Back to it

The Bermuda Regional starts tomorrow, and I'm red-eyeing it out tonight. This tournament is always the best one on the ACBL's schedule. The local organizers work with the country's tourism department to create a wonderful experience. I'll give you all the details next week (if I can find an internet connection).

To hold you over, here's a couple of matchpoint problems:

(A) Red vs. white

♠ Q2 ♥A3 ♦KQJ5 ♣AT753

Partner, in first chair, opens 1C, and RHO bounces to 5S! What's your call?

(B) All white

♠ K ♥AKJT96 ♦JT973 ♣T

LHO opens 3C and RHO lifts to 5C. D0 you bid?

A few bidding problems

Here's a few bidding and lead problems to help get you warmed up for the Charlottesville Regional:

(A) IMPs, white vs. red

♠ A ♥KT964 ♦none ♣QJT7542

RHO passes, you open 1C (or do you?), LHO passes, and partner bids 1H. RHO passes to you. What's your call?

(B) Matchpoints, red vs. white

♠ KJ862 ♥T92 ♦AJ3 ♣J7

RHO opens 1H, you pass, LHO bids a forcing 1NT, partner sticks in a 2S (!) bid, and RHO passes. What's your bid?

(C) Matchpoints, red vs. white

♠ AJ95 ♥42 ♦97 ♣AT932

There are two passes to you.

(C1) Do you bid?

After you, the auction continues 1NT (15-17) on your left, pass, 2C on your right.

(C2) Your call.

(D) Matchpoints, white vs. red

♠42 ♥AQJ73 ♦A8642 ♣3

You open 1H. LHO jumps to 2S (weak). The next two players pass. Up to you.

(E) Matchpoints, white vs. red

♠A86 ♥Q95 ♦T842 ♣984

The opponents bid uncontested (1D - 1H - 1NT [11-14] - 3NT). What's your lead?

A few more hands from Boston

For the first Friday and Saturday of the Boston NABC, I played pairs with a student. Michael is very easy and fun to teach. He's always interested in learning something new, and he retains what he's learned very well.

Here's a few tough hands we faced:

(A) Red vs. white

AKQ53 9 J64 KQ75

Over your 1S opening, partner forces to game with 2H. You rebid 3C, and pard bids 3H. What's your call?

(B) All white

KQT97642 4 none T954

Partner passes and RHO opens a weak 2H. Do you bid here?

We had a nice auction with these hands:

[South] QJ543 42 AQ4 AQ5
[North] AK T JT65 KJT942

South first to bid:

1NT[1] – 2S[2]
2NT[3] – 3H[4]
4C[5] – 4NT [6]
5S[7] – 6C

1.15-17, often holds a five-card major
2.Either a balanced invitational hand or clubs
3.Minimum – with the invitational hand I would've passed
4.Shows a slam try with long clubs and short hearts
5.Natural and slam-positive [in the context of already having showed a minimum]
6.Keycard ask
7.Two keycards [two aces or one ace and the king of clubs] plus the queen of clubs

They led a heart to East's queen, and shot a diamond back through AQx. Michael took the percentage line by rejecting the finesse. He hopped up with the ace and drew two round of trumps, unblocked the ace and king of spades from the board, came back to hand with a high club drawing the last trump, and pitched three diamonds on his good spades. Well done!

There was a cute play position on this board:

[North] AT2 AK9542 J6 AQ
[South] Q84 J86 A8 T7532
I opened 1H as North. LHO stuck in a 2D bid. Partner raised to 2H, and that's all I needed – I jumped to 4H. LHO led the king of diamonds. I won on the table and tried to split the trumps 2-2, to no avail. RHO had a trump trick. So I exited with a diamond, putting LHO in a fix. Another diamond would give me a ruff-sluff, and she didn't want to lead away from the king of clubs, so she led a low spade. I played low from the table, and the king popped up on my right. I won the ace and decided it was a good time to try to endplay my right-hand opponent. I led out a heart, and he put a club back through my AQ. I finessed, losing to the king. LHO returned a diamond. I ruffed in hand, laid down the ace of clubs, and played out all of my trumps. Here's the position I saw when I led my last trump:

Q8
none
none
T

T2
2
none
none

I knew my LHO had the jack of spades, and hoped she had the jack of clubs. When she parted with a spade, I pitched the club from the table, and led to the queen of spades. The jack duly dropped on my left! I lost only a heart, a diamond, and a club. Making four!

