Bidding

Who’s the Captain?

Sep 102002

None Vul
IMPs
Dealer: North
Lead: Q

	weedo Q 7 2 J 10 Q J 7 5 K Q 9 5
wharfewi J 8 5 3 K Q 8 7 6 3 K 10 3 —		Maestro A 9 6 A 4 2 8 2 A J 10 4 3
	cj78 K 10 4 9 5 A 9 6 4 8 7 6 2

West

1
4
5
Pass

North
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass

East
1

1NT
4NT
5

South
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass

Many figures of authority — CEOs, Third-World dictators, bridge bidding captains — are reluctant to cede power when their time is up.

Today’s auction begins deceptively smoothly, as Gee, East, opens 1C and rebids 1NT over his partner’s 1H response. Trouble begins when West jumps to game in hearts over 1NT. One can argue the merits of this, but I think it’s a decent practical bid at IMPs, especially in an unpracticed partnership like this one. 4H is likely to have a play against most possible East hands, and it’s nearly cold against any number of trashy openers, such as KQxx Jxx QJx Kxx.

A novice would pass 4H. An intermediate would pass 4H. A random stranger would pass 4H. Gee bids 4NT. 1NT showed a balanced hand with 12-14 points and 4NT, coincidentally, shows exactly the same thing. I assume West thought his 5C response was standard Blackwood; if they’re playing RKC then of course he’s lying, not that I’d blame him. (The post mortem indicates that he had no idea what 4NT was and probably chose 5C has the cheapest bid.) Gee, off either one ace or two key cards, signs off in 5H.

The DA is onside so the contract goes down only 1. West, in the post mortem, has the temerity to question our hero’s bidding and is shortly put in his place:

wharfewi: what was 4 no trumps partner
G: was rkc of course
wharfewi: why
G: because you jumped to 4H all by yourself and I have more than the minimum
G: but you did not have a 4H bid, to me
wharfewi: you have 13 points and your bid of 1 no trump said 12 to 14 points
Spec #1: exactly, gerard can’t worm out of this one
Spec #2: no he can’t
G: after you bid 4H, I have distrib too
wharfewi: you have a flat hand
G: are you saying you always bid game in a suit on 23 points?
weedo: next hand pls
Spec #1: gerard should have bid 2 hearts anyway not one no
Spec #3: I guess with G’s bidding expertise…his book on bidding is selling like hotcakes
Spec #4: studied in all universities
Spec #3: i can’t believe G is playing with “int:adv” player… how does he expect to carry him :)
Spec #1: gerard has made all the errors
Spec #4: that never happened before…:_>
Spec #5: Pt’s rating is much above G’s
Spec #1: rite
Spec #3: G can’t carry himself…
G: will be my last one. ty partner:)

That’s telling him.

Lost in the Supermarket

Sep 082002

None Vul
IMPs
Dealer: South
Lead: J

	Maestro 8 10 2 K Q 9 8 7 6 5 2 J 10
doktor K J 10 9 4 A 7 5 3 10 4 7 4		maytaman Q 7 6 Q J 6 4 3 9 8 5 3 2
	pkchance A 5 3 2 K 9 8 A J A K Q 6

West

Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass

North

4
6
6NT

East

Pass
Pass
Pass

South
2NT
4

Pass

You remember yesterday’s hand with the two deaf old ladies chatting at the supermarket? I should have saved that for today. Now I have to go back and write a different lead for yesterday, but that would force me to change today’s lead…the critic’s work is never done.

Gee is North, and responds to his partner’s 2NT opening with Gerber, his favorite convention, which he plays, by his own account, over any notrump bid. (Any notrump bid, you ask? Any notrump bid.)

South mysteriously replies 4H. I’m not sure what he thinks the 4C bid was. A transfer? An unspecified two-suiter with slam interest? Checkback Stayman? He certainly didn’t think it was Gerber.

The 4H bid, showing one ace, might give the STCP™ pause. Off three aces, he can’t bid the diamond game, let alone a slam. He might try signing off in 4NT, which South should pass, and pray that his diamonds come in.

Sissy stuff. Gee deduces immediately that his partner did not understand his bid — less experienced players should carefully note the implications for partnership trust — and charges ahead to 6D. South is still confused, and corrects to 6H. I lack even a theory about the meaning of this bid and would be obliged to any reader who can supply one.

