Weekly Hand Analysis - Victor Johnson - Choosing Suit after a Take out Double

 

Question: How do you pick the suit to bid after a take out double?  In this hand East could choose  either diamonds or spades.

Vic:

A great takeout DBL by West. Given that the suit West has doubled is hearts, West has absolutely guaranteed a 4-card spade suit. In a perfect world West would also have 4 diamonds & 4 clubs. But the bridge world is rarely perfect. 

East (Advancer) is normally expected to bid their longest suit (in this case diamonds). But given that East has reason to believe that a golden fit in spades is guaranteed, I would expect East to opt for spades. Since East has at least 10 HCPs, they should also jump. East should bid 4S which West should Pass. 

Ain't bridge a great game?

Weekly Hand Analysis - Glenna Shannahan - March 29, 2021 -4 Clubs or 3 No Trump

 

Question: Do you ever preclude a minor bid to go to 3NT?

Glenna: 

  NOT sometimes—ALWAYS. In our efforts to find the best contract, we look for a Major Suit 1st, NT second, and ONLY if nothing else can work, we choose a minor suit contract, So the correct bid on this hand was 3 ♣️ , not 4 ♣️ because that is beyond 3NT. A 3 ♣️ bid would show 16-18 and partner can bid 3 NT. It might make more sense to you if you thought about the scores. 3NT making 5 is 460 or 660, 5 ♣️ making 5 is 400 or 600 and require MORE tricks. 3NT is 9 tricks, but 5 of a minor is 11 tricks—so more tricks for fewer points or more points for fewer tricks. 

  I hope this helps. Take the time to look for your best spot and keep these steps in mind: 4 of a Major, 3NT and then only 5 of a minor. Now if you have a great minor suit fit, and both of you have opening hands, 6 of a minor is better than 3NT. Often, people play 3NT when there is a minor suit slam—difficult to reach for most of us.

Glenna

Weekly Hand Analysis - Glenna Shannahan - March 22, 2021 - Overcall

 

Question: What is the proper overcall for West in this hand?  After the first bid, can West bid again if North bids 3H?

Glenna:

  If I held the West hand, I would overcall 1NT! I can’t make a takeout double because while I have enough points, I don’t have 3-card support for the 3 unbid suits. Cross that bid off your list, You do have 5 ♣️, but they are really not good enough to tell partner that’s the suit you want to play: KJxxx is not as good as KQJTxx which is how your overcall should look.

  SO: with a balanced 17 count, think 1NT stands out to be your best bid as that’s where you can play and be successful. Any time you have NT values and a stopper in the enemy suit, bid NT, Easier to make and worth more points than a 2-level minor.You easily make the contract. Now, if N bids 4 ♥️, lead K ♥️ and she’ll go down! Double only if you’re pretty sure she’s going down.

Hope this helps,

Glenna

Weekly Hand Analysis - Vic Johnson - March 22, 2021 -N/S Slam Bidding

 

Vic:

Here is a reasonable auction (South is Opener - EW are passing). 

1S:  five spades & 13-21 points 

2D:  five diamonds & 11+ points (forcing) 

3C:  two suited (probably 5-5 or 5-4) & 13-14 points 

4NT:  standard Blackwood 

5D:  one Ace 

6C: Looks to me like it deserves to make 7C. 

Note: Some might take a chance on 6NT, but that is very risky with only one heart stopper. Turns out the one heart stopper is enough if spades split 3-3, but they do not. Looks to me like 6NT does not deserve to make.

 

 

 

Weekly Hand Analysis - Glenna Shannahan - March 15, 2021- 3NT on Second Bid

 

Question: How does responder determine whether they should bid 3NT on the second bid?

Glenna:

  1 ♣️   P   1 ♥️    P

 2NT                                     2NT shows a balanced 18 or 19 point hand

                                                     Responder should count his points and if it is 25,  26 OR Greater, should bid 3 NT

 

 NT Bidding can be understood better if people understand it’s similar to a ladder. I am not artistic, but will try to make one below.

               a.  1 of any suit   P   Responder bids 1 of higher ranking suit  P

                    1 NT shows 13 to a bad or unbalanced 15

               b, 1NT shows balanced 15 - 17

               c. 1 oF any suit    P    1 of a suit    P

                   2 NT shows 18 or 19

        d. 2NT shows 20 or 21

               e. 2 ♣️ followed by 2 NT shows 22-24

               f. 2 ♣️ followed by 3 NT shows 25-27

 NT Bidding is not naturally logical—you have to break it down into steps or rungs of a ladder

Hope this helps,

Glenna

Weekly Hand Analysis - Vic Johnson - March 15, 2021 - 3NT or 5D?

