Weekly Hand Analysis - Rich Nordeng - December 18, 2023 - Double

 

Question: 

Should S double instead of bidding 3C?

Rich:

Weekly Hand Analysis - Mark Olsky - December 18, 2023 - Rebid

 

Question: 

Should S explore NT after N has rebid C?

Mark:

This is a case where no one has done anything wrong, but the poor result is predictable. The 1 club opening is clearly right. The 1 diamond response is not wrong, but a 1NT response on this hand is more practical and enterprising. There are 7 very nice HCP and a balanced hand, with an honor card in spades and 1.5 honors in hearts. It is a perfectly descriptive bid, whereas 1 diamond is ambiguous. It could be unbalanced, and it could be very weak or very strong. When the chance exists to make a descriptive bid, one that narrowly describes your hand, that is always recommended. After a 1NT bid by South, North has an easy decision to bid 3NT. There's no guarantee that 3NT can be made or is even likely to be made, but luck has it that it can't be beaten if played correctly, and luck tends to favor enterprising bidders. Why is it easy for N to raise 1NT to 3? You have a well above minimum opening bid. More importantly, you have 7 "sure" tricks and a possible 8th in the Q of spades. The spade Q is, indeed worth an extra trick, even with the K offsides, because of South's J. Wouldn't it be enough for N to bid 2NT if S bids 1NT? NO! The powerful trick taking club suit makes 3NT a good bet opposite any ordinary 1NT bid. South should pass if North bids 2NT over 1NT. South has a solid 1NT bid in the first round, but no extras. If N bids 2NT it is asking S for extras, and those aren't there. The extras are in the N hand. N is the decider, so don't pass the buck. 

  Now for South's original (not wrong) 1 diamond response. It puts North in a difficult position. 3 clubs, rather than 2 clubs is the best bid, but it takes up room and isn't fully descriptive. South would have a difficult choice about what to bid next. 3NT is the best of some imperfect choices, so you might land on your feet after all. The 2 clubs chosen by N is very conservative and might work out well on some other hand. However, it conveys a minimum opening and is neither forcing nor encouraging. 

  In summary, both partners bid understandably but much too cautiously, with the usual result, a low board compared to some or most other pairs.

Weekly Hand Analysis - Glenna Shannahan - December 18, 2023 - Response to overcall

 

Question: 

Should N have bid 2NT over West’s overcall of 1S to indicate stopper in S and opening count?

Glenna:

North has an opening hand and 2 ♠️ stoppers so his bid is 3NT.  We bid 1 NT with 6-10, 2NT with 11-12 and 3 NT with 13+ points.

Weekly Hand Analysis - Vic Johnson - December 11, 2023 - Bid

 

Question: 

N/S have a fit in Clubs should they advance the bid in clubs or go to NT?

Vic:

Answer:  It depends. On what? On whether NS are able to rate the quality of their opponents.

 Scenario One: Opponents are Experienced Players

 South has only 7 HCPs. By rebidding clubs at the lowest available level, North has promised six clubs, but only a standard opening point count (no extra values). Be that the case, South has no reason to believe game is in the cards. Vulnerable, & facing experienced defenders, South should be hesitant to advance the auction any further. South should Pass 2C.

 Actually, North does have extra values (16 HCPs + 2 Length Points), but they denied that with their second bid.

 Scenario: Opponents are Inexperienced Players

 South has reason to believe they might have six tricks in clubs. Their diamond Ace makes it seven. Two more tricks is enough for game in NT. Less than stellar defense could conceivably help NS get the two additional tricks they need. Facing inexperienced defenders, an aggressive South might opt to oversell their hand a bit by raising to 3C.

 Holding the North hand, my next bid would be 3S, promising a spade stopper & inviting South to go to 3NT if South has a heart stopper. A South aggressive enough to have bid 3C might also be aggressive enough to bid 3NT.

 In general, bridge is a game that favors aggressive (but not reckless) play. But the line between aggressive & reckless can be pretty blurry sometimes.

 Turns out NS deserve to take nine tricks in Clubs. But good defense will hold them to eight tricks in NT.

 Ain't bridge a great game?

Weekly Hand Analysis - Mark Olsky - December 11, 2023 - Game

 

Question: 

N/S have a good fit in diamonds but give up the bid to E/W at 3C.  Should they have gone higher? If so, where?