As North, I would now conclude that South has a 4H opener and psyched the 2NT to shut the opponents out of the bidding. This merely points up the difference between the amateur and the professional. Gee fearlessly corrects to 6NT, which is cold, while 6D is down 1 on the almost certain heart lead. (In a normal auction, South, with AJ in diamonds and the HK to protect, should pull 6D to 6NT, reasoning that he will take the same tricks in either spot; but never mind.) The anonymous spec who sent me this hand footnoted 6NT as “the genius bid,” and who could argue?

Drury-Cohen

Sep 072002

Both Vul
IMPs
Dealer: West
Lead: 8

	Maestro 7 6 4 A K J Q J 9 10 9 7 2
dr.j K J 5 10 5 8 7 4 3 2 J 8 5		lehicks 10 9 3 7 3 A K 10 6 5 Q 4 3
	bossman A Q 8 2 Q 9 8 6 4 2 — A K 6

West
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass

North
Pass
3

4NT
6

East
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass

South
1

5NT
Pass

Today’s “conversation” reminds me of the joke about the two half-deaf old ladies chatting at the supermarket. “Are you thirsty?” “No, it’s Tuesday.” And so on.

Gee is North today, and properly passes his dead flat bad 11, leaving his partner to open 1H fourth-hand. The STCP™ might consider Drury here, leaving some bidding room below game to explore slam if partner has a powerful hand. Gee, however, playing the Drury-Cohen treatment, jumps to 3H instead.

South cues clubs, and Gee, with nothing to cue and a minimum, signs off in 4H. South should pass this, but instead he cues 4S. He has fallen in love with his hand and visions of slam dance in his head. He imagines a North hand like Kx KJxx Jxxx Qxx, on which 6H is almost cold. He neglects to imagine a North hand like Jxx AJxx K10x 10xx, on which 5H is likely down and even 4H is not cold.

Gee, who never met a cue bid over game he didn’t like, forgets all of a sudden that he’s already bid his minimum and launches into Blackwood. 5NT appears to be some sort of Voidwood reply; not that it matters, as 6H has become inevitable.

This contract looks hopeless at first glance, but there are several chances. If we assume that the SK is onside and that either trump or spades break, declarer can play for the double finesse in clubs, hoping to pin the 8 in the West hand. This gives 6H a 2% chance minimum, maybe 3%. On the actual layout, of course, it’s down 2, but that’s hindsight.

A standard reverse Drury auction would give South room to cue clubs and spades and still sign off in 4H. This does not pass unnoticed by the spectators, one of whom asks Gee why he didn’t bid Drury. “Not on this,” says Gee. “If not on this on what?” he asks. “Not with all the top honors!” Gee replies. Of course. The Cohen treatment.

The Lesson of the Master

Sep 062002

An unexpurgated lesson! With commentary! I am gratified to give all of my readers a chance to profit from the master’s wisdom. The reader who wants to get the most out of this lesson will progress more rapidly if he carefully answers the discussion questions at the end of each hand.

Both Vul
IMPs
Dealer: West
Lead: A

	Maestro A 6 4 2 3 2 9 8 7 5 2 6 5
can K K Q 8 7 A Q J 3 K 8 7 3		rowrow Q 9 7 3 J 9 4 K 4 A 9 4 2
	Student J 10 8 5 A 10 6 5 10 6 Q J 10

West
1

Pass

North
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass

East
1

4NT
6

South
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass

(During the auction)
G: who’s the captain for our team?
Student: me
G: no more captain… we both gave up a long time ago
Student: agree
G: after the 2H-PASS… we decided nothing will do
Student: agree
G: in other words, you could not force any bid from me after that nor could I force from you

Questions to Discuss
1. Why, after leading the SA, dropping SK, does Gee shift to diamonds at trick 2?
2. How many bidding errors is it possible to make when neither partner holds more than eight points or a suit better than five to the 98?

