Justin Lall on vugraph !

[bluecalm]

Today I decided to improve my bridge by watching how to get to Bermuda Bowl final.

For my hero in the journey I've chosen our forum regular JL and his partner. Here are 3 problems where JL screw up played differently than I would watching the hands from his perspective.

Today I present hands from first vugraphed match against South Africa:

 

1)

 

[hv=pc=n&s=sa98hkqj86djt86c7&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1cp1hp2cp2hp2sp2np3dp]133|200[/hv]

 

1C is precision.

1♥ was 8-11 without 5spades, rest is natural (I guess). What now ?

 

2)[hv=pc=n&s=sahat865dj9432ck5&w=sqjt96543hdaq75c9&d=s&v=e&b=3&a=1h4h5h6cdppp]266|200[/hv]

 

As we can see, 4♥ was spades preempt. First trick:

A♠, 3♠, 7♠, K♠

 

What now ?

 

3)

[hv=pc=n&s=s8543ht64dqckj852&d=s&v=b&b=7&a=p1hd2d]133|200[/hv]

 

What now?

 

Some of our hero actions were successful. Some didn't matter. All have that in common that I wouldn't made the same action when trying to guess what JL did.

I might agree or not agree with actual action after seeing it, before I make my judgement I ask you all for opinions :)

 

If that's interesting to people I will do more rounds later :)

[rogerclee]

1) 3H seems right to me, slam can be really good opposite some extras (but not enough to bid over 3N) and the stiff ace of hearts.

2) I'm just having trouble constructing hands where this matters at all unless my opponents have gone totally insane. I guess a diamond in case they hook into my partner's stiff K and then we get a diamond ruff, but honestly I'm very eagerly awaiting the full hand lol.

3) 2S seems normal to me, I don't think we have the right hand for a responsive double since we don't have a very good hand and have bad defense for 2Dx. Pass is totally bizarre, and I don't like 3C when we might just have a totally normal 2S contract available to us, especially since it sounds like partner may have doubled with 3 hearts, in which case he could easily be 4342.

[dwar0123]

1. Not going to even pretend to try and unravel a precision auction.

2. A♥ Then wait for my club trick, no way he can finesse it.

3. 2♠

[Statto]

1) 3♦ seems to be some kind of slam try, possibly without ♦, or maybe opener is 4045 and a ♦ slam is staring at us. I haven't shown my excellent 3 card ♠ support yet so I'll do so now, with some trepidation of a misunderstanding later...

2) Partner wouldn't play 7 from 872, so declarer has another ♠. Don't think can cut off the ♠, but ♥A forcing dummy to ruff and lead ♦ looks most attractive, though probably makes no difference.

3) I'd raise an opening 4 card 1♠ with this hand, so I'd bid 2♠ here.

[JLOGIC]

Hand 1 I def stand by what I did.

 

Hand 2... 4H overcall showed a good 4S overcall FWIW. I should have considered that what happened was happening, I probably just got caught up in "yay I'm defending 6C X on this hand, lol!" and did not think too much about what to do.

 

Hand 3 I am pretty sure I remember what I did, it was weird but it's obvious why I did it also. I think the odds of being able to play 2S are pretty small.

[benlessard]

1- IMO 3D is only describing shape and doesnt show a lot of extras. 3NT, I have extras but KQJ facing a stiff and stiff clubs are big negative. 3H should show better H. I dont think im strong enough for 3S.

 

2- Imo the only reason partner lead a S is he has 3S and was hoping to give us a ruff or he has 7H and was afraid to play sluff and ruff at trick 1. But anyway anything else than the H ace is too dangerous for me.

 

3- 2S, im not strong enough to bid 3C followed by 3S. 2S might easily blow a trick with partner on lead but passing is IMO too chicken. Im not fond of bidding 3C (without planning to bid 3S), because i feel that hands where 2S will make and 3C will go down outweight the lead factor. (for me the X here is not 100% responsive)

[bluecalm]

2- Imo the only reason partner lead a S is he has 3S and was hoping to give us a ruff or he has 7H and was afraid to play sluff and ruff at trick 1. But anyway anything else than the H ace is too dangerous for me.

 

It was us who lead the spade. I know the diagrams are confusing sometimes but look at the letters next to players and the bidding box :)

Answers later tonight.

[paulg]

On (1), partner is not introducing diamonds unless he is either 4045 or 4135 with extras. As I don't mind playing five diamonds with the former and have a maximum with the latter, I'd raise diamonds.

