AL78

One of them called me over for advice with the West hand when 5♣ came round to them. I said that whilst they have no defence, and 5♠ might work, it has one way to win and two ways to lose (they go for more than the NS game or NS punt slam and make because of lack of defence), that was enough to convince them to pass it out in 5♣.

The novices at my club have taken on board the workshop advice of bidding to the level of the fit, making slam very hard to find for NS on this board. [hv=pc=n&s=sa9hakt9dakqj4c52&w=sqt754h876d962ckt&n=shq543dt75caj9643&e=skj8632hj2d83cq87]399|300[/hv] There were only three tables, the scores were 4♠EX-3, 5♠E-4, and 5♣N=. Here are two of the auctions: [hv=d=w&v=0&b=8&a=pp2sd4s5cp5d5sppp]133|100[/hv] [hv=d=w&v=0&b=8&a=pp2sd4s5cppp]133|100[/hv] NS have a slam on in three suits, although the club slam requires declarer to play to the jack, losing to the queen, then the king comes down under the ace. I couldn't think of a way for NS to get to any slam with the EW barrage. What do you think? I did suggest to the first pair that one of them really should have whacked the 5♠.

The novices at my club have taken on board the workshop advice of bidding to the level of the fit, making slam very hard to find for NS on this board. [hv=pc=n&s=sa9hakt9dakqj4c52&w=sqt754h876d962ckt&n=shq543dt75caj9643&e=skj8632hj2d83cq87]399|300[/hv] There were only three tables, the scores were 4♠EX-3, 5♠E-4, and 5♣N=. Here are two of the auctions: N E S W . . . P P 2♠ X 4♠ 5♣ P 5♦ 5♠ P P P N E S W . . . P P 2♠ X 4♠ 5♣ P P P NS have a slam on in three suits, although the club slam requires declarer to play to the jack, losing to the queen, then the king comes down under the ace. I couldn't think of a way for NS to get to any slam with the EW barrage. What do you think?

The official encyclopedia of bridge surprisingly doesn't have that combination, but it does say for AKJT9 opposite x, finesse the jack, so I would presume the best line in your layout is to cash a high honor then finesse. This is ever so slightly more than 50% as it works when the queen is onside or stiff queen offside.

I doubt I would find it with any of my regular partners. The only way I can see playing some variety of Acol is as follows: 1♣ - 1♦ 2NT* - 4NT** 6NT *18-19 HCP ** Quantitative Far more likely, it would go: 1♣ - 1♦ 3♣ - 3NT or 1♣ - 1♦ 2NT - 3NT

I'm not sure 3♦ is forcing, and in any case, it doesn't get over the primary feature of a very long self supporting suit. I felt the need to jump to show that long strong suit, that is the normal way it is done playing Benji, but because the suit is a minor, that makes it more awkward because there is no way to jump without going to the four level. If it were a major, I could jump to the three level which is more convenient. If I held my partner's hand, I would have responded 2♠, but many people playing Benji at club level in the UK just make the relay bid whatever they hold. After that response, I would be more inclined to bid 3♦. Am I correct in thinking some people play 1m - 1M - 3NT as showing an opening hand with a long solid minor when all the balanced hand strengths are covered by other bids/rebids?

Head to head teams, we were playing Benj Acol, weak NT. [hv=pc=n&s=sk8hat3dakj86532c&w=sj53hj97dt7ct9864&n=saq642hq4dq9caqj3&e=st97hk8652d4ck752&d=e&v=e&b=6&a=p2cp2dp4dp4np5cp7nppp]399|300[/hv] This auction is rather kludgy, but with the South hand, I couldn't think of a good way to show this hand, so decided to treat it as a not quite game hand, and opened 2♣, showing 8-9 playing tricks or strong balanced. 2♦ was a relay, and partner had a WTF moment after my next bid, after some thought went through RCKB to bid the grand. 13 tricks off the top and imps in when oppponents only got to 6♦. I'm sure there are people playing other systems like strong club which may be more elegant on this deal, so I'm curious as to how and your regular partner would have bid this hand.