 Mark:

At the first turn, South had a choice of 2 good calls, one being the 1D bid that was made and the other a takeout double. I tend to like the 1 D bid. North was too cautious not to raise diamonds immediately, rather than pass and then bid 2 D, seemingly reluctantly. After E repeated clubs again, bidding 3, S had enough to bid 3 diamonds and N did as well, so neither partner should pass 3 clubs. It's more of a clear choice for N. If N shows some immediate enthusiasm for diamonds, they can reach 5 diamonds, that will very likely be made. Note that the spade 10 happens to fall, creating a heart discard from the N hand and therefore no heart loser.

  E-W can afford to compete to 4 clubs, which can be made. E-W can make 4 clubs, but shouldn't be allowed to play there. If they reach 5 clubs, they should be doubled, down at least 200 at the vulnerability.

  In summary, NS should bid more with a huge fit in diamonds, especially N.

Weekly Hand Analysis - Rich Nordeng - December 11, 2023 - Bid

 

Question: 

Did E/W have a biddable suit?

Rich:

Weekly Hand Analysis - Vic Johnson - December 25, 2023 - Bid

 

Question:

How could N/S indicate the good fit in clubs?

Vic:

The declaring side (NS) missed getting to a makeable game in NT. Turns out they actually deserve two overtricks (almost slam). One could argue shared responsibility, but in fact Responder (North) was the major culprit.

 The 1NT first call by Responder denies 4 hearts (which they have). Their first priority is to show the hearts. It also caps their HCPs at 10 (they have 12). A first call of 1H would promise at least 4 hearts & would NOT cap their point count (it would promise 6+).

 The 2C second call by Opener (South) promises 6 clubs (correct), but also implies they are at the lower end (13-14) of their promised opening bid point count. Adding length points, I count the South hand at 16 points (14 + 2). My choice for a second call would have been 3C.

 Responder then drops the ball big time yet again, by passing on their second chance to call. Responder knows they have a TEN CARD club fit. They need to raise Opener's clubs, either to 3C or to game (5C). My no-brainer choice of the two club raise options would have been 3C (keeping 3NT available as an option for Opener). 

 Actually, knowing the ten card club fit, my second call as Responder over 2C might very well have been to simply bid 3NT & be done with it. South needs to have points somewhere other than in clubs. 

 Had the second call by South been 3C, my second call as Responder would definitely have been 3NT, rather than raise to game in clubs.

 Turns out NS deserve to make 5NT. They also deserve to make 5C. 

 Bizarrely enough, NS also deserve to make 4H. Look at the hands again & tell whether you think any NS would find a 4H contract (they hold six hearts - Queen high).

 Ain't bridge a great game?

Weekly Hand Analysis - Vic Johnson - December 4, 2023 - NT Response

 

Question: Should W support NT ?

Vic:

West did support NT. They supported it by Passing.

 The bid of NT by East at the lowest available level (1NT) promised partner that East had a standard opening hand (no extra values). Given the promise of no extra values in the East hand, it is perfectly reasonable for West to set the contract at 1NT by Passing.

 East, however, did have extra values. East needed to tell partner that with their second call. My second call holding the East hand would have been 3C. In addition to promising extra values (16-17 pts) 3C also tells partner East has six clubs. Armed with that knowledge, I would expect West to set the contract at game (3NT).

 Turns out EW do deserve to make 3NT. They also deserve to make 4C, but why they would want to play in clubs rather than NT is beyond me.

 Ain't bridge a great game?

Weekly Hand Analysis - Mark Olsky - December 4, 2023 - Forcing

 Question: 

Should South’s bid of 1S in response  to North’s opening bid be considered forcing?

Mark:

Yes, it is forcing since S is not a passed hand. South could potentially have 25 points and have a hand that makes the combined partnership holding sufficient to make 7 NT.

  Each time the bidding progresses, you have more information. You then have to ask yourself what is the range of partner's points, based on the bidding so far. You then add your points to both ends and the middle of partner's range. If it's over 25, there is a good likelihood that game can be made in NT or a major suit where there are a combined 8 cards or more.If it's at least 33, slam is likely. If it's 20 to 24 potential total for both hands of the partnership, a part score is advisable. 

