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Director's Corner - tip of the week

Did you know that

Duplicate bridge tournaments should be played in strict accordance with the Laws. The chief object is to obtain a higher score than other contestants whilst complying with the lawful procedures and ethical standards set out in these laws.

Click Director's Corner for more on the laws of the game.

Hand of the Week Archive
Hand of the Week Archive

This page will have all old hand of the week items from the home page archived for later reading.

Hand of the week Wednesday 3rd May 2023

There were many potential slams to be bid on Wednesday and hand 9 was one of them. But how do you bid slam on this low point count hand?

The answer will be put up on the Monday following the hand and archived a couple of days later. To look back at previous hands of the week click Hand of the Week Archive.

My bidding sequence would be 1♠ (P) 4 (P) 4NT (P) 5♠ (P) 6♠ AP

4 is a splinter showing game values with 4+ card support in ♠ and either singleton or void in  

4NT is Roman keycard Blackwood 3041

5♠ shows 2 keycards plus Q♠ 

Hand of the Week Wednesday 26th April Teams Event

How would you bid board 27?

 

Not an easy slam to bid because most pairs would stop in 3NT, however playing teams it is worth going for slams when they are greater than 75%
 

My bidding sequence would be 1♣ (P) 1 (P) 3 (P) 3NT (P) 4NT {RKCB 3041  trumps} (P) 5 (P) 6 AP

Hand of the Week Wednesday 5th April

Board 3 from Wednesday Duplicate session yielded several different contracts. If your partnership play weak 2's then N/S should be in 4♠ doubled. Assume you do play weak 2's and let me know how this should be bid?

 

My sequence would be 2♠ (DBL) 4♠ (P) P (DBL) P (P) P

This shows the power of the preempt on preventing the opponents from finding their best game contract and works well with this vulnerability.

Hand of the Week 20th to 24th March 2023

How would you bid board 7 from last Monday’s duplicate?

 

My bidding sequence and commentary is as follows: P - (1) - 2♠ - (3) - P - (3NT) - P - (4♣) - P - (4) - P - (4) - AP

1 - opening hand with 4 or more ♦'s

2♠ - weak jump overcall 6-10 and 6 ♠'s

3 - best played as game forcing (with a weaker hand 10-12 then simply bid a negative double to show 's)

3NT - shows a ♠ stop and less than 3 's

4♣ - shows 5-4 in -♣ looking for best place to play as NT looks a problem

4 - shows a likely 2-2-6-3 or 3-2-5-3 shape as neither  or ♣ have been supported

4 - last chance to play in 4 with such a good suit (especially at PAIRS) rather than 5 of a minor OR 5 - knowing a diamond fit especially at TEAMS

 

Hand of the Week March 6th to 9th of March 2023

Two boards were chosen this week. How would you bid hand 14? ... Further down this page is the second board for your comment.

 

My bidding sequence would be (P) - 1NT - (P) - 2♣ - (P) - 2 - All Pass.

1NT - shows 12-14 balanced

2♣ - weak stayman willing to play in diamonds, hearts or spades

2 - no 4 card major

Second hand of the week

How would you bid board 17?

My bidding sequence would be as follows playing strong two's or benji Acol: 2 - (P) - 2 - (P) - 3 - (P) - 5 - All Pass

Alternatively playing only 2♣ as the only strong bid: 1 - All Pass

This scores well for the strong two player camp because it is normal to open 1 for those that play 2♣ as their only artificial strong bid.

Hand of the Week Tuesday 14 February 2023

A valentine special this week. Hand 7 from Tuesday shows 7 can be made. How do you make 13 tricks on any lead?

 

 

The trickiest lead is a ♣ so win by trumping with Q and immediately start by playing a  to the K. Play back to K to shorten opponents  hearts.Trump a diamond and then take out last three trumps in two rounds as they are 3-2. Back to K♠ and trump 3rd diamond.Back to A♠ and run last 3  from the top throwing 3 losing clubs. With only trumps remaining claim 13 tricks.

Hand of the Week Monday 6th February 2023

I have chosen hand 20 this week because it is a good example of a part score battle. How would you bid this one?

 

My bidding sequence starting with West is 1 (P) 1♠ (2) P (P) 2♠ (P) P (3) AP.

