Wow! Things have really tightened up! Team Moogal has
been nudged ever-so-gently out of a clear first by Team HelenT,
who tied their VP score of 51 and now lead on the strength of
HelenT's 99-85 IMP differential tiebreak. The standings are:
Team IMPs VPs
HelenT's Horde + 99 51
Moogal's Marauders + 85 51
Toddy's Troops + 56 31
Elvee's Elves - 4 27
Fredw3's Foursome - 52 10
Marlyse's Minions -184 0
=================== Elvee vs Moogal ========================
The part score battle illustrated the value of being
able to show our suit(s) QUICKLY over their 1NT--especially
over their strong 1NT openings.
IMPs north IMP Board 1
Dlr: North elvee
Vul: None S AK42 west north east south
H 98 ian elvee believer Tara
D Q52
C AKT8 1NT 2C! X
west east pass 2S pass pass
ian believer 2NT pass 3C X
S T65 S 93 pass pass 3H pass
H K76 H AQT543 pass 3S (all pass)
D AJ43 D 97
C Q95 C 764 Opening Lead: D9
south Result: +5
Tara Score: 200
S QJ87 IMPs: 4.00
H J2
D KT86 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
C J32 W A-D4 5 6 T 5 9 3 Q HK H6 J 7
N 2 5 A-SK-S4 T-CA-DQ-CK-C8-S2 H8 9
E D9 7 3 9 H5 4 6 H3 7 H4 HT HQ A
S T 8-S7 8 J-C2 3 6 J H2 Q-DK-HJ
Believer's 2C was CAPP, showing any 1-suiter. This
allowed South to get in a double to show some values (and,
in theory, some Clubs). North took this to be "Stolen Bid
Stayman", so he showed his 4-card Spade suit. With 8 soft
HCPs South passed. Ian's brave 2NT bid pushed N-S to 3S
but a lucky 4S made. With N-S missing a game, then, how
could it be N-S gaining 4 IMPs here? Well...
-------------------------------------------
IMPs north IMP Board 1
Dlr: North moogal
Vul: None S AK42 west north east south
H 98 jbot moogal jkh meerkat
D Q52
C AKT8 1NT X! XX
west east 2C! X 2H (all pass)
jbot jkh
S T65 S 93 Opening Lead: HJ
H K76 H AQT543 Result: -1
D AJ43 D 97 Score: 50
C Q95 C 764 IMPs: -4.00
south
meerkat
S QJ87 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
H J2 W 6 K-S5 Q 5 9 6 T J
D KT86 N 9 8 4 K-CA-CT-SA-SK Q
C J32 E Q-H3 9 4 6 7 3 H4-D7
S HJ 2 J-CJ 3 2 7 8 8
At this table we saw DONT in action, with double
promising any 1-suiter. An improvement on CAPP, yes,
since we can stop in 2C if we must, but still too
slow. South redoubled and then passed JKH's runout
to 2H (since South cannot double Hearts for penalty).
Much to South's amazement, North passed too! Ahem.
A redouble of 1NT creates a 1-round force. North
MUST either double 2H or begin bidding suits, starting
with 2S here.
Note how much safer a quick 1NT-2H is here? South
doesn't get in any point-showing doubles or redoubles.
Thus, E-W may well be able to steal the hand LEGITIMATELY
in 2H. Also, we often want to get in our one suit quickly
in case Responder starts leaping off to the stratosphere.
For more on methods of overcalling their 1NT, including
the Geneva Convention (versus a weak 1NT) and McGuinty
(in essence, Reverse DONT), go to:
http://www.firesides.net/mcguinty.htm
=================== Andre55 vs Toddy ======================
IMPs north IMP Board 10
Dlr: East andre55
Vul: Both S AK63 west north east south
H KQJ73 mbar andre55 gaus271 DeniseB
D 9
C T94 pass pass
west east 1S 2H 2S 3H
mbar gaus271 4S X (all pass)
S QJ942 S T85
H 6 H A842 Opening Lead: HK
D AQ83 D T752 Result: -1
C KQJ C 62 Score: 200
south IMPs: 9.00
DeniseB
S 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
H T95 W 6 2 Q-SQ-CK S4-CQ-CJ 3 S9-DA D8 SJ
D KJ64 N HK K-D9 3 4 3 9 T S6-HQ SA-H7 HJ
C A8753 E A-S8 T 5 2 2 6 ST-D7 4 2 8 D5
S 5 7 J C7 A-HT 3 5 4 9 6 C8 K
I think that if I ever write another book on bridge I
will entitle it "The Importance of Not Being Earnest". :)
Here, East's free 2S raise on H-Ace (4 HCPs) and a
Club doubleton (1 Short Suit Point) is, depending upon one's
style, either 1 (the SAYC standard) or 3 (the norm) points
light. I *much* prefer the normal standard of 8+ points
for ANY such free call--especially a free raise. This hand
illustrates why. Nothing is more encouraging to any partner
than having hir suit raised--freely, in this case! MBar
had the reasonable expectation of 2 goodies (8 HCPs / 4)
from East. If East had had, say, North's S-AK63 and little
else, 4S would have had very good chances. Opposite East's
actual collection, down one doubled was a lucky escape! To
make matters worse, an ambitious 4H by North was down two
at the other table for the same 200 points. 200 + 200
amounted to a whopping 9 IMPs for Team Toddy--only one IMP
less than their margin of victory!
=================== HelenT vs Marlyse ======================
IMPs north IMP Board 8
Dlr: West luc
Vul: None S AT92 west north east south
H T53 Patricia luc rcoop Mindy
D T864
C T6 pass pass pass 1D
west east pass pass X 1S
Patricia rcoop X pass 2H X
S 4 S 8653 (all pass)
H Q972 H A864
D Q52 D 7 Opening Lead: DA
C KQJ95 C A742 Result: +4
south Score: -670
Mindy IMPs: -11.00
S KQJ7
H KJ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
D AKJ93 W 2 5 2 7 5 Q-CK-CQ-CJ-C9-DQ-S4 H9
C 83 N 4 6 3 5 T T 6 S2 S9 D8 T A-ST
E 7 H4-HA-H8 A-H6 2 4 7 S3 S5 6 8
S DA-DK J K-C3 D3 8 D9 DJ S7 SJ Q K
We will file this one under "A Whole Lot of Doublin'
Goin' On". :)
Over the double of 1D, 1S by Mindy is fine. Patricia's
is NOT, since any double of a new suit is an "Oh, no you
don't!" PENALTY double. Such a Penalty double often exposes
a psyche or, if the opponents have a misfit, begins a series
of penalty doubles as the opponents stumble around looking
for a safe landing spot.
RCoop made a prescient pull to 2H. As South, at IMPs,
we might throw in the towel here. Both opponents have
shown strength; the chances of N-S going for a number will
not be compensated by any chance of finding a lucky game
for N-S. Huge risk, no gain. Time to pass.
As North, we should never pass such a low level
double with an undisclosed fit for one of Partner's suits.
Here, then, North should remove to 2S--the same bid that
North might have made if South had passed. Having passed
twice, North's 2S bid should not excite South.
==============================================================
Next week we will have another "director", as I will
be playing in the "Canadian Bridge Week" championships
in Edmonton, Alberta. Captains, please remember to send me
the results anyway, so that I can update the web page with
the latest scores and file my report upon my return.
Enjoy your team game next week and I'll see you in two!
Colin
P.S. Check out our SAYC test at:
http://www.firesides.net/sayctest.htm
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Reports From Vancouver
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Links to Other
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Space Cadets' Home
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