First Pro/Am Event sponsored by B/I forum

Board 1
Dealer North
Vuln. None

S
H AT9752
D A9832
C KQ

S KQJ52 S 8764
H 83 H K6
D Q6 D J
C JT42 C A97653

S AT93
H QJ4
D KT754
C 8

North will open 1H and South should show support, perhaps after bidding a spade. East-West can make things tough on NS by bidding black suits. Six diamonds or 6 hearts by NS is not horrible, but it does a 2-1 diamond split (78%)and the heart king on-side (50%), making the slam 0.78*0.5 or 39%. A 5C sacrafice should be only slightly painful for EW Notice that 5C is a great sacrifice (loses 1C, 1H, 1D, 2S)

4HN+2   480   5.03
5HN=   450   4.45
5DS=   400   2.95
4SWx-2   300   0.66
6HN-1   -50   -6.87
6HNx-1   -100   -7.76

Board 2
Dealer East
Vuln. NS

S T987
H AKJ94
D K64
C 8

S J2 S AK6
H QT8 H 653
D 985 D 72
C AKQT7 C J9432

S Q543
H 72
D AQJT3
C 65

This hand is one with a wide varety of contracts. The most likely auction is two passes to West who opens 1C. North will overcall 1H (or double), and East will raise clubs, buy bidding some number of clubs depending upon their agreement, or maybe 2H (cue-bid) if north overcalls 1H. After a heart overcall, if EAST raises clubs EAST may make a responsive double.

NS has a shot at 4H if EW do not find their spade ruff, but the defense against 4H can easily start SPADE-AK- spade ruff, club Ace. So 3H is the limit NS. Likewise 3D loses the same four tricks. So best "contract" for NS is 3D/3H.

East-West have to lose 3H (or 2H and a heart ruff) and 2D, so their top spot is 2C. Note this is a 19 trump hand (law of total tricks), and yet there are only 17 tricks. But note, the best result for NS was 4H making, best defense is not always found. and 4Cx.

4HN=   620   10.68
4CWx-2   300   5.18
3SS+1   170   2.21
5CW-3   150   1.71
2SS+1   140   1.58
3DS=   110   0.61
4CW-2   100   0.53
3CW-1   50   -1.16
2CW=   -90   -4.47
4SS-1   -100   -4.55
3CW=   -110   -4.87
3SN-2   -200   -6.74

Board 3
Dealer South
Vuln. EW

S AT83
H AQ5
D AQ
C KT97

S KJ654 S 92
H T H KJ8432
D KJT65 D 98
C AQ C J54

S Q7
H 976
D 7432
C 8632

It is very easy for both sides to get to high. The best way to stay low is for north to overcall 1S with 1NT, but his hand is too strong for this bid so he will make a takeout dbl planning to rebid 2NT. Which should end the auction. But the tempation for EW will be to get back into the bidding... EAST with good hearts, west with nice 5-5. If either one of them bids again, they may regret their decision. North will be anxious to double with EW vul and NS not.

At imps, the one thing you want to avoid is total disasters. 4Hx down four is easily classified as that, and 4Sx could easily be down three for nearly just as bad. How might 4H auction occur? If norht overcalls 1NT EAST will think his hand is good enough for a non-forcing 2H call. The logic here is that if EAST had a good hand and hearts he would DOUBLE 1NT, so 2H over 1NT shows long hearts and a weak hand. IF WEST misunderstood the meaning of this 2H bid, he might jump to 3NT which, when doubled, would force EAST to rebid 4H.

4HEx-4   1100   14.47
4SWx-2   500   9.26
3NN=   400   7.76
3HE-3   300   5.82
2NW-2   200   3.47
2NN=   120   2
2NE-1   100   1.16
2NN-1   -50   -2.24
1SW=   -80   -3.03
3NN-2   -100   -3.66
2SW=   -110   -3.71
2NN-3   -150   -4.74
2NN-4   -200   -5.92
3DWx=   -670   -12.42

Board 4
Dealer West
Vuln. All

S AT764
H KJ5
D T74
C KQ

S J53 S K2
H T3 H Q874
D QJ986 D AK3
C A92 C 6543

S Q98
H A962
D 52
C JT87

North will openen 1NT and EAST frequently doubled South should raise to 2 spades and West, with five diamonds and values, will bid 3D. The other alternative is for EAST to pass, south will raise to 2S and after two passes, East will balance back in with a double. West will still bid 3Ds. So the final result depends on whether or not north or south will take the push to 3S. From a law of total tricks stand point, there are 16 trumps (8S+8D) suggesting 16 tricks. NS can make 2S (double dummy defense is low diamond, and a heart swtich spade switch). Basically impossible defense to find at the table.

Against 3D on a trump lead, it takes the same play on hearts (setting up a heart trick) for EW to go down only one (assuming of course, the first diamond is won on WEST).

