English Bridge

Competitive Bidding Andrew Kambites G

N Understanding I D D I

B competitive

E V I T

I bidding T E P

M imagine that opponents might make 4 ♥ extra values; it just shows a desire to com -

O while you can make 4 ♠. With spades as pete. By this time, North has described his

C Andrew Kambites trumps your hand is likely to be worth six hand well: five spades and a tolerance for tricks; if hearts are trumps your hand may the other unbid suits. not contribute a single trick to the def en - In Auction 2, North’s 2 ♠ bid on the IN this new series of articles I shall be sive cause. A 1 ♠ is essential (or second round shows at least five good examining competitive bidding: when to 2♠ if you play weak jump over calls). This spades in a hand too good to bid 1 ♠ on compete and how to compete. sort of hand explains why a one-level the first round (say, 17+ points). In order to understand competitive overcall can be made on a hand that would Clearly with Hand C you must either bidding it is important to understand that not open the bidding. bid spades straight away (via an overcall), there are some hands where each side can Natural no- with or be prepared to suppress the fifth spade make a lot of tricks if it can choose the balanced and semi-balanced hands have for ever. trump suit, and there are others where already been dealt with in my article in With Hand D you are not so concerned nobody can make much at all. If your side the December 2007 English Bridge , which about losing a 5-3 minor fit. It is best to can make 4 ♠ while your opponents can was part of the series on no-trump bid- double 1 ♥ to bring your spades into the make 4 ♥, clearly the side that sells out too ding. You can show a one-suited hand game. quickly will regret it. On the other hand, if with an overcall. Three-suited hands with So what haven’t we covered? One area nobody can make a contract above the two shortage in opener’s suit can be shown that needs careful consideration is really level, it is silly to try to outbid your oppo - by a take-out double. Sometimes you have strong hands. There is no upper limit to a nents at the four level. The key is an a choice between making an overcall or a take-out double but if the doubler likes his understanding of the difference between take-out double. partner’s choice of suit, he must exercise a offensive and defensive values. certain amount of restraint.

Hand C Hand D Auction 3 Hand A Hand B ♠ Q 9 6 3 2 ♠ A J 2 West North East South ♠ A 3 2 ♠ K Q J 10 3 2 ♥ 8 ♥ 8 1♦ Dble Pass 1♠ ♥ A J 3 2 ♥ 6 ♦ A Q 5 4 ♦ A Q 5 4 Pass ? ♦ A 6 4 ♦ J 10 9 8 ♣ A J 2 ♣ Q 9 6 3 2 ♣ 8 4 3 ♣ 6 4 In Auction 3 North must curb his enthu - siasm and remember that South could Your right-hand opponent opens 1 ♥. have a Yarborough with only three spades. Suppose your right-hand opponent opens With Hand C, overcall 1 ♠. Unless you A good rule of thumb is for North to 1♥. overcall 1 ♠ you are unlikely to find a 5-3 imagine that he opened the bidding with a If you hold Hand A you have three and spade fit. Compare these two auctions: minor and South responded 1 ♠ (in that a bit tricks, no matter who plays the case, showing 6 points) as in Auction 4. contract. Your offensive and defensive Auction 1 strength are almost identical. There is no West North East South Auction 4 point in competing. Most balanced hands 1♥ 1♠ 2♥ Pass West North East South are like this, which is why you can afford Pass Dble 1♣ Pass 1♠ to pass a 1 ♥ opening bid with a hand that Pass ? you would have opened 1NT. It is also true Auction 2 that a 1NT overcall here would be very West North East South In Auction 3 North decides the level to dan gerous: if the third hand has 10 points 1♥ Dble 2♥ Pass which he would have supported South’s it can double, which could leave you with Pass 2♠ spades in the hypothetical Auction 4 and a hefty minus score. A 1NT overcall shows then bids one fewer. Thus in Auction 3 a a good 15 to 18 points. In Auction 1, North’s double on the second raise to 2 ♠ shows 16-18 points (or six If you hold Hand B, it is not hard to round of bidding does not show significant losers), 3 ♠ shows 19-20 points (or five

34 English Bridge June 2008 www.ebu.co.uk losers) and 4 ♠ shows 21+. Even this will take you too high if South has got total rubbish but you can’t cater for everything. makers of playing cards since 1824 PRIZE PLAY Auction 5 www.piatnik.co.uk QQUUIIZZ West North East South ( 020 8661 8866 1♦ Dble 1♥ 1♠ A competition you can all enter Pass ? TAKE a look at the play situation below and give your answer. Please include very Common sense demands these values brief details of your reasoning. change if South’s 1 ♠ is a free bid. In There are three categories in our Auction 5, South’s 1 ♠ takes on the values comp etition: for players up to and of a genuine response to a one-level including County Master; for those opening, so North would raise to 4 ♠ with up to and including Regional Master; and for those with higher ranking. 19 points. This twin-pack of playing cards (‘Mosaic There might not be an upper limit to a from Florence’) is the prize on offer in our take-out double but there has to be an series of play posers set by . ♠ A 10 3 upper limit to a suit overcall (to be ♥ K Q J decided by partnership agreement) and a ♦ 9 7 5 4 3 1NT overcall (18 points). ♣ Q J playing cards now on sale online. For more information visit N W E www.piatnik.co.uk S Hand E Hand F ♠ A Q J 7 6 ♠ A Q J 10 7 4 Entries to Julian Pottage, 17 Beach ♠ ♥ ♥ K Q J 8 6 Road, Porthcawl CF36 5NH, or e-mail ♥ A 9 7 5 ♦ A K Q ♦ A 9 [email protected] . Entries ♦ K Q J 2 ♣ A J 9 2 ♣ A K J 2 must arrive by June 20. Please indicate ♣ A 9 on the top left-hand corner of the envelope, or in the e-mail subject line, the category for which you are entering. Hand E is too strong for a 1 ♠ overcall of ♥ ♠ Julian Pottage will judge the entries and You play in 6NT after an uncontested 1 . Hand F is too strong for a 2 overcall the first correct answer drawn in each auction. West leads the nine of spades. (even if you are playing strong jump over - category will win a prize. What is the best line for the contract? calls). In each case you start by doubling 1♥. Partner will believe he is being asked to choose, but you will then overrule him. With Hand E your next bid will be spades at the cheapest level. With Hand F your next bid will be a jump in spades. It is a general principle that if you ask partner to choose and then ignore him by making your own bid in a different denomination, READERS of this magazine are amongst ago – she was almost 90! you are showing a hand too strong to bid a privileged community, sharing at least She logs on a couple of times a week that denomination on the first round. one interest, often spending hours reading, from the comfort of her own home – Equally, unless you have a very strong talking and perfecting our expertise in it. partnering players young and old, good hand, if you make a take-out double you Unlike most other activities, in bridge and not so good. must be prepared to accept your partner’s neither age nor language create barriers. If she has problems with mobility, choice of denomination. The International Language of our vision or dexterity, we don’t see it. So if you hold Hand E the bidding is ‘torture of choice’ is English. All play all – All we know is that she is there, playing likely to proceed: regardless of nationality, creed or which bridge and being part of our club. cereal they eat for breakfast. Some time ago, we had a couple of West North East South I was reminded of this when a member young sprogs – about nine years old – 1♥ Dble Pass 2♣ of Bridge Club Live had a minor technical who were active members. Now they are Pass 2♠ problem. A member since June 2000, old-timers. surely she should know how to update I am on the lookout for our current, North’s 2 ♠ rebid shows a hand too strong her profile by now? Having played more youngest on-line player. Are you her or to overcall 1 ♠ on the first round. 2 ♠ in than 8,000 boards, her player-rating him? this sequence does not show the ‘other two shows that she is in the top 40% of our Meantime, I hope to reach my nineties suits’. membership – so no slouch at the game. and be able to handle the computer and This brings us on to the only important In conversation with Barrie (Senior play a reasonable game of on-line bridge type of hand that I have not covered: two- Kibitzer) Partridge, it turns out that when with some of you – just like Beatrice. suited hands. They will be looked at in the he last spoke to her – about eight years Fran Bramzel next three articles. r

www.ebu.co.uk June 2008 English Bridge 35 G

N The Unusual I D D I

B No-trump

E V I T

I overcall T E P

M that you are quite likely to find partner count. It certainly pays to get your two-

O with some length in one of your suits and suiter into the auction at an early stage.

C Andrew Kambites shortage in the other, allowing you to the second suit good. When do you bid on? Diagram (i) shows the potential of Hand I CONCLUDED my last article by show ing A if even a semblance of a fit is found: However, suppose you decide to bid that the one type of hand not obviously 2NT over 1 ♠ with Hands A, B and C. The covered by standard overcalling/doubling auction might start: methods is the two-suiter. I am going to Diagram (i) assume that a two-suited hand has at least ♠ 2 ♠ 8 6 4 West North East South 5-5 shape when you are overcalling a suit ♥ A 4 N ♥ 8 6 3 2 1♠ W E bid (though I am aware that some partner - ♦ K Q J 10 6 S ♦ A 4 2NT Pass 3♣ Pass ships agree to use them on 5-4 shapes). ♣ A Q J 9 8 ♣ 10 7 6 2 ? To illustrate two-suiters, I am going to start with a conventional bid that most of When do you bid on? If you do bid on (say you will already play: the Unusual No- East-West may have only 21 high-card with 4 ♣), the auction is becoming very trump. points between them, but 6 ♣ will make if high. If you bid on with Hand B you risk If an opponent opens with a suit bid, a the club (taken through the opening the horror story in diagram (iii). East has jump to 2NT is widely played as showing bidder) is right. Given time, East’s hearts little choice but to bid 3 ♣ over 2NT. In this the lower two unbid suits. 2NT is not really can be discarded on West’s diamonds and case it is a strangled preference, not real needed to show a strong, the four of hearts can be ruffed. Moreover, support for clubs. If you play two-suited (except in the protective position) because if North-South have some shape (e.g. dia - overcalls you must understand the differ - with such a hand you double first and monds breaking 5-1 and clubs 3-1), then ence between support and preference. then bid no-trumps. So your right hand they might well make 4 ♠. opponent opens 1 ♠. How much potential Even Hand C can have playing strength do these hands have? far in excess of its point count, as shown in Diagram (iii) diagram (ii): ♠ 2 ♠ Q 10 7 6 3 ♥ 8 6 N ♥ K 7 5 4 3 W E Hand A Hand B ♦ K Q J 7 6 S ♦ 3 ♠ 2 ♠ 2 Diagram (ii) ♣ A Q J 9 8 ♣ 7 4 ♥ A 4 ♥ 8 6 ♠ 9 ♠ 8 6 4 ♦ K Q J 10 6 ♦ K Q J 7 6 ♥ 9 4 N ♥ 8 6 3 2 W E ♣ A Q J 9 8 ♣ A Q J 9 8 ♦ K 10 9 7 6 S ♦ A 4 So West chooses to pass 3 ♣ with Hand B, ♣ K Q 9 8 5 ♣ 10 7 6 2 but now this is the layout:

Hand C Hand D North-South will comfortably make 4 ♠ Diagram (iv) ♠ 9 ♠ A but East-West may well only be two off in ♠ 2 ♠ 10 7 6 3 ♥ 9 4 ♥ K 6 5♣ – certainly a good if your ♥ 8 6 N ♥ A Q 3 W E ♦ K 10 9 7 6 ♦ J 7 4 3 2 opponents are vulnerable and you are not. ♦ K Q J 7 6 S ♦ A 3 2 ♣ K Q 9 8 5 ♣ Q 5 4 3 2 Do you see the common theme of dia - ♣ A Q J 9 8 ♣ 7 4 3 grams (i) and (ii)? If West bids an Unusual 2NT over South’s 1 ♠ opening bid, then it If you show two suits, your chances of is right for East to compete to 5 ♣ over 4 ♠ You can’t really expect East to do much finding a fit are greatly enhanced and the whether West has Hand A or Hand C! more than bid 3 ♣ opposite 2NT if West danger of suffering an adverse penalty cor - Two-suited hands tend to have a potential might have Hand C, but an excellent game respondingly diminished. Another factor is playing strength far in excess of their point has been missed when West has Hand B.

44 English Bridge August 2008 www.ebu.co.uk Can you see the problem? The Unusual 2NT consumes a lot of bidding space. Effectively it pre-empts partner as well as the opponents. If the call can be made with PRIZE PLAY ANSWER Hands A, B and C then you simply haven’t got the bidding space to investigate the right if West has all the missing diamonds level. Happily, there is a solution. You need (even if the club finesse works), you to classify the strength of a two-suiter. Prizes kindly donated by PIATNIK, should focus on four diamonds with makers of playing cards since 1824 East. Hand A is strong: 16+ high card points. Win the first trick in hand, cross to QUIZ master Julian Pottage gives his Hand B is intermediate: 11-15 high card dummy with a heart and lead a view of the best line of play in our June points. diamond. Assuming that East plays low, competition and awards prizes in three Hand C is weak: 6-10 high card points. you win, cross to dummy with a heart categories. and repeat the process. If we assume East plays low again, you win, cross to You only use the Unusual No-trump ♠ A 10 3 dummy with a heart and lead a third if you are weak or strong. ♥ K Q J diamond. This time East does best to ♦ 9 7 5 4 3 win. However, you are in control. You ♣ Q J can win anything in hand and cash your With Hand A, you jump to 2NT over 1 ♠ ♠ 9 8 7 6 ♠ 5 4 2 last diamond to unblock the suit. ♥ 10 8 3 N ♥ 6 4 2 Finally, you cross to the ace of spades to and make a further bid if partner bids 3 ♣ W E ♦ ♦ S ♦ A 10 8 6 enjoy the long diamond. or 3 . ♣ ♣ With Hand C, you jump to 2NT over K 7 6 4 3 2 10 8 5 ♠ K Q J 1♠ and pass partner’s choice. ♥ A 9 7 5 Congratulations to the winners: With Hand B you must content yourself ♦ K Q J 2 ♦ ♠ County: Henry Lockwood, by bidding 2 over 1 and hope you can ♣ A 9 introduce your clubs later. Cambridge Now we can look at diagram (i) again Regional: Norman Less, You play in 6NT after an uncontested and see how the bidding might go: Great Barton, Suffolk auction. West leads the nine of spades. Open: Peter Hawkes, Outside of diamonds, you have eight Radley, Oxon Diagram (i) top tricks. If diamonds break 2-2 or 3-1, ♠ 2 ♠ 8 6 4 you can make the extra four tricks you ♥ A 4 N ♥ 8 6 3 2 need simply by knocking out the ace of This month’s new W E ♦ K Q J 10 6 S ♦ A 4 diamonds. Since the contract is hopeless Play Quiz is featured on page 49. ♣ A Q J 9 8 ♣ 10 7 6 2

West North East South 1♠ COVER STORY 2NT Pass 3♣ Pass 3♥ Pass 5♣ All Pass

East knows that West will be weak or strong for 2NT (not intermediate). Initially he assumes West is weak. West’s 3 ♥ does not show that he just likes the sound of his own voice. It shows a strong Unusual No- trump, and as we have seen, a strong two- suiter is genuinely strong. The heart bid is also more flexible than 4 ♣, showing a heart feature and keeping the bidding below 3NT in case 3NT is the right contract. Finally, Hand D is not suitable for 2NT over 1 ♠. The intermediates in your suits are poor and there is too much defensive HITCHIN Bridge Club found a new way to publicise their club and also raise money for strength in the majors. Partner will never the local Hospice into the bargain, by entering two stalwart members in the fancy dress be able to judge accurately what to do if ♠ race at Hitchin Pancake Festival. The King of Spades (Norman Bond) and the Queen of the opponents bid to 4 unless you work Hearts (Larraine Cooper) did us proud, as can be seen from the photographs on the front on the principle that with a weak hand cover and above! Anyone who thinks that this was a bridge too far, can see us behaving you only make a two-suited overcall if normally at Bancroft Hall in Hitchin, Herts, every Wednesday. Robert J. Girvan your points are in your long suits. r

www.ebu.co.uk August 2008 English Bridge 45 G N

I Two-suited D D I B

E overcalls V I T I T

E you use. Your choice of system depends on shows the major suits, either weak or P whether you are prepared to put a third strong. Let us see it in action. Diagram (i) M bid aside for this purpose. can give rise to Auction 1 or Auction 2: O

C Andrew Kambites About Diagram (i) If you are prepared to sacrifice a jump bid ♠ A Q 10 6 5 4 ♠ J 2 IN my last article I looked at the Unusual in the lower unbid minor for this purpose ♥ K Q 10 8 6 N ♥ A 9 W E No-trump. Of course, if an op po nent opens (3 ♣, or maybe 2 ♦ if they open 1 ♣) you ♦ Void S ♦ 9 6 4 3 with a suit bid, there are three possible can show every combination of unbid ♣ A J ♣ 10 8 5 4 3 two-suiters you could hold. Say that your two-suiters. Ghestem is commonly played. right-hand opponent opens 1 ♦: It has many variations, but one point to bear in mind is that it is never satisfactory Auction 1 • You could have 5-5 shape in clubs to use 3 ♣ to show a two-suiter including West North East South and hearts, the lowest ranking unbid clubs, weak or strong, because partner will 1♦ suits. A jump to 2NT would show have to assume you are weak and pass if he 2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass this combination. prefers clubs to your other suit. This leads 2♠ Pass 4♠ All Pass • You could have 5-5 shape in the partnerships to vary the system depending major suits, the highest ranking on the opening bid. Such variations lead The 2 ♦ bid shows the major suits. East unbid suits. to players forgetting the system, either assumes West has the weak type (6-10 • You could have 5-5 shape in clubs forgetting which two suits 3 ♣ shows or points) and settles for 2 ♥. West bids on to and spades, the extremes. forgetting it is conventional at all. Unautho - show the strong type (16+ points) and rised information (by unexpected alert or although his partner has given preference to Obviously you would like two more failure to alert) or misinformation to op - hearts in bidding 2 ♥ West suggests an extra redundant bids to show these combi - po nents is often made worse by the fact spade with 2 ♠. The ace of hearts is a huge nations. One immediately springs to mind, that people who play Ghestem wrongly card and the spade jack will very probably a cue-bid in the opponent’s suit. The think that it is adequate just to write fill a hole so East has enough for game. traditional interpretation of an immediate ‘Ghestem’ on their convention cards. cue-bid of opener’s suit to show a game- One common variation of Ghestem is Auction 2 forcing hand is pretty useless because with the following: West North East South a very strong hand you can double and 1♦ then cue-bid. Over a 1 ♦/1 ♥/1 ♠ opening bid: 2♦ 3♦ Pass Pass The principle that a two-suited overcall A cue-bid shows the two extreme suits; 3♠ Pass 4♠ All Pass should be weak (6-10 HCP) or strong 2NT shows the two lowest suits; (16+ HCP) rather than intermediate (11- 3♣ shows the two suits not shown by East assumes that West has the weak type 15 HCP) should apply, whichever system either of the above. and has no reason to do anything over 3 ♦. Over a 1 ♣ opening bid: If West had a strong type with 5-5 shape 2♣ is natural and shows clubs; he could then double. This double cannot Scorer #1 2♦ shows the majors; cancel the message already given of at least 2NT shows the two lowest suits; 5-5 in the major suits, so it cannot be a has a new version: 3♣ shows the two extreme suits. penalty double. It would simply show the 201 0011 strong type with equal length in the Michaels Cue-bids: major suits and would give East the chance see the opponent opens a minor to pass if he had good diamonds and a www.bridgeassistant.com misfit. However, with a sixth spade West The alternative to Ghestem is Michaels chooses to bid 3 ♠ and again East raises to Proposal for better laws Cue-bids and the Unusual No-trump. game. see www.scorer123.com If an opponent opens with a How should East-West bid the hands in (e.g. 1 ♦) then a Michaels Cue-bid (2 ♦) Diagram (ii) after South opens 1 ♦?

