Walddk

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=sa3hak52d1052cak75&s=sq6h1064daq43cj432]133|200|[/hv] Here is a double dummy problem with only two hands in view? Confused? Well, South pulled the wrong card from the bidding box and opened 2NT!? One can understand that North raised to 7. The contract was rigid. What did East and West have? Roland

Now the Canucks are at it again. First they stole Hans Ø from us (Danes), and now they are trying to do the same with one of the most famous fairytales by Hans Christian Andersen. http://hca.gilead.org.il/ugly_duc.html Shame on you, Mike! I think I will send a copy of this to the European Court of Human Rights. Needless to say, half of our fleet is already on the way to Halifax. I would take evasive action if I were you. Roland

No offence intended, but the only one who did not make an error was the lone kibitzer. I am not sure she will be back after this B) North sounded like he had a 27 count, East pretended that he had nothing for some time, and South should have bid 1♦ instead of 1NT (he is not quite good enough for a constructive 1NT). Finally, West was not content with playing 2♠XX. I suspect that he knows little if anything about scoring. On the other hand, he seemed to know that 4♠XX would score better than 4♠X ... if it makes. Roland

The hand is powerful, but only if we have a fit. None is guaranteed after 1NT, and that's why it's no game force at this point. If you are afraid of missing a diamond slam, the only certain way to miss it is to rebid 3♥. 4♦ by responder would not be natural as most people play it. If you rebid 2♥, however, there is still a chance that the diamond fit is located. Am I worried about missing a major suit game if I rebid 2♥? No, responder will always support hearts with four, and if he has an invitational hand with three spades, his next bid will be 3♠. Many tend to add distributional points too early in the auction. In my view it's a good idea to wait until a fit has been established (if ever). This is a 17 count, a medium opening hand, and it remains a 17 count if we don't have a fit. If we end up in notrumps or in spades/hearts on 5-2/4-3, you can throw distributional points out of the window. As an example, the actual hand needs ♥Q instead of one of the small ones to make it a jump shift (game force) in my book. Even then game is by no means certain, but you will go for it regardless. Roland

I am not going to worry about that at this point. I know what you mean; say it comes back to me with 4♠ to my left and I decide to pass. Yes, there is a risk that partner leads a heart from a holding that gives a trick away, but how can I be sure that he will lead a club even if I support right away? If I support, I don't promise a good suit, just like a 1♥ response does not show a strong suit. Roland

Hearts. I will likely get the chance to show clubs later if I get no support. Roland

Call me a pedant, but the name of the Italian convention is Gazzilli. http://www.padovabridge.it/varie/gazzilli.htm

Let's face it, we would all open the hand. Those who say they won't do it nevertheless at the table. I prefer a slightly off-shape 2NT rebid rather than 2♠ although that should not promise more than five. As responder I would choose 3NT as my next call no matter what opener's rebid is in this context. Roland

Not quite. A jettison squeeze is slightly different, also because it is positional. [hv=n=s6h8djc&w=shqd54c&e=sq8hdc4&s=shd92ck]399|300|[/hv] South leads ♣K and discards from dummy according to West’s discard. The "jettison" threat is ♦J. Bart Bramley is not sure what "my" squeeze is called, but they are more common that you think, he says. He would call it an "unblocking squeeze". Roland

- 1. 2♥. This is not a game forcing hand opposite a 1NT response. - 2. 2♥. I have a two-suiter, so I see no reason not to bid by second suit. It seems quite popular in North America to rebid your 6-card suit with a weak opening hand. For me 2♠ would deny any side suit. For all I know we could we cold for 4♥, and we don't get there if no one bids the suit. Roland

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=s6h8d9c&w=sq8hdc4&e=shqd54c&s=shdj2ck]399|300|Scoring: Rubber[/hv] From a rubber bridge last week. South is declarer in a NT contract and needs the rest. He is in his hand. In a way he has all tricks, but the problem is that the diamond suit is blocked. A squeeze is the remedy. Look what happens when declarer cashes ♣K and discards a spade from the dummy. East is caught in a squeeze I have never seen before. Does it have a name? Blocking or blocked squeeze perhaps? I don't know; maybe one of the forum members does. Entry shifting squeeze was the closest I could get when it happened, but it's not really that kind of squeeze. [hv=d=s&v=n&n=s6h8d9c&w=sq8hdc4&e=shqd54c&s=shdj2ck]399|300|Scoring: Rubber[/hv] Now this is a genuine entry shifting squeeze. NS in a club contract and must win all four tricks. The lead is from North. ♣K and curtains. East is entry shifting squeezed because he can't know where declarer wins the trick. This is a squeeze I have encountered a couple of times, but the first one? No. I would like it to be a blocking squeeze, blocked squeeze or something of the kind. I just can't tell if it's the proper term for it. Roland

[hv=d=s&v=e&n=s75hajd10852caj985&w=skq8643h9432dj3ck&e=sj92hq1075dq6cq1073&s=sa10hk86dak974c642]399|300|Scoring: IMP S: 5D Lead: SK[/hv] Skaeran and/or Fluffy should have played the hand. They would have landed the game. - 1. ♠K to the ace. - 2. ♦A. - 3. ♦K. - 4. Club to king and ace. - 5. ♥A. - 6. Heart to the king. - 7. Heart ruff. - 8. Spade. EW can now choose their poison. Either is endplayed when he wins this trick. After trick 4 declarer went wrong because elimination did not cross his mind. He was just hoping that he could restrict his club losers to one by leading a club up next. Down 1. Kit Woolsey who was commentating at the time called it a blunder by declarer. That is a strong word, but I think it's fair to say that declarer misplayed the hand. By adopting the elimination line, declarer does not spurn his chances in the club suit. The worst case scenario is that will be on a guess if West wins the spade and plays a low club. If West started with Kx, the contract would not make in any event. Roland

