Sunshine Coast Bridge Club

Bridge on the Sunshine Coast

A blog by Peter Busch - contributions welcome - email peter@altosoft.com.au.

More extreme hands...	(Blog entry dated 7-Nov-11)
This one from Ken Dawson: When CBC209 came out of the cupboard for the first round of the Coolum Club Championship, no one had any idea what was in store for us! In just 30 boards played, there were 3 nine card suits (two in the one deal), an eight card suit and the usual 3 seven card suit. Then, throw in this 29 HCP hand At one table, the bidding went N E S W 2NT! P 4D X P 4H P 6H All pass With the heart ten finesse odd-on to win, even the horror trump break couldn't stop the slam. The aggressive NS action made it harder to reach the superior spade slam.
Declarer making a possible 21 tricks?	(Blog entry dated 7-Nov-11)
Another one from Ken Dawson... Have you ever seen a hand where declarer can take 21 tricks? On this board at the recent Coolum Club Championship, there are 9D + 7H + 5S = 21 tricks. An artificial strong opening is probably called for but it will be hard to get to the 7 level when EW get busy in clubs. Perhaps, 2C! - (P) - 3D - (4C) 4H - (P) - 5C - (P) 5NT - (P) - 7D - all pass A modern style is to play a bid of the opposition suit above game level as "Exclusion Roman Key Card Blackwood" i.e. Give the RKC (in hearts) answer without using clubs. Here, 5NT shows 2 key cards and the heart queen. Bingo.
8-card fit better than 9-card fit	(Blog entry dated 22-Sep-11)
Today's Board 5 at Sunshine Coast illustrated an interesting point - how an 8-card fit can be better than a 9-card fit. North-South have 8 hearts and 9 spades. Of the 13 tables in this movement, 5 played in their 4-4 heart fit and all made 13 tricks, while at the other 8 tables they played in their 5-4 spade fit all making 12 tricks. With your 4-4 heart fit as trumps, the fifth spade provides for the discard of a loser, whereas with spades as trumps, your side suit is 4-4, and no discarding is available.
The biggest hand I have ever seen!	(Blog entry dated 14-Aug-11)
An amazing hand at Coolum earlier this week - click here for details. A 28-pointer with consisting of AK four times - a hand we might dream about. The temptation is to reach slam and then look around, but look at the way the hand plays. With no entries to partner's hand in NT, you stand to lose all of your 5 losers. 6NT can go 4off, but can be kept to 3 off unless the opposition leads the same suit 3 times (once on the opening lead and both times they get in on a spade) - if they don't you can set up a spade and make 9 tricks. And 6S isn't making either, with the bad spade break. The optimum contract of course is 7D (cold). Had I received this hand, I'd like to think the bidding would go 2C - 2D (game force followed by negative relay) 3NT - 4C (rebid shows 25+, 4C ace-ask) 4D - 5C (4D 0 or 4 aces, 5C king ask) 5D - 7D (5D 0 or 4 kings, 7D to play). Opener will need to be strong and resist the temptation to bid 7NT over 7D, but they should trust partner to know that you've shown them 4 aces and 4 kings and still they are signing off in diamonds, suggesting that no-trumps will be a problem.
If you think you`ve seen it all.....	(Blog entry dated 29-Jan-11)
Not a bridge hand, but goings on at a congress. This was contributed by Ken Dawson, who was playing in the National Open Teams at the Summer Festival in Canberra: Bridge is usually conducted in subdued tones - especially in the "Top Room" where we were playing yesterday. So, the whole room jumped when the silence was interrupted by a raucous SQUAAAAAAAARK! One of the bridge player had a sulphur-crested cockatoo on his shoulder. Every now and then, it would go off - presumably when his mate pulled out the red "double" card. There's usually a guy here who plays with a stuffed rabbit under his armpit but this was a new one! Everyone laughed. Some of these top players really are "out there". After bridge, they go back to their jobs at the Defense Department....
