jahol

I know that similar topics have been discussed hundred times here. Still, you would like to know other's opinion, when you are confronted with something special.... Non-vulnerable with opponents vulnerable, your hand is x---AQJxx---xxx---xxxx . The opponent on your right side starts the bidding with 4S (explained as "a general block", the opponents play together for the second time in their life). The bidding continues: YOU 4S-----pass-----pass-----5C pass---pass-----5S------pass pass---??? What would you do?

Z informace k VUS v 1. celostátní lize jsem poněkud zmaten. Článek začíná větou "Propozice připouštějí užívání passystému s omezením...", ale následující věta "Jednotlivé dvojice, které budou proti páru používajícím VUS nasazeny (může to být i jen jedna dvojice na celý zápas) si připraví písemně způsob obrany proti PAS-systému a předají nejpozději 15 minut před zahájením kola dvojici používající VUS." je spíše omezením pro dvojice, které hrají proti passystému. Proč mám jen proto, že někdo chce hrát passystém, chystat papír navíc, nad rámec konvenční karty, i v případě, že hraju zcela naturální obranu? Proč nemám já nárok na přehledný popis systému od soupeřů na papíře a měl bych si tisknout z internetu? Zcela naturální obranu ale rozhodně hrát nebudu. A proto mám druhý, mnohem závažnější dotaz, nebo se chci spíše ujistit, že jsme si zachovali zdravý rozum. Požadavky na dvojici hrající proti passystému totiž uvádějí "V obraně proti VUS lze použít veškeré speciální dohody s výjimkou dohody, že zahájení PAS nevylučuje sílu běžně vhodnou na zahájení v barvě nebo v BT na prvém stupni.". Předpokládám, a doufám, že se tím, co se nesmí, myslí pouze silná hláška PAS na prvním místě, kdy ještě soupeři nedražili, ale že se omezení v žádném případě netýká hlášky pas na druhém nebo třetím místě po silném PASu soupeřů! (Ono to totiž z textu přesně nevyplývá - je hláška pas po silném, nicméně, pasu soupeřů "zahájením" nebo není? - pokud by byla, nesmí být dle pravidel na vývěsce silná). Když si představím situaci, že bych po silném pasu soupeřů 14+ musel povinně dražit ve druhé proti první s pravidelnou primérkou tref nebo káro a pak už jen čekat, až mi to vesele oflekují a spadnu za 1100, říkám si, že to tak asi nikdo nemyslel. Ale zdůraznit to, že po silném pasu soupeřů mohu (přirozeně!) pasovat se silnou kartou, by bylo dobré. Někomu to nemusí být z textu jasné. V článku mi navíc schází informace, zda mohu při dražbě proti silnému pasu nahlížet do písemně vypracované obrany. V pražské lize to tak je, tady by bylo vhodné uvést, zda se to může také, nebo má celostátní liga v tomto směru jiný status. Osobně si myslím, že by to umožněno být mělo. Jinak pak jako soupeř mám pouze dvě možnosti, které považuji za diskriminující: domluvit se na jednoduché (přirozené obraně), která může fungovat dobře - ale také může objektivně vést během šestnáctky k výsledku -60 IMP našrotit adekvátní obranu a zatížit si paměť, což bude mít (jak je dobře známo) přímý negativní efekt na další prvky bridžové hry (a je to zbytečná pakárna pro jeden zápas za rok). Jaroslav Holý

Indeed, the problem was hand e). Those, who passed, ended with -590, or even -690 after bad mistake in defence. The board was [hv=pc=n&s=s6ht98652dt954c97&w=saqjt8743hdq8ct85&n=sk52haq3da32ckq63&e=s9hkj74dkj76caj42]399|300[/hv] As you can see, those who bid 5H ended with -1100 (all of them). Still, I am not sure, whether to bid or not next time... I apologize, I used hand generator for the first time and I did not manage to address board vulnerability correctly. As I wrote in the contribution starting this topic - we were vulnerable, the opponents not.

Well, I am not sure, I may take THAT in consideration at bridge table.... :-) But, Okay... all previous bids were pretty fast.. the bidding up to now took something like 15 seconds...