I'd want a fourth spade and 4144 shape, or some 5431 with four spades and a maximum pass. The actual hand looks too flat and weak. It is ok having a balanced hand with opening values (impossible here I know), or a max pass with shape, but lacking both strength and shape I think it best just to pass. Even with a double fit in the black suits and spades 3-3, they couldn't even make enough tricks for a part score. That to me says they were going too far.

Ah yes, I love the married couple post mortem. Familiarity breeds contempt. I think EW should resign from the I-will-not-defend club and learn to accept they will not play every hand, or even the majority of them.

I did consider a 3♠ splinter, but didn't think partner's possible responses would tell me much, and I decided to go with RCKB since with two key cards and the ♥Q, slam should be decent, and with two key cards and no Q, it will likely be around 50% in which case do I feel lucky. I was disappointed that partner only had one key card. Someone has pointed out that partner could respond 3NT to a spade splinter, which I hadn't thought of at the time, and which would alert me to huge wastage opposite, which would temper my (over) enthusiasm. The lack of a spade overcall by the opposition should have alerted me to the possibility of spade wastage opposite. So yes, a poor show by me.

This was the last hand of the evening. I thought we had been duffed up enough to put a real downer on our score, so after picking up this freak, took a big flyer for a top, which didn't work out. [hv=pc=n&s=st43ha32dqct76543&w=s2hkt94dakj9654c8&n=sa8765hq5dt872cj2&e=skqj9hj876d3cakq9&d=e&v=b&b=10&a=1cp1dp1hp4np5dp5hppp]399|300[/hv] 5 card majors, weak NT, 1♣ could be short. Things started off well when South led their singleton diamond, and partner cashed two clubs throwing the singleton spade. Things deteriorated when she then ran the ♥J round to the queen, then on the diamond return, discarded allowing South to ruff low, then North got a club ruff when she ruffed low. Three off for not a good score (although not a bottom, a couple bid the slam going off). It turned out our final score wasn't as bad as I expected, so I should have just settled for 4♥ which should make, and would have been a good score anyway. The top score went to those pairs which found 3NT, which were the two only plus scores for EW.

She very nearly did cash the ace before leading a club.

What, that I forget one card played in a game 2-3 days ago? I don't have a computer-like mind and don't store and recall everything that happens.

I don't play 2/1 or 1NT forcing. It is not common where I live in the UK.

Having done a bit of online research, the version of Bergen my partner plays is not standard. The original Bergen has 3♣ as equivalent to a sound single raise with four card support, and 3♦ as an invitational raise with 4 card support. Presumably with invitational values and three card supporrt, you bid a new suit then support at the three level. I will have to ask where she got her version from.

It was my partner who wanted to play this convention. She claims 1M - 3♣ is 8-11 HCP with 3 card support, and 1M - 3♦ is 7-10 HCP with 4 card support (where 1M is a 5 card major).

[hv=pc=n&s=sqj9hk752dat84cq4&w=st3ht84d763cajt85&n=sa8762hj3dkq952ck&e=sk54haq96djc97632&d=e&v=e&b=6&a=p1np2hp2sp3np4sppp]399|300[/hv] I can't remember what club partner played.

Not sure how I could get this right other than by guessing. [hv=pc=n&s=sqj9hk752dat84cq4&w=st3ht84d763cajt85&n=sa8762hj3dkq952ck&e=sk54haq96djc97632]399|300[/hv] South was declarer in 4♠ after a weak NT and transfer auction. I led ♦6, won by declarer with the ace. Partner got on lead with the ♠K and led a club to my ace. I decided the diamond suit looked dangerous and was almost certainly about to be used for discarding losers, so I switched to a heart, won by partner, and that was the end of the defence. I needed to play a diamond for partner to ruff, one down. If partner had cashed her heart ace before putting me in, maybe I would have twigged it, but unless the same position comes up again, I will never know if I'd have found it.

I play Tartan twos with two partners, so could open 2♥ to show either an Acol 2 in hearts, 19-20 HCP balanced, or 5-5 in hearts and a minor, 5-9 HCP. Without that convention, I would probably pass and hope to be able to come in next time with a two suited overcall.

I don't think Bergen is a good idea on a 4-3-3-3 10 loser hand. It is supposed to be a constructive raise, as we play jump raises of a major as pre-emptive. I would bid 2♠ on that hand.