Almost a perfect hand....	(Blog entry dated 21-Jan-11)
Today's West section Board 8 at SCBC is surely one of the most freaky we've seen in a while. It may have proved a test of systems too. Fortunately West is dealer, and should open a game force even though they only have 15 HCP. With positive 2H from East, and with disciplined response bidding promising a bit better than a Jack high suit, opener can confidently go straight to 7S knowing partner must have the heart ace. And with a bit of luck South will double with their values in both minors, which will no doubt be followed by a re-double! The hand would suit those partnerships with specific ace-asking opening bids, though with partner holding 2 aces, you need a method to describe which two aces are held. (It's no good if partner has the two minor aces but not the heart ace.) Ditto those partnerships using CRO methods in their ace-asking, as a 4NT ask will receive an answer of 2 aces of the same colour telling you just what you need to know. From the defenders' point of view, a sacrifice in either minor is the best outcome possible (at worse is being in 7, and going off 2), though you'd want to get in before West can ask for aces. A bid from South of 4NT (pick a minor) over the 2C - 2D, or even 5C, will deny West an ace-asking opportunity and may keep them to 6S. You'll also probably find North bidding up to the 7 level, though that might force EW into their cold grand slam.
Powerful 2-suiters	(Blog entry dated 30-Dec-10)
This hand at Caloundra yesterday challenges some players' bidding systems. West has 6/5 in the minors, 20 HCPs, and just 2 losers. How do you bid it? And can you reach the grand slam that is cold? If you play 2NT opening shows the minors weak or strong, it is easy enough to reach the slam - the bidding would go 2NT - 5D - 6D. But most players using the unusual 2NT only play it as weak. Opening 1C with the intention to reverse-shift into diamonds on your rebid is probably too dangerous, as you don't want 1C to be dropped and if partner had minimal and the remaining points equally shared, it probably would be. Opening a game force 2C is better, but bidding out your shape is crucial, because you don't care which minor partner can support, you want to be at the 5 level at least in that minor. After your 2C opening, partner would bid a positive 2H, your rebid is 3C and partner will bid 3D, and you're off and running, knowing you have at least a 9 card fit in diamonds. A keycard ask will reveal that responder has 2 keycards for diamonds (so you're only missing one), so there's your 6D sign-off. (If you use standard Blackwood, the diamond King remains unknown so 6D is a bit of a gamble.) Only the brave or foolhardy would bid the grandie at this point - it will only make if the missing keycard is the heart ace, which it is in this case and so the grandie would make. If you're desperate, maybe a 1-in-3 chance to get a top board is worth the risk.
Diamond slam with just 14 HCP	(Blog entry dated 20-Nov-10)
This hand from today's Noosa Butler Pairs probably made a few Norths a bit uncomfortable. North-South have a clear non-vul spade game. At most tables, East-West bid to 5D, presumably as a sacrifice. North is sitting on 17HCP with values in all other suits, and their opponents are vulnerable, so of course they will double rather than bid to the 5 level. At 14 out of 30 tables, EW played in a doubled diamonds contract (4, 5 or 6) and 2 others played undoubled. All made, and some with an overtrick. EW's "sacrifice" turns to gold! Best result was obtained by Sykes/Townend bidding to 6D, getting doubled, and making 12 - a nice 1540 and 15 imps for EW.
An impossible result?	(Blog entry dated 17-Nov-10)
I was reminded today about a hand I played at our club a few months ago. We made 12 tricks in spades, only losing a trick to the spade Ace held by an opponent. Scrolling through the other results on the Bridgemate, we were sure we picked up an error when we saw that someone made 13 tricks in Spades, missing the ace. Up went our hand to call the director, and along came a tired looking director. Board 12, right? It's correct - there was a revoke! We were one of many who called the beleaguered director to that "error".
Two grand slams in one day!	(Blog entry dated 11-Nov-10)
Not me, unfortunately. But in Sunshine Coast's 'B' section today, one pair bid them both. They tell me that in both cases, they knew there were 13 tricks before the opening lead was made. Have a look at see if you can reach the grandie using your current partnership methods. I don't think I can. The hands are Board 16 and Board 27.
