some more hands I don't understand how I could have done better at the time

Discussion:

(too old to reply)

Adam Lea

2017-01-07 22:57:44 UTC

2017 seems to have started how 2016 ended, more poor bridge evenings
(48% with one of the best players in the club and 41% yesterday
evening). Here are some hands from yesterday evening where I thought my
decisions were reasonable at the time but still did badly. Can anyone
see anything consistent in where my decision making is flawed, as these
poor evenings are becoming far to common to dismiss as "one of those
nights".

I'm North throughout.

Round 2:
E/W vuln

North
AKJ76
K43
KT
763

Playing 5 card majors (short 1C), 15-17NT and 3 weak twos, the bidding went:

N E S W
1S P P 1C
1S P P 2H
AP

I accepted the insufficient bid and decided to re-bid 1S hoping partner
would take it as showing a decent suit (we haven't discussed the system
over insufficient interference :-)). The other hands were:

East South West
T932 854 Q
9752 J6 AQT8
73 J9642 AQ85
AKT Q42 J985

It seems that West did not see my opening bid, hence the insufficient
bid. 2H+1 came in for 4 out of 16 MPs. Partner first said I should have
bid 2S, when I mentioned my rebid of 1S she said she did not recognise
this as showing a good suit.

Round 3, two complete bottoms

The first one was unavoidable as our opponents bid to a cold 6C making 7
which no-one else in the room bid (one pair decided to play in 4C). The
second one is more interesting:

E/W vuln

AJT76
A
T6
AT852
K982 4
KQJT62 9853
A8 KJ7432
6 Q9
Q53
74
Q95
KJ743

N E S W
P P 1H
1S 2H 2S 4H
AP

After 1H had been opened, I pondered between bidding 1S or a Michaels
2H. I decided on 1S as with intermediate strength hands I don't like
using two suited overcall conventions, I prefer using them to show
either weak or strong hands, then on the next round I can either pass to
show the weak type or bid something/double to show the strong type. 4H
makes for +620 and a bottom for us, as we can make 4S. Partner suggested
I should have bid 4S but at the time, I could see three defensive tricks
in my hand and if the trumps are breaking badly for opponents, partner
might have a slow trump winner, or even a slow trick in a side suit, so
I thought I would play to take 4H off and so didn't want to be lured
into a phantom. I got that totally wrong (thank goodness it wasn't
teams!). What do you think?

Round 7
Game all

North South
Q53 KJT8
AQ3 K54
J7532 KQ9
93 K86

Myself and East pass, Partner opens 1NT. West passes, I ponder between
inviting and punting 3NT. I decide on the latter, partner goes two off
because EW set up their 5 card club suit at trick 1, and we are missing
two other aces. Deep Finesse says six tricks are the limit on double
dummy play, seems that holding 24HCP with flat hands all round the table
yet cannot theoretically make even 1NT is a little insane. All but two
other stay in a partscore so only 2 out of 14 MPs. Was I over the top
with my 3NT punt?

Round 12
Game all

K97632
Q
T985
T8
T85 J4
AKJT63 9742
Q K7432
965 J4
AQ
85
AJ6
AKQ732

N E S W
1C 1H
P 2H 3C 3H
AP

I thought at the time I was too weak to bid 1S over 1H. I didn't fancy
bidding 3S over 3H either. 3H went one off for 3 out of 16 MPs as 6S is
making for NS. Where did I go wrong with my thinking?

There were three other boards where we got poor results but after
looking at them they were due to the opponents bidding and playing more
accurately than everyone else, or in one case going two down in 2S with
six losers straight off and a finesse wrong, whereas others were allowed
to make it or E/W were making 3 or 4C.

Thanks for any help.

Adam

judyorcarl@verizon.net

2017-01-07 23:58:43 UTC

Permalink

Post by Adam Lea
Round 7
Game all
North South
Q53 KJT8
AQ3 K54
J7532 KQ9
93 K86
Myself and East pass, Partner opens 1NT. West passes, I ponder between
inviting and punting 3NT. I decide on the latter, partner goes two off
because EW set up their 5 card club suit at trick 1, and we are missing
two other aces. Deep Finesse says six tricks are the limit on double
dummy play, seems that holding 24HCP with flat hands all round the table
yet cannot theoretically make even 1NT is a little insane. All but two
other stay in a partscore so only 2 out of 14 MPs. Was I over the top
with my 3NT punt?