N/S Vul
IMPs
Dealer: North
Lead: 6

	Maestro A J 8 7 6 8 5 A A Q J 5 2
can K 4 A Q J 10 3 Q J 5 4 10 9		rowrow Q 5 K 9 7 6 4 K K 8 7 4 3
	Student 10 9 3 2 2 10 9 8 7 6 3 2 6

West

Dbl
Dbl

North
1

Pass

East
2

Pass
Pass

South
4

Pass
Pass

G (after opening 1S): who is the captain?
Student: me
G: ok
G (after 4S is doubled): as the captain, you don’t have to jump to force a bid…new suit by captain is always forcing
G (seeing dummy): LOL
G: good bid
G: 3D was enough
G: but was your privelege (sic) as captain
Student: preempt
G: yes… but your hand not really pre-emptive… you had support in my suit
Student: I HAD NO POINTS AT ALL
G: pre-emptive means you have 1 suit, no support for mine and no points
Student: OK
G: or very few points
G: from the auction, I knew this was impossible
Student: I should have passed

Questions to Discuss
1. How does Gee know from the auction that it’s “impossible” for his partner to have a weak one-suited hand with no spade support?
2. If 4D is a “good bid,” how would you characterize Gee’s recommendation, 3D?
3. Define “preemptive.” Compare your definition with Gee’s. What are the similarities, if any? The differences?

N/S Vul
IMPs
Dealer: East
Lead: A

	Maestro 3 7 A K Q 8 7 6 5 A Q 9 4
can J 6 A Q J 9 4 3 J 4 3 5 3		rowrow A Q 9 8 5 K 10 5 10 K J 8 2
	Student K 10 7 4 2 8 6 2 9 2 10 7 6

West

1NT
3
Pass
5

North

2
4
5
Pass

East
1

Dbl
4

Pass
Pass

South
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass

G: who is the captain?
Student: you
G: what do I have to do to force you to bid then, If I need a bid from you?
Student: new suit
G: correct
G: 4H got you off the hook:)
(The play begins. Gee cashes the two minor suit aces, rectifying the count for a squeeze, and shifts to spades. West goes up with SA, ruffs a diamond, and runs trump, squeezing Gee in the minors. Making 5.)
G: well done Can
rowrow: don’t expect to play that good!
can: thx
G: beautiful execution

Questions to Discuss
1. What are the advantages of cashing the CA before leading a spade? What are the disadvantages?
2. If a new suit by the captain is always forcing, and East passes 4C, what should South bid with 10xxx xxxx void Jxxxx?

N/S Vul
IMPs
Dealer: South
Lead: 10

	Maestro 5 3 Q 9 8 4 Q 10 4 A Q 7 4
can A 10 7 2 10 6 5 A J 9 2 10 6		rowrow 6 K J 2 K 8 7 6 K J 9 3 2
	Student K Q J 9 8 4 A 7 3 5 3 8 5

West

Pass
Pass

North

East

Pass

South
2

Pass

(The hand should be down 3, but East discards a heart, and declarer holds it down to one heart loser.)
Student: disaster!
G: not disaster
G: we lost 2.49 IMPs
Student: then…
G: not bad…you actually played well and saved a trick + the trick given away by opps

Questions to Discuss
1. Perhaps you are familiar with “The Law of Total Tricks.” Discuss Gee’s vulnerable spade raise with reference to this law.
2. What might the score have been if East/West had bid and defended properly? Would this be considered a “disaster”?
3. How much more of this do you think I can take?

Defuct* Again, Naturally

Sep 052002

None Vul
IMPs
Dealer: West
Lead: K

	cmewang Q J 10 5 10 8 4 3 10 8 6 4 7
suziew 6 4 A K J 7 5 2 9 5 3 Q 9		scott-1 8 2 Q 9 6 K Q J J 10 8 5 4
	Maestro A K 9 7 3 — A 7 2 A K 6 3 2

West
2

Pass

North
Pass
Pass
Pass

East
2

Pass
Pass

South
3

Gerard obviously believed that since the opponents had a “fit” in spades that he and his partner must therefore have a “fit” in clubs. Given the “texture” of his club suit, he knows this suit is worthy of another mention at the 4-level, which I confess I would not have recognized myself.

The hand will make 2H by e/w for -110, so this was not a complete zero action by G. Of course N/S also take 11 tricks in spades. Isn’t it just Gee’s luck to have a partner who offers him no help whatsoever for his bid? Defuct again, naturally.

