vul Dealer East Deal: 20160623Green NS EW Bid By Ld Tks +Sc -Sc + - 1 8 4♠ E ♣9 8 200   6   2 6 3♥ E ♠6 9   140 4 2 3 5 4♥ E ♦A 11   650   6 4 7 2♠ E ♦A 10   170 2 4

You can see the 4 different results from the traveller. When there are 4 tables, match points are awarded 0, 2, 4 and 6 for the worst to the best results.

You can see NS 1 with their score of 200 is the best so they obtain 6 match points

You can see NS 2 who limited the EW pair to only 140, obtain the next best 4 match points

NS4 allowed EW to make an extra trick and score 170, and therforeobtained 2 match points.

NS3 were unlucky since their EW opponents were the only pair to bid and make the game and then they scoed an overtrick, so NS 3 obtained 0 match points.

Yes the opposing pair get the balnce of the match points so when NS3 get 0 EW 5 get 6.

At the end of the morning  all the match points are added up and then divided by the total number of match points avialble to reach the precentage.

The question of whether to play Stayman or Transfers initially with a 5 4 in the Majors keeps on occurring.

Lets look at the South Hand below: 4 5 2 2 distribution, 13 points. When North Opens 1NT South knows there is enough for Game.

However before you answer the  question whether to play Stayman or Transfers initially, one has to have a suitable answer which is also consistent when South has a Weak hand 0 - 10 points - No game and Invitational hand 11-12 points - Maybe Game.

Also before you answer the question, one also may wish to differentiate between 5 4 in the majors and 5 5 in the majors. (assume we are not playing Extended Stayman)

Finally the answer maybe better for 5 4 in the majors as opposed to 4 5 in the majors. Is there a difference? There are numerous references before an answer is given.

http://www.bridgewebs.com/eden/Staytran.pdf

https://www.mrbridge.co.uk/library/Transfers_2.pdf

http://www.bridgeguys.com/Conventions/JacobyAndStaymanCombined.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stayman_convention

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacoby_transfer

Using Jacoby transfers with Stayman

Today, most players use Stayman in conjunction with Jacoby transfers. With Stayman in effect, the responder practically denies having a five-card major, as otherwise he would transfer to the major immediately. The only exception is when responder has 5-4 in the majors; in that case, he could use Stayman, and in the case of a 2♦ response, bid the five-card major at the two level (weakness take-out / Garbage Stayman) or at the three level (forcing to game). However, the latter hand can also be bid by first using a transfer and then showing the second suit naturally.

Whatever one thinks about what is the better system the most important aspect is to have Partnership Agreement on what you are doing.

Dlr: West Vul: E/W  9 4  K J 9 3  A 9 7 2  A 6 3    J 8 3  Q 5  K J 3  K J 7 5 4 W E S T NORTH E A S T 16 SOUTH  A 10 7 2  7 2  8 6 5 4  10 8 2   12   11   4   13    K Q 6 5  A 10 8 6 4  Q 10  Q 9   N N 1 3 4 2 3 S 1 3 5 3 3 E - - - - - W - - - - -

Board No 16 E/W Vul Dealer West Deal: D147 NS EW Bid By Ld Tks +Sc -Sc + - 1 7 3NT N ♠2 10 430   14 8 2 10 4♥ N ♠A 11 450   19 3 3 12 4♥ N ♥2 11 450   19 3 4 14 4♥ N ♣8 10 420   9 13 5 2 3♥ N ♠2 11 200   4 18 6 4 4♥ N ♦4 11 450   19 3 7 6 4♥ N ♣10 10 420   9 13 8 8 4♥ S ♣5 9   50   22 11 13 4♥ N ♣8 10 420   9 13 12 1 2♥ S ♠8 9 140   2 20 13 3 4♥ S ♣K 11 450   19 3 14 5 4♥ S ♦5 10 420   9 13

Hand of the Week - DECLARER PLAY - How to Make the Optimum Number of Tricks

Bidding on Board 2 was straightforward in reaching 3NT. Remember to use Stayman with four spades.

The opening lead was 5♦. Count your top tricks - five in this case. You need four additional tricks. Where are they coming from?

