A Coup For You

Before I start with this hand, here is a brief comment. Everyone tells me that I should work less and have more fun. One of the enjoyable things that I do is to talk about bridge. With this in mind, I am going to try to write a bit more. We shall see.

A student sends me the following hand, both vulnerable at IMP’s:

—-A K T 8 5 2 A 3 J 9 7 6 2.

To your surprise, it goes three to you. What is your call? What has happened to the spades? If you open, can you expect to be plus? And finally, is this an automatic decision?

Solution is delayed —

Click for Solution

Vulnerable versus not at IMP’s I pick up J 10 Q 9 8 3 K J 10 7 Q J 10.

RHO passes and so do you. LHO, third seat at favorable, opens 2. Partner doubles and RHO raises to 3.

What is your call? How many hearts do you promise with a double or if you bid the suit?

Look here for our “solution”.

With both vulnerable at IMP’s, your RHO passes and you hold the following hand in second seat:
A 6
A 8
A K 7 5
A Q J T 5.

What is your opening bid? If you choose to open 2, partner will make a double negative response. What is your rebid?

Here is the solution.

On our teams we have a rule. We work on methods and understandings. We do not try to teach card play or bidding judgment. This reflects the fact that our players all have decades of experience. They either know it or they do not. If they do not exhibit good play or good bidding, then it is time to find new teammates.

Having said this, I am consistently surprised by poor hand evaluation, even in top-flight competition where the participants are great at playing the cards.

Take a look at this example, starting with my hand. With no one vulnerable at IMP’s you pick up K J 7 7 6 5 A K Q 5 K 7 6. Playing 14+ to 17 NT’s, you open 1NT. Partner (via Stayman, not promising a major) invites game in NT.

Do you accept? Where do you think you are in your announced range?

Here is the solution.

YouTube had to pull the great bridge video on the young Canadian stars. Check out Justin’s blog for the full story.

Let’s hope that CTV finds a way to present this to a wider audience. Maybe we can figure out a way to persuade them.

Meanwhile, thanks to Justin for getting this out there so that many players could see it.