Marathon of Sittard Imp Pairs 1999

Marathon of Sittard 1999 (Imp pairs)

Sittard, Euregionaal Sportcentrum, August 28

Session 03, Boards 25-28

Board 25 North/EW	ª QJ65 © K75 ¨ 9854 § 86
ª T4 © AQ94 ¨ J6 § QJ953	N W E S	ª K83 © T8632 ¨ QT § T42
	ª A972 © J ¨ AK732 § AK7

Mean score:		460

Score NS	Number	Imps NS	Imps EW
480	10	1	-1
460	1	0	0
450	15	0	0
420	1	-1	1
400	1	-2	2
170	1	-7	7
150	2	-7	7

Recommended bidding sequence:

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

South splinters, but North is too weak to cuebid or even to bid 3ª, which would still leave room to explore slam. His jump to game is known as the principle of fast arrival.

Board 26 East/Both	ª J9 © QT9 ¨ T95 § KJT94
ª K © 6 ¨ AKQJ832 § A763	N W E S	ª QT876 © AK872 ¨ 7 § 85
	ª A5432 © J543 ¨ 64 § Q2

Mean score:		-710

Score NS	Number	Imps NS	Imps EW
680	1	16	-16
300	1	14	-14
100	1	13	-13
-130	1	11	-11
-170	1	11	-11
-600	2	3	-3
-620	5	3	-3
-630	6	2	-2
-660	5	2	-2
-690	1	1	-1
-1370	6	-12	12
-1440	1	-12	12

Recommended bidding sequence:

West	North	East	South
--- 2¨ 5¨	--- pass pass	pass 4© pass	pass pass pass.

West opens 2¨ intending to show a semiforcing hand with ¨, i.e. a 5⁺ suit and 20-22 hcp, or a little less with 8 playing tricks. Easts jump to 4© shows excellent support for both majors, and can be both preemptive and constructive. He just denies slam interest. After this unexpected response, West has little left than bidding 5¨. More analysis later.

Board 27 South/-	ª K7653 © 97 ¨ 74 § QT98
ª QT9 © KQ542 ¨ A93 § 76	N W E S	ª A82 © JT6 ¨ KQJ85 § AJ
	ª J4 © A83 ¨ T62 § K5432

Mean score:		-420

Score NS	Number	Imps NS	Imps EW
150	1	11	-11
50	3	10	-10
-150	3	7	-7
-170	1	6	-6
-450	6	-1	1
-480	14	-2	2
-650	1	-6	6
-680	1	-6	6
-980	1	-11	11

Recommended bidding sequence:

West	North	East	South
--- pass 2¨ 3NT pass	--- pass pass pass pass.	--- 1NT 2© 4©	pass pass pass pass

or, after a Muiderberg by North:

West	North	East	South
--- pass 3¨ 3NT pass	--- 2ª pass pass pass.	--- 2NT 3© 4©	pass pass pass pass

Westra strongly recommends* natural 2NT-overcalls, Stayman and Jacoby transfers against natural weak-2 openings, so why not against Muiderbergers? If you don't treat it that way, West will get stuck after a 3©-response, or go for a number in 3NT on a §-lead.

* see Westra, Bidding with Berry volume 3, Conventions and Gadgets.

Board 28 West/NS	ª KQ5 © Q952 ¨ 97 § AKT5
ª J84 © K ¨ AQJ6542 § 97	N W E S	ª A962 © 84 ¨ KT83 § Q86
	ª T73 © AJT763 ¨ --- § J432

Mean score:		100

Score NS	Number	Imps NS	Imps EW
650	1	11	-11
620	1	11	-11
500	1	9	-9
300	9	5	-5
100	4	0	0
50	4	-2	2
-100	7	-5	5
-200	4	-7	7

Recommended bidding sequence:

West	North	East	South
3NT 5¨	pass pass	5§ pass	pass pass.

We recommend opening 4§ and 4¨ with solid 8-card majors. 3NT replaces natural 4§- and 4¨-openers. More on this hand later.

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