36 English Bridge October 2008 www.ebu.co.uk Auction 5 The other disadvantage of Michaels Diagram (ii) West North East South compared to Ghestem comes when the ♠ K Q 10 6 5 ♠ A 8 2 1♥ bidding starts as in Auction 6 with North ♥ K J 10 3 2 N ♥ Q 4 2♥ Pass 2NT Pass bidding 4 ♥, and East wants to compete if W E ♦ 7 S ♦ A J 8 6 4♦ Pass 5♦ All Pass West’s second suit is one minor but not if ♣ 9 6 ♣ K 7 5 4 he has the other. East is forced to be 2♥ shows spades and a minor suit, weak pessimistic and pass, but of course if or strong. North’s pass suggests to East East/West do have an outstanding fit it East always assumes that West has the that West may be strong. 2NT is preparing will be lost. weak type. Even so, he wants to make a to sign off in the minor if West is weak. . You can play that a jump in one West shows he is strong by jumping to 4 ♦ Last but not least of partner’s suits is a game try, giving rise and East raises to game. to Auction 3. West has a weak Michaels Finally, it is reasonable to bid a two-suited hand, but at green vulnerability it is better Auction 6 over call with a 6-5 shape (if the six-card suit than it might be so he raises 3 ♠ to 4 ♠. West North East South is a minor) but it is rarely sensible to do so 1♥ with a 7-5 shape, a difference of two cards Auction 3 2♥ 4♥ 4NT Pass between the suits. Partner always seems to West North East South 5♦ All Pass pick the wrong one! The practical solution 1♦ is to bid your seven-card suit and hope you 2♦ Pass 3♠ Pass 4NT asks for the minor. East knows that if have a chance to follow it up later with your 4♠ All Pass West has the weak Michaels then 5 ♦ will five-card suit. be a cheap save against 4 ♥, whereas if With a 7-5 shape, it is almost unconcei - Alternatively, you can play that a jump in West is strong 5 ♦ will probably make. vable that the bidding will be passed out, one of partner’s suits is pre-emptive. This West must not bid on to a slam just so you can confidently expect to get method is theoretically better but more because he has the strong type. another chance. r complicated: you would have to bid Diagram (ii) with Auction 4. Here 3 ♦ is a game try in one of partner’s suits. 4 ♦ accepts the game try and asks which suit. makers of playing cards since 1824 PRIZE PLAY Auction 4 www.piatnik.co.uk QUIZ West North East South QUIZ ( 020 8661 8866 1♦ A competition you can all enter 2♦ Pass 3♦ Pass TAKE a look at the play situation below 4♦ Pass 4♠ All pass and give your answer. Please include very brief details of your reasoning. Of course, if South opens 1 ♦ then West There are three categories in our com- cannot show spades and clubs. That is a petition: for players up to and including major disadvantage of Michaels compared County Master; for those up to and to Ghestem. including Regional Master; and for those with higher ranking. Michaels Cue-bids: This twin-pack of charming playing cards the opponent opens a major (‘Starry Night’) is the prize on offer in our series of play posers set by Julian ♠ K 8 3 Pottage . Playing Michaels cue-bids, if an opponent ♥ 10 8 ♥ ♦ 9 8 6 opens with a (e.g. 1 ) then a ♣ cue-bid (2 ♥) shows the other major and K 6 5 4 3 an unspecified minor, either weak or playing cards now on sale online. N strong. You can find the minor by bidding W E For more information visit S a conventional 2NT. In Michaels’ auctions www.piatnik.co.uk where the minor is unknown, bids of 2NT ♠ A 6 5 2 Entries to Julian Pottage, 17 Beach or 4NT usually ask for the minor. Diagram ♥ Q 6 3 Road, Porthcawl CF36 5NH, or e-mail (iii) might give rise to Auction 5 or ♦ A K Q 7 [email protected] . Entries ♣ Auction 6: A Q must arrive by October 20. Please indicate on the top left-hand corner of the envelope, or in the e-mail subject line, West North East South Diagram (iii) the category for which you are entering. 2NT ♠ A Q J 7 6 ♠ 4 Julian Pottage will judge the entries and Pass 3NT All Pass ♥ 2 N ♥ 8 5 W E the first correct answer drawn in each West leads the four of spades. What is ♦ K Q 10 9 7 S ♦ A J 8 3 2 category will win a prize. the best line for making the contract? ♣ A 7 ♣ J 6 5 3 2

www.ebu.co.uk October 2008 English Bridge 37 G N

I Defence to D D I B

E 1NT opening V I T I T E P

M In Auction (i), the 2 ♣ bid shows the The Astro Defence to INT

O majors. The East hand in Diagram (i)

C Andrew Kambites feels no temptation to investigate game Over an opponent’s 1NT: because he is well aware that playing duplicate pairs West will be straining every Double is for penalties, catering for all IN this article I consider two-suited over - muscle to push South out of 1NT at love strong hands except perhaps those calls when an opponent has opened 1NT. all. Note that although East-West don’t which have extreme shape. There are two main differences between a find an eight-card fit, 2 ♠ is unlikely to be 2♣ = hearts and a minor suit, with at two-suited overcall of a suit and such an more than one off and might well make, least 5-4 (or 4-5) shape. overcall of a no-trump bid. but 1NT by South would easily succeed on 2♦ = spades and another suit, with at a heart lead. least 5-4 (or 4-5) shape. 1. Most strong hands start with a At any other vulnerability there is less 2♥/♠ are single suited natural bids. double of INT, making it unlikely temptation to intervene on rubbish because 2NT is usually played as a powerful, that you would start with a two- there is the prospect of somebody would shapely two-suiter that does not want to suited bid. Your overcall will ther e- be going off in 100s rather than 50s. At make a penalty double of 1NT, but you fore be inter mediate (up to 15 teams-of-four there is less need to turn a can choose to play it as showing the points), or weak . small loss into a smaller loss, or a small minors, the only combination not 2. In duplicate pairs there is often gain into a slightly bigger gain. Partner already catered for. strong reason for dislodging your will take your overcall seriously and not opponents from a INT contract. want to risk missing game, so a two-suited After a two-suited overcall there are two Particularly at love all, if you let overcall should show roughly opening conventional bids you can use: the suit them play in 1NT you often score values. Note that the 2 ♣ bid here was above the suit used in the overcall and 2NT. badly whether they make it or not. allowable on 5-4 shape, which is common If you score minus 120 for letting practice, even when playing teams-of-four. them play in 1NT +1, you find you Certainly this needs discussing with your Diagram (ii) could have escaped for –50 if you partner! ♠ K Q 7 6 ♠ J 2 had competed to 2 ♠. On the other ♥ K 4 N ♥ 9 5 3 2 W E hand, if you take them two off (for The simplest method ♦ K Q 6 4 3 S ♦ A 7 5 +100) you find that other pairs in ♣ 9 2 ♣ Q 5 4 3 your direction are scoring +140. Once again you are faced with a choice of These considerations often give rise a system. The simplest idea is to play 2 ♦, to the most flimsy of two-suited 2♥ and 2 ♠ overcalls as natural, but use Auction 2 overcalls at love all. 2♣ to show the majors. This is called West North East South . 1NT 2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass Diagram (i) A more comprehensive method 3♦ All Pass Love All. Dealer South. ♠ K 6 4 3 ♠ A 8 7 However, I suspect that many of you will In Auction 2, the 2♦ bid shows spades and ♥ A 9 7 5 4 N ♥ 8 want a far more comprehensive system of another suit. East is prepared to play in 2 ♠ W E ♦ Q 5 2 S ♦ J 6 4 3 overcalls, which allow you to show a if West has five spades but not if he has ♣ 9 ♣ A J 4 3 2 variety of two-suiters. only four. East conventionally uses the bid There are a lot of different systems in ‘in between’ the conventional 2 ♦ and 2 ♠, use; all I can do in the available space is to the anchor suit implied: 2 ♥, which requires Auction 1 explain one which is popular and reason - West to pass if he has five hearts, or West North East South ably simple. otherwise to rebid his cheapest five-card 1NT Note: from now on in this article I will suit, even if it is spades. Auction 2 will leave 2♣ Pass 2♠ All Pass assume you are playing teams-of-four. East-West in a sensible contract.

48 English Bridge December 2008 www.ebu.co.uk In Auction 5, is 3 ♠ a game try or pre- off (good six-card suit). Diagram (iii) emptive? There is a big difference between 2. Bidding the conventional 2NT and ♠ K Q 7 6 ♠ 4 2 this auction and the auction if South had then 3 ♠ after partner shows his ♥ K 4 N ♥ A 10 8 2 opened 1 ♦, and 2 ♦ was a Michaels Cue- second suit should be invitational. W E ♦ K Q 6 4 3 S ♦ A 5 2 bid. In Auction 5 South’s assets are known, 3. An immediate jump to 3 ♠ should be ♣ 9 2 ♣ A J 8 3 and North has shown no signs of compet - forcing. ing over 2 ♦, so a pre-emptive 3 ♠ is not really needed. 3 ♠ should be a game try. Sometimes you have only two obvious ways Auction 3 of introducing your suit (2 and 3 above) . West North East South Responder shows his own suit This is because after (1NT) – 2 ♦ – (Pass) 1NT – ? the position is more complex: an im - 2♦ Pass 2NT Pass The responses to 2 ♦ seen so far have been me diate 2 ♥ would be conventional and 3♦ Pass 3NT All Pass geared towards either playing in one of partner would pass only in the unlikely partner’s suits, or uncovering his second event he had five hearts. In Diagram (iii), East, anticipating that West suit and picking no-trumps. Sometimes I suggest the following structure which has opening values, intends to play in game you wish to introduce your own suit gives you three options: so he cannot bid 2 ♥ in case West passes. (particularly the other major), hoping for East conventionally bids 2NT, a three-card support or maybe a good 1. Bidding the conventional 2 ♥ and asking for West’s second suit. On a really doubleton. then 3 ♥ on the next round should be good day West would rebid 3 ♥, leading to Sometimes you have three obvious ways a sign-off. the heart game. In this case East is not of introducing your suit. After (1NT) – 2. Bidding the conventional 2NT and remotely surprised to hear that West’s 2♣ – (Pass) – ? you have three ways of then 3 ♥ after partner shows his second suit is diamonds (Auction 3), so he introducing spades. second suit should be invitational. settles for 3NT. 3. An immediate jump to 3 ♥ should be 1. An immediate 2 ♠ should be a sign- forcing. r Health warning