This result is strong evidence that the east hand is not a strong notrump. That you should subtract for no aces. It is rare you can make 3NT missing 3 aces unless almost nothing else is missing.

Carl

Travis Crump

2017-01-08 01:23:46 UTC

Permalink

I wouldn't have accepted the insufficient bid. I would only accept the
bid with a good reason, and a balanced minimum that wants to repeat its
first bid doesn't strike me as a good reason. If anyone should balance
with 2S it is South, but I'm not real sure I even want to be in 2S on
these cards. It strikes me as a hope the opponents never double contract
which in a club game might actually be true[I realize 2S might actually
make on this layout, but that seems unlikely just on our cards. If the
opponents can take the first 3 clubs it has basically no play and might
be down 2 or three]. The real question is whether to open 1S or 1N. I
can see a good argument for 1N.

North looks like an 8 count with a 5 card suit. Unless you aren't even
playing invites it looks like a middling invite at best.

What do you play 2S over 1H? A weak jump shift can be a constructive
bid. I think a lot of the field is opening 2C with the South hand and
then the auction is going much differently. Even if you bid 1S, South
isn't going to raise so the auction to 4S is still tricky. It seems like
6S is a lucky contract that only makes because east doesn't have an
entry to cash the DK on a diamond opening lead.

Travis

Ronald

2017-01-08 11:08:47 UTC

Permalink

Post by Adam Lea
I'm North throughout.
Round 2: E/W vuln North AKJ76 K43 KT 763
1S P P 1C; 1S P P 2H; AP

I think it was a good idea to accept the insufficient bid. You would want
to bid over 2C but don't have a good bid. With a 6crd S or short C I would
not have accepted. Pard should have balanced with 2S

Post by Adam Lea
Round 7 Game all
North Q53 AQ3 J7532 93 South KJT8 K54 KQ9 K84
Myself and East pass, Partner opens 1NT. West passes, I ponder between
inviting and punting 3NT.

N is worth 8+ and S 14+ in "my points". Neither would I open a SNT nor
would I invite opposite it.

Post by Adam Lea
Round 12 Game all Dealer S
N: K97632 Q T985 T8
W: T85 AKJT63 Q 965 E: J4 9742 K7432 J4
S: AQ 85 AJ6 AKQ732
1C-1H-P-2H; 3C-3H-AP
I thought at the time I was too weak to bid 1S over 1H. I didn't fancy
bidding 3S over 3H either. 3H went one off for 3 out of 16 MPs as 6S is
making for NS. Where did I go wrong with my thinking?

I'd have bid 1S. Get your S in as long as you can do it at a low low level.
After 1S you can sit back and relax. If you don't bid S now, you will be
uncomfortable for the rest of the board. 2S is borderline if you play weak
jump shifts, I'd like to have a better suit. In either case pard will not
stop below game. You'll probably play 4S or 4/5H doubled.

--
Ronald

Adam Lea

2017-01-08 12:04:17 UTC

Permalink

Post by Ronald

Fair enough. I thought when partner opened 1C that I was going to bid
1S. If I am prepared to freely bid 1S I can see now there is a case for
bidding 1S over the intervention.

Co Wiersma

2017-01-08 02:51:26 UTC

Permalink

Well sometimes your partner is not thinking at all and you score bad
And in this case , 2H seems to be a normal contract
After
1S-P-P-DBL-P-2H AP
But not accepting 1C could have worked

Post by Adam Lea
Round 3, two complete bottoms
The first one was unavoidable as our opponents bid to a cold 6C making 7
which no-one else in the room bid (one pair decided to play in 4C). The
E/W vuln
AJT76
A
T6
AT852
K982 4
KQJT62 9853
A8 KJ7432
6 Q9
Q53
74
Q95
KJ743
N E S W
P P 1H
1S 2H 2S 4H
AP
After 1H had been opened, I pondered between bidding 1S or a Michaels
2H. I decided on 1S as with intermediate strength hands I don't like
using two suited overcall conventions, I prefer using them to show
either weak or strong hands, then on the next round I can either pass to
show the weak type or bid something/double to show the strong type. 4H
makes for +620 and a bottom for us, as we can make 4S. Partner suggested
I should have bid 4S but at the time, I could see three defensive tricks
in my hand and if the trumps are breaking badly for opponents, partner
might have a slow trump winner, or even a slow trick in a side suit, so
I thought I would play to take 4H off and so didn't want to be lured
into a phantom. I got that totally wrong (thank goodness it wasn't
teams!). What do you think?