[Fluffy]

first partner is trying to avoid 3NT for a reason, I am not sure of wich one, but I can bid 3♠ and await developements.

 

second we make our 2 clubs if declarer is 1129, locking him up in dummy. Play a diamond.

 

 

third easy pass IMO. Donñt want to go to the 3 level and donñt want a spade lead.

[aguahombre]

2) Partner wouldn't play 7 from 872, so declarer has another ♠.

Why is that true? Knowing the stiff king will fall, partner would be in suit pref mode. The seven says "I don't particularly care what you do."

 

So, stiff king of diamonds is out, but maybe stiff X and partner can still ruff a diamond when I get back in. therefore, might as well try a diamond.

[fred]

Why is that true? Knowing the stiff king will fall, partner would be in suit pref mode. The seven says "I don't particularly care what you do."

Partner may know that the stiff King will fall, but he also knows that you have no way of knowing that the King that falls is in fact stiff.

 

So partner's signal is whatever it normally would be according to your defensive agreements in a situation "like this" (count?).

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[aguahombre]

..

[kayin801]

1) 4♦, we have enough extras to go a level higher if necessary and partner's will figure we have 4. 3♠ is good too but I think it kinda effs up the auction.

2) low ♥, no chance in hell declarer won't ruff.

3) No preference between 2♠ and pass, I'd probably bid 2♠ at the table tho.

[debrose]

 

3) 2S seems normal to me, I don't think we have the right hand for a responsive double since we don't have a very good hand and have bad defense for 2Dx. Pass is totally bizarre, and I don't like 3C when we might just have a totally normal 2S contract available to us, especially since it sounds like partner may have doubled with 3 hearts, in which case he could easily be 4342.

 

It's noteworthy that Roger mentions a responsive double, as if this would be the standard interpretation of double in this sequence. While I have heard of at least one top pair agreeing to treat double as responsive in some such situations, my understanding has always been that the "standard" definition of double is penalty, when partner makes a takeout double and RHO bids a new suit. The original rationale for this, I believe, was exposing psyches, which are no longer as common as they once were. So perhaps this should be changing, but before reading Roger's comment, I would have assumed with any expert that this double was penalty without discussion, even in the modern climate of few penalty doubles. Perhaps if that expert is under 25 I should assume otherwise? Under 30?

[gnasher]

(1) 3NT. Not sure why people are getting excited about holding KQJxx opposite a shortage.

 

(2) If we're playing uspidedown count, the spades are 2-2. Hence I play a diamond.

 

(3) I'm old enough to think that double is for penalties, but young enough to think that 2♥ shows a responsive double. So I'd do that.

If 2♥ would show a better hand than that, I'll bid 2♠. The only other action I might consider is 3♣, planning to bid 3♠ on the next round, but I think that's overdoing it opposite a modern takeout double.

[bluecalm]

What actually happened:

 

1)

[hv=pc=n&s=sa98hkqj86djt86c7&n=sk742hadkq5cakj43&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1cp1hp2cp2hp2sp2np3dp3nppp]266|200[/hv]

 

Other table didn't reach this very good slam either.

I thought 3♦ must be encouraging and having super maximum and good spots I would like to bid some slam invite. My instinct was natural 4NT (I guess partner could still be 4-0-4-5 though).

 

2)http://i39.tinypic.com/bdtglv.jpg

 

JL changed to 2♦. Heart looked like the book play, nobody could expect E having 3 spades though. I wonder what 6♣ bidder had in mind

 

3)http://i39.tinypic.com/35mmzgl.jpg

 

3♣ seemed very bold to me (to say the least) and considered 2♠ or even pass normal. The action brought good result as WE had +140 themselves (and they actually let 4♥ make at other table).

I kinda like 3♣ when I think about it I thought it could be -1100 territory but we can still run to spades after being doubled, which I missed.

 

Sorry for big pictures. I used a service which doesn't offer links to thumbnails.

[benlessard]

Interesting thread, Im wondering if Justin was planning to bid 3S if opps compete further, my guess is no, in wich case its still interesting to know why he prefer 3C (partner leading a S & blowing a trick is simply too likely ?)

 

(3) I'm old enough to think that double is for penalties, but young enough to think that 2♥ shows a responsive double. So I'd do that.

If 2♥ would show a better hand than that, I'll bid 2♠. The only other action I might consider is 3♣, planning to bid 3♠ on the next round, but I think that's overdoing it opposite a modern takeout double.

