Bridge - Page 492 - Puzzles and Other Games Forum

Lead is K spades

Pull trump and claim 6 is easy, but there is play to make all 13 tricks. Win spade lead, club to hand, ruff spade high, heart to hand, ruff spade high, club to hand to pull trump and then pitch the diamond on long club. This fails (makes 5 instead of 6) when trumps are 4-0 or clubs are 4-1. Is it correct to try for 13 here?

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08-13-2014 , 08:49 AM

#12277

DWetzel

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Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 42,349

Don't you only need one spade ruff?

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08-13-2014 , 09:00 AM

#12278

dc-ohio

veteran

Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2,497

Yes you are right... only one spade ruff needed. Never mind... easy 13

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08-16-2014 , 02:12 PM

#12279

monikrazy

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 28,073

Hey. If anyone is attending Providence I am looking for some pairs to play Team events with (any format). I will provide my own partner(s) and be around most of the first week. If you or any younger pairs (think mid-late 20s) you know might be interested please let me know.

Also, if you are a real glutton for punishment I'm hoping to find a pair to play in the Mitchell BAM. Its the only platinum event I'm going to have a chance to enter.

Thanks! You can speak to me over PM for more details.

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08-17-2014 , 01:20 AM

#12280

monikrazy

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 28,073

K976542
AKT3
3
4

A
QJ94
842
AKJ92

How to bid the slam playing 2/1? (vulnerable)

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08-17-2014 , 09:35 AM

#12281

dc-ohio

veteran

Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2,497

Assuming south is opener?

1NT-2C
2H-3S*
4C-4D
4H-4N
5S-6H

* = forcing H raise

Quote

08-17-2014 , 09:36 AM

#12282

dc-ohio

veteran

Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2,497

If north opens:

1S-2C
2H-3H
3N*-4C
4D-4N
5H-6H

* = Serious slam try

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08-17-2014 , 11:44 AM

#12283

Wyman

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You should use 3S as your (non/)serious try imnsho

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08-17-2014 , 01:41 PM

#12284

monikrazy

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Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 28,073

N should open.

Related to your auction I have a question. Is it really ok or even best to bid 2H instead of 2S with a 7 card suit?

Quote

08-17-2014 , 05:50 PM

#12285

dc-ohio

veteran

Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2,497

Absolutely... once you are in a GF, showing a second suit is fine. With 3 card spade support, partner will correct back. If partner happens to have 4 of your 2nd suit and raises, slam can be better in the 4-4 fit than in the 6-2 or 7-1 fit due to ruffs/discards getting you extra tricks. If I skip 2H in this auction to bid 2/3S, i'm (usually) denying a 4 card heart suit.

If my hand was:

AKJxxxx
Qxxx
x
x

I may skip my heart suit and just bid 3S setting spades as trump.

With the spade suit as anemic as it is in your hand, and AKTx of hearts, I'm almost always wanting to play in hearts here.

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08-17-2014 , 06:27 PM

#12286

monikrazy

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I guess my concern with not showing the extra spade length immediately is what to do when the auction continues

1S - 2C - 2H - 3N

Responder is now showing 14-18 with 1-2 spades. Slam could still be there but pulling to 4S would typically promise 6.

Quote

08-17-2014 , 06:33 PM

#12287

dc-ohio

veteran

Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2,497

Quote:

Originally Posted by monikrazy

Jumping to game in a 2/1 auction with extras is awful. Opener is still unlimited and you've taken away all the space to describe the hand. The reason to play 2/1 GF is to conserve as much space as possible.

1S-2C;
2H-2N;
3S-3NT

Now partner is showing 0-1 spades, 0-3 hearts. You know the hand is misfitting, you want to stop in 3NT

Last edited by dc-ohio; 08-17-2014 at 06:39 PM.

Quote

08-18-2014 , 01:57 PM

#12288

monikrazy

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Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 28,073

Thanks dc-ohio.

Originally I thought repeating spades was more important than showing hearts but you have convinced me otherwise.