When distributional hands are dangerous...	(Blog entry dated 8-Nov-10)
Most players realise that distributional hands have power beyond their high card point count. But sometimes there's a sting - without something in your suits in your partner's hand, the going will get tough. Look at this board from the weekend's Northern Suburbs Butler Pairs. South is 6/6 in the minors and has 12 HCPs - now that's a hand with potential. But their partner also is 6/6 - but in the majors! At the 30 tables in the room, most bid to game or slam, but 29 out of 30 declarers went off. The only making contract in the room was 3S by North making 9 tricks. The message is clear - with non-fitting hands, it is usually safest to get out of the auction as low as possible. Have a look at hands and see where you would have ended up using your existing partnership methods.
The power of pre-empts	(Blog entry dated 19-Oct-10)
Today's Board 5 at Sunshine Coast's Restricted Pairs Championship was a great illustration of the value of pre-emptive bidding. NS have a heart slam on, which is easily biddable without interference. But West has 9 solid clubs to the AK, and should enter the bidding as high as possible to make life difficult for NS. A bid of 5C over South's response will probably elicit a 5H bid from South, but most pairs don't have any way of investigating slam at that high a level. At most tables, 5H was where they played. In fact, I understand the only NS to bid the slam didn't get any interference.
No-one likes a yarborough - or do they?	(Blog entry dated 14-Oct-10)
No-one like getting a yarborough - that's a hand consisting of zero HCPs (named after the Earl of Yarborough in the 19th century - thanks Wikipedia). But once in a while, life gets interesting, as in this hand from today's Sunshine Coast Club's session. The bidding isn't apparent from looking at the board and results, but I confess to opening this 4S in first seat (non-vul against vul). I figured if partner has some values, then 4S will probably make, and if partner has nothing, there's something big North-South. I confess to feeling guilty about it, and half expected an opponent to cry "psyche". Had I not opened, my partner would have opened 1NT, and we'd be in 4S anyhow, with probably no interference, so my bravery (or foolhardiness) didn't gain us anything in this instance. Though competing over a big spade pre-empt from first seat puts a strain on most systems, and might have been more valuable had partner not had the best hand at the table. Almost everyone made 10 tricks in spades (though I'd love to know how many others opened as I did), giving us a slightly better than average result. Some lucky East-West pair got the Club Ace as opening lead, so an extra loser disappears on dummy's club winners. The contract can go off with a heart lead a diamond return and another heart later, but that's not easy to find.
Quiz - maximise your score	(Blog entry dated 24-Sep-10)
You pick up your cards and almost fall of your chair when you see 13 spades. You're the dealer - how are you going to bid this hand to get the best possible score? The obvious answer is to open 7S, but this will get you an average score, because the whole room will be doing it. The key is to reach 7S doubled, and then you can redouble. Best way to do this is to open game force and make forcing bids for as long as you can - typically ace ask and king ask. People won't double your 7S opening, figuring you to have no losers, but if you get there slowly, an opponent with a couple of aces will most likely double. Update: Since writing this, I have been alerted to an unfortunate downside of the re-double. The opponents, sensing a bloodbath, can pull it to 7NT. (Rest assured, it won't be your RHO doing it, which would put you on lead, but rather your LHO.) Your poor partner obviously won't be leading your suit, and with luck their way, it may even make. But it probably won't go off enough to surpass 7SXX!
Chance is a fine thing	(Blog entry dated 21-Sep-10)
True randomness in our deal generation software means that we get some sessions with flat uninspiring boards, and we get others with extreme boards. Today's Sunshine Coast 'B' section delivered a day of extremes. In the 36 boards in play, 20 hands (out of the total 4x36=144 hands) had a 7+ card suit - that's 1 hand in about 7. Board 34 was perhaps the most interesting, with East, West and South all holding 7 carders, and North with a 8 carder. A typical bidding sequence would start with 3C pre-emptive opening by East in first seat, followed by each other player bidding their suits - diamonds, hearts and then spades by North. At most tables, North became declarer in a spade game, and typically made 11 tricks. It's an interesting study in dealing with partner's and opponents' pre-emptive bidding.
