PORTHCAWL BRIDGE CLUB 2008 CHRISTMAS QUIZ - ANSWERS

All problems assume Acol, with a weak no-trump, five-card majors (although for four-card aficionados this is somewhat irrelevant), and match-pointed pairs (except question 12).

In problems 1 - 6, look at the bidding sequences and decide which of a), b), c) is the appropriate West hand matching the given bidding sequence. For convenience the vulnerability is love-all.

1. Dlr. West: West East a) ♠ A8 b) ♠ A8 c) ♠ AQ7

1♥ 1NT ♥ KJ9752 ♥ KJ9752 ♥ KJ973

3♥ ♦ AJ ♦ AQ ♦ K6

♣ A84 ♣AJ6 ♣ AK5

(a) is correct. 3♥ is non-forcing, and East would sensibly pass with a singleton heart and minimum values.

(b) West would wish to be in game. He would either bid 3NT directly, or preferably bid 3♣ (forcing) to see if partner can give minimal support for hearts (two cards), whereby he would then bid 4♥.

2. Dlr. East: West East a) ♠ J87642 b) ♠ AQ10764 c) ♠ AK10764

1♥ ♥ K7 ♥ Q7 ♥ Q

1♠ 2♣ ♦ Q96 ♦ K96 ♦ 964

2♠ 2NT ♣ Q4 ♣ 94 ♣ 974

3NT

(a) West’s spades are not quite good enough for 2♠ on his second bid, which would show a weak hand (6-9 points) but a stronger suit. West would instead give preference to 2♥.

(b) West is too strong for 2♠. 3♠ would be the correct bid.

(c) is correct. - stronger spades than (a) for the 2♠ bid. After the 2NT bid, East sounds as if he has about 17 or 18 points with maybe a 1-5-3-4 shape.

3. Dlr. East: West East a) ♠ KJ7652 b) ♠ KQ7652 c) ♠ KJ765

1♥ ♥ 74 ♥ 74 ♥ 74

1♠ 2NT ♦ 863 ♦ 863 ♦ 1073

3♠ ♣ A7 ♣ 107 ♣ KQ10

(a) West would bid 4♠ over 2NT. He has sufficient values for game and has at least a probable 6-2 spade fit.

(b) is correct. 3♠ is a sign off – non-forcing.

(c) West would bid 3♣ over 2NT. A new suit at the three level is forcing. The aim is not to seek club support, after all if East had good enough clubs to raise 3♣ to 4♣, he would no doubt have rebid 2♣ instead of 2NT. West wants to see if East can offer 3-card spade support, otherwise 3NT will be the final contract.

4. Dlr. East: West East a) ♠ Q1063 b) ♠ 85 c) ♠ K8

1♥ ♥ 75 ♥ Q83 ♥ 7

1NT ♦ K63 ♦ 9752 ♦ 86542

♣ Q962 ♣ AJ63 ♣ A10853

(a) A 1NT response to 1♥ usually denies four spades, so with this hand West would respond 1♠.

(b) With this hand, West would raise 1♥ to 2♥. A single raise of a major suit doesn’t guarantee 4-card support even playing 4-card majors.

(c) is correct. Unlike other no-trump bids early in the auction, a 1NT response to 1♦, 1♥, or 1♠ doesn’t necessarily promise a balanced hand, merely insufficient points for a two-level response (You need 9+ points to change the suit at the 2-level). West cannot pass 1♥, since 5♣ or 5♦ may be making. 1NT is the practical bid.

5. Dlr. East: West East a) ♠ K762 b) ♠ 953 c) ♠ AQ42

1♥ ♥ 7 ♥ 5 ♥ K5

2♣ ♦ J73 ♦ J73 ♦ AQ

♣ AJ842 ♣ KQ10642 ♣ Q9762

(a) Whilst West is strong enough to bid 2♣, he certainly isn’t strong enough to reverse into 2♠ over a possible 2♥ response. In response to any opening bid, if you are not strong enough for two bids, you must give priority to showing the major, so here 1♠ would be the correct response.

(b) West hasn’t the point strength to bid 2♣ and should respond 1NT. If East rebids 2♦, 2♥, 2♠ or 2NT, West is then ideally placed to bid 3♣ showing long clubs and weakness.

