SNS Bank Matchpoints Pairs Maastricht, April 30, 2000

SNS Bank Matchpoints Pairs 2000

Maastricht, Festi Village, April 30

Session 02, boards 08-14

Board 08 W/- WEST	NORTH ª K Q 3 © A 7 5 4 ¨ Q 5 4 3 § A J	EAST
ª A T © J 8 ¨ 9 7 2 § K T 8 7 6 2	SOUTH	ª J 9 8 2 © K T 6 3 2 ¨ A K T § 5
	ª 7 6 5 4 © Q 9 ¨ J 8 6 § Q 9 4 3

NS score	Freq	mp NS	mp EW
180	1	72	0
150	3	68	4
120	1	64	8
100	2	61	11
90	3	56	16
50	7	46	26
-50	8	31	41
-90	3	20	52
-100	2	15	57
-110	6	7	65
-140	1	0	72

Recommended bidding sequence:

West	North	East	South
pass	1NT	pass	pass
pass.

West's §-suit is too weak to preempt at this vulnerability, as are East's ª for a (multi-) Landy 2§-overcall.

East leads a low © for the Queen. North calls for a low ª to his Queen, and leads a ¨ to the Jack. East rises and parts with a low © to the Jack. This holdup cuts EW-communcations, and ensures North of 8 tricks.

Board 09 N/EW WEST	NORTH ª 7 2 © A J 2 ¨ 9 8 7 § A 8 7 3 2	EAST
ª A K 6 5 4 © 9 4 3 ¨ J T 4 § T 6	SOUTH	ª J 8 3 © T 8 7 6 ¨ K 6 5 § Q J 4
	ª Q T 9 © K Q 5 ¨ A Q 3 2 § K 9 5

NS score	Freq	mp NS	mp EW
430	2	71	1
400	2	67	5
180	1	64	8
150	1	62	10
130	1	60	12
110	1	58	14
-50	28	29	43
-100	1	0	72

Recommended bidding sequence:

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

In a team game, North bids 3NT, but at matchpoints, he should invite. Most tournament players do not show that restraint. We have to admit, we would be tempted to raise to game as well. South downgrades his hand because of 4333. With no outside entries, West leads a low spade to hold South to 8 tricks.

Board 10 E/A WEST	NORTH ª K J 6 3 © J 4 2 ¨ J T § K Q J T	EAST
ª 7 4 © A 8 6 3 ¨ A 9 7 5 4 2 § 5	SOUTH	ª A Q T 9 5 © Q 9 5 ¨ 6 3 § 8 6 4
	ª 8 2 © K T 7 ¨ K Q 8 § A 9 7 3 2

NS score	Freq	mp NS	mp EW
600	4	69	3
150	1	64	8
120	2	61	11
110	4	55	17
100	2	49	23
-100	15	32	40
-200	4	13	59
-300	3	6	66
-670	1	2	70
-800	1	0	72

Recommended bidding sequence:

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

Walsh players should alert 1ª, since North would bypass a 4- or 5-card ¨-suit if he held less than 12 hcp. On board 9, NS could stay out of game with 25 hcp between them. Now, they only have 24, but only few Norths on Earth will invite. With 12 hcp opposite 12, declarer usually has better communications then with 16 opposite 8 or 9, but this time, a ª-lead, ©-return and another ª will defeat 3NT.

Board 11 S/- WEST	NORTH ª K Q J T 7 3 © 4 2 ¨ A 7 5 3 § 6	EAST
ª 5 2 © A Q 9 5 ¨ J 6 § K Q J 5 3	SOUTH	ª 9 8 6 4 © J 7 6 3 ¨ 4 § A T 8 2
	ª A © K T 8 ¨ K Q T 9 8 2 § 9 7 4

NS score	Freq	mp NS	mp EW
690	1	72	0
480	9	62	10
450	5	48	24
420	4	39	33
300	2	33	39
230	1	30	42
200	1	28	44
170	5	22	50
150	1	16	56
140	1	14	58
100	1	12	60
-50	4	7	65
-100	2	1	71

Recommended bidding sequence:

West	North	East	South
---	---	---	1¨
2§¹	3ª²	4§	4¨³
4©⁴	4ª⁵	pass⁶	pass
pass.