 

Question: Is there an unspoken rule to forget a minor game and go for a NT game at a certain portion of the bidding?

Vic:

There are 3 suits in bridge. They are: Spades - Hearts - No Trump. 

Clubs are for the golf course. Diamonds are for your finger. 

So yes, there is an unspoken rule to forget a minor game and go for a NT game. That rule goes into effect on EVERY deal BEFORE the bidding even starts. You should settle for diamond or club contracts ONLY if there is no alternative. This is especially true for contracts at game level or higher. 

The bidding shown above is flawed. In modern day bridge opening suit bids at two level or higher show WEAK HANDS (less than a standard opening point count). The North hand is NOT weak. I would evaluate North as a 14 point hand (11 HCP + 3 length points). With 2 quick tricks & only 6 losers it is a STRONG 14 point hand. North should open 1C which would leave ample bidding space for NS to find a no trump contract. Exactly how that might happen depends on whether East overcalls 1D or not (I would not - too weak). 

The actual opening bid of 3C advertises a hand that is unlikely to hold any outside Aces or Kings. It also uses up so much bidding space that if South does decide to go on they need to hope it is their lucky day & EITHER bid 3NT (crossing their fingers North has a spade stopper) OR bid 5C (hoping North has a spade singleton or void). I call that Slot Machine Bridge. 

Looks to me like North/South are cold for 6NT. If the opening lead is anything other than diamonds, they are cold for 7NT.

Rules to Play Competitively with a new player in BBO

 

1. BBO and ACBL are in control of accepted rosters. 
2. To play in a virtual game write the Director 15 minutes before game time and give the director your username and the new partner’s user name who you want to partner with. 
3.  The director will go to his own friends list and enter both usernames on to his friends list.  While the director is entering you and your partners user names on the directors friends list you should log off of BBO.  Wait for at least 5 to 7 minutes.
4. After waiting off line for 5 to 7 minutes, you and your partner will then log in and try to register. 
5. Should your registration fail, then write the director immediately and let the Director know access to the game is still being denied.
6. The director will have to delay the beginning of the game to find the time to recheck the friends list.
7. If you are on the friends list and the registration is remains denied I would be questioning Master Point limits for either of you.
8. If there is no master point problems then I would ask each of you to register as a sub and allow the game to begin with filling a half table or making a half table with you and your partner and then finishing the table with robots. 

Once you have played in two virtual games, BBO and ACBL continue to increase accepted players to virtual club lists and there should not be problems following successfully having played in two Bridge Club of Madison games.

Weekly Hand Analysis - Glenna Shannahan - March 8, 2021 - Penalty Double on first bid?

 

Question: Is a Penalty Double in order on the first bid for West?

Glenna:

  In 4th seat, a double would be taken as take out—partner please bid one of the other 3 suits. Since you really can’t make a TOX (take out double) or bid a suit of your own, you must pass and hope for the best. Sometimes you will hear someone say that they had to make a “trap pass” and this hand illustrates the concept.

Hope this helps,

Glenna

Weekly Hand Analysis - Vic Johnson - March 8, 2021 - Sacrifice

 

Question: When is a sacrifice a good play?

Vic:

Quick Answer: I would argue that for inexperienced players a good partnership agreement is to NEVER sacrifice. 

Comment #1: In the example above EW should have made a penalty DBL of the 5H contract. That would have given them a top score of 1100. 

Comment #2: South raise of Opener's Weak 2H bid is flawed. It promises three card heart  support. 

Comment #3: When experienced players sacrifice, they know far more about the hands (distribution/point count/scoring possibilities/etc) than do inexperienced players. When inexperienced players sacrifice, they are usually just flipping a coin. I refer to that as "Ho Chunk/Slot Machine" bridge (not good bridge). Bridge is not a game of chance - it is a game of knowing all the odds & making your decisions accordingly.