(c) is correct. West has the points for a possible 3♣ bid, but a jump shift by responder would show a much more solid suit that this. He can show his extra strength later in the auction.

6. Dlr. East: West East a) ♠ K7642 b) ♠ A953 c) ♠ KQ92

1♥ ♥ J7 ♥ Q7 ♥ K6

1♠ 2♦ ♦ Q73 ♦ K73 ♦ 973

2♥ 3♦ ♣ 982 ♣9842 ♣ J832

Pass

(a) is correct. West gives ‘false preference’ to 2♥ (despite the poor quality hearts), East having at least five hearts, and either four or five diamonds. East’s 3♦ is a game try, now showing a 5-5 shape. West isn’t interested in game and now prefers the known 5-3 diamond fit.

(b) West is just good enough to accept East’s game try of 3♦, and would jump to either 4♥ or 5♦ (preferable).

(c) the same count as (b), but West has the wrong honour cards to accept the game try, but would probably still give preference to 3♥ over 3♦, particularly playing pairs.

In problems 7 - 10, you are South. What do you bid next with the hand shown?

7. Dlr. Dealer North (your partner). EW Vulnerable.

S W N E

♠ K9865 1♠ Pass

♥ 2 ??

♦ J7654

♣ 63

Four Spades:

With this type of hand, the standard Acol response to partner’s card major opening is what is called a pre-emptive raise i.e. 4♠. This bid shows up to 10 points, long support for partner’s suit (4 or 5) and distribution (ideally a singleton or void in the other major). How pre-emptive you wish to be does depend on vulnerability, since you are making the bid with a possibility that you may go one or two off. The upside is that with the 4♠ bid, it is virtually impossible for the opposition to find their heart fit (probably 4♥ or 5♥ will make). You may even make 4♠ opposite the ‘right’ hand from partner. This hand is probably the minimum point count for the bid.

You may previously have been taught that a direct raise to 4 is 13+ points. Wrong! Beginners should use a delayed raise (e.g. 1♠ -2♣ or 2♦ - 2anything – 4♠), or as you become more experienced, use a conventional 2NT bid (especially if playing 5-card majors).

8. Dlr. West (on your left). Love All

S W N E

♠ A1064 1♦ Double Pass

♥ AK63 ??

♦ 9876

♣ 3

Two Diamonds:

Partner’s double is for take-out, and if minimum (12-15) should have at least three cards in each of the other suits (♣,♥,♠). With 11 points and the singleton club, you want to explore game options in either major, but which one. The standard bid in this situation is to bid the opponents suit – i.e. 2♦. Partner has to respond to this. If he responds 3♣ (which he would do with 5 clubs and 4 of a major), you then bid the opponent’s suit again – i.e. 3♦. Partner would then know you are 4-4 in the majors and respond accordingly. If he initially responds 3♥ or 3♠, you should then pass since you have no extra values (with say a 13 count you would raise to game). If partner had extra values he would bid 4major over your 3♦ bid.

9. Dlr. East (on your right). Love All

S W N E

♠ KQ63 3♥

♥ 32 Double Pass 3♠ Pass

♦ AQ2 ??

♣ KQ54

Pass:

The double of 3♥ is for take-out, so your partner has to bid. So his 3♠ could be on no points.Your partner knows that you have at least 14 points (with less than that you have to pass originally, unless there is distributional compensation). You would only raise to game on about 18 points. If partner had 9+ points he would probably have jumped to game himself (ok – you may have 16 points opposite 8 points making game, in which case congratulate the opponent’s on a good pre-empt). But do remember that in all probability the rest of the room will be in the same predicament). On this particular hand you may be grateful to make even 3♠ - a worst case scenario could see the opposition making two hearts, a heart ruff, a spade, a club, and a diamond (6 tricks).

10. Dlr West (on your left). All vulnerable.

S W N E

♠ K4 1NT Double 2♥(natural)

♥ K976 ??