One possible length trick in clubs, no obvious additional tricks in diamonds, one definite additional trick in hearts and a possible second if the finesse is successful. In spades there are two definite additional tricks - if the King loses to the Ace the Queen wins; if the Ten loses to the Jack the Nine wins. Having won the first trick with A♦, lead a low club to Q♣. Now finesse the Hearts, low to the J♥, When it wins you need to get back over to dummy and lead  a low spade towards the dummy. When J♠ is played by South, cover with the K♠ , which then loses to A♠ . It is likley a diamond is played by North and the Q♦ wins. Whatever is lead by South, East wins the remaining tricks. Eleven tricks made.

Rember the very simple concept of playing low to high. It works most times.

Dlr: East Vul: N/S	A 8 6 3 2  K 5 4  K 3  7 5 4	Optimum EW 3N
K 10 7 5  9 3  J 9 7 6  Q 6 3	W E S T NORTH E A S T 2 SOUTH	Q 9 4  A Q J 8  A 2  A K 9 8
10   6   20   4	J  10 7 6 2  Q 10 8 5 4  J 10 2	N N - - - - - S - - - - - E 5 2 3 4 5 W 5 2 3 4 5

Why not try the Play Again facility on the website underneath the Hand 

Thursday Hand of the Week - Responder's 2nd Bid

What should responder bid?

Dlr: West Vul: N/S	A 9 6 4  Q 6 4  - -  A 10 9 5 4 3	Optimum W 2H
J 10 8 7 3  A J 2  6 5 2  8 6	W E S T NORTH E A S T 12 SOUTH	5  K 10 5 3  A K Q 8 7  K Q 2
10   6   17   7	K Q 2  9 8 7  J 10 9 4 3  J 7	N N 2 - - - - S 1 - - - - E - 3 2 - 2 W - 3 3 1 2

Suggested Bidding

West North East South

P      P       1♦    P

1♠    P        2♥   P

3♦     All pass

East opens 1♦ and West is just able to show his major suit with 6 points.  East then shows his second 4-card suit, hearts, by bidding 2♥ . Note that this is a reverse, showing a stong hand of 16-plus points. Had he been a couple of points fewer, East would have had to (reluctantly) rebid his diamonds at the 2 level. Despite now knowing East has 16-plus points, all West can do with his weak hand is make a preference bid of 3♦. East recognizes this and calls it a day.

Hand of the Week - Thursday 14th January - The Importance of Bidding and making Game

A non vunerable Game in 4♠  scores 420, and the Game in 3NT scores 400.

All Easts opened 1NT and the partner West has

West knows there will be a fit in ♠ s and with the 12 points and excellent ♠ s immediately should bid 4♠ .

Dlr: North Vul: None	- -  7 6 5  J 10 5 4 3  A 10 8 4 3	Optimum NS 5DX
A K J 10 9 3  8 4  9 6  K J 2	W E S T NORTH E A S T 1 SOUTH	6 5 2  A K Q J  K 7 2  7 6 5
5   12   13   10	Q 8 7 4  10 9 3 2  A Q 8  Q 9	N N 1 3 - - - S 1 3 - - - E - - - 4 3 W - - 2 4 1

On the typical Opening Lead of J♦ , Declarer will lose the first 2 ♦  tricks and trump the 3rd ♦ .

Declarer should now cash the Ace of ♠ . When seeing that North has no spades and South has 4 spades, Declarer should go over to dummy with a ♥  and then finesse the spades until the Q♠ is trapped.

This way Declarer should make a Game in 4♠  for a score of 400. Well done Pair 6 for Bidding 4♠  but have another look at the play.

Well done Pair 9 for bidding a 3NT Game and making.

Remember 2♠  after partners bid of 1NT is a Weak Take Out.

Hand of the Week - Thursday 7th January - So much to learn from one hand

The first Thursday Hand of the week is to illustrate how one hand can generate 6 different scores and 6 different contracts and results. This demonstrates when the hand is Duplicated across 6 tables how interesting and fun it can be.

Always look at your personal score card first. What was your contract and result for Board 9. Look at your written white Personal score card and then loook at the personal score card on the computer. Did you get a Green - Good score or a Red - Bad score or Yellow - Average score. You can then click on the hand number and look at the Traveller. What was everyone else's contract and tricks made. What is possible.

I immediately see that the majority played in ♥ s.

However some played in 1♥ , others 2♥ s, one in 3♥ s and finally two bid a game in 4♥ s.

Some Declarer's made 8, 9 or 10 tricks in ♥ s. 