You are vulnerable, opponents not, and your leftie opens the bidding with 4S doubled by your partner. What would you bid after pass from the right with a)xx---1098x---xxxx---xxx b)x---1098x---xxxx---xxxx c)xx---1098xx---xxx---xxx d)x---1098xx---xxxx---xxx e)x---1098xxx---xxxx---xx f)x---1098xxxx---xxx---xx? Could you specify, whether your bid is CP (clear pass), HP(pass with hesitation), HH (bidding hearts with hesitation) or CH (clear heart bid)? This topic represents real headache problem, I (and many others) had yesterday (someone got headache immediately, someone later, after the board :-) ) Thank you

In Prague, the best quality long term IMP competition takes place every Monday in Italska street. There are five levels - from A0 (a group of probably the best six pairs in Czech Republic at the given time)...over A1, A2, A3 (two groups of six pairs at the given level) up to A4 with four groups of six pairs. Every three months, the worst pair from A0 has to drop to A1, from A1 to A2...etc., being replaced with the best pair from lower level. The heroes of this story won A0 level some time ago. It was one of the biggest successes of their bridge life, unfortunately not followed with additional ones. In the next phase, they fell into A1 level and then into A2 level immediately. Even in A2 level, they were not quite successful and they had to win the last match not to drop into A3. The match was pretty tight and it was not quite clear, at any time moment, who is in lead. Several boards before the end, our heroes bid 3NT after a very simple auction 1NT-3NT and the opponent on the lead had in hand QJxx---J108x---10xxx---x. The opponent fell into a very long trance. The dummy became impatient since he was fairly strong smoker and did not have a chance for a while. Finally, he put the cards into the board, said "Help yourself and good luck" to the partner and went out of the room (allowed in this club). After several minutes he want back looking at the teammate and rivals holding the cards for the next board. "How did you finish?" asked to his partner. "Well, one down" said the declarer of the last board sulkily (joking, not admitting that the "previous" board is still in play, since the the first lead has not happened during all the time, the dummy was smoking). "You got small heart as the first lead, did not you", said the dummy sadly with understanding. That was finally some clue for the unhappy first leader! He led small heart immediately and the contract was one down after several dozens of seconds...

[hv=d=n&v=b&n=sqj1043ha963djcqj2&s=s87hq87dakq7ca1063]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] The bidding (E-W passed) North----------South ----.................1NT 2C..................2D 3H(1)...............3NT (1) - Smolen, 4 hearts, 5 spades, GF The lead is D9. You take you trick with jack in the dummy and play CQ, which holds the trick (C4 from your right, C8 from your left - the opponents play udca, if they would like to show count) (would you play something else in the second trick?). How to continue to have the best chance to made the contract (which is obviously very good at the first look)?

Okay, but could I show my hand? 3 spades would have been GF in most natural bidding systems (and I do not think, I have such hand), 3 hearts would have indicated better fit than I actually had and would not have informed about defensive values in minors...

I did not mean the first problem and initiation of discussion about usefulness of relay bidding. I was curious, How many contributors will select diamonds as the trumph suit (with 7-2 guaranteed) and how many clubs... Normally, the suit with most potential trumphs is selected, but there are many exceptions. Here, the matter is more complicated with pretty weak clubs in the hand... but, on the other hand, two small diamonds in the opposite hand can bring many situations with 5 clubs made and 5 diamonds set... I do not think, 3NT should be selected as the final contract...

In my opinion, I (North) can not even think about passing 3C. There are many South's hands with a pretty reasonable chance to made 4H. The truth is that there are more reasons for passing 4C. Still, the game can be made, partner will not support my H even with H dubletton. And I am not sure whether the (immediate) 2H overcall is appropriate. It seems to me that it can lead to the same problems as 3C bid of my partner, because I may show stronger hand than I have actually. Last but not least, 2H bid may cost a trick after partner's first (heart) lead and I may not have entry to cash my H suit in NT contract played by the opponents.