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08-18-2014 , 04:25 PM

#12289

Shrike

adept

Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,163

Gonna disagree on the best auction here. If north deals:

1S - 2C
2S (we're in a game force here, so we can show our shape, and the way to do that is to rebid spades, then bid hearts (even 4H over 3NT) - 3H
4H (we've now shown the shape, and in that context have no extras) - 5C
5D - 5NT (pick a slam, in case opener is 7=3=1=2 and had an uncomfortable choice at his third call)
6H - pass

If south opens:

1C (opening 1NT is bad for multiple reasons) - 1S
2H - 3H
3S - 4H (this one is a tough decision; 4S is possible but the suit quality says no) 5C
5NT - 6H

3S
2H

Quote

08-18-2014 , 04:46 PM

#12290

Gabethebabe

Malware Jedi

Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 27,424

Quote:

Originally Posted by monikrazy

N should open.

Related to your auction I have a question. Is it really ok or even best to bid 2H instead of 2S with a 7 card suit?

My approach (in a system that was not 2/1 GF though) is to rebid 2S with 6/4 with weakish opening hands and 2H with better hands.

So if it goes

1S-2C
2H-2NT
3S

you have a better hand than

1S-2C
2S-2NT
3H

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08-18-2014 , 11:15 PM

#12291

brrrrr

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 4,371

boom boom

link

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08-19-2014 , 03:15 AM

#12292

Gabethebabe

Malware Jedi

Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 27,424

haha

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08-19-2014 , 09:02 AM

#12293

dc-ohio

veteran

Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2,497

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shrike

If south opens:

1C (opening 1NT is bad for multiple reasons) - 1S
2H - 3H
3S - 4H (this one is a tough decision; 4S is possible but the suit quality says no) 5C
5NT - 6H

This hand isn't quite a reverse IMO, so over 1C-1S I felt it was too strong for a 2C rebid, and too weak for a 2H rebid. For these reasons, I felt an offshape 1NT seemed right.

I only open 1NT with a stiff A or K rarely, but this is one of those occasions.

Quote

08-19-2014 , 10:57 AM

#12294

Gabethebabe

Malware Jedi

Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 27,424

I don't like opening 1NT either and would open 1C. If it goes 1C-(pass)-1S-(pass) I bid 2C, unhappily. Fortunately a whole lot of other auctions can occur.

It is noted that played 1C-1S-2C-2H as forcing. With a weak hand you pass.

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08-19-2014 , 01:48 PM

#12295

brrrrr

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 4,371

im not even so unhappy having to rebid 2C tbh. it could be much worse

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08-19-2014 , 02:38 PM

#12296

Shrike

adept

Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,163

Partner's spade response strengthens the hand enough so that a 2H rebid is fine IMO (though it is close and I can live with a 2C rebid); the only response you don't particularly like is 1NT, but you can still safely invite, particularly if you play that this shows 8–10. If he responds 1D you get to show your shape; if he responds 1H that's obviously good news. On the other hand, if you open 1NT you will sometimes miss a heart fit when pard is very weak, play spades when pard is very weak with a five card suit, play game or more in spades when pard is strong with six of them, and often wrongside the notrump.

Quote

08-20-2014 , 05:11 AM

#12297

Gabethebabe

Malware Jedi

Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 27,424

partner's 1S weakens our hand as a stiff ace is about the worst kind of support we can offer him.

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08-27-2014 , 01:58 PM

#12298

monikrazy

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Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 28,073

Matchpoints - All Vul

Ops Silent

P - 1C - 1S - 2S - 3D (gametry) - 3H (countersuit game try) - 3N

QJ82
A86
4
AQ952

9764
K9
KJ862
KJ

Should opener always pull 3N to 4S? Should responder bid his hand differently?

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08-27-2014 , 02:03 PM

#12299

DWetzel

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I think I'd pull with the stiff, I do have four trumps and haven't quite guaranteed that. Is 3D strictly a long suit try?

Would tend to bid 4S with responder hand also; we can ruff a heart in hand and lots of diamonds in dummy. It's hard to see hands that make 3NT and don't make 4S. If you're worried about trumps, don't be; partner has something over there.