(C) White vs. red

K42 A75 Q2 AKJ53

LHO opens 3D, partner doubles, and RHO passes. What's your call?

Warmup Pairs: First Thursday, Boston NABC

I played the first event at the Boston NABC – the Thursday Stratified Open Pairs – with Cincinnatan up-and comer Adam Parrish. Adam and I had a fabulous time but didn't matchpoint very well. Adam's lots of fun – we'll be playing the North American Swiss Teams later in the tournament.

All problems are matchpoints.

(A) Red vs. white

Q7 KJ984 AQJ52 8

Partner opens 1C, and over your 1H, rebids 3NT. What is he showing here? What's your bid?

(B) All white

AJT94 9 QJ7 9862

LHO opens 1NT, showing “good 10 to bad 13”. RHO invites with 2NT, and LHO bids 3NT, which gets passed around to you. Your call.

(C) Red vs. white

A3 AQT9753 742 8

LHO opens 1D. Pard passes, and RHO bids 1S.

(C1) What's your call?

(C2) LHO will pass, and RHO will bid 3NT over 2 or 3H. Your lead.

(D) All red

QT KJT832 J8 K92

Partner opens 1C. You respond 1H, He rebids 1S, and you bid 2H (showing constructive values). He rebids 2S, presumably 5=x=y=6. What's your call?

(E) All red

A AK74 AQ9854 52

There are two passes to you, and you open 1D. LHO overcalls 1S. Partner bids 2H, and RHO leaps to 4S. What's your bid?

Play problem from the Eastside Bridge Club

At the Eastside Bridge Club (the best-run bridge club I've ever visited) in Portland yesterday, this hand came up:


I held A QJ763 A853 AJ9. We were playing against strong opponents in a weakish field (Monday morning, the day after a regional). We were unfavorable. Partner passed, RHO passed, I opened 1H, and LHO jumped to 2S. Partner negative-doubled, so I jumped to 4D. She bid a fifth and final diamond, and the king of spades was led. Here's the hand:

I won the spade lead with the ace and played a heart toward the king. LHO won with the ace and played a low spade to his partner's jack. I ruffed, played a club to the ace, and played three rounds of diamonds, finessing for RHO's king-third. Now out of trump, I cashed the top two hearts, pitching spades (everyone following). This was the position I saw:

I ruffed the six of hearts, establishing my 7. LHO pitcheda spade. I led a club off the board toward my AJ.

So... finesse or not?

The answer is in the Comments section. Click the word "Comments" at the end of the post to see what happened at the table, and my thoughts on the situation.

Sometimes it taks three to declare

In the pairs yesterday at the Seaside Regional, I declared a hand with a little help from my friends... Nobody did anything awful, but we ended up with a ridiculous result.

Partner opened 1S in third seat (by partnership agreement), I responded 1NT, and everyone passed. The six of diamonds was led. I played the queen, dropping the ten on my right. 

I led the jack of clubs, covered by the king (good play).  I could have ducked this and dropped the queen on the next round for five club tricks, but were I to duck it, finessing again (playing East for KQx) would probably have been my play. But I wasn't going for all those tricks. All I was looking for was five tricks. -100 seemed like it would be a good matchpoint score. So I went up with the ace and shot a club back. 

West won the queen and switched to the......... queen of hearts! I covered with the king, and East won the ace. He switched back to diamonds, and I let him hold the jack. He then went back to hearts. I won and reeled off lots of clubs. West felt that he was in a pinch. He pitched his last heart and a spade, then decided that his diamonds couldn't take a trick... right he was! he pitched his eight of diamonds, then, on the last club, the king of diamonds. I pitched the ace of diamonds from dummy! The 9-4 in my hand were good, and I gave up a spade at trick 13 for making three.

