tennis, life and a few things in between

Girls night in, two interesting hands.

Bidding correctly is important: I tend to bid low, to feel my partner’s hand, or give her/him a chance to bid too. But many times, I don’t get to rebid when three passes occurred. Like this hand. My rho opened with a pass:

R1: p, 1♦️ (me), 1♠️, 2♦️
R2: 3♣️, 3♦️

Luckily, the bidding went on after my initial 1 diamond bid, which should have been 2♦️ bid.

This hand is identical to the last time at the club, 3 3 3 4, with 11 hcp, with the same partner:

R1: p, p (me), p, 1♦️
R2: p, 2♣️, p, 2N

By passing the first round, I’m telling my partner that I don’t have an opening hand, 12 to 13 hcp. She bid 1 diamond. The second round, I changed to clubs, which is my best suit, telling her that I’ve 10 points and club is my best suit. She then bid 1NT.

Playing at the club today, I’ve this hand – 11 hcp, 3 3 3 4, responding to my partner’s opening bid of 1 diamond.

The bidding:
R1: p; p (me), p, 1N
R2: p; 2♦️; p; 4♦️, ppp

In fact, I should have bid 1NT or 1♣️, which is my best suit. Essentially, it boils down to my best suit vs response to partner’s bid.

Per Linda: If I have 4-4 diamonds and clubs I will start with clubs. If I start with diamonds it is because I have 4-3 or 5-3. So, knowing that we don’t have an 8 card fit in clubs, why bid them? If I have five of a minor, then I can rebid that suit because you can open with 4 or even three.

Girls night in, I played the most hands, to a point I felt a little guilty. 8 hands each with two different partners, I played 3 each, total six hands.

The 1st hand, it went from pass to 4 spade.

My partner opened with a pass, who has 7 hcp, and six spades. I’ve 11 hcp, 1 void. When my rho followed up with 1 heart bid, which is my void, I took a chance to respond with 1 spade bid. Although I’ve five clubs but I don’t feel comfortable to go to level 2, when my partner passed.

The bid:

R1: P, 1♥️, 1♠️, P
R2: 2♠️, 3♥️, PP
R3: 3♠️, 4♥️, pp
R4: 4♠️, ppp

… unfortunately, we made only 8/2, down 2.

The 3rd hand: after playing the previous two hands, I wasn’t going to bid again. But got this good looking hand: 17 hcp, 7 card suit, 1 singleton and 1 doubleton. The bid:

R1: 1♦️(me), 1♠️, P, 3H
R2: P, 3N, PP
R3: double, ppp

If they don’t clean us up with club, we’ve good chance to def the contract with my seven diamonds and one ace which could use it to transfer to diamond, which I did. We made 7 tricks.

My question: could or should I insist on diamond? For defeating a contract wins no under the line points.

I hosted the first annual bridge party. 8 players show up (one was unannounced; one couple rsvp’ed but didn’t show … oh well), played on two tables. Between serving foods and drinks, I played 28 hands; won 12 bids, winning 9 of them, 75%.

There are couple of hands that my rho (right hand side opponent) Mr. L bid my suit.

This hand, I’ve 4 clubs: ♣️Q,J,10,7, with total 13 hcp, not counting the two doubletons.

Round 1 bid: p, p, 1C, 1S – me, who won the bid.

My left opponent led ♣️4, my partner has ♣️8,6,3,2, which meant my right opponent has ♣️A,K,9, 5. Also, my partner has 9 hcp.

We made 2 (8 tricks in total).

Interestingly, the same opponent bid my suit twice, also in club.

This hand, I’ve six clubs: ♣️KQJ432, 17 hcp with two doubletons. Clearly, club is my best suit.

There was only 1 round of bidding: 1♣️, 1♠️ – me, who won the bid. At this point, I didn’t know cue bid, and also wrongfully bid 1♠️ – I think the better bid should be  1N, to show my points.

Another option is to penalty double. But I’d rather play, to have the chance winning under the line points, that toward a game or rubber. I’ve used double convention many times, for the simplest reason: I’ve better hand and dare the opponent to make his or her contract.

My first hand of the night: 15 hcp, six spades, one void ♦️. My right hand opponent opened bidding with a pass.

1. Pass
2. 2♠️ – me
3. P
4. 3♠️
5. P
6. 4♠️ – me

We ended up, making 11 total tricks. Did I open correctly? Is this hand possible for a 12 tricks? How could we bid better?

Ira: You opened short of a true strong two opening. Your partner’s first response should have been 4C , asking for aces bc of partner’s point count. You would have been in small slam. Probably 6S

If partner responds 5C, it means you have all the aces and is asking for kings.

Bidding convention of strong 2 bid opening: wiki, bridge bum,

A night of exciting bridge: all girls, and many interesting hands.

It’s the first time I bid 5 →

1. Pass – my right hand; 1♣️ me; 1♦️; 2♣️
2. 2♦️; 3♣️ me; 4♦️; pass
3. pass; 5♣️ me

And I made it.

This hand, my right side opponent opened with 1♣️ – this is my suit as well: 6 clubs and total 14 hpc plus a singleton. I chanced it by bidding 1♠️ and made it.

Ira’s opinion:

You have two options: double 1C or pass. The double tells your partner you have opening points and the opponent took your bid, therefore your partner if possible make a bid; passing forces the left side opponent to bid or pass or lets your partner to bid. If everyone passes, you play 1C and most likely opponents will go down.

Below are some interesting hands

… more

1. 3 3 3 4
2. Long suit wins in NT
3. A dream hand: 26 pts

A night worth to remember: delicious Belgium chocolate, a lot of doubles and one redouble; many lousy hands – one high card (!) and one hand has four aces but more spaces … we did manage a slam unfortunately we didn’t bid for it.

What do you do when feeling bored?

I’d play bridge or tennis.

One of my friends … bought a car -:)

This hand I’ve 19 hcp +1. My partner has 11 hcp +1 too, who opened with Pass. The bid:

1. P; P; 1N (me); P
2. 2♠️; P; 4S

Did I miss anything, by jumping to 4S? My reasons are: partner passed the first round, means he has less than 12 points; but two opponents also passed. So when my partner bid in the second round for 2S, I know that he at least would have 4♠️ (in fact he does ♠️KJ10 7), and I’ve ♠️AQ985. We made 5 (11 in total).

This hand I’ve 11 hcp +2. I shouldn’t have forced the issue – should stay put. The bidding:

1. 1♥️; P, 1NT, 2♠️ (me)
2. 2♥️; 3♦️

Responding 1NT, means the bider has 6-9 pt.

A good read on response to opening bids.

We only made 1 trick: 2 short to make the contract.