East must not be tempted to use these conventional bids unless he can cope with any development. makers of playing cards since 1824 PRIZE PLAY www.piatnik.co.uk QQUUIIZZ ( 020 8661 8866 Diagram (iv) A competition you can all enter ♠ K Q 7 6 ♠ 4 3 2 TAKE a look at the play situation below and ♥ K 4 N ♥ Q 6 5 3 2 W E give your answer. Please include very brief ♦ K Q 6 4 3 S ♦ 7 ♣ ♣ details of your reasoning. 9 2 Q 5 4 3 There are three categories in our com - petition: for players up to and including County Master; for those up to and including Auction 4 Regional Master; and for those with higher West North East South ranking. 1NT This twin-pack of charming playing cards 2♦ Pass 2♠ All Pass (‘Music’) is the prize on offer in our series ♠ A K J 7 6 of play posers set by Julian Pottage . ♥ 7 In Diagram (iv), East will be aware that it is ♦ Q J 9 7 4 just about possible that West’s second suit is ♣ K J hearts, with at least a 5-4 fit. However, East N dare not bid either 2 ♥ or 2NT because of W E playing cards now on sale online. S the likelihood of West leaving him in a mess For more information visit ♦ www.piatnik.co.uk with a rebid of 3 . Auction 4 will at least get ♠ Q 9 8 4 3 East-West to a playable contract. ♥ A J 10 2 Entries to Julian Pottage, 17 Beach Road, ♦ 3 Food for thought Porthcawl CF36 5NH, or e-mail ebuquiz ♣ A 7 6 [email protected] includ ing your postal address. Entries must arrive by Any other bid East can make is natural. ♠ You must discuss with your partner what a December 20. Please indicate on the top You reach 6 after an uncontested auction left-hand corner of the envelope, or in the that has revealed a diamond shortage in jump in the overcaller’s anchor suit means. ♠ e-mail subject line, the category for which your (South’s) hand. West leads the 2. You capture East’s ten with the queen and lead you are entering. Julian Pottage will judge Auction 5 your diamond. West goes in with the king the entries and the first correct answer West North East South and leads a second trump. What is the best drawn in each category will win a prize. line for making the rest of the tricks? 1NT 2♦ Pass 3♠

www.ebu.co.uk December 2008 English Bridge 49 G

N When to ‘protect’ – I D D I B

E and how far to go V I T I T E P

M Auction 2

O West North East South Diagram (i)

C Andrew Kambites 1♥ Pass Pass ♠ K J 6 4 ♠ A 8 5 2 ? ♥ 8 7 N ♥ 10 9 6 W E ♦ A 10 7 S ♦ K Q 4 IN the first article in this series (June This position is called the Protective ♣ 8 5 4 3 ♣ A 7 2 2008) we saw that with balanced hands of position because West must ‘protect’ the up to a poor 15 points you might have no possibility that East has been forced to alternative to pass, once your right-hand pass with opening values. Bidding with Auction 3 opponent has opened the bidding. The few values is relative safe here: if West has West North East South main natural options available to East in only 8 points then he knows East must 1♥ Pass Pass Auction 1 are shown below: have quite a bit, otherwise why are North- Dble Pass 2♠ All Pass South passing out 1 ♥? West should be Auction 1 looking for reasons to bid, not reasons to The East-West hands in Diagram (i) are West North East South pass! On the whole West pretends he has bid as shown in Auction 3. Of course if 1♥ ? an extra useful king (effectively borrowing West had been next to bid after 1 ♥ and it from East) and then chooses his bid. had doubled in that position, East would 1♠ (one-level overcall) = 8-17 HCP This is called: ‘transferring a king’. The be insisting on game, but East is aware that 2♣ (two-level overcall without jump) bidding criteria for West in Auction 2 are West has added a king to his assets. = 10-18 HCP summarised as follows: Therefore East has to correspondingly Double (take-out) = 11+ HCP subtract a king. 1NT = Good 15-18 HCP 1♠ (one-level overcall) = 5-14 HCP 2♣ (two-level overcall without jump) Clearly West cannot use the same criteria = 7-15 HCP Diagram (ii) in Auction 2 , otherwise both players may Double (take-out) = 8+ HCP ♠ A K 8 7 2 ♠ 4 pass with 14 balanced points and an easy 1NT = 11-14 HCP ♥ 4 2 N ♥ A Q 7 3 W E game is missed. Equally, there are the large ♦ J 9 2 S ♦ K 10 4 3 numbers of hands where the points in the Some bids in fourth position don’t quite fit ♣ K 10 8 ♣ A J 4 2 pack are roughly evenly split between this pattern of bidding with 3 fewer points: North-South and East-West. I call these ‘20/20 hands’. Frequently each side can 2NT shows a balanced 20-22, because it Auction 4 make a part-score in its chosen suit and it is not possible otherwise to cater for West North East South simply doesn’t pay to sell out to your strong balanced hands too good for a 1♥ Pass Pass opponents’ choice of one-level contract. protective 1NT. 1♠ Pass 1NT Pass 2♠, a jump overcall, should be played as 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass 12-16 HCP with a six-card suit, irres - pective of what you play immediately The East-West hands in Diagram (ii) are YOUNG CHELSEA over the 1 ♥ bidder. bid as shown in Auction 4 . East’s 1NT ONE OF THE WORLD’S Michaels Cue-bids should remain large - might look like a huge underbid, but ly unaltered, though there is not much opposite a standard one-level overcall GREAT BRIDGE CLUBS point in bidding on complete rubbish 1NT shows 9-12 points. If East subtracts a Duplicate every weekday evening when you can pass the hand out. king, then he will need to have started with 12-15 points. ( 020 7373 1665 The time for West to pass in Auction 2 is Remember: West could have protected when he has great length in opener’s suit with 1 ♠ with as few as 5 points! With 11 www.ycbc.co.uk and is worried that if he bids North-South points, West makes a game try of 2NT and might find a better contract. now East has a comfortable raise to game.

46 English Bridge February 2009 www.ebu.co.uk Often a protective bid starts a ‘scrambling’ will probably fail. auction with each side trying to push the reports other to the three level. For the East-West hands in Diagram (iii) the auction may Diagram (iv) Lords beat Commons develop as shown in Auction 5: ♠ A J 5 4 2 ♠ K Q 3 ♥ 9 7 5 N ♥ 8 4 W E in nail-biter ♦ 10 9 3 S ♦ A J 5 4 ♣ ♣ Diagram (iii) A 9 10 6 5 2 THE annual Lords v Commons bridge ♠ ♠ K J 6 4 Q 3 match which took place on 12th Dec- ♥ N ♥ 8 7 10 9 6 ember 2008 at London’s Crock ford’s ♦ W E ♦ A K 10 S Q 4 2 Auction 6 Club saw the closest finish in its thirty- ♣ ♣ 8 5 4 3 A J 9 6 2 West North East South four-years’ history. It was a fitting date ♥ ♥ 1 Pass 2 for the event: twelve years to the day Pass Pass Dble Pass since its original sponsor, Jack Perry, ♠ ♥ Auction 5 2 Pass Pass 3 passed away. His son Stephen (head of ♠ West North East South 3 All Pass London Export) now sponsors the ♥ 1 Pass Pass contest. ♣ Dble Pass 2 Pass In Diagram (iv) East should be even more Buoyed by a thin game and slam bid ♥ ♣ ♥ Pass 2 3 3 desperate to compete after North’s second- and made (uniquely) by the Com mons’ All Pass round pass in Auction 6, although the least experienced pairing (on paper) of bidding is one level higher. North-South Nick Palmer (Lab, Brox towe) and John ♣ East’s 2 is plenty opposite a protective have found a fit, but show no inclination to Hemming (Lib Dem, Birmingham double but with North-South having a proceed to game. This is very likely to be a Yardley), the underdog Commons team heart fit and East-West having a club fit, 20/20 hand. West doesn’t take East’s bidding leapt to an early lead, preserving it each side is prepared to push to the three too seriously because East has already going into the lunch break (never a dry ♠ level in competition. The result of all the passed, hence the quiet 2 bid. However, affair). They ex tended their advantage ♥ action following West’s protective double South pushes with 3 and, as is often the when Bridget Prentice (Lab, Lewisham is that North has been pushed from a case, the side with the higher ranking suit East) doubled an opposing 4 ♠ that was ♥ ♥ comfortable 1 to a 3 contract which wins the auction at the three level. r bid to make: down four and a tem - porary lead of over 2000 points (aggregate scoring). However, barely two minutes later Lady Henig doubled the same 4 ♠ contract at another table makers of playing cards since 1824 PRIZE PLAY (the four tables played the same boards www.piatnik.co.uk QQUUIIZZ simul ta neously, making grip ping view- ( 020 8661 8866 A competition you can all enter ing for the assembled press); in despera- tion, the Commons pair ran from the TAKE a look at the play situation below and frying pan to the fire of 5♦, and that give your answer. Please include very brief went down five (doubled). The Lords details of your reasoning. There are three categories in our were back in the hunt and, with all four competition: up to and including Master; Lords pairs producing fine results on for those up to and including Regional the last three deals, they overhauled the Master; and for those with higher ranking. Commons to win by a mere 110 points The categories are slightly different to last to take the Jack Perry Trophy for a third This twin-pack of playing cards (‘Monet time; make sure you enter the correct one! year in a row. They now lead 18-16 in Terrace’) is the prize on offer in our series of the overall series. play posers set by Julian Pottage. ♠ 6 4 2 The Sir Anthony Berry Trophy, ♥ 6 3 award ed each year for the best bridge ♦ J 7 5 moment, went jointly to Lord May of ♣ playing cards now on sale online. K J 10 9 4 Oxford and Lord Harrison. Both ex ecuted a and throw-in For more information visit N www.piatnik.co.uk W E to perfection to land a 3NT contract in S the morning session. Entries to Julian Pottage, 17 Beach ♠ Road, Porthcawl CF36 5NH, or e-mail K Q 9 3 Lords: Lord Skelmersdale (Captain) – Lady [email protected] . Entries ♥ K 4 Oppenheim-Barnes; Lord Baker – Lord must arrive by February 20. Please ♦ A K 10 9 Kalms; Lord Harrison – Lady Billingham; indicate on the top left-hand corner of the ♣ A Q 8 Lord May – Lady Henig. envelope, or in the e-mail subject line, the category for which you are entering. Julian Commons: Michael Mates (Captain) – Pottage will judge the entries and the first West leads the jack of spades against 3NT by Robin Squire; Bridget Prentice – John correct answer drawn in each category will South (2NT – 3NT). What is the best line for Marek; Evan Harris – Tony McWalter; Nick win a prize . making the contract? Palmer – John Hemming.