Oregon Grinders: Day Three

We had a better day in the pairs on Wednesday-- a bit below average in the afternoon, and a solid 57.5% in the evening.

All problems matchpoints, of course.

(A) Red vs. white

QT98762 K643 9 A

Partner opens 1H (4+, usually 5+) in first seat. What's your bidding plan?

(B) Red vs. white

K2 AK8 876542 JT

Righty passes, and it's your call.

(C) White vs. red

74 3 875 AKQJ952

The auction goes (P) P (1N 15-17) to you. The cheapest you can bid clubs is 3C, and double is artificial. Do you bid?

(D) White vs. red

75 QT9742 84 KJ3

LHO opens 1C, partner overcalls 1S, and RHO passes. Do you have a call?

(E) White vs. red

AT872 K73 --- AJ965

You open 1C (our partnership agreement with 5-5 in the blacks), LHO overcalls 1D, and partner leaps majestically to 3NT. Do you pull?

Oregon Grinders: Day Two

Paul and I continued along in the pair games on Tuesday, with less success than Monday. We scratched both sessions, but didn't make the overalls.

All problems matchpoints.

(A) All red

AK J53 A875 AKQ6

RHO opens 1H. Assuming you double, what is your action over partner's 1S?

(B) All red

T42 J4 QT852 J63

The opponents bid uncontested to 6S on this auction:

1D - 1H;
1S - 4NT;
5H - 6S.

What's your lead?

(C) White vs. red

J63 J5 K543 A762

You pass in first chair, LHO opens 1H, pard overcalls 2D, and RHO jumps to 4H. Do you or don't you?

(D) All white

A987 JT7642 9 KT

Pard opens 2H (!) in second seat, and RHO overcalls 2S. Your bid.

Oregon Grinders: Day 1

Paul and I are playing all pair games at the Seaside Regional. We started off hot by winning the Charity Pairs Monday night. According to the directors, we led wire to wire and won by a landslide. There were a lot of fun hands, and we handled them well, surviving three near-zeroes. That just goes to show you that you shouldn't let one bad board ruin your session...

Our first set of two boards warned of a wacky set of hands:

I was North and made 3S with a little help from my friends for 26 of 34 matchpoints.

Systemically, we open 1C with 5-5 black hands. We got to absolute par by saving over 4H. Do you agree with 4S by me? West, understandably, took the push to 5H with his 6-5. +200 was worth 32 of 34 matchpoints.

OK, here's some problem hands for you to chew on. Feel free to share your answers and read others' opinions by clicking on the word "Comments" at the end of this article. I'll also tell what happened at the table in that section.

(A) White vs. red

A32 KT4 5 JT8643

LHO (a solid citizen) opens 3S; pard doubles; RHO passes. Your call.

(B) All white

Q52 Q987 KQJT QJ

RHO opens 1C. You're up.

(C) Red vs. white

A K52 Q98652 Q96

You open 1D in third seat. LHO bounces to 4H, and partner makes a negative double. Your bid.

(D) How should these hands be bid at all white? South starts, and East bids (or doubles) hearts at her first opportunity.

Tuesday Club Game: Klamath Falls

Tinker and I played the gthe Klamath Falls club the other day. We had a good time, with remarkably few mixups for a first-time partnership. We had a 61% game for first overall.

All problems matchpoints; click the word "Comments" at the end of the post to put in your two cents, see what we did at the table, and see what others would have done!

(A) White vs. red

53 K92 A84 T9853

RHO opens 1S. You pass, LHO raises to 2S, and partner bids 3H. Righty passes. Do you bid?

(B)  All white

KQ9 J8652 5 K976

You pass in first chair. LHO opens a 'could be short' 1D, passed around to you. You double, and pard advances with 1H. Should you raise to 2H with this?

Say you pass. LHO bids 2D, pass, pass, you now bid 2H, and lefty bids 3D, checked around to you again! What's your call here?