If they were to defend 3S, however, Gee would undoubtedly lead CA, followed by CK, on which pard will discard a red card. Gee will most likely play another club hoping his partner’s suspected stiff spade can beat the 6-4 on dummy. At least I’m sure that an Expert™ will follow this thought process. Partner shows with the ten! Terrific, all this Expert™ thought is paying off.

They have now scored two clubs, and S10; three tricks to the defense and Gee still sitting with AK9xx spades, and DA. North may not lead a heart because he may not yet ‘get’ the psyche. So he’ll return a diamond to Gee’s ace. Gee may now not believe his pard could have another spade, and so let’s say he returns another diamond. All follow. What does declarer do now? Maybe a heart. Gee will ruff with the three, and probably play another diamond won by declarer in his hand. Declarer now has two tricks, the K and Q of diamonds. Two down, seven to go, I’m worn out already. Let’s say East now tries a spade. Gee will probably make the Expert™ play of the 7, to be sure that the dummy doesn’t win the 6.

Will his partner let it hold? If so, this could really get wild! Long story short, declarer is entitled to exactly two tricks in 3S, down only 7. Not being an Expert™ , however, I am not able to divine why going down in 4C is preferable to defending with this moose.

+350 loses only a few imps since most will be in non-vulnerable 4S making 450. But then, this is a far more interesting story, isn’t it?

*Our hero used this term in spec chat one night. Best guess is that he meant “defunct,” but that wouldn’t have made any sense in the context either. I remain baffled. —Ed.

Suit Preference vs. Godzilla

Sep 032002

E/W Vul
IMPs
Dealer: East
Lead: 4

	jkb 7 6 5 2 K 6 A 7 K Q 9 4 3
fpriolo A J 10 A 10 9 5 2 Q J 3 2 5		Maestro Q Q 7 4 K 8 6 5 4 A J 10 2
	unicom K 9 8 4 3 J 8 3 10 9 8 7 6

West

1
3
5

North

Dbl
Pass
Pass

East
1

Pass

South
Pass
2

Pass
Pass

In the play it is often wise to postpone a crucial decision, like which way to take a finesse, for as long as possible. Sometimes you can gather information to aid the play; sometimes you can induce the opponents to lead the suit and never have to make the decision at all. In the same way, in the bidding, the expert will often postpone the painful necessity of supporting partner’s suit. Sometimes, as in today’s hand, if he postpones it long enough he can avoid it altogether.

Gee, as East, opens a hideous 12 points first seat, which I suppose is standard these days. West bids 1H with his far better 12, and North doubles for the unbid suits. Our hero has several choices. If E/W are playing support doubles then a redouble is called for (though not, perhaps, if they are playing the Cohen treatment). If not, the green card shows what he has — a stone-minimum hand with a heart tolerance. After due consideration Gee makes the expert move: he denies any interest whatever in hearts by rebidding 2C.

West’s cue over South’s 2S shows a strong hand, a spade stopper, and a willingness to play 3NT. Gee’s stiff SQ could well come in handy, and does, in 3NT. With his semi-balanced hand that’s one possible bid. 4H is another, but less appetizing after his 2C rebid, as it could land partner in a Moysian. Then there is 4C, his actual choice, which shows 5-5 or more in the minors and no tolerance for hearts. OK, maybe it’s a small exaggeration, but at least he didn’t have to support his partner’s suit.

West jumps to game in diamonds. 4H and 3NT are better, but still, no harm, no foul. The trump suit behaves and hearts come in with one loser whether you lead to the queen or take the double finesse. Making 5, or so it appears. Yet it is possible, in actual play, to go down 2. Can you see how? Take a good look, I’ll wait.

Give up? Here’s the winning line. You play the SA at trick 1, cross to the CA and ruff a club. Ruff a spade and ruff another club. Ruff the last spade and the last club. Now lead the heart ace and another heart. North wins the HK, pulls dummy’s last trump by cashing DA, and leads the CQ, promoting South’s D10. Declarer, reduced to K8 in trump, ruffs with the 8. South overruffs with the 10 and leads SK, tapping declarer, who proceeds to lose a fourth and final trick to North’s last trump.