  In this case, North should bid 1NT or 2 clubs to show a minimum opening bid, a pretty good description, leaving it up to South to decide what the combined holding indicates. South, with an opening bid strength hand facing an opening bid, should drive to game, but should be mindful of the danger of a wide- open diamond suit. The simplest bid for south is 3 spades. Experts might try 2 hearts when it is forcing, both partners are aware it doesn't promise a 4 card suit and that it is forcing and expressing doubt about diamonds. It happens that 4 spades, 4 hearts and 5 clubs are all easily makeable, while 3NT is a disaster. Some pairs will bid 3NT and 1 spade making 4 will be better than a minus score so it will not be a total flop, though I expect it to fetch a below average score.

Weekly Hand Analysis - Rich Nordeng - December 4, 2023 - Yarborough

 

Question: North has nothing!!  How often does this happen?

Rich:

Weekly Hand Analysis - Glenna Shannahan - December 4, 2023 - Weak 2 bid

 

Question: Should E have opened this “undisciplined” weak 2H bid?

Glenna:

 I agree to opening this hand. It’s the weakest hand that qualifies because the suit is weak. But look at how effective it was—north should bid 3 ♣️ and didn’t so EW won the board.

Weekly Hand Analysis - Rich Nordeng - November 27, 2023 - Take out double

 Question: 

E bids a T/O double, should W have bid something?

Rich:

A good case can be made for West to bid 1 spade over South’s 1 NT. The ten of S and the fifth S are pluses opposite a partner who made a T.O. Dbl of hearts, thus strongly inviting spades. In my opinion 1NT by E is better than double (16 hcp , flat distribution and H doubly stopped ). Over East’s 1NT W should compete to 2 spades.

Weekly Hand Analysis - Mark Olsky - November 20, 2023 - Game

 Question:  

N/S  have a combined 29 hcp but they stopped short of game. How could they have gotten to game?

Mark:

Both partners need to be aware of the number of points required for game, slam or even a relatively safe level of part- score below game. 

  Let's look at what North should do after South responds 1 heart. Ask yourself how many points does the partnership have? South will have a minimum of 5 or 6 points, but could have many, many more. North has a wonderful 17, really 18 or 19 opposite 4 or more hearts. Is it enough for game if South has the absolute minimum? It's close, but slightly against the odds. Give South the slightest extra point or two and game is very high probability. The way to let South know that is for North to bid 3 hearts. South would surely accept and go to 4. Some   players would go straight to 4 hearts, but that's a bit aggressive. In any case, bidding only 2 hearts is a mistake.

  Now, to what should South do after North bids 2 hearts. Ask yourself how many points does the partnership have and how many are needed for game? South has 12 wonderful points, which re- value to 13 or 14 once you learn partner has a heart fit with you. Most players would go straight to 4 hearts after North bids 2. North has promised between 12 and 15 points. This adds up to at least 25 points. If South bids only 3 hearts, inviting game if North has more than a minimum, it's extremely cautious, but it's a clear mistake to pass. 

  Ironically, some aggressive bidders might get to slam. If the hearts break 3-2 (a 67% probability) you can very likely make 6 hearts. N-S are lucky that they beat the score of those who bid slam.

  In summary, both partners made mistakes of undervaluing their hands and failing to add the total points of the partnerships and bidding accordingly. 

Weekly Hand Analysis - Glenna Shannahan - November 27, 2023 - Slam

 

Question: 

E has opened 1H and partner has responded 2C to indicate 10+ hcp. Would a bid of 2NT by W been a better bid? In NT the hand made 6NT, is this slam biddable?

 Glenna:

 I seem to not be able to convince people they do NOT go to the 2-level with 10 points—6-10 is considered a minimum hand. You need 11 or more points to bid at the 2-level either as responder or as overcaller!!

 On this hand, 2 ♥️ is the perfect response—it’s always important to show partner when you have a 6-card Major. With only 5 ♥️, 2NT would be the correct response.

Weekly Hand Analysis - Mark Olsky - November 27, 2023 - Preempt

 

Question: 

N has opened with  an undisciplined weak 2S. S has opening count and 3 spades. What is needed to raise a weak 2 bid to game?

 Mark:

This is a common situation and I recommend this rule highly. If your partner has opened a weak 2 bid in a major suit, add your high- card points to the number of cards in the opened suit. If it's less than 16 total, pass; you're done for now. The only exception is this: If you have 4 cards(or more)  in the suit and a really weak hand, consider jumping to game, not in expectation of making it, but as an advance sacrifice, since the opponents are sure to have a game and possibly a slam. 

  Now for the rest of THE RULE OF 16: If your HCP + cards in the suit = 16 or 17, invite game by bidding 3. With 18 to 20 BID GAME NOW. With 21 plus, consider a jump shift to suggest a possible slam.