(C) Red vs. white

Q8 AT872 A8532 3

Your right-hand opponent passes in first seat, and it's your bid.

(D) White vs. red

86 Q94 AQT765 63

LHO opens 1S, pard passes, and RHO bids two non-game-forcing clubs. Do you have a call? Would it make a difference if it was a GF 2C call?

Fall Open Pairs

We came in second in the annual Klamath Falls Unit Fall Open Pairs on Sunday. The event was certainly ours to win... but I had a poor session. There were a few interersting boards. Try your hand at these problems. Please leave your answers and thoughts on the hands in the Comments!

All problems matchpoints. See the Comments for what happened at the table.

(A) All white

Y753 5 AJT2 Q854

LHO opens 1H, partner passes, and righty passes too. What's the lowest value for card Y with which you would double?

(B) Both vul

T3 AQ54 53 AKQ74

You're first up. 1NT would be good 14-17.

(C) All white

K J8762 K54 KJT6

In second seat, you pass (or do you?), LHO opens 1S, partner overcalls 2D, and RHO passes. What's your call? Your choices are 2H non-forcing, 2S limit raise in diamonds, 2N natural and invitational, 3D natural, or 3H fit-showing.

Friday club game

Marie and I tried again the next day at the club. Things went much better, but we had an oft-occurring problem at club bridge -- playing the wrong hands against the wrong opponents. Far too often, the opponents would get to the par spot, make a normal number of tricks (sometimes even lose a trick they shouldn't) but still get most of the matchpoints. So it goes...

(A) White vs. red

QT95 A63 4 T8762

Partner opens 1H in third chair, and righty overcalls 2D. You bid 2H, and lefty competes in diamonds. The auction:

P (P) 1H (2D);
2H (3D) P (P);
?

(B) White vs. red

Q5 AKJ764 T A954

Lefty opens 1D, partner passes, and RHO limit-raises with 3D. Do you bid?

(C) White vs. red

-- KQ762 AQJ974 73

You're first to speak.

(D) All red

AQT62 K3 852 432

Pard opens a 20-21 2NT. Your call.

(E) All red

52 AKJT843 J6 QT

You open 1H in first seat (at least, I hope you do). LHO jumps to 2S, which gets passed back to you. What's your call?

(F) White vs. red

QJ93 J6 A832 432

Pard opens 1H, righty bids 1S, and you bid 1NT. LHO raises to 2S, partner bids 3C, and RHO passes. What's your bid?

Instant Matchpoint Game, 9/11/08

The Instant Matchpoint Game was held Thursday. I played with my friend Marie. Meg also played (and won) - here's her writeup of the event. Marie and I didn't do so hot, but we had a good time.

(A) All white

J9 K7 JT87653 J7

Do you preempt in first chair?

(B) White vs. red

32 63 8762 KQ764

(P) 1S (P) ?

(C) White vs. red

AKJ AJT K9632 T6

(2S) P (3C*) ?

*non-forcing

(D) White vs. red

A753 AJ76 A862 6

The opponents are silent. Partner opens 1C, you bid 1H, and partner bids 1S. What's your bid/plan?

(E) All white

AJ985 7 972 AJT3

Pard opens 1H. You bid 1S, and she rebids 1NT. What's your bid?

(F) Red vs. white

AQT2 875 K54 843

Pard opens 1H. What's your call?

Instant Matchpoint Game

The ACBL holds its annual Instant Matchpoint game tonight. This is a very fun event. The (random) hands are analyzed by Larry Cohen, and each player in tonight's game will receive a booklet with the hands and analyses. This is an unusually scored event-- you're not matchpointed against the other players in your club, but against what Cohen thinks most people will be doing. You'll get your results directly after each hand. Section tops will earn a gold point, and other placings will be half red and half black. National winners will get a writeup in the ACBL Bulletin.

Meg and I are playing in this event tonight-- I'll be playing with my friend Marie (with whom I had a great time at the Raleigh, NC Regional this year) and Meg will be with a new (but very strong) partner. So we should have some fun hands to report for you tomorrow!