West is worth a 1 opening planning to rebid 2♣. East has less than 6 points but with a 6-card ♠ suit it is worth keeping the bidding open. South has a good suit quality  suit and can bid 2. West can no longer bid ♣ because it would show a strong hand 16+ with 5 and 4♣ so should PASS because his partner still has a bid. North should now PASS because the competitive auction has petered out. East is worth a bid of 2♠ to show the 6th ♠ and a weak hand. Now when it comes back to North a bid to the level of fit is appropriate knowing a 9-card fit and the law of total tricks says there should be 17 total tricks (i.e. If EW can make 2♠ then NS can make 3).

Hand of the Week Monday 2 Jan 2023

This weeks hand has been chosen by Pauline. How would you bid this one?

My bidding sequence with explanations below 1♠ (P) 2 (P) 2 (P) 3♣ (P) 3 (P) 3♠ (P) 4♠ AP

1♠ - opening hand 4 or more ♠s 12-21

2 - 4 or more ♦s and 10+ points

2 - 5 ♠s and 4 ♥s 12-18 points

3♣ - 4th suit forcing asking for more information

3 - 5 ♠s , 4 ♥s and either 3♦s or 2♦s with an honour and no stops in ♣s

3♠ - 2 ♠s with an honour looking for best game

4♠ - game

Hand of the Week Monday 5th December 2022

Board 3 is this weeks hand of the week. A couple of pairs managed to bid the only makeable slam using double dummy. Two other pairs took a chance with 6NT but this fails on a heart lead. What is the best sequence to find 6♣?

 

My sequence is (P) 1♣ (1 ) X (P) 1♠ (P) 4NT (P) 5 (P) 6♣ AP
 

4NT is 3041 RKCB knowing partner is missing an ace then best to settle for a known 9 card fit in ♣ rather than gamble in NT with only one heart stop.

Hand of the Week Monday 21 November 2022

Board 11 produced a different contract on all 7 tables! How did you bid this one? How should the bidding go?

 

My bidding sequence is 1NT (2♣) X (2 ) X (P) 3NT. West has a hand that is worth a landy bid to bring both majors into the game. North should double to show clubs and points and this is a penalty double. South must double East’s 2 bid for penalties. Now North can bid 3NT.

Hand of the Week Monday 7th November 2022

The Children in Need duplicate produced a lot of very interesting hands. Deal 22 stood out for me as everyone should find a slam but how do you get there?

 

My sequence would start with South opening 1 , North responding 1 and then South's best bid is a splinter to 4♣ showing singleton or void club and game values opposite a minimum hand with four hearts. Wow says North and bids 4NT (Roman Keycard Blackwood) knowing either 6 or 7 hearts is the contract. South shows 3 keycards so North bids 7 and grand slam bid and making.

Hand of the Week Monday 24th October 2022

Board 17 from this Monday's online duplicate pairs produced six different contracts out of the seven tables. They say an all green vulnerability makes you want to declare in a part score board but most pairs were overbidding on this one. Two E/W pairs got to the optimum contract of 3♠ so how would you have bid this sitting E/W?

 

East should open 1♠ having the rule of 20. South has a perfect 2NT unusual no trump overcall showing both minors. This makes it very difficult for West who should pass. North bids 3 the longer minor and that should be the final contract. Without the 2NT overcall EW should find their spade part score either at the two level or the three level if NS are pushy.

Hand of the Week Wednesday 5th October 2022

A slam on board 18 was possible, what would be your bidding sequence?

 

East has a perfect hand for opening 2NT. West is now in charge of the auction and it will depend on the partnerships agreements on how to get to a slam. If the partnership do not have any minor transfer bids available to them then just bidding 6NT would be my choice with a source of tricks in both minors. If playing 3♠ as a minor transfer looking for slam then 3♠ - 4♣ - 4NT - 5 - 6NT would be the way to go.

Hand of the Week Wednesday 28th Sept 2022

This week an interesting bidding sequence appeared on board 7 from Wednesday's duplicate. How would you bid this?

 

After two passes North has a tricky decision, does one open 1♠ or 2♠? For me it is a clear 2♠ because East is likely to have a strong hand so best to show your 6 spades straight away and also make it difficult for East. Now South has an easy decision and jumps to 4♠ whatever East bids to make West guess. Thus my sequence would be P - (P) - 2♠ - (X) - 4♠ - (P) - P - (X) all Pass.

Hand of the Week Wednesday 21 Sept 2022

This week an interesting bidding sequence appeared on board 17 from Wednesday's duplicate. How would you bid this?