I got this one half right, which was about as effective as getting it completely wrong. [hv=pc=n&s=s973ht8dakq97c732&w=saqt84ha63d2cakt8&n=s65hqj542dt843c95&e=skj2hk97dj65cqj64&d=e&v=b&b=10&a=pp1sp3cp4np5dd6sppp]399|300[/hv] 3♣ was Bergen, showing 8-11 HCP and three card support. After a think I judged slam had a fair chance if partner was not dirt minimum, and after checking we weren't missing two key cards, bid it. I was right we had a slam on, I just got the suit wrong. There are 11 tricks on top. 6♣ is cold because the spades provide a heart discard and a heart ruff is the 12th trick. There is no such discard available in 6♠, so after trying the desparation attempt of running all the black suit winners (which needs South to hold all the red suit honors or North to have Hx in hearts and South holding the rest of the red suit honors, and he would have opened in that case), I went one down, which gave them back the top they had given us on the previous board when they punted a slam going two off.

MPs: [hv=pc=n&s=sahk975432d53ck86&w=skt76hqdaq874ca53&n=sj98532hj6dk9cjt2&e=sq4hat8djt62cq974&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=1h2d2s3d3h4dpp4h5dppdppp]399|300[/hv] I was South and feeling a little more aggressive than normal. West was a member of the I-will-not-defend club and just wouldn't shut up, so I doubled him. He blew a trick in the play and went three off for a complete top for NS. If he doubles me in 4♥, I'm going a minimum of two off, and more likely three off, to make eight tricks requires me to play the ♥K dropping the queen. Partner held less than I expected.

I'm not a decent player (any more). The partner I had on the evening of the hand concerned is a decent player, he did suggest I could have responded 2♠ showing a willingness to play in 3♥ if he held that suit. I have looked up Multi Landy again and a 2♠ response can be used with an invitational hand if partner holds hearts. The problem was, I didn't visualise game even with a good heart fit, so decided to play in a partscore in whatever major he held. (1NT)-2♦-(P)-2♠; (P)-3♥-P-? do I raise to game here?

Yes, this is a good hand to go through with her face to face with the objective of (re)teaching splinters/cue bids and demonstrating how useful they are. Cue bidding is taught in the beginner classes, and the workshops which I help with also cover it. Beginners start by learning the core of the Acol system, whish is fundamental natural bidding and its logic. Their first introduction to conventional bids are the 2♣ opening, Stayman and Blackwood (Transfers get covered later in the course). This means that at least early on in their bridge career, they find it hard to comprehend the idea of a suit bid not showing a holding(length/strength) in that suit, and because it seems illogical at first, they struggle to remember it. It usually takes going over it many times before it sinks in. It does not help that slam bidding does not come up very often for any individual partnership. It is a bit like the time when I e-mailed a mathematical derivation of why the rule of 11 works to a friend, I wrote it as simply as I couild, yet because it had maths in it, as far as she was concerned it was gobbledygook. It requires repeated repetition of concept and worked through examples before it sinks in enough for them to be able to recognise and apply it in real time (especially, I think, with elderly people who take a bit longer to learn new things).

I am helping a friend with her bridge, trying to help her progress from the novice stage. One way I do this is to go through her bad scores on one evening she playes with another regular partner (this partner is a weak intermediate). This hand came up yesterday: [hv=pc=n&s=skqj95hak97d8ct75&n=sat8743hqtdaq5ca8]133|200[/hv] They ended up in 4♠ for a 30% board. Despite this being one of the less expereienced evenings at the club, half of the other NS pairs found 6♠, and the grand is also cold. Assuming EW stay silent (neither had shapely hands), North opens 1♠, and they are playing Acol (3 weak twos), what is the best way to guide her (sitting South) on how to look for the slam? I don't think she is confident with cue bids and splinters (she knows about them, but tends not to use them in play), but does play Blackwood. The first tricky part is how to respond to the 1♠ opening. South wants to force to game but doesn't have a convenient way of doing that by bidding a new suit without distorting her hand to the point of risking ending up in the wrong place (like bidding 2♥ for example). They are not playing any game forcing raises like Jacoby 2NT.