  In this case, our "rule of 16 points" are 16. I would invite game, bidding 3 spades. How should North  act? I would decline the invitation. The N hand is really minimum for a 1st position weak 2 at unfavorable vulnerability. I wouldn't characterize it as undisciplined, just quite optimistic. Let's call it "enterprising." The invitation asks:  in the range of possible strengths of the original bid are you at the upper or lower end. We can all agree it's the lower, hence you pass.

  I'm guessing that 10 tricks were made and N-S might have thought they made a mistake. No, it's the coincidence of the location and distribution of the E-W cards, combined with the fact that the best defense is difficult, that might allow N-S to get 10 tricks. An opening club lead or a club shift after W wins trick 1, will hold the contract to 9 tricks. Careless play might even result in making only 8 tricks. The east holding makes it unlikely anyone would lead a club. A heart lead from E makes sure that declarer will lose only 1 heart. After taking the A of hearts, an expert West would normally lead a club, so the club losers in the North hand can't all be discarded on diamonds.

  The main tip is to learn the Rule of 16 over partner's opening weak 2. Another very important tip is that there is often confusion when one partner opens a weak 2 and responder bids a second suit. Some players play that a new suit is absolutely forcing and doesn't deny support in partner's suit. Other players play that a new suit indicates a very poor fit for opener's suit and no desire to explore a game. Both approaches are favored by many good players. It's critical that both partners discuss it and are on the same page. The situation is so common that failing to keep it straight can cost you many march points or IMPs. 

Weekly Hand Analysis - Vic Johnson - November 27, 2023 - Jump Shift

 

Question: 

After partner has supported the opening heart bid, opener is faced with bidding a jump shift to indicate point or bidding game. What would you do?

Vic:

Answer:  I would bid game, just as East did.

 Jumping to game in hearts shows a top of the line point count, just like a jump shift would show. But a jump shift would also show a two-suited hand & East does not have a two-suited hand. A jump shift would consequently be an inappropriate bid in this scenario. 

 When West raises to 2H they have shown heart support & capped their point count at less than a Limit Raise. That makes East the captain of the auction. East knows they belong in game & it is consequently now their duty to bid game. 

 Remember:  "The stronger than hand the slower the bidding, until you know & then you go". 

 Over the jump to 4H by East, I would expect a less experienced West to Pass. 

 A more experienced West, knowing they have 4-card heart support (not just 3-card) & also a singleton diamond Ace, might choose to continue the auction with a control bid of 5D. This would promise first round control of diamonds in some partnership agreements. In other partnership agreements it might promise first or second round control of diamonds. It would also invite opener to consider the possibility of slam.

 I am unsure if East would opt to raise to slam or not. But it turns out EW do deserve to make 6H.

Ain't bridge a great game?

Weekly Hand Analysis - Rich Nordeng - November 20, 2023 - Pass?

 Question: 

I think this hand falls under the category of sometime you should just pass. E responds to partner’s jump-shift by going to game in D. Goes down 2.

Rich:

Weekly Hand Analysis - November 20, 2023 - Glenna Shannahan - Rebid

 

Question: 

S opens 1C and then supports partner’s 1-H response. Should N have re-bid H?

Glenna:

  Not sure why N would not bid 4 ♥️ instead of jumping to 3 ♣️!!!! N had 10 high card points and 3 points for a stiff ♠️ so 4 ♥️ is a clearcut bid in my opinion. Basically when you have an opening hand and partner has opened the bidding, you MUST get the partnership to game.

Weekly Hand Analysis - Vic Johnson - November 20, 2023 - Lead

 

Question:  What is the best lead?

Vic:  

Defending against a suit contract, inexperienced players seem to have an overwhelming compulsion to lead from doubletons. Because, I suspect, they are imagining voiding themself in that suit & subsequently scoring a ruff. This is badly flawed logic at best. 

 For West to score a diamond ruff, diamonds would have to be led three times. And by the 3rd diamond lead West would need to still have a trump left to ruff with. Facing a competent Declarer, that is highly unlikely to happen, unless Declarer wanted it to happen.

 Unless they are leading a suit partner bid during the auction, leading from a doubleton vs a suit contract tends to be a very poor choice. In this particular case the card led was an unsupported honor, making the choice to lead it even worse.

 Generally speaking, leading from length is much better than leading from shortness. Holding the West hand, I would have been inclined to lead the spade Five (Bottom of Something). Some would lead the spade Six (4th Highest).

