Four on the floor

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&w=s3hk72dat954ckq97&d=w&v=n&b=12&a=1d1s3d(Weak%20pre-emptive)4s?]133|200|

A selection from the hands that I butchered, in last night's team match. You are West, opposite an expert partner, playing 2/1. Please mark your choices out of ten.

 

1. "Let the pre-empt do its work."

Teams. You are west. Your call? Pass, Double, 5♣, 5♦[/hv][hv=pc=n&w=sqt9ht96d3cak8764&d=w&v=e&b=16&a=pp1d2dp2spp?]133|200|

2. "If it were done."

Teams. Would you pass over 2♦? Now, over 2♠ what do you do?[/hv][hv=pc=n&w=s5haqj74dat9cakqj&d=w&e=s873h863dQj72ct75&v=b&b=4&a=1h1sp3sdp4hppp?]270|200|

3. "9/11".

At teams you are West, declarer in 4♥. Opponents lead two rounds of ♠. Plan the play. No singletons or voids. If opponents gain the lead, they will probably lead a third round of ♠.[/hv][hv=pc=n&w=sk9hak654da5432ca&d=s&v=b&b=7&a=p1hp1sp2c(Gazzilli%20either%20clubs%20or%2016+)p2h(4-7%20HCP%20flattish)p?]133|200|

4.

"Hog-tied Gazelle"

At teams you employ partner's favourite "Gazzilli" convention. Your 2♣ is artificial and forcing. Partner's 2♥ rebid usually shows 2-3♥ but denies 8HCP. What do you do now? [/hv]

[BunnyGo]

Can we see dummy at 3?

[pooltuna]

1) 5♦ ....not 5♣ they already know you have a ton of diamonds minimize the information outflow

2) pass and try and beat it

3) Do I get to see dummy b4 I play?

4) 3♦ if that is a help suit game try ...pass partner's decision

[bd71]

1. P=10, 5♦=6, 5♣=1, X=0

 

2. I would have bid 3♣ over 2♦. Now, I will bid 3♣ for real.

 

3. I have considered declarer play before when not told the bidding, the vulnerability, or the scoring. But I've never thought it through without being given the dummy.

 

4. 4♥.

[ggwhiz]

1. 5♦ with the comfort of our style that gaurantees this is not a phantom.

 

2. 3♣ I would have bid that directly as a passed hand.

 

3. Claim 10 tricks and hope they accept.

 

4. 3♦ game force? I don't know Gazilly or her sister

[nige1]

Can we see dummy at 3?

3) Do I get to see dummy b4 I play?

3. I have considered declarer play before when not told the bidding, the vulnerability, or the scoring. But I've never thought it through without being given the dummy.

3. Claim 10 tricks and hope they accept.

OP amended to include dummy.

[CSGibson]

on 1 I would bid 5D (5D = 8, pass = 4)

 

On 2 I would have preempted 3 clubs first seat. Having failed to do so, I push to 3 clubs now. (3C = 8, p = 5)

 

3 seems pretty simple - A & Q of hearts, ruff the 3rd spade, then T of diamonds. If they win & return another spade, I ruff in dummy & come to hand with the A of diamonds to pull trump & claim. If they let the T of diamonds win, I pull the last trump, and cash my winners, conceding a diamond at the end. (this line of play = 10, all others = 0)

 

4 I don't know Gazzilli, but I think a 3D natural game try would be best. If you don't play natural game tries, then whatever game try you use where you can specifically ask about diamonds - I'm not making a short suit game try on this. (diamond game try = 10, all others = 0)

[ypiper]

Bd 1: 5C

Bd 2: looks like pd has 5/4 D, 4/3 H, 2 S. Odds more likely 2-4-5-2 which 2S will go off. 3C is risky

and may make with perfect fit, but against this vulnerability I pass.

Bd 3: play D to the 10, if a S returns, ruff and play A and Q of H, what ever returns, draw last trump. If a S returns, try to ruff in dummy.