I now look at the matrix which tells me how manytricks should Declarer win when playing in ♥ s. The matrix tells me 8 tricks. Therefore perhaps Declarer played brilliantly when making 9 or 10 or perhaps the Defence gave them an extra trick or two.

Perhaps the opening lead made a difference. Some lead a club and others lead J♦ .

Enough speculation, but it is very useful to look at the traveller to determine what you are looking for. I will now talk you through the bidding and the play.

Dlr: North Vul: E/W	A 10 8 5  K J 7 6 5 3  9  A 2	Optimum NS 2H
J 9 4  A 10 2  A 6 4 3  K J 4	W E S T NORTH E A S T 9 SOUTH	K 7 6 2  Q 4  J 8  Q 10 7 6 5
12   13   8   7	Q 3  9 8  K Q 10 7 5 2  9 8 3	N N - 1 2 - - S - 1 2 - - E 2 - - 1 1 W 2 - - 1 1

Suggested Bidding

West North East South

         1♥      Pass 1NT

Pass 2♥     Pass  Pass

Pass

North bids 1♥ showing longest suit 12 to 19 points and plans to rebid 2♥ s since North is Weak and has between 12 - 15 points. (North does not have enough strnght to do a reverse bid / bid over the barrier to 2♠ ) South does not have 9 points or more to bid a change of suit at the two level so South uses the dustbin bid of 1NT.

Yes you can make 8 tricks in 2♥ s, but Pairs 3 , 4 and 5 were lucky to make 9 tricks or more. The luckiest of the lot was pair 5 who bid and made a game.

Well bid Pair 5 who I believe ended up in the correct contract and well played Pairs 7 and 12 who limted the Declarer to the correct number of 8 tricks.

Hand of the Week - 22nd January - A Good Sacrifice

Always consider the Vulnerability when you are taking the cards out of the board, just before you count your cards. Memorise the Vulnerability. In the Hand below North South would have said we are Non Vul, they are Vul.

North looks at hand and says Unbalanced, 7 2 1 3 shape, 8 points, LTC 7, assumed 7 Playing tricks when played in spades.

	J 10 8 7 4 3 2  10 9  6  A K 7	Optimum EW 3N
K Q 6  5  A K 8 7 2  6 5 4 2	W E S T NORTH E A S T 6 SOUTH	A  A K Q J 8 2  5 3  Q 9 8 3
8   12   16   4	9 5  7 6 4 3  Q J 10 9 4  J 10	N N - - - - - S - - - - - E 5 2 4 - 5 W 5 2 4 - 5

The bidding starts 1♥ , Pass, 2♦  and North then says I have no defence against a likely game in Hearts. A game in Hearts will score 650, if I bid 4♠  immediately, even if I am doubled the score will only be 500. Therefore North immediately goes to 4♠ and shuts out the opponents who have 28 points between them.

One North was Doubled and still obtained a better score than allowing East to obtain 650.

How to make 13 tricks and get a top score.

	K 7 5 2  4  10 9 8 6  J 8 7 2	Optimum EW 7H
A Q 9 6  Q J 8 7 6  - -  K Q 5 3	W E S T NORTH E A S T 8 SOUTH	4  A K 9 2  A Q 5 2  A 10 6 4
4   14   17   5	J 10 8 3  10 5 3  K J 7 4 3  9	N N - - - - - S - - - - - E 6 1 7 2 5 W 6 1 7 1 5

Suggested Bidding

West North East South

1♥     Pass  2♣    Pass

2♠     Pass  4NT  Pass

5♦     Pass  5NT  Pass

6♦     Pass  6♥    Pass

Pass Pass Pass

East explores the strength and shape of West's hand by bidding 2♣ , then the West's bid of 2♠ , shows 5 4 in the majors and implies a strength of 16+ points. East explores Aces and with 4 Aces between them explores Kings, but with 2 Kings missing should really settle for 6♥  and not risk 7♥ .

As it transpires West as Declarer should cross ruff the ♦ s and ♠ s, and when 3 spades have been ruffed in dummy, play the first round of trumps with the remaining Ace ♥ , and then go over to Declarers hand by winning a club with the King. Draw the remaining 2 trumps and then with the standard CARD COMBINATION in clubs play Queen whilst keep the finesse option available with the Ace and 10!!