Wishful thinking. I ungag vugraph commentators 99% of the time. Once they are ungagged, they remain ungagged until a yellow (usually me) gags them, or until next maintenance. Then the ungagging procedure has to start all over again. It's not brain surgery but it's time consuming. Regarding team matches we have had this debate before. My view hasn't changed. Since spectator chat is disallowed in the vugraph theatre, I think it's ok to have free speech during team matches. However, I wish that specs would stick to bridge related matters. As we all know, this is not always the case. Roland

[hv=d=s&v=e&n=s75hajd10852caj985&s=sa10hk86dak974c642]133|200|Scoring: IMP S: 5D Lead: SK[/hv] Vugraph from Brazil last night. You arrived in a rather shaky 5♦ after LHO overcalled spades and RHO doubled 2♠ by your partner (sound diamond raise). The lead is ♠K, and you decide to win the ace and cash ♦AK, both opponents following*. Damn, we should have been in 3NT it transpires. Anyway, you continue with a club from hand to which Chagas produces the king. Over to you. * You may have wanted to adopt a different line, but that is not the point. Roland

Two hours before the start of QF1 yesterday I got an e-mail from the organisers in Brazil. "Short of staff, can't broadcast from the quarter-finals. First vugraph will be SF1 at 23:30 GMT." I tried to make our webmaster take the QFs off the schedule web page, but he didn't see the e-mail until later in the afternoon his time. He deleted them as soon as he possibly could. They got started on time (more or less) and did finish without major problems, so as far as I know the broadcast will continue as scheduled at 16:00 GMT (18.00 CET, 17.00 London, 12 noon New York, 9 am Los Angeles) Friday. Roland

Here it is, round by round, segment after segment, 14 days on the trot: http://online.bridgebase.com/vugraph/sched...?order_by=event

Session start times have now been fixed, but they are slightly different from the initial plan: 11:00, 14:10 and 17:20 Shanghai time. The conversions I stated about three weeks ago are obviously still valid, but if you want to know what time it is at your place, I can recommend The Fixed Time World Clock - setup http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedform.html The complete schedule (Round-Robin as well as knockout stage) will be listed on our vugraph web page within a week or so. Remember that once you see the schedule on that page, all times are local to you no matter where in the world you are, provided that your computer clock is set to show your local time. We use GMT when we list events. The rest is taken care of automatically. Roland

3♣. I am not going to sell out to 2♥. I realise that partner may have considerable length in the majors, but even if he is 4432, 4423 and even 5332 or 5323 we have a fit. He should know I am 5-5 with competitive values. With 5-4 I would bid 2NT now. Roland

I would overcall, and ♣10 makes the difference. Without it I would not. 2♣ has no pre-emptive effect over 1♠; I would be much happier if the opening had been 1♦. As Sabine Auken has pointed out several times: a 2♣ overcall after 1♦ often makes it difficult for the opponents. As it is here, one major has been bid already, so the 2♣ overcall is unlikely to make it difficult for my LHO. Roland

Roland: I wonder whether or not the fact that the stiff is in spades, causing rebid problems, is a major determining factor for you on the hand. DHL That's my point. I would likely open the hand with 4441, 4144 and 4414. I don't like my options with 1444 if, as expected, the auction starts 1♦ - 1♠. - 1NT rebid in my book shows 12-14 and a balanced hand. I have neither. - 2♣ rebid shows 5-4 in the minors. I know that some play the latter as only at least 4-4. I don't unless I have full value for my opening. Roland

I only open in 3rd (1♦). Sub-minimum 1444's = pass for me. I open 10 and 11 counts frequently, but not balanced and hardly ever three-suiters with short spades. Roland

I think 4NT is brilliant in context. North needs a red suit second round control because he knows that he can't set up spades. How lucky that you had 4NT available as a waiting bid. One could argue of course that a jump to 6♣ does show extras of some kind (5♣ if one has nothing more to add), but I am sure that the 6♣ bidders did not have that in mind when they jumped. Because if they had, it can't cost to show the diamond control en route. Roland

Indeed. I just wanted to test you. The lead makes no difference. Roland

Two instructive hands picked up during an invisible vugraph broadcast today. I suspect that the hands were prepared for the occasion (a celebrity event). Can you do better than some of the declarers I watched? Please bear in mind that this is the B/I Forum, so advanced or better players are kindly requested not to post unless they use hidden text. Thank you. 1. [hv=d=s&v=n&n=sqj5h52d543ckq1098&s=sa43ha1098dak98cj5]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] As South you are in 3NT and West leads ♠10. Plan the play. ..... 2. [hv=d=s&v=n&n=sqj5h52d543ckq1098&s=sa43ha1098dak98cj5]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] You are now in the excellent 6♥. How do you play the hand when West leads - A small spade. - A small club. Roland

[hv=d=s&v=b&n=sj765h3dk932ca742&w=sq1043h2dq10874ckj5&e=s98hj987654d65c108&s=sak2hakq10dajcq963]399|300|Scoring: IMP S: 6NT Lead: D7[/hv] North-South landed in a somewhat ambitious 6NT after South showed a strong balanced hand with four hearts. West had a tough lead where any lead is helpful for declarer (free finese in four suits). Endplayed at trick 1, how unlucky. West chose ♦D7 which gives you a cheap trick. Can you take advantage? Do you want to declare or do you prefer to be seated in one of the opponents' chairs? Have fun :o Roland