I think 3 Aces are good for defence, but also for offence
And the North hand seems very strong for playing yourself
With the 3 Aces and the shape and the intermediates

I dont like the North hand much as the 5-card is poor and the dots are
very small.

Post by Adam Lea
Round 12
Game all
K97632
Q
T985
T8
T85 J4
AKJT63 9742
Q K7432
965 J4
AQ
85
AJ6
AKQ732
N E S W
1C 1H
P 2H 3C 3H
AP
I thought at the time I was too weak to bid 1S over 1H. I didn't fancy
bidding 3S over 3H either. 3H went one off for 3 out of 16 MPs as 6S is
making for NS. Where did I go wrong with my thinking?
There were three other boards where we got poor results but after
looking at them they were due to the opponents bidding and playing more
accurately than everyone else, or in one case going two down in 2S with
six losers straight off and a finesse wrong, whereas others were allowed
to make it or E/W were making 3 or 4C.
Thanks for any help.
Adam

The South hand is rather strong for a one-level opening
I think the south hand is worth at least a 2NT opening bid
Maybe more
But after 1C-1H-1S , things would be fine as South would (or should)
force to game
6S is very hard to find

Co Wiersma

Player

2017-01-08 03:15:03 UTC

Permalink

Post by Adam Lea
2017 seems to have started how 2016 ended, more poor bridge evenings
(48% with one of the best players in the club and 41% yesterday
evening). Here are some hands from yesterday evening where I thought my
decisions were reasonable at the time but still did badly. Can anyone
see anything consistent in where my decision making is flawed, as these
poor evenings are becoming far to common to dismiss as "one of those
nights".
I'm North throughout.
E/W vuln
North
AKJ76
K43
KT
763
N E S W
1S P P 1C
1S P P 2H
AP
I accepted the insufficient bid and decided to re-bid 1S hoping partner
would take it as showing a decent suit (we haven't discussed the system
East South West
T932 854 Q
9752 J6 AQT8
73 J9642 AQ85
AKT Q42 J985
It seems that West did not see my opening bid, hence the insufficient
bid. 2H+1 came in for 4 out of 16 MPs. Partner first said I should have
bid 2S, when I mentioned my rebid of 1S she said she did not recognise
this as showing a good suit.
Round 3, two complete bottoms
The first one was unavoidable as our opponents bid to a cold 6C making 7
which no-one else in the room bid (one pair decided to play in 4C). The
E/W vuln
AJT76
A
T6
AT852
K982 4
KQJT62 9853
A8 KJ7432
6 Q9
Q53
74
Q95
KJ743
N E S W
P P 1H
1S 2H 2S 4H
AP
After 1H had been opened, I pondered between bidding 1S or a Michaels
2H. I decided on 1S as with intermediate strength hands I don't like
using two suited overcall conventions, I prefer using them to show
either weak or strong hands, then on the next round I can either pass to
show the weak type or bid something/double to show the strong type. 4H
makes for +620 and a bottom for us, as we can make 4S. Partner suggested
I should have bid 4S but at the time, I could see three defensive tricks
in my hand and if the trumps are breaking badly for opponents, partner
might have a slow trump winner, or even a slow trick in a side suit, so
I thought I would play to take 4H off and so didn't want to be lured
into a phantom. I got that totally wrong (thank goodness it wasn't
teams!). What do you think?
Round 7
Game all
North South
Q53 KJT8
AQ3 K54
J7532 KQ9
93 K86
Myself and East pass, Partner opens 1NT. West passes, I ponder between
inviting and punting 3NT. I decide on the latter, partner goes two off
because EW set up their 5 card club suit at trick 1, and we are missing
two other aces. Deep Finesse says six tricks are the limit on double
dummy play, seems that holding 24HCP with flat hands all round the table
yet cannot theoretically make even 1NT is a little insane. All but two
other stay in a partscore so only 2 out of 14 MPs. Was I over the top
with my 3NT punt?
Round 12
Game all
K97632
Q
T985
T8
T85 J4
AKJT63 9742
Q K7432
965 J4
AQ
85
AJ6
AKQ732
N E S W
1C 1H
P 2H 3C 3H
AP
I thought at the time I was too weak to bid 1S over 1H. I didn't fancy
bidding 3S over 3H either. 3H went one off for 3 out of 16 MPs as 6S is
making for NS. Where did I go wrong with my thinking?
There were three other boards where we got poor results but after
looking at them they were due to the opponents bidding and playing more
accurately than everyone else, or in one case going two down in 2S with
six losers straight off and a finesse wrong, whereas others were allowed
to make it or E/W were making 3 or 4C.
Thanks for any help.
Adam

