Marathon of Sittard Imps Pairs

Sittard, Euregional Sports and Convention Center


August 25, 2001


Session 01 - Boards 13-16

Board 13
N/All


WEST		 NORTH
ª A J 6 5
© 6
¨ K J 9 6
§ A Q T 7



EAST
ª T 7 3
© K J 4
¨ T 4 3 2
§ 8 5 2


SOUTH		 ª K 9
© Q T 5 3 2
¨ Q 8
§ 9 6 4 3
ª Q 8 4 2
© A 9 8 7
¨ A 7 5
§ K J

NS score

Freq

Imps NS

Imps EW

1430

4

12

-12

680

15

-1

1

660

1

-2

2

650

6

-2

2

Mean

NS score

710

Recommended, but rather aggressive bidding sequence:

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

1© = Walsh approach, possibly bypassing a 4-, 5- or 6-card ¨-suit.
2¨ = Fourth suit forcing, the only way to start exploration of a ª-slam.
3¨ = 4-card ¨-suit. The message of a 4144- or 4045-hand is far more important than showing the ©-stopper by rebidding NT.
3ª = Designating spades as trumps, and forcing game. If South held an invitational hand, he would have bid 3ª at his previous turn to call.
4§ = 1st or 2nd round control of clubs.
4¨ = 1st or 2nd round control of clubs.
4© = 1st or 2nd round control of clubs. Technically spoken, North has already shown his ©-control when he 'raised' diamonds, but this is the only way to put South in charge.
4NT = Roman KeyCard Blackwood.
5¨ = 1 or 4 out of 5 aces (1403-variation).

East starts a heart for the ace, wins the ª-finesse, and returns a spade to the ace. North crosses in clubs, ruffs a heart, crosses in clubs again, ruffs another heart, crosses in diamonds, draws the last trump, comes to hand in diamonds, dumps a heart and a diamond on his high clubs, and ruffs his last diamond in dummy.

Board 14
E/None


WEST		 NORTH
ª T
© A Q J 9 7 3 2
¨ 7 6
§ J 7 6



EAST
ª J 9 3
© 6
¨ A Q J 8
§ A T 9 8 4


SOUTH		 ª 8 7 6 4 2
© 4
¨ K T 5 2
§ K Q 2
ª A K Q 5
© K T 8 5
¨ 9 4 3
§ 5 3

NS score

Freq

Imps NS

Imps EW

590

1

8

-8

500

1

6

-6

450

11

5

-5

420

1

4

-4

300

2

1

-1

50

1

-5

5

-50

6

-7

7

-100

3

-8

8

Mean

NS score

260

Recommended bidding sequence:

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

4© = 7+ suit, 6-8 hcp, no outside aces, semi-preemptive.

EW must cash their 4 tricks in the minors right from the start.

Board 15
S/NS


WEST		 NORTH
ª 6 4
© Q 8 7 4
¨ J T 8 6
§ 6 5 2



EAST
ª 9
© A K T 5
¨ A Q 9 3
§ K J 8 3


SOUTH		 ª K Q J
© 6 3 2
¨ 7 5 4
§ T 9 7 4
ª A T 8 7 5 3 2
© J 9
¨ K 2
§ A Q

NS score

Freq

Imps NS

Imps EW

670

1

13

-13

150

1

8

-8

100

2

7

-7

50

3

6

-6

-100

1

3

-3

-120

4

3

-3

-150

1

2

-2

-200

2

0

0

-400

5

-5

5

-430

2

-6

6

-500

4

-7

7

Mean

NS score

-210

Recommended bidding sequence:

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

If South leads ªA, and shifts to ¨K, East has to lead §K from dummy at trick 3. South wins, and returns another ¨ to the queen. Now, §J from dummy assures East of 8 tricks, no matter which defender gets in with the queen.

Board 16
W/EW


WEST		 NORTH
ª A Q T 7 6
© 7 6 3 2
¨ J 6
§ J 5



EAST
ª 5 3
© K Q 4
¨ 7 4 2
§ A Q 9 4 3


SOUTH		 ª J 9 2
© A 8 5
¨ K Q T 5
§ K 8 6
ª K 8 4
© J T 9
¨ A 9 8 3
§ T 7 2

NS score

Freq

Imps NS

Imps EW

200

5

7

-7

110

1

6

-6

100

2

5

-5

-100

3

0

0

-110

1

0

0

-120

1

0

0

-130

6

-1

1

-150

1

-1

1

-300

1

-5

5

-600

2

-10

10

-630

1

-11

11

-660

2

-11

11

Mean

NS score

-110

Recommended bidding sequence:

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

South's holdings in East's suit indicate an aggressive lead, so many EW pairs will collect 5 spades and ¨A off the top.

Go to Session 01, Boards 17-20

Copyright © 2001-2025 by Michel Franssen