Thank you very much. I was sitting north. And your reasoning was exactly that I made myself. :) :)

Okay, I may agree that relaying does not help very much in this case. But I can not see any way, how to say my partner... okay, I have 7 diamonds just with ace (pretty nice value, but no other honeur), I have four clubs (what may be nice fit to your 5 club suit, if you have it) - but just led by the ten, I have void in hearts and another key value - spade ace. All this info is crucial, if partner should decide about the contract. Eventually, I think that I should decide about the contract, because I know much more about my unbalanced hand, I can ever say my partner during the auction.

IMPs, teams, nonvulnerable against vulnerable... North: ..... KJ-----QJ96542----743----------3 South: .... 753----void---------652----KQJ10962 The bidding was: West-------North-------East-------South 1NT(1)-----pass-------2H(2)-------3C pass--------3H----------X(3)-------4C X(4)--------4H----------X(4)-------pass (1) - weak NT, 12-14 (2) - transfer to spades, unlimited (3) - for take out (4) - for penalty. 5 down, -1100, -450(4 spades with overtrick) at the other table, -12 IMPs. Who should be blamed? N-S use "usual" defence against weak NT - double 14+, 2C = Landy, rest - "natural".

Two problems. Problem 1. Contract selection with good(?) info. IMPs, both lines vulnerable, you have Ax---void---A1097xxx---1097x Your partner opens with 1NT (15-17). From the next relay bidding sequence , you know that partner has 4-3-2-4 distribution. Do you prefer 3NT contract, 5 clubs contract (played from your side) or 5 diamonds contract (played from your side)? Problem 2. Contract selection with not that good info... IMPs, only opponents vulnerable, you have A10862---J85---AQ---865 and the bidding is LHO------partner------RHO-------you ..............1H(1).........2NT(2)----X(3) 5D--------5S-----------6D---------?? (1) --- Standard American, 12-20, 5+H (2) --- 5+-5+ in minor suits, "weak" or "strong" (3) --- 8+PC, more defensive than "to play" values, "small" fit in H posible... What do you bid?

Sometimes, using specific bidding methods, you may have very specific problem, the rest of the tables is not confronted with (just because of bidding naturally)... Both lines vulnerable, you have this "nice" hand 8---AKJ85---KQ8543---3 and LHO opens the bidding with 14-16 NT doubled with your partner (D.O.N.T., one-suit hand, usually 6-cards, colour unknown, strength unknown, limited by elementary safety requirements from the lower side and by an eqivalent of 15 points from the upper side). RHO bids 2 clubs - weak - to play. What is your bid?

OK, this was not the only problem, I had in this auction. Despite your opinions, I bid 3 clubs, following the agreement I made with my partner (may be strange for you), that this bid is natural game forcing in the situations like this one. (Okay, I did not have exactly game forcing strength, but the hand has some potential, hasn't it?) After some time, LHO bid 3 spades and my partner 3NT, passed to me. What now? The auction up to now: LHO-----PRD-----RHO-----ME ----------1C------2D(1)---3C(2) 3S(3)---3NT-------P-------??? (1)... 5+-5+ in major suits (2)... natural game forcing (3)... long thinking By the way, no line is vulnerable.

You have this "common" hand: x---void---Q9xxxx---AKxxxx In Standard American (better minor), you partner opened the bidding with 1C. RHO bid 2D, what was explained as at least 5-5 in majors. What do you bid? (2H, 2S is seminatural, GF, showing stopper in the suit, and denying stopper in the other major, in your agreements). Is there any change in your decision, if 3C bid is forcing to game in your system?

Of course, you are right. Playing third round of diamonds is more less automatic, spades can wait. Still there is (not 100%, but some) indication that spade ace is in RHO hand. I do not think, two rounds of diamonds would have been ducked, if (both!) opponents had seen that there was spade entry into the dummy.