♦ Q832

♣ 763

Double:

Partner’s double suggests 15+ points and he expects to defeat 1NT. Together with your 8 points, you should be able to defeat any opposition contract at this level. You have reasonable hearts and should be able to defeat the 2♥ contract – the question is by how many. Purely based on point count you should be able to get them two down for +300. But can you make 3NT for 600? If partner has only 15 or maybe 16 points, probably not. If he has more than this (17+), then possibly you can, but leave this decision to him. You should play safe and double – partner with the expected shortage in hearts and 17+ points could then bid 3NT

Play Problems (these are slightly more difficult):

11. Declarer Problem – you are West:

West – (You - Declarer) East- (Dummy)

♠ ---- ♠ KQ5

♥ K6 ♥ Q83

♦ A953 ♦ K764

♣ AQJ9874 ♣ K105

South - 3♠; West - 5♣; North - pass; East - 6♣.

Lead ♠2.

If you play a spade honour, and ruff South’s ace, you can draw trumps, and then lead towards dummy’s heart honour. North is then caught in a ‘Morton Fork’ situation. If he ducks, you win with the ♥Q and discard your losing heart (the king) on the ♠Q. Assuming diamonds are 3-2, you then just lose one diamond. If instead North wins his ace, you can later discard two diamonds on the Q♥ and Q♠, and you then lose no diamonds and just the one heart.

Not quite good enough (but since it's Christmas I'll give you half marks)..

Suppose South doesn’t cover you initial heart honour. You are forced to take a discard immediately – but which one. The defence (North) can decide whether or not to take the ♥A depending on what you discarded (if you discard the heart, he immediately wins his ♥A; if you discard a diamond he delays taking his ♥A). You will always be one off.

The solution is to play a small spade at trick one. South preserves his ♠A, playing say the jack. You ruff, draw trumps, leaving a trump entry in dummy. Then you lead the low heart. North is still caught in the Morton Fork as detailed above, and you end up losing either one heart or one diamond. If you don’t believe me cross out the cards as played.

(Note: when leading partner’s pre-empt suit, it’s best to lead any high honour. This leaves more freedom on the spot cards. Unlike ‘normal’ leads (in particular ‘second highest from a badsuit’), my preference on partner’s pre-empt suit is to give count on the lead of a spot card. So in the above situation the ♠2 lead would show an odd number, enabling South to better judge that declarer is void or a doubleton (in which case it doesn’t matter))

12. Defensive Problem (teams play – i.e. you need to try to defeat the contract) – you are South:

♠ AK742

♥ 73

♦ 542

♣ 1042

♠ 965 ♠ 108

♥ AQJ984 ♥ 106

♦ KJ7 ♦ AQ1096

♣ 6 ♣ KQJ7

♠ QJ3

♥ K52

♦ 83

♣ A9853

Queen of Spades:

West becomes declarer in 4♥, having shown a semi solid six card suit (say 1♦ - 1♥ - 2♣ - 3♥- 4♥).

North starts with his natural lead of ♠A and South automatically follows with the ♠3 – or does he? Before this seemingly automatic play, South should give some thought as to whether there is any chance of defeating this contract. He is fairly certain of ♠A ♠K from partner, together with his ♣A – three tricks. The diamonds would appear to be solid for declarer (West must have the ♦K to make up his points, and in any case a finesse would work if needed). The only chance is to make ♥K (on the bidding, partner is unlikely to have a high heart honour). But he knows that declarer can enter dummy twice with diamonds (there is no way that partner can ruff the second round), and take two finesses. But declarer can only take these two finesses if he has two trumps in dummy. Can we dispose of one of dummy’s hearts for finessing purposes? Yes – we need to ensure that he has to ruff a spade. Now is the time for a slight deception. At trick one play ♠Q. Partner should continue with ♠K on which you play ♠3. Partner now ‘knows’ that you have a doubleton spade and continues with a third round for you to supposedly over-ruff dummy. Declarer has to ruff in dummy, hoping North has ♥K and he can throw a club on the long diamond. However you follow, declarer now only has one trump left in dummy and cannot catch your ♥K. If necessary you can ruff the third round of diamonds with ♥K and cash ♣A before declarer can dispose of his club – one off.

(After the ♠Q, at the second trick North might play a small spade to partner’s jack. If so, South still wins, cashes ♣A, and plays another spade himself).

AFH