Suit Preference

Sep 022002

None Vul
IMPs
Dealer: North
Lead: 8

	mickey A 7 6 5 3 Q 10 6 3 3 K 10 5
Maestro 10 9 2 7 2 J 8 7 4 9 4 3 2		estee Q K J 8 5 4 A K 10 9 5 A 6
	a-yummy K J 8 4 A 9 Q 6 2 Q J 8 7

West

Pass
5
Pass

North
Pass
4

Dbl

East
1

Pass

South
Dbl
Dbl
Pass

Today we see the importance of being alert in the bidding at all times, even with a hand on which you expect to do nothing but pass.

East’s heart opener, South’s double and Gee’s pass are all orthodox. I like North’s jump to 4S. He expects at least 4 spades from his partner and figures with nine hearts accounted for his losers in the suit will likely disappear on dummy’s trumps. The spade game is about even money — barring odd chances, North needs to pick up trump — and it makes easily on the layout.

Now 5D…5D…I can’t say too much for 5D. With four probable defensive tricks I might be inclined to defend 4S, but hey, that’s just me. 5D, however, is down only 3 on best play, for a small loss against the spade game.

South of course promptly doubles, and our hero, ever vigilant, and quickly perceiving that diamonds is the only contract in which his hand could possibly have any value, steps in and removes to 5H. The beauty of this bid is that it is wrong under every conceivable circumstance. If East is 5-5 you want to play 5D. If East is 6-5 you want to play 5D. If East is 6-4 you want to play 5D. (If East is 7-4 she’s not bidding 5D.)

The coda is brief and, for E/W, unpleasant. Declarer is forced twice in spades and winds up making three trumps and the two minor suit aces for down 6. 1400.

What prompted the 5H “correction”? It is not the place of the tyro to speculate presumptuously on the inner life of the master. East, to her credit, did not inquire, and neither shall I.

The Old ROPI-DOPI

Sep 012002

None Vul
IMPs
Dealer: South
Lead: 5

	icewater K 10 9 8 8 2 9 7 5 Q 10 6 5
ralphm J 4 3 A K 10 7 4 J 3 8 4 3		docent A Q 7 5 2 Q J 6 3 10 A K 2
	Maestro 6 9 5 A K Q 8 6 4 2 J 9 7

West

Pass
4

North

4
Pass

East

Dbl
Pass

South
3NT
Pass!
Pass

A common difficulty in bridge is to determine the meaning of a bid from its context. Difficult, that is, for the Small Time Club Player™; a mere bag of shells for the expert.

Gee is South today. He opens a gambling 3NT, showing a long solid minor with no outside ace or king. West passes and North, with his weak hand, makes the standard 4C bid, asking partner to pass or correct. East doubles with his excellent major holdings.

Gee passes.

On the actual layout, of course, North will correct to 4D if West passes; but had North held, say, two dead in both minors, amusing results might ensue. But with nothing in clubs West can’t pass. He bids 4H, which makes a rather dull 5.

Turns out 4C was supposed to be Gerber. (Hence the alerted pass.) Well, I should have known.

icewater: 3n is gambling and you pass 4c?
G: why not leave it in 3nt?
G: yes i pass…DOPI
[ROPI actually, but that’s the least of our worries. —Ed.]
G: i have one ace
G: if i have a solid minor how can it be clubs anyway since you have the Q?
icewater: it’s just pass or correct, isn’t that normal?
G: i thought it was gerber
G: 4c over any NT to me is gerber
icewater: i can’t pass 3NT with no heart stopper
[Not to mention no tricks. —Ed.]
G: no problem water…i really enjoyed it :)

It sure was gracious of Gee to forgive icewater like that. I wish all of my partners were so indulgent. Essay question: if you show a solid minor with no outside ace or king, how many aces do you have? Discuss.

Why Does He Always Know Better?

Aug 312002

E/W Vul
IMPs
Dealer: North
Lead: A

	justinl 7 5 A K 9 8 A 10 7 6 5 2 —
barbh 9 8 6 4 3 2 5 3 8 3 A 9 6		fireant K Q J 7 4 2 K Q J 10 8 5 2
	Maestro A 10 Q J 10 6 Q J 9 K 7 4 3

West

Pass
Pass
Pass

North
1

East
Pass
Pass
Pass

South
1

Pass

I’m in a good mood today. I’m going to publish a successful hand. (Courtesy, again, of the indefatigable Alexander Ananin.)