Bd 4: pd is marked with 2 H normally not 3 and with 5-7 pts. This is a misfit. Looks like nothing going to make. Best contract maybe in D. At teams I would risk 3D

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&w=s3hk72dat954ckq97&n=skt652ht864djcat6&e=sj984h93d8732c85&s=saq7haqj5dk6cj432&d=w&v=n&b=12&a=1d1s3d(Weak%20pre-emptive)4s?]300|300|

A selection from the hands that I butchered, in last night's team match. You are West, opposite an expert partner, playing 2/1. Please mark your choices out of ten.

 

1. "Let the pre-empt do its work."

Teams. You are West. Your call? Pass, Double, 5♣, 5♦?

 

IMO, It's a close decision. It is tempting to take out insurance against a vulnerable game. In fact,however, partner's pre-empt has done its work. Opponents are in the wrong major game. The winning action is pass. I bid 5♣ and played 5♦X. Opponents collected 300 when I failed to guess trumps :(

[/hv][hv=pc=n&w=sqt9ht96d3cak8764&n=s82hk32dqj9876c93&e=s654hajdak42cjt52&s=sakj73hq8754d75cq&d=w&v=e&b=16&a=pp1d2dp2spp?]300|300|

2. "If it were done."

Teams. Would you pass over 2♦? Now, over 2♠ what do you do?

 

I passed then protected with 3♣. On reflection it's better to bid 3♣ immediately. Then partner is more likely to place you with some values. So, at least you have a vague chance of reaching 3N.[/hv][hv=pc=n&w=s5haqj74dat9cakqj&n=sKQJ54hT752d85c643&e=s873h863dQj72ct757&s=sAt52hk9dk543c982&d=w&v=b&b=4&a=1h1sp3sdp4hppp?]300|300|

3. "9/11".

At teams you are West, declarer in 4♥. Opponents lead two rounds of ♠. Plan the play. No singletons or voids. If opponents gain the lead, they will probably lead a third round of ♠.

 

You can't afford to draw trumps too early as then opponents will be able to cash ♠ tricks. At match-pointed pairs, the best line may be to concede a ♦, win the return, cross to dummy with a ♦ and finesse ♥. As the cards lie, you take eleven tricks but there is a danger of a ♦ ruff (if LHO has ♥K doubleton and four ♦ and the player who wins ♦K returns a ♦). At teams, CSGibson's line seems better: play ♥AQ, ruff the ♠ return and lead ♦9. Dummy's ♥ protects you against being forced in ♠, so you make ten tricks on normal breaks. I adopted a daft line that should have resulted in nine tricks (one down) but luckily defenders didn't realise that I was on their side . I played ♥AQ, ruffed the ♠ return. Now I cashed ♣AKQJ. If LHO discards a ♦ then he will get a ♦ ruff but luckily he ruffed and I survived when the ♦ finesse worked.

[/hv][hv=pc=n&w=sk9hak654da5432ca&n=s76ht87dQ987cKQT6&e=sAj832hj9djtc87427&s=sqt54hq32dk6cj953&d=s&v=b&b=7&a=p1hp1sp2c(Gazzilli%20either%20clubs%20or%2016+)p2h(4-7%20HCP%20flattish)p?]300|300|

4.

"Hog-tied Gazelle"

At teams you employ partner's favourite "Gazzilli" convention. Your 2♣ is artificial and forcing. Partner's 2♥ rebid usually shows 2-3♥ but denies 8HCP. What do you do now?

 

I agree that 3♦ is correct. I passed and so missed 4♥. Even if pass had worked, it is still master-minding. It must be right to consult partner rather than make a unilateral decision. [/hv]

[kgr]

Nigel,

I think it is clearer to have 1 hand per post.

Koen

[han]

On 1 5D could have been right, but I agree that it is probably -EV.

 

On the 2nd, 3C directly is right for many reasons.

 

On the last, passing is not masterminding, it is just bad judgement. The hand is too good.