www.ebu.co.uk February 2009 English Bridge 47 G

N An introduction I D D I

B to the

E V I T

I T E P

M Health warning tricks and two spades), while East-West

O can make 2 ♠ (losing three club tricks and

C Andrew Kambites However, you should not take this as an two hearts. Note that each side has an invitation to routinely outbid your oppo - eight-card fit. We say there are sixteen total nents. You need some sort of framework, trumps (eight for each side) and sixteen IN each of the auctions shown below West and in the next three articles I will total tricks (each side can make eight tricks has to decide whether to bid 4 ♠ or pass. introduce you to the Law of Total Tricks if its chosen suit is trumps. The LTT states The criteria West uses should be very (LTT), which can give you the same sort of that total tricks will tend to equal total different. help in the competitive auction as the LTC trumps . This is an oversimplification (as does in the uncontested auction. you will see) but it does help enormously Auction 1 in judging the competitive auction. West North East South The concept of ‘Total Trumps’ 1♠ Pass 3♠ Pass and ‘Total Tricks’ Does the LTT always work? ? In previous articles I have already talked As Diagram (i) stands, each side wins one Auction 2 about making overcalls on fewer points finesse and loses one – a reasonably fair West North East South than you would require for an opening outcome. How about making a minor 1♥ 1♠ 4♥ bid, and of 20/20 hands where each side change to the layout, exchanging East’s ? has roughly half the points and it is in the club king with West’s club four? Now both interest of both sides to push to a minor suit are right for East-West In Auction 1 West’s decision is based upon reasonable (but not excessive) level. but wrong for North-South. East-West can just one question. If West believes he will make 3 ♠ whereas North-South can only make 4 ♠, he bids it. Otherwise he passes. make 1 ♥. However, this hasn’t affected the He might use the Losing Trick Count Diagram (i) LTT: 9 + 7 = 16 just as convincingly as 8 + (LTC) to help him, passing with seven ♠ 10 5 4 8 = 16. Looking at this you might start to losers and bidding 4 ♠ with six losers. ♥ J 6 4 3 see why the expert may bid 4 ♠ in Auction In Auction 2 there are two considera tions ♦ K 8 4 2 without knowing whether 4 ♥ or 4 ♠ for West: can East-West make 4 ♠ and can ♣ J 9 6 might make: it might depend on whose North-South make 4 ♥? This leads to a ♠ A K Q 6 3 ♠ J 8 7 finesses work, which he cannot possibly different reasoning process. In this sort of ♥ 9 8 N ♥ 10 5 2 know! W E competitive auction you might see an ♦ J 9 6 S ♦ A Q 10 So does the LTT always work? expert bid a successful 4 ♠ that makes that ♣ 8 5 4 ♣ K 7 3 2 you wouldn’t have bid. You might ask him: ♠ 9 2 ‘How did you know you would make 4 ♠?’ ♥ A K Q 7 Diagram (ii) That is the wrong question. The answer ♦ 7 5 3 2 ♠ 10 5 4 may well be that he didn’t know, but his ♣ A Q 10 ♥ J 6 4 3 logic was something like this: ‘I suspect that ♦ K 8 4 either 4 ♥ or 4 ♠ will make, and the other ♣ J 9 6 won’t fail by much. I don’t know which will West North East South ♠ A K Q 6 3 2 ♠ J 8 7 make, but whichever is true I should be 1♥ ♥ 9 N ♥ 10 5 2 W E better off by bidding 4 ♠. The worst case 1♠ 2♥ 2♠ All Pass ♦ J 9 6 S ♦ A Q 10 scenario of passing is that both 4 ♥ and 4 ♠ ♣ 8 5 4 ♣ K 7 3 2 make, a serious loss. The worst case The hands in Diagram (i) should be bid as ♠ 9 scenario of bidding 4 ♠ is that both might shown. Note North’s slightly dubious 2 ♥: ♥ A K Q 8 7 be one off, a relatively minor loss.’ in the competitive auction it pays to strain ♦ 7 5 3 2 Looked at like this, bidding 4 ♠ becomes a bit to announce a fit. Note that North- ♣ A Q 10 rather like an insurance policy! South can make 2 ♥ (losing three dia mond

44 English Bridge April 2009 www.ebu.co.uk Diagram (i) has been slightly adjusted to give Diagram (ii). This time each side has nine trumps, and each side has nine tricks: Beyond the green baize that’s eighteen total trumps , as well as eighteen total tricks . So far, so good. RICHARD WOLFE So does the LTT always work? Common sense shows it cannot possibly work all the time. Suppose you have a holding of ♠Q-2 opposite ♠5-4-3. It won’t help you ‘SOLD to the lowest bidder,’ but in this case it was much if you play in hearts; will it help you not at the bridge table. That was the title the Financial in defence of an opponents’ spade con - Times used when writing up the take-over battle tract? It might depend on which way your recently fought by Richard Wolfe. It was one of the opponent takes a two-way finesse. You need strangest stories ever encoun tered in the normally to make common-sense adjustments to profit-driven finance world – and its exci tement far cater for offensive and defensive values. I surpassed even the most heart-stopping grand slam will develop this theme in a later article. bid and made at the Young Chelsea Bridge Club, London, where Richard plays However, we already have an idea that has regularly. In the early 1970s he set up his own soft ware company, Trace, and, after a period of many practical applications. expansion, floated it on the stock market. As he turned sixty, Richard started to think about With either Hand A or Hand B you ♥ retiring and what to do with the shares he held in the company. Rather than simply sell these would open 1 . The bidding quickly shares in the open market, which could have had a disastrous effect on their price, or sell becomes competitive as shown in the to a com petitor, he decided he would like to see Trace control led and owned by its em - auction below. ployees, who had been instrumental in building up the com pany. He planned to take What should you bid at your second Trace private again, using the com pany’s assets and loan notes to buy back all its shares, turn with each hand? including his own. He would then give 95% of the company to its employees, the remaining 5% going into a charitable trust. So he set up a holding company called Tulip which offered 135p per share, a signi ficant Hand A Hand B increase on their current quoted price. But suddenly, along came an other software ♠ 8 ♠ J 8 company, Microgen, who put in a higher bid. A complex series of events fol lowed which set the Trace directors in conflict with Richard as its chief executive. Tulip’s future seemed ♥ A Q 7 4 3 ♥ K J 4 2 doomed, but enough of the shareholders sympathised with Richard’s ethos of looking ♦ A J 8 3 2 ♦ A K 7 ♣ ♣ after the staff, so that they were willing to accept Tulip’s lower offer. Richard won his battle 4 3 A 10 3 2 by a mere 8,000 shares out of 14 million – and with four minutes to spare before the final deadline! (Chris Duckworth)

West North East South 1♥ 1♠ 2♥ 2♠ ?

With Hand A you should compete to 3 ♥. CAPTION COMPETITION This is not a game try: if you wanted to suggest game you could make a trial bid of 3♣ or 3 ♦ (see ‘Trial Bids’ on page 11) , or A NEW competition you can all enter! perhaps show a balanced hand with 17-18 points and a spade stopper with 2NT. Send a ‘bridgey’ caption that fits this With Hand B you should pass 2 ♠. It is cartoon to the Editor, English Bridge, the extra length rather than the extra 23 Erleigh Road, Reading RG1 5LR points that is the key factor in deciding to (or e-mail [email protected]) com pete further. The extra length gives your hand more offence and less defence, not later than 20th April 2009. because there is a greater chance that The best caption will win a delightful winners in your suit will be ruffed early. mug with a card design provided by Of course the extra points in Hand B would be useful if you were in 3 ♥, but Bridge and Golf Gifts Direct (see their they will be equally useful in helping you advertisement on page 15). defeat 2 ♠. The prize will be awarded by a panel Note that if you pass 2 ♠ that doesn’t ne - ces sarily mean that your opponents will of judges appointed by the Editor, and play in 2 ♠. If East has five hearts he will their decision will be final. No appeals, diagnose the nine-card fit and compete to please! 3♥. With 20/20 hands, try to bid to the level equal to the number of trumps held by Sponsored by Bridge & Golf Gifts Direct your side. r

www.ebu.co.uk April 2009 English Bridge 45 G

N Total trumps I D D I

B equal

E V I T

I total tricks T E P

M and North-South are two off in 4 ♠, feel that if I have succeeded in pushing the