3SNx=   730   11.5
3HE-4   400   6.32
3HE-3   300   4.21
3DW-2   200   2
1NN+2   150   0.32
2SN+1   140   0.16
2SN=   110   -0.82
3DW-1   100   -0.89
3DW=   -110   -5.92

Note the wild results on this hand. The first is 3Sx. At imps, you don't want to double a close contracts if you double them into game. Let's look at the most likley results.

DBL no-DB: Win
3S-1 +200 +100 3 imps
3S= -140 -730 11 imps

So you win 3 imps when you are right with this double, but lose 11 imps when you are wrong. So you better be right, and if you do double, you better play great defense. The other wild results are the pairs that got into hearts EW. You really need to avoid the 4-2 fits when you have nice 5-3 fits.

Board 5
Dealer North
Vuln. NS

S 5
H Q2
D AKT52
C KQJT5

S QJ96 S 8743
H AK764 H J853
D 96 D J743
C A6 C 7

S AKT2
H T9
D Q8
C 98432

Here is another LAW of Total trick hand, where the law is not even close. NS can make 4C, EW can make 1H (lose spade AK, spade ruff, diamond to queen, spade ruff, diamond). So total number of tricks are 7 for EW and 10 for NS for 17. Yet there are 19 trumps (10 clubs, 9 hearts).

North should open 1D and south will respond 1S. If west bids 2H, it stamps the end of game ambition for NS, but if he passes, north will rebid clubs. Now it is up to south to decide how high they go. Five clubs will make on a spade lead, and this is where the problem comes in on the 5Cx hand. If WEST passed throughout and then shows up with a double, it might be intepreted as a "ligther double"/

5CNx=   750   11.66
4CNx=   710   11.13
5HWx-3   500   8.89
4HWx-2   300   5.37
3CN+2   150   1.97
4CN=   130   1.5
5HW-1   50   -0.32
5CN-1   -100   -3.84
6CNx-1   -200   -6.21
3NN-3   -300   -8.11

Board 6
Dealer East
Vuln. EW

S QJ8654
H QJ542
D 62
C

S 93 S AK2
H K63 H T9
D QT94 D J73
C JT87 C AQ932

S T7
H A87
D AK85
C K654

The precaution about doubling opponents into game applies here, look at 2Sx for NS and 3Cx for EW. These were disasters for the pairs doubling. At matchpoint, you can risk these close doubles, but at imps, caution is better. See comments on Board 4. On this hand, NS can make 4Spades by ducking the opening HEART lead or 4S by ruffing the 3rd spade when it is lead. Understandably, EW's limit is 3Clubs. NS had trouble getting to 4 of a major. The simpliest way is for South to open 1NT either 12-14 or 14-16 variety.

2SNx+2   670   10.26
3SNx=   530   8.11
4SN=   420   6.16
3NWx-1   200   1.42
3SN+1   170   0.95
2HN+1   140   0.11
1DS=   70   -1.34
5HN-1   -50   -3.89
1NW=   -90   -4.84
4HN-2   -100   -5.11
3CE=   -110   -5.32
1NE+1   -120   -5.39
3NS-3   -150   -6.03
3NS-5   -250   -7.79
3CEx=   -670   -12.61

Board 7
Dealer South
Vuln. All

S Q8764
H Q94
D KJT
C A3

S T S AJ9
H AJT732 H
D A D Q98764
C QJ942 C T765

S K532
H K865
D 532
C K8

On board 7, EW got usually got into trouble. They played in clubs, diamonds, and hearts at levels from 2 to 5. The only way to keep EW out of trouble was to have NS enter the bidding and end up in 3 or Spades. Notice the wide range of contracts and results on this one. Kudos for the defense against Spades that starts diamond to ACE, Heart ACE, big heart for ruff, diamond ruff, heart ruff and sure spade ACE to hold EW to seven tricks. The big heart back is a LAVINTHAL suit preference signal suggesting a diamond back.

5CWx-3   800   12.55
5HW-5   500   9.03
5CWx-2   500   9.03
4HW-5   500   9.03
3HW-3   300   5.68
3DE-3   300   5.68
5CW-3   300   5.68
4HW-2   200   3.58
5CWx-1   200   3.58
5CWx-1   200   3.58
3SN=   140   2.21
2SN+1   140   2.21
3SS=   140   2.21
3SN=   140   2.21
4CW-1   100   1.26
5CW-1   100   1.26
5CW-1   100   1.26
4CW-1   100   1.26
2HW-1   100   1.26
5CW-1   100   1.26
2HW-1   100   1.26
3HW-1   100   1.26
2SN-1   -100   -3.18
2SN-1   -100   -3.18
2CW+1   -110   -3.26
3CW=   -110   -3.26
3CW+1   -130   -4.05
4CW=   -130   -4.05
4CW+1   -150   -4.37
3CW+2   -150   -4.37
3SN-2   -200   -5.45
4SS-3   -300   -7.55
4SNx-2   -500   -10.5
5CW=   -600   -11.47

Board 8
Dealer West
Vuln. None

S J853
H 98
D J8753
C T2

S KT97 S A4
H K7 H AJ53
D 9 D QT64
C AKJ543 C Q86

S Q62
H QT642
D AK2
C 97

Six clubs makes on three spade ruffs in dummy, ruff the second one with the CLUB Queen to prevent overruff. Well done by the pair that bid the slam. Getting to 6Clubs EW on this hand is a bidding contest type of hand. But EW need to get to at least 3NT.

