Marathon of Sittard Imp Pairs 1999

Marathon of Sittard 1999 (Imp pairs)

Sittard, Euregionaal Sportcentrum, August 28

Session 03, Boards 09-16

Board 09 North/EW	ª AQ87 © 83 ¨ QT6 § AK32
ª T © T752 ¨ KJ854 § 854	N W E S	ª J932 © AKQ9 ¨ A9 § QT9
	ª K654 © J64 ¨ 732 § J76

Mean score:		-90

Score NS	Number	Imps NS	Imps EW
200	1	7	-7
100	4	5	-5
90	1	5	-5
-50	3	1	-1
-90	4	0	0
-100	3	0	0
-110	2	-1	1
-120	2	-1	1
-140	4	-2	2
-170	6	-2	2
-300	1	-5	5

Recommended bidding sequence:

West	North	East	South
--- 2¨	1NT pass	dbl pass	pass pass.

9. (Discussion to follow)

Board 10 East/Both	ª T4 © --- ¨ KT832 § KQ9874
ª AQ93 © QT8532 ¨ A4 § 5	N W E S	ª 8765 © K9 ¨ J7 § JT632
	ª KJ2 © AJ764 ¨ Q965 § A

Mean score:		410

Score NS	Number	Imps NS	Imps EW
950	1	11	-11
750	1	8	-8
600	16	5	-5
170	1	-6	6
150	5	-6	6
110	2	-7	7
-100	2	-11	11
-200	3	-12	12

Recommended bidding sequence:

West	North	East	South
--- 1ª! pass pass.	--- 2ª 5¨	pass pass pass	1© 3¨ pass

10. (Discussion to follow)

Board 11 South/-	ª K97643 © --- ¨ KQ4 § 8432
ª J © AKQT63 ¨ T9753 § 7	N W E S	ª Q8 © 7542 ¨ A862 § QJ9
	ª AT52 © J98 ¨ J § AKT65

Mean score:		430

Score NS	Number	Imps NS	Imps EW
750	1	8	-8
650	2	6	-6
500	1	2	-2
480	5	2	-2
450	14	1	-1
300	4	-4	4
100	1	-8	8
50	1	-9	9
-50	1	-10	10
-420	1	-13	13

Recommended bidding sequence:

West	North	East	South
--- 1© 4© 5© pass.	--- 1ª 4ª 5ª	--- 3© pass pass	1§ 3ª pass pass

11. (Discussion to follow)

Board 12 West/NS	ª A © A632 ¨ J652 § KJ86
ª T76543 © J87 ¨ A § Q43	N W E S	ª K982 © Q94 ¨ 983 § T95
	ª QJ © KT5 ¨ KQT74 § A72

Mean score:		480

Score NS	Number	Imps NS	Imps EW
1370	1	13	-13
650	2	5	-5
620	9	4	-4
600	9	3	-3
500	1	1	-1
170	2	-7	7
130	1	-8	8
-100	2	-11	11
-200	4	-12	12

Recommended bidding sequence:

West	North	East	South
2ª pass pass.	dbl 5¨	3ª pass	4¨ pass

At favorable vulnerability it is wise to preempt aggressively. Only good NS-players will find the right spot.

Board 13 North/Both	ª KQT © KJ98 ¨ AK98 § 82
ª A92 © T7 ¨ QJ76 § KQJ3	N W E S	ª J43 © Q4 ¨ T5432 § 965
	ª 8765 © A6532 ¨ --- § AT74

Mean score:		650

Score NS	Number	Imps NS	Imps EW
680	7	1	-1
650	17	0	0
620	4	-1	1
200	1	-10	10
170	1	-10	10
140	1	-11	11

Recommended bidding sequence:

West	North	East	South
--- dbl!? pass pass.	1NT 2© 4©	pass pass pass	2§! 4¨ pass

If South transfers to 2© and subsequently bids 2ª, a ª-contract will be played from the weaker hand. There is no need for that. Mike Smolen invented a nice delayed transfer to deal with this situation: Stayman first, and if necessary, jump in the 4-card suit. Here, South announces the hughe ©-fit with a splinterbid. This happens to be in Norths best suit, so that fellow signs off.

Board 14 East/-	ª K © J876 ¨ Q963 § 9754
ª QT72 © K93 ¨ K42 § QJ6	N W E S	ª 954 © AQT2 ¨ JT875 § 8
	ª AJ863 © 85 ¨ A § AKT32

Mean score:		10

Score NS	Number	Imps NS	Imps EW
400	1	9	-9
150	1	4	-4
130	8	3	-3
110	2	3	-3
100	1	3	-3
80	1	2	-2
50	1	1	-1
-50	6	-2	2
-100	8	-3	3
-150	1	-4	4
-250	1	-6	6

Recommended bidding sequence:

West	North	East	South
--- pass pass pass.	--- 1NT 5§	pass pass pass	1ª 3§ pass

5§ is not as bad as it looks like. South still has a 46% chance to get away without §-losers, according to the Official Encyclopedia of Bridge. He still needs some favorable coincidence in ª though.

Board 15 South/NS	ª J8752 © 7 ¨ J4 § QT875
ª AQ3 © KQ653 ¨ AQ9 § J6	N W E S	ª 6 © AJ984 ¨ T875 § 942
	ª KT94 © T2 ¨ K632 § AK3

Mean score:		-420

Score NS	Number	Imps NS	Imps EW
100	1	11	-11
-170	2	6	-6
-200	2	6	-6
-400	1	1	-1
-420	15	0	0
-450	8	-1	1
-500	1	-2	2
-690	1	-7	7

Recommended bidding sequence:

West	North	East	South
--- 1© pass	--- pass pass.	--- 4©	pass pass

The jump to 4© is recommended by former world champion Berry Westra in his Bidding with Berry-trilogy. He would bid 3NT with a similar hand and 7-10 hcp. Marty Bergen would agree East is too nice to just preempt to 3ª.

Board 16 West/EW	ª 96543 © Q9 ¨ AKQJ § K3
ª J8 © J ¨ 98654 § A8742	N W E S	ª AKQT7 © T542 ¨ 73 § Q5
	ª 2 © AK8763 ¨ T2 § JT96

Mean score:		240

Score NS	Number	Imps NS	Imps EW
1100	1	13	-13
450	4	5	-5
420	7	5	-5
300	1	2	-2
210	2	-1	1
200	4	-1	1
170	2	-2	2
140	1	-3	3
120	1	-3	3
90	1	-4	4
-50	3	-7	7
-100	2	-8	8
-150	1	-9	9
-200	1	-10	10

Recommended bidding sequence:

West	North	East	South
pass pass pass	1ª 2¨ pass	pass pass pass.	1NT 2©

Whether you play 1NT as forcing or not, bidding will be exactly the same here.

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