O provided the opposition doubles opponents one level higher than they want

C Andrew Kambites bidding 4 ♠ turns –420 into –300. Of to be, I have done enough. course we all know they don’t always double, indeed sometimes they bid Enter the Unassuming Cue-bid IN my last article I demonstrated how the on to 5 ♥ which gives a major gain. law of Total Tricks (LTT) can aid compe - • If North-South can make 4 ♠ (10 In the previous example your opponents titive bidding. The LTT states that TOTAL tricks) while East-West were two off had found their fit and you had to decide TRICKS available to the two sides will in 4 ♥ (8 tricks), then bidding 4 ♠ whether to compete. How should East bid tend to equal TOTAL TRUMPS held by turns +100 (surely South was not Hands B and C if the auction begins as in both sides. Hence, if North/South hold going to double 4 ♥) into +420. Auction 2? Vulnerability shouldn’t matter nine spades and East/West hold ten hearts • If both 4 ♥ and 4 ♠ were due to fail by greatly. (19 total trumps), this suggests either 4 ♠ one trick, then bidding 4 ♠ turns +50 will make and 4 ♥ is one off (19 total into –50. tricks) or 4 ♥ will make with 4 ♠ one off • This analysis suggests it is clearly Hand B Hand C (also 19 total tricks). I start this article by right for South to compete to 4 ♠. Of ♠ K J 6 5 4 ♠ K J 6 5 looking at a typical high level decision. course sometimes there will be 19 ♥ 8 ♥ 8 total tricks, when either 4 ♥ or 4 ♠ ♦ J 10 9 8 ♦ J 10 9 8 A typical high-level decision will make and the other one will be ♣ 8 6 5 ♣ 8 6 5 2 just one off, making bidding 4 ♠ even How should South bid Hand A at Love All more clear-cut. after the bidding in Auction 1? • If this thought process seems compli - Auction 2 cat ed, the good news is that the LTT West North East South lends itself to easy shortcuts: 1♥ Hand A 1♠ Pass ? ♠ K J 8 7 ♥ 9 4 2 Firstly, assume the opponents have a In the previous article I ended with the ♦ 6 3 fit similar to you. If you have a nine- advice: with 20/20 hands, try to bid to the ♣ A J 9 8 card fit, assume they also have a level equal to the number of trumps held nine-card fit. Secondly, at game level, by your side. This advice doesn’t only if the total trumps suggest that the apply to lower level contracts, and gener - Auction 1 worst that can happen is that their ally it pays to push the bidding up before West North East South game and your game both go one off, your opponents find their fit. These look 1♥ 1♠ 4♥ ? then generally you should bid your like 20/20 hands in that it is likely that game over their game. each side holds roughly half of the points. Let us consider total trumps. North-South With Hand B you hold at least ten spades have at least nine spades, possibly ten. How so a pre-empt to 4 ♠ is correct. With Hand about East-West? They have bid to 4 ♥ with However, be wary of the five level. To bid C you have at least nine spades, so a pre- only about half the high cards in the pack. 5♠ over their 5 ♥ you need at least 20 total empt to 3 ♠ is correct. Partner is expected to West probably has a near min imum open - trumps. The saying that ‘The five level pass whatever he has. If he has a min imum ing with five hearts: East cer tainly has four belongs to the opposition’ is well founded. 1♠ overcall 3 ♠ will fail, but North-South hearts, possibly five. Let us take a conser - Suppose your opponents bid to 4 ♥ and can clearly make 4 ♥. If he has a maximum vative view that each side has nine cards in your partner bids a risky 4 ♠. His 1♠ overcall, 3 ♠ will probably make. its fit, making 18 total trumps. This suggests enterprise is well rewarded when they However, clearly you cannot use 3 ♠ as a 18 total tricks. How does this break down? compete to 5 ♥. He has pushed them from pre-empt and a game try, so we now see a an easy 4 ♥ into a dubious 5 ♥. Don’t undo typical conventional idea that frees up the • If East-West can make 4 ♥ (10 tricks) all his good work by sacrificing in 5 ♠. I 3♠ bid for ‘total’ tricks’ purposes.

38 English Bridge June 2009 www.ebu.co.uk Guidance for 20/20 hands ♠ K J 10 9 7 ♠ A Q 5 CAPTION ♥ 7 5 4 N ♥ 6 2 Returning to part-score hands, I will try to W E COMPETITION ♦ A Q 10 S ♦ K J 9 4 give you some easy-to use guidance for ♣ 8 6 ♣ A 10 3 2 20/20 hands, although this will need to be in ter preted in the light of the next article which will cover offensive and defensive Auction 3 values. West North East South 1♥ • It is almost always correct to bid on if 1♠ Pass 2♥ Pass the LTT suggests both contracts 2♠ Pass 3♠ Pass might make. 4♠ All Pass • It is often correct to bid on if the LTT suggests that one contract might In this layout, East has a genuine game try make and the other be one off. in spades. He starts by bidding 2 ♥, the • It is usually wrong to bid on if the opponents’ suit, called an ‘Unassuming LTT suggests that both contracts But I had to double, Cue-bid’. West initially declines the game might be one off. Your Honour, I had try but when East makes another attempt • With 16 trumps it is always correct to an opening hand! by raising to 3 ♠, West reasons that he could bid 2 ♠ over 2 ♥. be weaker and raises to 4 ♠. • With 17 trumps it is always correct to THE winner of our April competition, with bid 3 ♥ over 2 ♠. the caption in the cartoon box above, is In case you were wondering . . . • With 16 trumps it is usually unsound Micky Morris of Chelmer Village, Essex, to bid 3 over 3 . Note that this last who will receive a charming Victoriana ♠ ♥ bridge mug from our sponsors, Bridge and Earlier in this article I suggested that you point differs from your strategy at Golf Gifts Direct (see page 7). Other good should assume the opponents have a fit game level. captions came from Joy Stuart (a first-year sim ilar to you. This is not hard to justify. • With 16 trumps bid 3 ♥ over 2 ♠ bridge student) from Gerrards Cross (I’m Suppose your side has eight hearts. Your unless you are vulnerable and have sorry, m’lud, I’m new to the game. I forgot opponents have five hearts and therefore, 21 good reason to fear a double. about the weakness takeout!) , David Bowers other cards. Unless they have exactly three (So you're the man who opened 1NT with only 11 points!), and Allan Greenstein, seven-card fits, they must have an eight- To summarise: Westcliffe-on-Sea, Essex (For the last time, card fit. Suppose your side have nine hearts. 1. Try to bid to the level equal to the did you or did you not fail to alert a penalty Your opponents have four hearts and there - number of trumps held by your side. double?). fore, 22 other cards. They are mathema - 2. Try not to let your opponents play at The cartoon for our new competition is tically certain to hold an eight-card fit. In a level equal to their number of below. Please send your bridgey captions practice they usually hold a nine-card fit. trumps. r (multiple entries are accep ted) to the Editor, English Bridge, 23 Erleigh Road, Reading RG1 5LR or by e-mail to [email protected] not later than 20th June 2009. Don’t forget to include your full postal address!

OUR bridge club is open seven days a week, blood sports arena. Just occasionally, some - fifty-two weeks a year. Apart from the one goes a bit too far and ‘the pack’ bays for hun dreds of thousands of boards played, we justice! have on-going debates on our largely self- Do our members enjoy the cut and thrust regulated CB (Comment ). The topics of the CB? cover anything from bridge and our club, to Absolutely! matters of world politics, TV soaps, humour Some open and read it several times a day and occasionally important issues such as – simply to follow the latest thread. Some the rising cost of Catsan or the validity of deliberately propound an opposing point of Twitter (yes, these are serious matters). view for the sake of debate. Often the threads focus on a new or on-going Some, simply spectate. feature within the bridge software or com - There’s no doubt that for many members, petitions activity of the club and the the CB is ‘up there’ as a seriously valuable members’ contributions provide important facet of the club. Our recent (on-going) development feedback. membership survey shows that, when asked, From time to time, a debate ‘overheats’ 52% of responders with an opinion felt that and ‘personalities’ nip at each other’s heels – the CB increased their enjoyment of Bridge usually to the amusement of on-lookers but Club Live. sometimes to a level where the unsuspecting There’s much more than bridge going on Sponsored by Bridge could be forgiven for assuming our CB is a at www.bridgeclublive.com! & Golf Gifts Direct

www.ebu.co.uk June 2009 English Bridge 39 G

N Total Trumps I D D I

B do not always equal

E V I T

I Total Tricks T E P

M North rather than West the spade queen is

O Diagram (i) to reduce West’s tricks in a spade contract

C Andrew Kambites ´ 10 5 from eight to seven without doing anything ™ J 6 4 3 2 to increase South’s tricks in a heart contract. t K 8 4 Minor honours (queens and jacks) in the IN my last two articles I have looked at ® J 9 6 opponents’ suit suggest defending rather the Law of Total Tricks (LTT) which states ´ A K Q 6 3 ´ J 8 7 4 than imposing your choice of contract. that Total Tricks will tend to equal Total ™ 9 8 N ™ 10 5 They are called defensive values. In Diagram W E Trumps . In this article I start to look at t J 9 6 S t A Q 10 (ii), if East-West have bid and supported some hands where Total Tricks available ® 8 5 4 ® K 7 3 2 spades, North can tell from the bidding that do not equal Total Trumps , and investi- ´ 9 2 South is likely to have at most two spades gate the features of the hands that give rise ™ A K Q 7 and North is the player who has reason to to this. t 7 5 3 2 believe that Total Tricks might come to ® A Q 10 fewer than Total Trumps .

English Bridge No. 222, Diagram (i) High-level decisions ´ 10 5 4 In Diagram (i) there are 18 Total Trumps , ™ J 6 4 3 but only 16 Total Tricks . The reason is that Let’s now look at some hands where a t K 8 4 the hands are too balanced: each player decision has to be made at a high level. ® J 9 6 having a small doubleton in his oppo - At Game All the bidding has started as ´ A K Q 6 3 ´ J 8 7 nents’ suit. Two small cards in an oppo - shown in the auction below. What should ™ 9 8 N ™ 10 5 2 nents’ suit is the worst possible holding South do with hands A to F? W E t J 9 6 S t A Q 10 because too often partner will also have a ® 8 5 4 ® K 7 3 2 losing doubleton, and it gives a vital clue West North East South ´ 9 2 that the Total Tricks might not match up 1´ 2™ 4´ ? ™ A K Q 7 to the Total Trumps . This should make t 7 5 3 2 everybody a little more cautious in the ® A Q 10 competitive auction. Hand A Hand B ´ 8 ´ 8 2 ™ K 9 4 3 ™ K 9 4 3 Diagrams (i) and (ii) in this article are the Diagram (ii) t A 9 5 4 t A 9 5 4 same layout, with just minor adjustments, ´ Q 5 4 ® 7 6 4 2 ® 7 6 4 as Diagram (i) in the April 2009 English ™ J 6 4 3 Bridge, reprinted above. t K 8 4 ® J 9 6 Hand C Hand D ´ A K 10 6 3 ´ J 8 7 ´ 8 5 2 ´ K THE MALVERN ™ 9 8 N ™ 10 5 2 ™ K 9 5 3 ™ K 9 4 3 W E CONGRESS t J 9 6 S t A Q 10 t A 9 5 4 t A 9 5 4 ® 8 5 4 ® K 7 3 2 ® 7 6 ® 7 6 4 2 Worcs CBA Green-pointed Swiss Weekend ´ 9 2 Saturday 31st October (Pairs) and ™ A K Q 7 Sunday 1st November 2009 (Teams) t 7 5 3 2 Hand E Hand F The Bank House Hotel & Country Club ® A Q 10 ´ A 5 2 ´ Q J 10 Bransford, Worcestershire WR6 5JD ™ Q J 10 9 ™ A 9 5 3 t t Enquiries: Sue Evans ( 07754 359371 A 9 6 4 A 9 6 4 In diagram (ii) there are 16 Total Trumps , ® 8 6 ® 8 6 NOTE the dates published in the Diary are incorrect but only 15 Total Tricks The effect of giving