North has a balanced 23 point count hand and most partnerships would open this 2♣ but those that are more cautious may downgrade this 4-3-3-3 shape hand and open 2NT showing 20-22 but that will result in the partnership not finding a slam because the partner of the opener will not look for slam knowing there is only a maximum of 32 points between the hands.

Thus, my bidding sequence would be 2♣ (P) 3 (P) 3NT (P) 4♣ (P) 6 (AP)

2♣ shows game forcing hand

3 shows 8+ and 5 or more diamonds

3NT shows 23-24 balanced

4♣ shows 5-4 in minors and looking for a slam in either

6 with great diamond support

Hand of the Week Monday 5th Sept 2022

This week an interesting bidding sequence appeared on board 8 from Monday's online duplicate. How would you bid this?

 

The bidding sequence on this hand will of course depend on your partnership understanding and also if North decides to overcall. In the normal uncontested auction it is usual for West to open 1♠ but some partnerships that play 19-20 2NT opening may decide to open this 2NT. I personally would always prefer 1♠ with such a good spade suit and an unbalanced hand. The big question now is what does East respond? In the modern bridge world West could have up to 21 points unbalanced so if your partnership play the modern style then either 1NT or 2♠ will be bid by East again depending on partnership agreement on responding with 3 cards in opener's suit. Thus, if the agreement is that you always have an honour with 3 card support in an uncontested auction then 1NT is the best response because it slows partner down and gives the opportunity of playing in either  or ♣  or NT as well as ♠ thus catering for many different opening hands. In a contested auction i.e. 1♠ - (2) then it is best to show 3 card support and a weak hand regardless of the holding (again this needs to be agreed with partner).

Thus, my bidding sequence would be 1♠ - (P) - 1NT - (P) - 4♠ - AP

Hand of the Week 31st Aug 2022

The topic this week is Negative Doubles which is the subject of board 24 if North decides to open 1 and East puts in an aggressive 2♠ bid. What is the best action by South and why?

 

The South hand knows that game is on but which game? The negative double allows South to show a 4 card  suit because a double of a major suit overcall always shows 4 of the other major. Now the best game of 4 can be found. South could bid 3NT but, at duplicate pairs matchpoint scoring, that is not as good as the major suit game unless you can make the same number of tricks.

Hand of the week 24th August 2022

Board one from Wednesday has been suggested by the headmaster as this weeks hand of the week. How can E/W find the 4♠ contract on this hand assuming South opens 1NT? It is much easier if South decides to open 1 so what would be your bidding sequence on both openings?

 

There were a number of very good answers this week. Those that play the ASTRO defence to a 1NT a bid of 2 by West followed by a bid of 3♠ by East to show 4 cards and 8 losers is best. For those that play Landy (or multilandy) then a bid of 2♣ to show majors followed by a bid of 2♠ by East and a bid of 3♠ to show a maximum by West would see East bid 4♠ . However, both of these bids are unusual because West has 17 points and most partnerships will double in this situation for penalties. Thus, the headmaster has suggested the following sequence of bidding:

P - P - 1NT - X - 2♣ - 2 - P - 2 - P - 2♠ - P - 4♠ 

After the double North bids a weakness takeout 2♣ to try and get out of the penalty (some players play redouble as an exit double in which case the bidding would still progress as shown). East can now show both  and ♠ and West will be happy to settle in 4♠ .

After a 1 opening by South the following sequence including a splinter would get EW to 4♠ : P - P - 1 - 1 - P - 1♠ - P - 4 - P - 4♠ 

Hand of the Week 17th August 2022

Board 15 from Wednesday's face-to-face session was a very interesting part score deal. Out of the five tables that played this board there were four different contracts (2♣ , 2♠ , 2 and 1NT) played by 3 different declarers (N, S and W). How would you have bid this? Click answer to see my answer.

There is no right or wrong answer because it depends on your partnership understanding. However, out of all the entries received I would award top marks to the headmaster. My bidding sequence would be P-P-1NT-P-2♣-P-2-P-2♠ all pass.

Firstly, North has an unbalanced hand but does not have a rebid (the club suit is awful and not rebiddable). Thus, best to open 1NT especially with the notrumpy doubletons and this gets over the rebid problem. Now South should bid stayman and not transfer because of holding at least one 4 card major. Then when opener replies 2 to show no 4 card major South can bid 2♠ to show a weak hand with 5 spades and 4 hearts.