In the actual layout, third diamond does not help (but does not make any harm either). The reason for playing two rounds of diamond was to find any opponent with dubbleton ace, since there would have been no problem with entering dummy in such case. Now, the attention should be, in my opinion, switched to spades, since the contract, surprisingly, may still have some good chances to be made. You may need to ruff one club in hand and to play small spade to spade 7. There are distributions of spades, the contract may be done, as, for example: LHO----------RHO J(10)xx------AJ(10)xx AJ(10)x-----J(10)xxx In the first case, you simply ruff club return and play second round of spades to the king.... after ruffing next round of clubs, spade J(10) will be killed with spade queen and spade 9 is high. In the second case, the course is the same. Of course, if the opponents do not play spade ace in the second round, your spades are blocked, but you just entered the dummy... :-) The complete board: [hv=v=n&n=sk7hj3dk10975ck954&w=sj52h874dj8caqj63&e=sa1043h65da62c10872&s=sq986hakq1092dq43c]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

1)Yes, I agree that my hand was too weak to bid something other than pass (actually, I am very happy with the total agreement of the experts here). I passed and this was the board [hv=v=n&n=sq864hk5dj4c87632&w=sk1053h2d1063cakj94&e=sa972ha643da92c105&s=sjhqj10987dkq875cq]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv] Even six spades can be made, four hearts contract is one down. The opening bid worked very nice in this case, we lost some IMPs. 2)I took the trumph lead in dummy with jack and played small D to the qeen immediately, which took the trick. Since I was affraid of the diamond ruff scenario and did not see any good reason, I should not cash trumphs, I did it in three rounds. I continued with diamonds then - small to the jack and king ducked by the opponents. How would you continue?

Sometimes I am not sure, whether my problem is worth to be presented in expert forum.. but in these two cases, I think so... 1) You have [hv=v=n&s=sa972ha643da92c105]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] and the bidding is 4H-pass-pass-??? Do you pass or double? 2)After simple bidding RHO---YOU---LHO---P -P------1H-----P-----1NT -P------2H-----P------3H -P------4H you should make the contract with [hv=v=e&n=sk7hj3dk10975ck954&s=sq986hakq1092dq43c]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] The lead is small trumph (H4).

This is good plan. My partner ruffed the second round of hearts, cashed two high spades in his hand and played CQ for finesse, which failed. The defence played third round of hearts and my partner refused to ruff trying to prevent shortening trumphs in the dummy (he discarded diamond from dummy). Now, he ruffed fourth round of hearts with the last trumph in his hand, but when he tried to reach dummy to cash remaining trumphs, club was ruffed for one down. Still, I think, I have even better plan. I would ruff the second round of hearts, would play club ace, cross to hand with diamond ace, ruff the third round of hearts myself(!), cross back to hand with diamond king, ruff diamond high and play club. By that time, I have completely eliminated red colours. I still have two high trumphs and three clubs in dummy and two high and one small trumph and two clubs in my hand. If the opponent plays anything red immediately, I simply ruff one more time in dummy, having two diamonds, one club, four ruffs in dummy and three original trumph tricks. If the opponents play another club to ruff and then something red, the effect is similar. I the opponents play trumph after club ruff, I can cash trumphs and have my last club high (provided that trumphs were not distributed 5-0 in their hands). Finally, if the opponents refuse ruffing the third round of clubs and play trumph after scoring original club trick, I can play clubs myself. This way, I can make the contract even in case, there is singleton trumph in the hand with singleton club. I need to have diamonds not worse than 6-2 (and even in such case, I have many additional chances to make the contract). As the cards are distributed, I may get small bonus playing like that, finishing with twelve tricks. The board: [hv=d=w&v=b&n=s8hakj95d8762c762&w=saq6h762dakjcqj103&e=skj1053h4d104ca9854&s=s9742hq1083dq953ck]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

Actually, I was not sure whether to put this problem into beginner/intermediate section or in advanced/expert class section... thus I put it here... :-) You opened 1NT and in a couple of seconds are in 4 spades (after transfer) with KJ1053---4---104---A9854 AQ6---762---AKJ---QJ103 The first lead is HA, then HK. How do you play?

Okay, I passed, as well... and my partner played 1 club. But he was not very happy having Axxx---Axxx---K---AQxx. The contract is four down theoretically and since the defence did not made any mistake, it was the final result, close to zero for our line. One heart and one diamond can be made, one spade is two down and even one NT is better contract (three down). Having the cards of my partner and finishing four down.. would you still be able to say... "Your pass was okay, partner"? :-)

You have xx---Qxxx---xxxxxx---x. After pass from left side, your partner (one of the best players in the country) opens 1 club in "simple standard american" (this is individual championship), passed to you. MPs, both sides nonvulnerable, what is your reaction?