Well done Nicki for making the 13 tricks

The three pairs correctly bid a Small Slam by different means and unfortunately two pairs did not find the correct CARD COMBINATIONS in Clubs and the correct order of suits. (Come to a lesson on this on Friday 20th February)

Hand of the Week - Thursday 2nd October by Graham Osborne - Using a Forcing Bid to find out more info

	A  A Q 10 7 5 4  J 9 5  K 8 5	Optimum NS 4H
K 5 4  J 8 6 3  K 8 2  A 9 3	W E S T NORTH E A S T 6 SOUTH	J 7 6 2  2  Q 10 7 6 4 3  Q 2
14   11   5   10	Q 10 9 8 3  K 9  A  J 10 7 6 4	N N 5 - 4 2 2 S 5 - 4 2 2 E - 1 - - - W - 1 - - -

South started with 1S. We only have  10 HCP but we have a nice 5-5 shape and good pips in our two suits although it is
a negative that we have so many points in our short suits. Incidently I prefer to open 1S with 5/5 in the black suits
to show the most important feature of our hand.  if we start with 1C it is unlikely with such a weak hand that we will get to bid out our shape completely without the opponents interfering. North responds 2H and South has to rebid 2S, not being strong enough to introduce the club suit.

Now what does North bid?  At my table North tried 3H, this shows the sixth heart but is non-forcing and should have about 10-11HCP, whilst with 14HCP we have enough to insist on game. So what to do?  We don't have a second suit to bid, so we could guess to bid either 3NT or 4H hoping that is the right game, but better is to bid 3C.  This is game forcing  seeking more information from partner, but is a small 'white lie' because we would like to have 4 clubs. Now this is quite a subtle point but over 3C South should bid 3H.  Remember the 2H response to 1S shows 5 hearts, so South has already denied 3H, and thus partner should not expect more than 2 card support when South bids 3H.  Having found the eight card major suit fit North can now bid 4H with confidence.

Therefore Suggested Bidding

North East South West

           Pass 1♠      Pass

2♥      Pass  2♠    Pass

3♣      Pass  3♥    Pass

4♥      P         P       P

South could, of course, raise 3C to 4C, after all he does have 5 card support and that would be hard to criticise. The reason I suggest showing the heart support, is that firstly 4H scores better than 5C  (620 vs 600), secondly with such a weak hand it is quite likely we have three losers in 5C and finally we should be aware that partner might have been stuck for a bid over 2S and might not have real clubs as was the case in this hand. If  partner does not bid 4H over our 3H preference we can always show our club support later.

Hand of the Week - Part Score Battle

Dlr: West Vul: E/W	A K 3 A 7 5 4 3 J 6 9 6 2	Optimum NS 2S
7 2 K 10 9 8 6 2 9 3 Q J 10	W E S T NORTH E A S T 16 SOUTH	J 10 8 J A K Q 10 8 4 K 7 4
12   6   14   8	Q 9 6 5 4 Q 7 5 2 A 8 5 3	N N 1 - - 2 1 S 1 - - 2 1 E - 2 2 - - W - 2 2 - -

The auction does depend on if West opens with a Weak 2 ♥ ?

Suggested Bidding

North East South West

                             2♥

Pass Pass ??

South can virtually bid anything since South knows with a weak 6 -10 points in the West hand the remaining points are probably evenly split between North and East. South is in 4th seat and borrows 3 points. South does not wish to leave West in a cheap 2♥ contract. Therefore I would suggest 2♠ .

Of course the risk with this is that North must recognise that South's bid could be weak and not get carried away and bid 4♠ !

North East South West

                             2♥

Pass Pass 2♠       Pass

Pass ??

Then East comes alive and says I do not want to leave the contract in an easy 2♠  contract and bids 3♦

The final auction may be:

North East South West

                             2♥

Pass  Pass  2♠     Pass

Pass 3♦      Pass  Pass

3♠     Pass  Pass  Pass

Well done East for pushing North up one and the South goes down by 1 trick.

How about when West does not open with a Weak 2.

North East South West

                            Pass

1♥     2♦     X       Pass

2♥     3♦    Pass  Pass

Pass

Isn't it a shame that East did not leave North in 2♥  or perhaps even did a takeout double of 2♥  and then West converts to a penalty double!!

Hand of the Week - Gentle Duplicate - Declarer Play Cross Trumping

After opening lead of ace of Spades, West counts losers Spades 1 (if long spades can be trumped or established), Hearts zero (assuming 3 2 split) Diamonds zero (if the 3 extra diamonds can be trumped) and Clubs zero (if third club can be trumped). West decides to cross trump.