 Subsequent to a low spade lead by West, good EW defenders will take the first 5 tricks. South deserves only 6 tricks total for down two.

 Ain't bridge a great game?

Weekly Hand Analysis - Vic Johnson - November 13, 2023 - Slam

 

Question: N/S have 30 HCP, bidding gets them to game in C, who should have pushed the bid to slam and what should they have bid?

Vic:

I have NS with 31 HCPs. But, the way the hand was bid neither partner has any reason to believe they are that strong. 

 I suppose that over 5C, North could make what I call a "Ho Chunk" bid & roll the dice they can make slam in clubs. But North has two losers off the top in spades, plus two more losers in hearts with no particular reason to believe partner can cover those losers. So in my opinion, a raise to slam by North would definitely be pretty reckless.

 In point of fact, the hand was bid incorrectly from the git go. North is too strong to open 1NT (18 HCPs + 1 Length Point = a 19 point hand). North should open 1D, planning to make a jump bid in No Trump next. 

 South should be thinking No Trump, not Clubs. For bridge players, clubs are for the golf course & diamonds for their finger. My first bid over 1NT, holding the South hand, would be 3NT. That would not get them to slam either. But it would give them a much better score than playing in 5C.

 If North makes the correct opening bid of 1D, Responder (South) should bid 2C (forcing). North should subsequently jump to 4NT, promising a balanced hand & 18-19 HCPs. South would now have a reason to jump to slam in either Clubs or No Trump. 

 Turns out NS deserve to take all thirteen tricks in either Clubs or No Trump. But depending on the opening lead, they might have to play the diamonds incorrectly to take the 13th trick. Small slam in either Clubs or No Trump should not be a problem.

Weekly Hand Analysis - Mark Olsky - November 13, 2023 - Take out Double?

 

Question:  What is South's bid and why should they make that bid?

Mark:

Let's do this a little differently this time. You begin to consider your possible bids and I'll give you a minute or two to do that. 

If you paused for 30 seconds and have a ready answer, you may not have spent enough time. Let's consider the 1st question of cooperative bidding. Are you the describer or decider? Hopefully you agree that if West and North made normal calls for the hands they hold, both are very descriptive. West holds 7 spades, probably headed by the A, likely AJ10.... Partner has short spades, most likely a singleton, at least 12 high card points, almost certainly 4 or 5hearts. That's the basic, typical hand for North, but there is one other major possibility. North could have a hand with a long suit, possibly a secondary suit and a hand too strong for just an overcall. That's unlikely, given the very big hand you have. 

  You have to decide. It's your job. You'd love to give partner a chance to show a stronger than minimum hand that could land a slam, but West has taken up so much bidding room that you may miss a very good slam. That's the opponents' job and you should focus on the most likely thing, which is you almost surely have game and you need to bid it. The obvious bid is 3NT. You have spades double stopped unless E-W have the perfect defensive holding, which is W leads the spade jack and E has at least 2 spades and a quick entry in clubs and you can't take 9 tricks after winning a spade. Even then, you simply duck the opening spade and E probably doesn't have a third one to lead after getting the club. 

  If North makes any move but pass after you bid 3NT, it shows more than a minimum hand and it's your job, as the decider, to get your side to slam. 

  Nothing has been said about vulnerability. If E-W are vulnerable and you are not, at duplicate you probably need only 500 for a top or near top. You could consider converting the takeout double to penalty. Leave that kind of move to the experts when you have 3 trumps. Think about it more if you have 4 with a high honor. On the other hand, if you are vulnerable and they are not and you are playing with a sound partner who is watching the vulnerability and is willing to put you on the 4 level, potentially to be slaughtered if you have nothing, you should be going to slam, in NT, not a suit because of the risk of a spade ruff by East.

  Whatever you do, DO NOT bid 4 diamonds with your hand after the double. You are the decider and you are telling partner that you have a very bad hand with diamonds as your best suit outside of spades. More likely that not, you will be declarer in a part- score contract when game is cold and slam is possible. You should not expect partner to read your mind.

Weekly Hand Analysis - Glenna Shannahan - November 13, 2023 -Overcall

 

Question:   What is South's bid and why should they bid it?

Glenna::

 I bid 3 ♦️ because I have 4-card support, 2 A’s and a small doubleton ♥️! It’s a good bid as partner has an excellent chance of making 3!