38 English Bridge August 2009 www.ebu.co.uk In each case it looks as though we have 9 or black suit. I would bid 5 ™. 10 hearts and they have 9 or 10 spades. Bear From a playing point of view, Hand D is CAPTION in mind that even if he is playing 4-card identical to Hand A. However, from a majors, West is firm favourite to hold five defensive point of view it might be a trick COMPETITION spades for his opening bid. Indeed, if West better. If the opponents play in 4 ´ maybe has a minimum opening bid it is virtually your king of spades will win a trick on a guaranteed that he has five spades, other - finesse, or maybe it will combine with wise he would have a 1NT opening bid. partner’s ´Q-x, or ´J-x-x, to build a de - How ever East cannot assume that West has fen sive trick. The point is that if 5 ™ is five spades, and will certainly have at least going off, it is more likely to be a phantom four spades for his leap to 4 ´. sacrifice against 4 ´ which was due to fail If we assume 19 Total Trumps then the anyway. I would pass 4 ´. LTT suggests it may be right to bid 5 ™ Hand E is a stronger version of Hand C. because at game level it is right to bid on if I would bid 5 ™, and wouldn’t be totally both sides could go one off. Generally it surprised if 6 ™ makes. Note that your pays to be aggressive when you haven’t yet heart intermediates are so good that part - shown your support for partner. Suppose ner is highly likely to have six hearts for his at Game All your opponents are in 4 ´ and over call. If he has only five hearts, they you are heading for -620. You misjudge cannot be better than A-K-8-7-6, hardly ™ and bid 5 , heading for -800. However, an attrac tive holding for a two-level over - Are you going you have put pressure on the opponents call if minimum. for the drop? and, being unsure, they bid 5 ´. You write Hand F has the same values as hand E, down +100. Bridge is a pressure game! but they are vastly different in nature. In THE winner of our June competition, with Note that on these hands the LTT suggests particular, ´Q-J-10 is likely to be useless the caption above, is E. Newman of Luton, that the decision is close and you must also opposite partner’s singleton spade if he who will receive a charming Victoriana culti vate sufficient judgement to balance plays in hearts. I would double 4 ´. bridge mug from our sponsors, Bridge and Golf Gifts Direct (see page 11). Other good your playing strength against your defensive captions were: Hold on and I’ll call for the strength . The thought processes that should Director! (Mrs Y. Mills, York, and Jack help you make the decision are vital but if To summarise: Stocken, North Yorks, who also sent in you then disagree with any of my conclu- Don’t worry, dear, all the sharks are at sions I don’t think it greatly matters. When both sides have found a fit: Brighton! ); So now you understand vulnera - With Hand A I would bid 5 ™. There are bility! (Shiona Daw son, Notts); Should I phone the bridge club, dear, and say we no reasons to believe that Total Tricks Queens, jacks and to a lesser extent • might be a little late? (Allan Greenstein, should be fewer than Total Trumps . kings in your opponents’ suit are Essex); Drifting one off again, partner? Hand B is about one trick weaker in defensive values. (Michael Kaltz, Middlesex); Is this your idea playing strength than Hand A. Diagram (i) • Queens, jacks and to a lesser extent of an ? (Lydia Stanford, Hove), and demonstrated that a holding of two small kings in your suit are offensive Is this the principle of restricted choice? (Bill in the suit your opponents have bid and values. Townsend, Leeds). supported suggests there will be fewer Total Aces in any suit tend to be both The cartoon for our new competition is • below. Please send your bridgey captions Tricks than Total Trumps . I would pass offensive and defensive. (multiple entries are accep ted) to the with Hand B. • If you have more than your share Editor, English Bridge, 23 Erleigh Road, Hand C is better than it looks. Partner of defensive values, expect Total Reading RG1 5LR or by e-mail to elena@ almost certainly has a singleton or void Tricks to be fewer than Total Trumps . ebu.co.uk not later than 20th August 2009. spade, so there are no wasted spade values. • If you have more than your fair Don’t forget to include your full postal Equally, Hand C has a doubleton club, share of offensive values, expect address! allowing partner to ruff the third round of Total Tricks to be equal to, or more clubs. Hand C could play as many as two than, Total Trumps. r tricks better than Hand B: one in each

BRIDGE ON SAFARI SOME of Diana King’s bridge students at trow BRIDGEclub, Wilts, packed bidding boxes and cards on a recent trip to Kenya. They are seen here enjoying a late afternoon session in the setting sun of the beautiful

d Rift Valley. Hot air ballooning and safaris by r a W day, followed by refreshing drinks and s i r h

C bridge by night, provided an idyllic and

: o t

o entertaining formula. Sponsored by Bridge h P (Chris Ward) & Golf Gifts Direct

www.ebu.co.uk August 2009 English Bridge 39 G Entering the N I D D I competitive auction at B

E V I a low level with a T I T E

P weak hand after M O

C Andrew Kambites partner has opened

IN this article I am going to look at issues Auction 8: involved in entering the competitive Hand D Hand E auction at a low level with a weak hand Auction 8 Game All ´ 8 6 ´ A 6 after partner has opened the bidding. West North East South ™ K Q 3 2 ™ K Q 3 2 What would you 1™ 2´ Pass 4´ t J 6 4 t J 6 4 bid as East with Pass Pass ? ® 8 6 3 2 ® 8 6 3 2 Hand A after the Hand A starts to the auc - ´ 7 4 If you couldn’t show your support at the tion shown in 1 to ™ Q 5 3 2 three level, you certainly cannot at the five Auction 9 Game All 6? You are pla ying t J 7 5 3 level. However, don’t you feel uncomfor - West North East South standard me thods ® A 6 3 table that you have never shown support? 1t 2® ? at Game All. I would stretch to 3 ™ on the first round. My advice is: be prepared to stretch a level I don’t subscribe to the view that you Auction West North East South in competition if the alternative is to sup - guarantee any unbid major by making a 1 1™ Pass ? press four-card support for partner. If I of a two-level overcall, 2 1™ 1´ ? had a hand that was worth a genuine 3 ™, I though partner is likely to rebid a major if 3 1™ 2´ ? would take the pressure off partner by he has four cards in it even if his hand is 4 1™ 3´ ? insisting on game. minimum. Neither do I think you must 5 1® 1´ ? In Auction 4 I would reluctantly pass. I have a certain number of points. 6 1® 2´ ? don’t usually stretch two levels. In Auction 5 I would make a negative In Auction 1 and 2 it is obvious to bid 2 ™. double. A negative double of a one-level To make a negative double of a two- This is the level to which you would choose overcall should guarantee four-card sup - level overcall you must simply be to support partner. port for any unbid major. The hand is a prepared for any rebid by partner. After Auction 3 you have a choice of minimum, but you are well prepared to either overbidding with 3 ™ or passing. If cope with any rebid from partner. you pass then partner may well re-open if In Auction 6, I would pass. You don’t have Hand B has only 6 points, but you should the bidding is passed round to him, but four-card support for partner’s clubs so double, intending to pass any non-forcing there are quite a few developments that there is less reason to strain to enter the rebid from partner. would leave you feeling rather uncomfort - auction. Some people might double with Hand able. Suppose the auction proceeds as in How about negative doubles at a higher C. You will certainly be satisfied if partner Auction 7. Do you bid 3 ™ or 4 ™? If you bid level? In Auction 9, North’s overcall is at rebids a major, but rather less happy if the only 3 ™, how is partner expected to know the two level. What would you bid as East rebid is 2 t. With only 6 points and a mis - that you have four-card support, 7 points with Hands B to E? fit with opener’s suit I would not want to and a doubleton? compel him to bid with that hand. With Hand D you are not prepared for a Auction 7 Game All Hand B Hand C 2´ rebid. You could only go back to 3 t, West North East South ´ J 4 3 2 ´ J 4 3 2 but that would suggest a better hand than 1™ 2´ Pass Pass ™ K Q 3 2 ™ K Q 3 2 you have. Therefore you should either pass Dble Pass ? t 8 6 4 t 8 2® or maybe bid 2 t. ® 8 6 ® 8 6 3 2 It is safe enough to double with Hand E. Equally, the auction might proceed as in If partner rebids 2 t, you can raise to 3 t.

40 English Bridge October 2009 www.ebu.co.uk If he rebids 2 ™, you can raise to 3 ™, and if card. I gave the East Hand F to a group of his rebid is 2 ´, you can give preference to reasonably experienced club players and CAPTION 3t. asked what they would bid on the second COMPETITION To what level do you play negative round in Auction 11: doubles? Some pairs are very precise: they may play negative doubles up to 2 ´ and penalty doubles at a higher level. The Hand F trouble with that is that there are far more ´ 8 hands where you need to show some ™ K 9 6 3 values than there are hands suitable for a t J 7 3 penalty double. It is more practical to play ® A Q 6 5 3 that higher level doubles show values: partner must use judgement as to whether or not to remove them. If opponents pre- Auction 11 Game All empt you, then you should aim for a West North East South sensible result rather than perfection. 1t 1´ 2® 2´ If North overcalls the West hand in Pass Pass ? Diagram (i) with 3 ´, East can only double. West, with three aces, has good Most opted for 3 t, a few aggressive souls Help! Has anyone got defence and nowhere to go. South is likely tried 3 ™ (forcing) but nobody thought of a Stop card? to have the king of hearts, so East-West double. When I pointed out the merits of should pick up +300. double, one player said he would not use it THE winner of our June competition, with as it was undiscussed. Not to venture onto the caption above, is Mike Owen of Claverdon, Warwick, who will receive a uncharted territory is normally very sen- charming Victoriana bridge mug from Diagram (i) sible, but this particular sequence should our sponsors, Bridge and Golf Gifts Direct ´ 6 2 ´ 8 7 3 need no discussion. Opponents have bid (see page 15). Other good captions were: ™ A J 3 2 N ™ Q 6 5 and supported a suit at the two level. You I’ll tell the Director! (Judy Benson, Kent); You W E t A Q 4 2 S t K 8 7 won’t get very rich by doubling opponents did say it’s Love All, Madge! (Dave Workman, ® A 6 5 ® K Q J 3 for penalties at the two level when they Berks); Just a little squeeze for an old man! (Tony Betts, N. Yorks); Majors after minors have a fit, so this should be covered by the (Jane Chopra, Kent); No! I don't want to be general principle that if opponents have your bridge partner! (Bomi Kavarana, Auction 10 Game All agreed a suit below 3NT then double is Surrey); Stay Man (Cliff Little, Worcs); I think West North East South not for penalties. It is hard to imagine a I’ll pass! (Patricia A. Madama, Northants); 1™ 3´ Dble All Pass more suitable hand for double than F: East Sir, that was not what I understood by hold - is happy to let his partner choose from ing a bust (Peter Skuse, Huddersfield); Be Most bridge players under-use the double among the other three suits. r alert for the danger hand (Michael Wilkes, Worcs) and This situation calls for an avoid- ance play ! (Lydia Stanford, Hove). The cartoon for our new competition is BELPER BRIDGE CLUB WINS LOTTERY AWARD below. Please send your bridgey captions (multiple entries are accep ted) to the BELPER BRIDGE CLUB in the heart of The grant enabled us to purchase a laptop Editor, English Bridge, 23 Erleigh Road, Derbyshire has received a lottery grant of computer, a Duplimate dealing machine with Reading RG1 5LR or by e-mail to elena@ £5,000 under the Awards for All scheme. sets of cards, sufficient bridgepads for at least ebu.co.uk not later than 20th October 2009. The grant was finalised early this year fifteen tables, a laser printer and the wall- Don’t forget to include your full postal following a two-year process which involved mounted display . address! changing the club’s constitution. The transition from a club where hands were dealt at the table, travellers filled in badly by hand and results were not available until well after the event to a progressive club where the results are instantaneously displayed on a wall mounted 42" screen has been remarkable. Even our less young