Our hero is South, partnered again by Seaman Lall. The auction has certain points of interest. Justin’s 3S “splinter” with two dead spades is cute, particularly with an actual club void. “Let us experiment a little,” he remarks to the specs as he makes it. (East neglects to double 3S, as she should, for the lead. This will figure prominently in the hand later on.) Gee has extras but not very slammish ones. 4C is tolerable; 3NT, eliciting more description and intending to cue 4S over North’s rebid, is better.

North figures the cue bid shows extras, never mind where they are, and leaps straight to 6H, against which West opens, catastrophically, the club ace.

6H is essentially a 50-50 proposition on a spade lead, but now the hand is cold as long as trump aren’t 5-0. Pull trump, hook the diamond, win any return, and claim.

Back at the table, Gee ruffs the CA in dummy, pulls three rounds of trump, and cashes the club king. Only then does he take the diamond finesse. It loses, and East has a chance to cash two clubs. But East apparently surmises South’s hand as xxx QJ10x QJxx Kx. (For her failure to imagine Gee’s actual hand it is difficult to blame her.) She leads a spade. Making 6.

It’s time for a conversation:

G: I had to bluff… does not work the other way… not enough trumps
justinl: …
justinl: just pull trump and hook the diamond
G: no justin… it does not work
justinl: OK gee
G: and look at results… nobody makes but me
Spec #1: fireant the double goat, did not x 3S and did not cash out
justinl: sorry i almost had a heart attack, have to go now
justinl: GEE
justinl: THEY ALL LED A SPADE
justinl: thanks all
justinl has left the table.
G: ty Justin
G: why does he always know better?
Spec #2: LOLOL
G: ty barb, fire, specs
(In lobby)
justinl: WILL SOMBODY EXPLAIN TO GEE
justinl: HE WILL NOT BELIEVE ME
justinl: SOMEBODY ANYBODY
G: Justin… I made it… right? so… stop that
G: that contract cannot make any other way… I don’t have the stuff

Judgment Day

Aug 292002

N/S Vul
IMPs
Dealer: South
Lead: 5

	francis K 10 8 Q 6 5 4 3 — A Q 8 6 4
seddon A J 7 4 10 Q J 7 5 K 9 7 3		tomn Q 9 5 2 J A 10 9 6 4 J 10 2
	Maestro 6 3 A K 9 8 7 2 K 8 3 2 5

West

Pass
Dbl
Pass

North

1
Pass
Pass

East

Pass
4

South
Pass
4

Pass

If two wrongs don’t make a right, what do three wrongs make? (Answer below.)

Gee, South, has three chances to bid today. With a 2-6-4-1 hand, ten prime points and semi-solid hearts, many players would venture 1H. Others might take into account the unfavorable vulnerability and open 2H. Gee, possibly uniquely, passes.

North opens 1H third-hand, which for South is surely a dream bid. East passes, and again it’s up to our hero. Game is surely cold and slam is probably in the offing if North has a real opener, depending on his distribution. There are even magic minimum hands on which the grand is laydown, like Axxx Jxxxxx void AKx, and of course North may have considerably more than that.

South could bid Drury, then splinter in clubs. He could splinter in clubs directly. He could bid Jacoby 2NT, if the partnership plays that as a passed hand. (Whether he should be a passed hand is a different question.) And he could also sign off with 4H, Gee’s actual choice. An oft-cited piece of bidding advice is “to have your bid, plus a queen.” Having your bid plus an ace and a king is perhaps taking things too far.

West doubles for takeout, which I can’t fault on the auction and at the vulnerability. North passes, to await developments, and East bids 4S.

It is difficult to construct a North hand on which N/S can take fewer than eleven tricks, and on such a hand 4S probably makes as well. You don’t want to defend under any circumstances. A novice would bid 5H. An expert would probably bid Key Card Blackwood. Our hero passes.

North should double. He has three probable defensive tricks and it’s unlikely that 4S can make on this sort of distribution if West can’t open and East can’t bid over 1H. But he passes, mesmerized by his partner’s bidding. Gee leads his stiff club, and N/S take the first six tricks plus the trump king, for down 4.

Three wrongs, it turns out, make +200. Or -10.36. Depending on the units you prefer.

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