3HE-1   50   10.74
4CW+2   -170   6.84
5CW=   -400   1.71
3NE+1   -430   0.84
3NE+2   -460   -0.16
3NE+3   -490   -1.13
3NE+4   -520   -2.03
6CW=   -920   -10.16

Board 9
Dealer North
Vuln. EW
S K4
H T843
D QT7
C AKQJ

S J97 S 86532
H AQ76 H KJ2
D AJ6 D 3
C 432 C T976

S AQT
H 95
D K98542
C 85

After north opens 1NT, south has to decide rather to bid game or not. 3NT turns out to be down one on a heart lead or heart switch, so those who judge to stay out of 3NT are right on evaluation, but playin in 3D wins very few imps. But bidding game which might win you 8 imps, but can cost you 5.

3SEx-2   500   8.32
3NN+3   490   8.13
3NN+2   460   7.63
3NN+1   430   6.84
5DS+1   420   6.82
3NN=   400   6.5
2NN+3   210   2.26
2NN+2   180   1.79
2DS+3   150   0.92
3DS+1   130   0.47
2NN=   120   0.42
3NN-1   -50   -3.89
2NN-1   -50   -3.89
4HN-2   -100   -5.26
3NN-2   -100   -5.26

Board 10
Dealer East
Vuln. All

S T8742
H AT7
D Q763
C 7

S Q3 S AK6
H J63 H K85
D KT2 D J84
C KQ843 C A652

S J95
H Q942
D A95
C JT9

A simple 3NT hand. At imps, bul all EW pairs should bid 3NT. With 5C, 3S for eight tricks, you need to build just one trick in the red suits for game.

3NE-1   100   11.55
2CE+2   -130   9.39
3NE=   -600   -0.63
3NE+1   -630   -1.61
3NE+2   -660   -2.61

Board 11
Dealer South
Vuln. None

S AK
H Q8652
D Q8543
C 2

S 65 S Q8432
H KJ7 H 93
D D KJ96
C KQJT9643 C A8

S JT97
H AT4
D AT72
C 75

This hand is bridge judgment by WEST. He might open 1C, 3C, 4C or even 5C. Notice again the penalty for foe EW for doubling 3H's into game. It is much safer to double 4H's. What does the Law say about this one? EW have 10 card club fit, NS havfe 8 card heart fit. That is 18 tricks. NS can make 3 hearts, EW can make four clubs. That is 18 trumps, 18 tricks.

6CWx-2   300   8.29
5CWxx-1   200   6.63
5CWx-1   100   4.5
5CW-1   50   3.13
5HN-1   -50   0.84
4HN-1   -50   0.84
3DNx-1   -100   -0.37
1SS-2   -100   -0.37
4HNx-1   -100   -0.37
4HN-2   -100   -0.37
3CW=   -110   -0.39
4CW=   -130   -1.16
4CW+1   -150   -1.63
3SS-4   -200   -2.74
4HNx-2   -300   -4.92
3NW=   -400   -7.08
5CW=   -400   -7.08
3NE=   -400   -7.08
5CWx=   -550   -9.5
3NEx=   -550   -9.5

Board 12
Dealer West
Vuln. NS

S 972
H QJ74
D 43
C A862

S QJ85 S K4
H AT2 H K983
D AJ92 D T6
C Q3 C J9754

S AT63
H 65
D KQ875
C KT

A simple hand to end on. West will open 1D, or if playing 12-14 or 14-16 NT, 1NT. East will bid a heart, and west will bid 1S, 2H or 1NT. 2H will end the auction as should 1NT. If West rebids 1NT, East will bid 1NT, again ending the auction. If South balances back into the bidding, he may get himself into trouble.

3CE-1   50   5.21
1NE-1   50   5.21
3HE-1   50   5.21
1NE=   -90   1.76
2CW=   -90   1.76
2NS-1   -100   1.61
2HE=   -110   1.05
1NE+1   -120   0.84
2HE+1   -140   0.05
1NE+2   -150   0.03
2NW+1   -150   0.03
1NE+3   -180   -0.92
1NE+3   -180   -0.92
2DS-2   -200   -1.39
1NN-2   -200   -1.39
2DS-2   -200   -1.39
2SN-3   -300   -3.71
3NW+1   -430   -6.61
2SSx-2   -500   -7.92
2NSx-3   -800   -11.82

BBO Discussion Forums: First Pro/Am Event sponsored by B/I forum - BBO Discussion Forums