GNOT Zone Final	(Blog entry dated 1-Sep-10)
The GNOT Zone final will be fought out by 8 teams this Saturday, in a gruelling 70 board event (7x10 board matches). The top 3 finishing teams will be representing the Sunshine Coast Zone at the National Finals played at Tweed Heads in November. Technology willing, the results will be uploaded to the Bridge Australia web site throughout the day. See the QBA web site's Zone page for a list of the teams taking part.
Noosa Novice Congress	(Blog entry dated 29-Aug-10)
Sunday saw Noosa Bridge Club hold its annual Novice Congress. This year it attracted 20 tables, an exceptional turnout, even when compared to novice events at Brisbane clubs. Full results are on the QBA web site results page. Though some players travelled from locations as far away as Hervey Bay and Brisbane, most players were members of Noosa club. Bouquets to Noosa's Bev Salter who has done an enormous amount for the growth of the Club's novice sessions. The number and quality of Sunday's field augers well for the future of bridge on the Sunshine Coast.
I love claiming at Trick 1	(Blog entry dated 17-Aug-10)
Today in Sunshine Coast GNP Heats www.suncoastbridge.com.au/showtraveller.asp?id=11853&board=28 - a great hand for Checkback Stayman (or new minor forcing) to find out about your major fits, but not so easy to find out about club queen to make the grand slam biddable. But it's still a nice feeling making your claim as soon as you see dummy, even if almost the whole room is getting the same score.
Hands to dream about - Mk II	(Blog entry dated 13-Aug-10)
This hand at Sunshine Coast yesterday was one that dreams are made of. Some people opened this a 2C game force, others bid 6D straight off, figuring partner will raise to 7D with the ace. This hand illustrates the benefit of a specific ace ask opening bid. Some play a 3NT opening bid as asking partner to show specifically which aces they have, if any. A 4D answer would result in an immediate 7D and anything else would result in 6D. The downside in relying on traditional ace-ask methods is if you get an answer of 1 ace, you still can't bid the grand slam because it might be the spade ace they have. At my table, I opened 2C and my partner's negative response set her as declarer in 6D that can be claimed at trick 1.
Sunshine Coast August Teams	(Blog entry dated 8-Aug-10)
Another successful congress on Sunday, though at 20 tables, numbers were lower than expected. There was a time when this event would attract 30 tables, but as the bridge calendar in south-east Queensland grows, Clubs must place less reliance on out-of-towners, and promote the event from within. A number of Brisbane players chose to venture south rather than north and played in the Surfers Pairs and Teams. Don't forget the full results are on the Bridge Australia web site, right down to the individual board contracts and results, as well as the hand records showing makeabkle contracts. One interesting hand was Board 22 from the morning session. Deep Finesse shows you can make 12 tricks, but in order to discard one of your two losers, you need to end-play North. It's easy looking at all four hands, but I don't think I'll ever master that technique at the table.
Upcoming congresses	(Blog entry dated 5-Aug-10)
On 8 August Sunshine Coast Club is hosting their one-day August Teams. Entries are now closed. The club also has their one-day Graded Pairs on Sunday 26 September 2010. To enter, visit the Coming Events page on the Sunshine Coast Bridge Club web site. This used to be their Butler Pairs, but with the number of other Butler Pair events on the Coast, they thought a graded matchpointed event would be a nice change. Caloundra is hosting their one day Butler Pairs on 12 September 2010. Entry form here. Both Caloundra and Noosa have Novice Pairs events coming up, appealing to the newer players. Noosa's is on 29 August and Caloundra's is on 2 October. Details on their respective web sites.
T-shirt slogan	(Blog entry dated 5-Aug-10)
Seen recently on a bridge player's t-shirt I transfers.
Freak hands!	(Blog entry dated 4-Aug-10)
Last Tuesday, East-West players in Section C at the Sunshine Coast club were lucky enough to get all 40 high card points between the 2 hands - click here to see the hand. Some bid the guaranteed 7NT - would your partnership have the methods to find it? And can you think of an example of a deal where one side has 40 HCPs between them but cannot make a grand slam? Ever had a 13 card fit? I played this hand recently at Caloundra. It's nice to make a claim at trick 2, and not having to mention "drawing trumps"!

Contributions for this Blog are welcome - email peter@altosoft.com.au