1: Best suit first, but does not necessarily give op on ©.
2: 2ª would show 5⁺ ª and 8-11 hcp, but with his excellent ª-suit and ¨-support, North can't afford a non-forcing bid.
3: In a forcing situation, South can freely show his 6-card suit.
4: Now §-support is certain, West hopes to find a ©-fit as well. 4© makes indeed.
5: 4ª pays off better, and is more likely to make.
6: East has done enough with his 5-count. His ª are too bad to double with.

A ¨-lead, or ©-lead and ¨-return beats the contract. After unblocking ªA, North's attempt to cross in ¨ fails on a ruff. If he tries to set up a ruffing entry in © or §, West will rise and give East his ruff.

Board 12 W/NS WEST	NORTH ª T © J T 9 8 7 ¨ Q T 7 6 § 9 7 6	EAST
ª 4 © A K Q 3 ¨ 9 8 5 3 2 § T 8 3	SOUTH	ª 6 3 © 6 5 4 2 ¨ J 4 § A J 5 4 2
	ª A K Q J 9 8 7 5 2 © - - - ¨ A K § K Q

NS score	Freq	mp NS	mp EW
1660	2	71	1
1440	1	68	4
1430	29	38	34
680	1	8	64
630	1	6	66
-200	1	4	68
-300	1	2	70
-1100	1	0	72

Recommended bidding sequence:

West	North	East	South
pass	pass	pass	2§¹
pass	2¨²	pass	3ª³
pass	4©⁴	pass	4NT⁵
pass	5¨⁶	pass	6ª
pass	pass	pass.

1: East can make 6ª on his own, but if West brings in §A, he wants to be in grand slam.
2: 2© requires ©KQxxx or better, and 8⁺ hcp.
3: 6⁺ ª, and 23⁺ hcp or more than 9 playing tricks. Virtually denies any other 4-card suit.
4: Hopes for a 5-3 ©-fit, in which case his hand is far more useful.
5: Roman Keycard Blackwood for ©, although South is only interested in a ª-slam.
6: 0 out of 5 Aces, he can't have 3 of them.

Board 13 N/A WEST	NORTH ª A 6 5 4 3 © K 6 ¨ Q 7 6 2 § 9 6	EAST
ª Q J © T 3 2 ¨ T 9 5 § A J 7 5 2	SOUTH	ª T 7 © A 9 8 7 4 ¨ K 8 4 3 § K Q
	ª K 9 8 2 © Q J 5 ¨ A J § T 8 4 3

NS score	Freq	mp NS	mp EW
620	1	72	0
400	1	70	2
300	2	67	5
200	6	59	13
170	10	43	29
140	3	30	42
100	9	18	54
0	2	7	65
-110	3	2	70

Recommended bidding sequence:

West	North	East	South
---	pass	1©	pass
2©	pass	pass	dbl
pass	2ª	pass	pass
pass.

If South finds the balancing double, his side buys the contract. Typical at matchpoints, out of the question at imps. East does not have the sort of shape on would try 1-2-3-stop with, so he has no point in bidding 3© after 2ª either. 3© goes for 500 if NS find the double. This may require some improper communication between North and Souht, but even +200 gives them 81.94% of the matchpoints.

Board 14 E/- WEST	NORTH ª T 4 © Q T 7 ¨ A J T 9 4 2 § Q 4	EAST
ª J 8 © A J 6 4 ¨ Q 8 6 § T 9 6 3	SOUTH	ª K © 9 8 5 2 ¨ K 5 3 § K J 8 7 5
	ª A Q 9 7 6 5 3 2 © K 3 ¨ 7 § A 2

NS score	Freq	mp NS	mp EW
980	1	72	0
680	1	70	2
490	1	68	4
480	9	58	14
450	22	27	45
230	1	4	68
200	1	2	70
-50	1	0	72

Recommended bidding sequence:

West	North	East	South
---	---	pass	1ª
pass	1NT	pass	4ª
pass	pass	pass.

With a ª less, South would have bid the same way, but after a standard 1NT-response (less than 3 ª, 6 to a bad 10 hcp), slam is off. If 1NT is forcing, it is up to North to take further action. If West leads a §, South can kiss goodbye to all of the favorable breaks. That's one reason former world champion Enri Leufkens would not a open a forcing 2-bid as South.

Go to boards 15-21