I didnt even thought about this, im really used to play that 2H show a very good 2S bid while 2S can be competitive (or the other way around). Idem for 2NT (good 3C bid), I guess it make sense to use 2H as a responsive has those 4M+5m or 4M+6m are going to be frequent in similar spots. But at the same time using 2H as a very good 2S bid is also useful.

[JLOGIC]

(1) 3NT. Not sure why people are getting excited about holding KQJxx opposite a shortage.

 

 

 

Thank you. I mean it's not even close imo. Bluecalm describes my hand as a "super max." What? Partner bid 3D to help us evaluate out hand...we have KQJxx opp a stiff, that is not a super max. I will say if you make any kind of slam try, partner is definitely bidding 3N next. His stiff A was huge. Change it to the DA (which he will think is a better hand, and slam suck. The truth is we have 31 HCP and a misfit. I don't feel bad a all about this one.

 

Hand 2: Like I said, I probably was happy to be defending 6C X. Perhaps I should get this right, but I was about to go plus on a hand my opps were cold for 6S. This is obv a terrible habit, but it is human...I will work on grinding harder, but it probably was only 1-2 imps.

 

 

hand 3 I have little D and few red cards. I was not thinking it was our hand and how to buy it cheap, I was thinking it's somewhat likely they play 4H and I wanted to make sure we got a club lead.

[benlessard]

Over a double 2D show like 4-9 pts a 6 card suit, is NF and tend to be stiff H right ? If so its likely partner got a big balanced hand with no H stop wich make it unlikely they reach 4H or that declarer has a 7 card suit.

IMO east hand is almost too strong for a 2D.

[cherdano]

Over a double 2D show like 4-9 pts a 6 card suit, is NF and tend to be stiff H right ?

I would say it tends to be a doubleton heart.

[barmar]

JL changed to 2♦. Heart looked like the book play, nobody could expect E having 3 spades though. I wonder what 6♣ bidder had in mind

It seems like a lead director if NS bid 6♥. But why didn't he pull the double to 6♠?

[aguahombre]

It seems like a lead director if NS bid 6♥. But why didn't he pull the double to 6♠?

And therein lies the rub. How on earth could we guess that was the only spade partner had? Maybe I can be justifiably accused of pushing my bad position that the diamond switch was JLOGICAL; but, nevertheless.... B-)

[JLOGIC]

RHO did not know what 4H meant

[bluecalm]

Thank you. I mean it's not even close imo. Bluecalm describes my hand as a "super max." What? Partner bid 3D to help us evaluate out hand...we have KQJxx opp a stiff, that is not a super max. I will say if you make any kind of slam try, partner is definitely bidding 3N next. His stiff A was huge.

 

Yeah, his A♥ is huge, however:

-his hand is minimum, he often has 21's there and will pass 3BA anyway

-he usually have A♥ in 20-21 range.

-he sometimes is 4-0-4-5 (I think, not sure about your system) in which case he is passing 3NT with hands like:

 

Here are first 10 hands which appeared: (20-21hcp, 4-1-3-5 or 4-0-4-5):

KQ32 - AQ94 AKQJ2 6D is excellent

KQT7 A AK4 A9642

KQT6 A AK2 AT953

KQJ3 A AK4 QJ963

KJ75 A KQ9 AQJ64

K765 - AK43 AKQJ6

KQT5 A AK9 A9532

Q754 A AKQ AJT84

KJ74 A AK5 AQT94

QJT7 2 AK9 AKQJ2

 

To be honest, after going through them I am not that sure about a move anymore :)

Sometimes we miss a good slam but I am not sure how partner should react to our move (be it 4d or 4NT). We may end up in something very silly.

I am also not sure about my assumptions about critical range here. I think that with 22+ he will generally make move himself after our 3NT and with 19 and below he wouldn't bother us (maybe with 4-0-4-5 he would). I worry the most about 4-0-4-5 which usually make excellent slam.

 

Hand 2: Like I said, I probably was happy to be defending 6C X. Perhaps I should get this right, but I was about to go plus on a hand my opps were cold for 6S. This is obv a terrible habit, but it is human...I will work on grinding harder, but it probably was only 1-2 imps.

 

Well, I was curious how it went at the table. Not criticizing you at all, just trying to understand how you think.

Same goes for 3rd hand. It was strange to, I wouldn't even think about it but now I kinda like it and maybe I will be able to apply similar thinking to other situations.

 

Time for me to sleep. Happy New Year everybody.

[gnasher]

RHO did not know what 4H meant

Did that surprise you? I can understand that they might not have discussed it, but it seems risky to make a bid like that without discussion.