Follow this link to see if a club in your area is offering the Instant Matchpoint Game tonight.

Here's the results from last year's IMG.

Richard Pavlicek analyzed the deals for the IMG from 1987 to 2006. Here's a link to all twenty years of hands and analyses!

Wednesday club game

I played bridge yesterday for the first time in three weeks. What a drought! I haven't had one that long in years. 

I played at the Charlottesville bridge club with my friend Pete. We had a very matchpointy game-- lots of doubling and partscore battles. The hands were lots of fun. We ended up with a touch over 63%, half a board out of first place.

All hands matchpoints, of course. What happened at the table will appear in the Comments section.

By the way-- some of the best material on this site comes from readers like you-- Please feel free to comment and read what others have to say! If you click the title of a post, a new page will come up with the full post and all the comments.

(A) White vs. red

KQJT83 A AKJ4 AQ

Partner passes, you open 2C, partner bids a "waiting" 2D,and you bid 2S. (Do you prefer 3S?) Partner now comes out of the bushes with 6S! Your call.

(B) White vs. red

AQ3 JT83 QJT K74

The opponents silent again - pard opens 1H, you pull out good old Jacoby 2NT, and pard rebids 4D [presumably a second suit]. You're up.

(C) All white

8 AT9 K853 KQ853

You open 1D (do you prefer 1C?) and lefty doubles. Pard redoubles, and righty bids 1S. What do your bids mean here? What's your call?

(D) Red vs. white

5 -- J987643 QJ532

You're first to speak. Do you?

(E) All white

AKQ2 T7643 54 96

RHO opens 1C. What's your call?

(F) White vs. red

AKQ84 AQ9532 Q J

Righty opens 1NT. You're playing Brozel - 2C = C+H, 2D = D+H, 2H = H+S, 2S = S+C or S+D, X = one long suit, 2N = C+D, higher bids undiscussed. What's your call?

(G) White vs. red

AKT92 4 AQ5 KJT2

You open 1S, and partner gives you a forcing notrump. What say you?

(H) White vs. red

KT5 T7 AJ986 J76

Pard passes in first seat. Righty opens 3H, you pass, and lefty lifts to 4H, all pass. It's your lead.

Book Review: Matchpoints

Kit Woolsey's Matchpoints is one of two books that I think all aspiring bridge experts need to have read. (The other is Lawrence's How To Read Your Opponents' Cards.) Woolsey does a masterful job of explaining the mathematics of matchpoints (don't worry - you don't need a calculator!) and tries to help the reader think about the right things, like what the contracts will be at the other tables,  whether or not to take a safety play, and what the expected gain or loss would be from different lines of play. 

Woolsey spends a lot of time on the "two ways to win" principle, and for good reason! It's simple mathematics, but most bridge players don't quite 'get' that combining the chances of two unlikely things can add up to a better chance than one likely thing happening. The simplest case of combining chances is taking two finesses. Every bridge player should know that finding a 3-2 split (68%) is much more likely to happen than finding a finesse onside (50%). But if you can combine your chances on a hand and find one of two finesses onside, it adds up to 75%, considerably better than the chances for a 3-2 split. Woolsey goes into many different "combine your chances" situations in both the bidding and the play.

To go along with the standard pairs subjects, like balancing, doubling, and sacrificing, he also has a good section on the Law of Total Tricks. In my opinion, Woolsey's discussion on the subject is more accurate and valuable than Larry Cohen's more famous work on the subject, To Bid or Not to Bid. 

Surprisingly, Matchpoints is a good way to learn IMP play for those of you who almost exlusively play pair games! The first time (of probably six or seven by now) I read this book, I had been coming along well at the bridge club. I'd placed highly in some Sectional pair games, but never seemed to do anything in the Sectional Swisses. Matchpoints made me realize just how many of the "pairs-only" tricks Woolsey shared that I was already doing, and how many imps they were costing me!

So, in a nutshell, if you haven't read this book yet, get it before your next pair game!

Buy Matchpoints at Amazon.com