On the last board passing instead of bidding 1S is very poor. One poster mentioned weak jump shifts, well yes, if you play that sort of rubbish convention, however 1S is perfectly fine.
Fwiw I would have opened the Sth hand with 2NT.

Lorne Anderson

2017-01-08 15:18:17 UTC

Permalink

Partner should bid 2S. Your 1S shows a good suit but middling values as
you would bid 2S or 1N with a good hand. Probably that leaves you
defending 3H but some of the time that will be good for you if not this
time.

I would bid 4S - it is going to make whenever partner has useful club
cards and will often be a good sacrifice if not. If it turns out to be
a phantom then bad luck but the odds it is the right thing to do are
better than 50% IMO.

N looks like an invite to me given the poor cards in the long suit.
There is also merit in downgrading the S hand with no aces and no 5 card
suit but most people only ever upgrade so that will be against the field.

6 card spades suits should bid something. I prefer 1S over 1H. Pass
maybe OK if you had a lot of hearts as it is likely that you will get a
second chance but here you know a pass will lead to a high heart
contract coming back that freezes you out.

On the auction you can bid 3S as partner knows from the ealier pass that
you have at least 6 spades, a weak hand, and some tolernce for clubs so
will not go overboard.

Adam Lea

2017-01-08 17:40:02 UTC

Permalink

Post by Lorne Anderson

This is where I have problems, working out in some situations (e.g.
seemingly close decisions) what is the most likely action to lead to a
good, or at least satisfactory result. I have a 5-6 loser hand, partner
with a single raise will likely cover two of those losers, so 4S is
50-50. If I'm defending 4H I only need partner to have one defensive
trick, which she would have if we didn't have a big club fit. At least
that is what I thought at the time. If I knew during the auction there
were double fits all round I would bid 4S.

I think I need to improve my ability to visualise the range of possible
hands partner could have, and estimate what percentage of those hands
bidding on will be right. It can be difficult to do as there is always a
bit of time pressure, especially if I'm directing as well.

Post by Lorne Anderson

The field was playing a weak NT and they generally stopped in 1NT or 2NT.

Post by Lorne Anderson

6 card spades suits should bid something. I prefer 1S over 1H. Pass
maybe OK if you had a lot of hearts as it is likely that you will get a
second chance but here you know a pass will lead to a high heart
contract coming back that freezes you out.
On the auction you can bid 3S as partner knows from the ealier pass that
you have at least 6 spades, a weak hand, and some tolernce for clubs so
will not go overboard.

Yes that is something that evidently slipped my mind; passing then
bidding a suit I could have bid the first time shows a weak hand with a
long suit. Partner will take the weakness into account and not bid into
the stratosphere with a strong hand.

Douglas Newlands

2017-01-09 01:38:38 UTC

Permalink

You need a better new year resolution!
Always looks for excuses to bid and never look for reasons to not bid.

hand 1 partner found a reason to not bid 2S; certainly should bid it
over 2H.

Hand 2 use michaels and show 10 cards instead of wimping it and showing
only 5 cards. I think this business of playing
it weak or strong is wrong. Play it as 10-12 or so initially
and catch up later if necessary.
Here partner will know of fitting cards in a minor.

