NBB Teams of Twelve Cup 2002

NBB Teams of Twelve Cup 2002

Qualification Round One

Match Goirle-Sittard 1

Eindhoven, De Ambassadeur

February 03

Boards 05-08

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

Recommended bidding sequence:

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

2§ = One of many types of strong hands (20+ hcp or 8+ playing tricks).
2¨ = Relay. A positive suit response requires KQxxx or AJTxx in the suit, and, a total of 8+ hcp.
3§ = 5+ suit, forcing game (23+ hcp or 9½ or more playing tricks).
3ª = 5+ suit, 5+ hcp. We would use 3¨ as second relay or second negative to show hand without 5-card major.
4NT = RKCB for spades. There is absolutley no point in cuebidding, since West controls all suits.
5§ = 1 or 4 out of 5 aces (1403-variation).
5¨ = Asking for queen of spades.
5ª = No queen of spades or extra length (6+ ª-suit).

The grand slam has an almost 53% chance of making, but that is at least 10% short of a long term profit with the present imp scale. If you play a knockout match or a very short Swiss match, are well informed of the score of the match, 12 imps behind, have 1 or 2 boards to go, and are certain that the EW-players at the other table will stay out of slam, then, and only then, you can go ahead and bid 7ª.

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

One possible bidding sequence:

West	North	East	South
---	---	pass	1ª
dbl	3©	pass	pass
pass.

Pass = The ª-suit is not good enough for a vulnerable weak-2.
Dbl = West has the perfect shape for a light takeout double.
3© = 6+ suit, 4-7 hcp, preemptive jump shift.

East is virtually stuck after North's PJS, and so is West.

Many players treat new suits at the 2-level over LHO's takeout double as non-forcing. That would work out fine on this hand, where North can freely bid 2©, but then, North would have to redouble or be stuck with ª 63 © AQ9742 ¨ 7 § KQ65.

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

Recommended bidding sequence:

West	North	East	South
---	---	---	pass
pass	1©	1ª	2©
pass	3§	pass	4©
pass	pass	pass.

3§ = Short suit game try.

The naive ¨-lead grants North a free ride. North can still make 12 tricks without this help: ªQ for the ace, ª for the king, ©K, © to the jack, ¨Q, ¨A, ¨K, ¨ ruffed, §A, § ruffed, ©A, and claim. This line fails when West can ruff the third round of diamonds, and hence is inferior.

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

Recommended bidding sequence:

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

1© = Walsh approach: West may bypass a 4+ suit suit when he holds less than 12 hcp.
1ª = 4+ suit, 11-19 hcp. 1RF.
1NT = Balanced hand, 6-9 hcp.

Two EW players manage to go down, but how? Even when NS lead a diamond, there is an easy line to 9 tricks: ¨ for the ace, ©K, and ª towards jack. South wins the queen and returns a ¨ for North, who leads another ¨ for the king. Now the §-finesse assures EW of 9 tricks. A ©-shift or ©-lead does not change a thing, as long as declarer sticks to the plan of a ª to the jack and § to the queen.

Go to Boards 09-12