e members have coped with the electronics n i a

m without significant difficulty. The results are o R

e also posted immediately on our website h s a

t (www.belperbridge.info ). a N

: The ScoreBridge software enables us to o t o

h display the results on the screen in real time as P the play progresses, indicating the players’ The driving force behind the idea were Phil positions and percentages. The live display of Thompson and Tony Clifford (left to right in the results, sometimes leads to light-hearted the picture), the club Secretary and Chairman rivalry and ‘leg pulling’, but on the whole at the time, ably and enthusias tically sup - concerns that behaviour might change have Sponsored by Bridge ported by all the other Committee members. proved ill-founded. & Golf Gifts Direct

www.ebu.co.uk October 2009 English Bridge 41 G The opponents N I D D I

B pre-empt

E V I T

I and give you T E P

M a tough problem O

C Andrew Kambites

OPPONENTS pre-empt to make life hard Auction 1 Game All more often than not; however, 3 ´ for you, so you shouldn’t be surprised if West North East South will not be defeated by more than you find yourself out of your comfort 3´ Pass 4´ All Pass one trick. Looked at like that, it is zone. clearcut for North to bid 4 ™. Playing teams-of-four you are at red Auction 2 Game All However, one word of caution: you vulnerability as North and hear West West North East South do need a good suit for a high level open with 3 ´. What should you call with 3´ 4™ 4´ 6™ overcall. Hand A? All Pass On the whole you don’t need complicated East’s 4 ´ bid in both rooms was simply mathematical calculations each time an Hand A Hand B bidding to the level of the fit, as described opponent pre-empts. The sort of hands ´ 8 6 ´ J 7 in the Law of Total Tricks (LTT). The where you have problems tend to be hands ™ A J 10 6 5 3 ™ K 4 2 result was -620 in one room, -1430 in the of around 15 points. Just assume partner t A Q t J 9 7 2 other room (which might have been –500 has a reasonably balanced 8 points. Of ® K J 7 ® A 10 8 3 if East had bid 6 ´ as a ‘safety bid’ over 6 ™). course, your partner must understand this The point is that there is no ‘risk free’ assumption and discount his 8 points. option in such auctions. Timidity carries I saw a fairly experienced player pass. His its own risk. When opponents pre-empt fear was that East might have most of the you need two things: Diagram (ii) remaining points, including ™K-Q-9-x-x. ´ A J 7 2 ´ Q 6 5 3 He was fearful of bringing back –1100 to 1. Sympathetic team-mates who will not ™ 7 N ™ J 5 3 W E team-mates. He felt that passing was the offer a critical benefit of hindsight. t K J 4 2 S t A 8 6 ‘risk free’ option. However, far from avoid - ® A Q 7 6 ® J 5 2 ing risk, he brought back a dreadful result 2. A positive attitude. The right attitude when the lay-out turned out to be as in by North is to count his points, add on Diagram (i): the points suggested by West’s pre-empt Auction 3 Game All and assume that East and South each West North East South have half of the remainder. North 3™ Diagram (i) should do the same with shape. If Dble Pass 3´ All Pass ´ 8 6 West has seven spades and North has ™ A J 10 6 5 3 two, then assume East and South have The West hand in Diagram (ii) can only t A Q two each. If North has six hearts, make a take-out double because he assu - ® K J 7 assume the missing hearts are distrib - mes East has a few points. East bids a dis - ´ A J 9 7 4 3 2 ´ K Q 10 uted 3-2-2 around the table, or maybe ci plined 3 ´. At first sight 4 ´ looks play - ™ Void N ™ 8 4 the pre-emptor has a singleton, and able but the pre-empt has warned you of W E t J 8 6 5 S t K 10 9 3 East and South each have three. bad breaks, so on balance you should be ® 9 4 ® 10 6 5 2 Suppose North pursues this line of happy to make 3 ´. ´ 5 thought: he has 15 points; maybe Note that the same warning of bad ™ K Q 9 7 2 West has 7 for the 3 ´ opening; there breaks should make you more cautious t 7 4 2 are 18 missing points, maybe his than usual in the slam-bidding zone. A ® A Q 8 3 partner will have Hand B . With Hand slam requiring a 3-2 trump break is B opposite Hand A, 4™ will make normally an excellent contract. It becomes

40 English Bridge December 2009 www.ebu.co.uk very borderline once one of your oppo - on competitive bidding. Traditional theory nents has opened 3™ . says you can double an opening 4 ™ for CAPTION take-out and an opening 4 ´ for penalties. There are two problems with this: COMPETITION Diagram (iii) ´ A Q 7 ´ K J 8 1. What do you do with a balanced 18- ™ K J 5 N ™ 6 2 point hand if an opponent opens 4 ™? W E t A 7 5 4 S t K 8 3 2 Or with a rather less-than-balanced ® K 6 5 ® A 4 3 2 18-point hand if he opens 4 ´? 2. The idea that partner doubles 4 ™ (guaranteeing four spades) and you Auction 4 E/W Game take it out with a fairly balanced hand West North East South with four spades contradicts the Law 3™ of Total Tricks. 3NT All Pass

The West hand in diagram (iii) bids 3NT, Diagram (iv) which shows a good 15 to 25 points. Do ´ A Q 3 2 ´ K 7 6 4 you find that unsatisfactory? Yes, so do I, ™ 9 N ™ 8 3 2 W E And this is your second but what choice do you have? 3NT is very t A 5 3 2 S t K 6 4 Bath ! dangerous. If East has nothing, North will ® A K 4 3 ® J 8 2 double, there will be no entries to dummy THE winner of our October competition, to take finesses (which would be wrong with the caption above, is Eddie Scott anyhow) and West will do well to escape Auction 5 Game All of Ipswich, Suffolk, who will receive a for –1100. However, if West can only see West North East South charming Victoriana bridge mug from the (not inconsiderable) dangers of bidding 4™ our sponsors, Bridge and Golf Gifts with this hand, it will be passed out in 3™ Dble Pass ? Direct (see page 19). Other good captions and a vulnerable game will be missed. were: A Call Out of Turn (Michael On this deal, West is lucky. East has With the East-West hands in Diagram (iv) Wilkes, Hatfield); I have just been Bath slightly more than his fair share of the after Auction 5, do you want to play in 4 ´? Couped! (Lydia Stanford, Hove); No! missing points so 3NT is a good contract. You need spades 3-2 to have any realistic This isn't a good time to discuss my However, note that East doesn’t reason chance and even then success is certainly defence on Board 17! (John Rookwood, that West might have 25 points so he not guaranteed. However, you are likely to Windsor edge); Yes, yes, I will support Universal Member ship! (Bomi Kavarana , should investigate slam. Balanced hands beat 4 ™ by two tricks. A total of 17 total Tad worth); and Why ask me? Doesn't with 15-18 points are quite common after trumps is not suitable for bidding 4 ´ over anyone at the EBU know what a Sputnik a pre-empt. Balanced hands with 25 4™. Double is? (Reg Tripp, Alton). points are very uncommon. Don’t chase But if you decide it is pointless trying to The cartoon for our new competition slams after a pre-empt. Despite East’s 11 alight on a pinhead at this level, why not is below. Please send your bridgey points, any contract above 3NT is very agree that East will only remove the double captions (multiple entries are accep ted) hazardous. You certainly cannot rely on a with considerable shape and into a con- to the Editor, English Bridge, 23 Erleigh 3-2 diamond break! tract he is confident will make, allow ing Road, Reading RG1 5LR or by e-mail to West to double on a far greater variety of elena@ ebu.co.uk not later than 18th I will end this series with one final point hand shapes? r December 2009. Don’t forget to include your full postal address! BARBARA COOKE CELEBRATES HER 90TH BIRTHDAY

BARBARA is a delightful lady who always has a smile and a twinkle in her eye. She celebrated her 90th birthday with her family and then with her friends at Stafford Bridge Club, where she has been a member for over thirty years. Barbara learnt her card-playing skills from being a regular whist player in her earlier years but when Basil, her husband, started teaching bridge at the club, she was invited to go along with him ‘to make the tea’. So Barbara began to acquire her interest in the game by ‘listening-in’ during these sessions and observing Basil preparing his lessons on the dining room table. She was a regular at the Tuesday evening bridge session (the only one in the week) and then later in 1999 when the Wednesday afternoon session was introduced, she started there as well and has been playing regularly ever since. All of us who know and love Barbara wish her much health and happiness in celebrating 90 golden years; long may she continue to be such a wonderful partner and Sponsored by Bridge opponent around the green baize. (David Drinkwater) & Golf Gifts Direct

www.ebu.co.uk December 2009 English Bridge 41