Hand 3 (round 7) Don't ponder between inviting and bidding 3NT.
If you want to ponder do it between pass and 3NT.
My rule with a balanced-ish hand (4333, 4432, 5332) is that with
a minimum of 24, bid game; with a maximum of 25, play 1N.
Never bid an invitational 2NT.
Playing 14-16, I would pass with the 9 count.
Playing 15-17, I would bid 3NT with the nine count.
Bidding methods are inexact.

Hand 4 Have another look at new year resolution.

:)

doug

Adam Lea

2017-01-10 00:25:16 UTC

Permalink

Post by Douglas Newlands
You need a better new year resolution!
Always looks for excuses to bid and never look for reasons to not bid.
hand 1 partner found a reason to not bid 2S; certainly should bid it
over 2H.
Hand 2 use michaels and show 10 cards instead of wimping it and showing
only 5 cards. I think this business of playing
it weak or strong is wrong. Play it as 10-12 or so initially
and catch up later if necessary.
Here partner will know of fitting cards in a minor.

I have heard of playing two suited overcalls with 8-15HCP, this is the
first time I have heard 10-12. I wasn't wimping, I was merely doing what
I have learnt when I read about the convention, which is with
intermediate hands to overcall then bid the other suit if possible. The
reasoning for showing weak or strong is because there is insufficient
bidding space to show weak, intermediate and strong, and taking the
extremes makes it easy; second bid shows the strong hand, no further bid
shows the weak hand. This makes it easy for partner to judge whether we
are bidding to sacrifice or bidding to make. What is the reasoning
behind your method?

Player

2017-01-10 00:43:55 UTC

Permalink

Post by Adam Lea

Pretty obvious. Strong hands can be bid by showing both suits. Weak hands are probably only worth one bid. With the intermediate hands show your shape.

Steve Willner

2017-01-11 22:56:49 UTC

Permalink

Post by Adam Lea
E/W vuln
North
AKJ76
K43
KT
763
N E S W
1S P P 1C
1S P P 2H
AP
I accepted the insufficient bid and decided to re-bid 1S hoping partner
would take it as showing a decent suit

You have a balanced minimum opening. Probably better to try for a
normal result by refusing the IB and then passing over the likely 2C.
If West decides to pass out 1S, that should be OK. Your approach could
gain, but it risks confusing partner.

As others have written, your partner was asleep.

Post by Adam Lea
E/W vuln
AJT76
A
T6
AT852
K982 4
KQJT62 9853
A8 KJ7432
6 Q9
Q53
74
Q95
KJ743
N E S W
P P 1H
1S 2H 2S 4H
AP
After 1H had been opened, I pondered between bidding 1S or a Michaels
2H. I decided on 1S as with intermediate strength hands I don't like
using two suited overcall conventions,

What's your _agreement_? Some people like split-range Michaels, others
don't, but partner needs to know what to expect. I don't see how
Michaels solves your problem anyway: how is partner supposed to know
whether your second suit is clubs or diamonds?

One idea you _might_ have considered is overcalling 2C on the first
round. That gives you a 4S bid over 4H. (Partner will have raised
clubs in the meanwhile.) I am not at all sure this is really a good idea.

I think the people who said 4S was obvious are resulting. Partner could
have had a much weaker hand with no special club fit, and both 4H and 4S
would be down.

Post by Adam Lea
bid something/double to show the strong type.

If you play split-range, bids in the suits you have should show
distribution, not the strong type of two-suiter. Doubles and bids in
"not possible" suits suffice to show the strong type.

Post by Adam Lea
Round 7
Game all
North South
Q53 KJT8
AQ3 K54
J7532 KQ9
93 K86
Myself and East pass, Partner opens 1NT. West passes, I ponder between
inviting and punting 3NT.

This is a hand evaluation problem. I like "fifths count," but there are
other methods. South is 14.0 so too weak to open 1NT. North is 8.6,
which is exactly in the very narrow range where at matchpoints an
invitation is appropriate if you have one. (I think the range is 8.4 to
8.6, but I don't recall exactly. At IMPs, there is _no_ range where an
invitation is best. At least these are what Alex Martelli convinced me of.)