Mixed impressions by the Dutch kibitzer
by Kees Tammens
Bidding more and more becomes the cornerstone of the game at the international level. Especially the preemptive moves can create big problems. I am always anxious to see how things develop, so please inform me if you have the right answers. As an intermezzo some problems for declarer and defenders.
| Board: 16. Dlr: West/EW |
| | ♠ A 5 2
♥ 10 7 6
♦ J
♣ Q 10 8 7 5 2 |
♠ -
♥ K J 2
♦ A K Q 10 7
♣ K J 9 4 3 |  |
♠ K 9 8 6
♥ A Q 9 8 4 3
♦ 8 3
♣ A | | | ♠ Q J 10 7 4 3
♥ 5
♦ 9 6 5 4 2
♣ 6 |
| West | North | East | South |
| 1♦ | Pass | 1♥ | 3♠
|
| 4♣ | 5♠ | Dble | All pass
|
The full blooded 3♠-preemptive by Marion Michielsen and the ever so cooperative 5♠ by Bob Drijver really jammed all possible bidding space for east-west who had to be satisfied with +800 (and +3 imps when at the other table east-west stopped in 4♥). Was it the 4♣ bid, the double at 5♥ or the pass at the double?
| Board: 22. Dlr: East/EW |
| | ♠ Q 10 8 7 6 4 2
♥ Q J 8 7
♦ -
♣ K 10 |
♠ K J 9
♥ 10 9
♦ Q J 6 5 4
♣ J 9 7 | |
♠ A 3
♥ 6 4
♦ K 9 8
♣ A Q 8 4 3 2 | | | ♠ 5
♥ A K 7 5 3
♦ A 10 7 3 2
♣ 6 5 |
| West | North | East | South |
| | Pass | 1NT | Dble
|
| Pass | 4♥ | Pass | Pass
|
| Dble | All pass
| | |
Dble of 1NT shows major/minor
Is the vulnerable north really preempting you? After a trump lead (club on ♦A) and a spade for the ace and another trump declarer had no problems collecting twelve tricks. Leaving Gerbrand Hop (west) behind with the question if his hand really had no defensive trick at all.
| Board: 4. Dlr: West/All |
| | ♠ K Q
♥ Q 7 5 3
♦ Q 7 6 5
♣ Q 9 2 |
♠ 10 5 3 2
♥ 9 2
♦ 10 2
♣ A K J 4 3 | |
♠ 9 7 6
♥ K J 4
♦ A J 8
♣ 10 7 6 5 | | | ♠ A J 8 4
♥ A 10 8 6
♦ K 9 4 3
♣ 8 |
| West | North | East | South |
| Pass | Pass | Pass | 1♦
|
| Pass | 1♥ | Pass | 2♥
|
| Pass | 2♠ | Pass | 3♣(short)
|
| Dble | 4♥ | All pass
| |
A defensive intermezzo.Of course not everything is decided in the bidding. How about this defensive play.
Partner leads a club for ♣K and what can you do now to induce declarer to go down?
Club seems no use, spade ? trump? Or ♦10 in the opening of south?
If it goes ♦10, ♦Q, then East has an interesting choice: ♦10 singleton or doubleton? Anyway, if East takes ♦A or ducks, declarer will have a harsh time playing hearts for one loser.
| Board: 7. Dlr: South/All |
| | ♠ 8 7 6
♥ J 4 3 2
♦ 8 6
♣ Q 8 5 2 |
♠ K Q 9 5 4
♥ 8
♦ A 4 3 2
♣ A K 7 | |
♠ A J 3
♥ A 9
♦ K J 9 7 5
♣ J 9 6 | | | ♠ 10 2
♥ K Q 10 7 6 5
♦ Q 10
♣ 10 4 3 |
| West | North | East | South |
| | | | 2♦ (♥)
|
| ??Dble/2♠ | Pass/3♥ | ??
| |
One more for the bidding quiz:
East: ♠A J 3 ♥A 9 ♦K J 9 7 5 ♣J 9 6
interesting stuff for profound systemdiscussion.
| Board: 13. Dlr: North/All |
| | ♠ A K 10 6
♥ Q 10 6
♦ Q 7 4 3
♣ Q J |
♠ Q 4
♥ 5 2
♦ A J 6 5
♣ K 9 8 5 2 | |
♠ -
♥ A 9 8 7 4 3
♦ 10 8
♣ A 10 7 6 3 | | | ♠ J 9 8 7 5 3 2
♥ K J
♦ K 9 2
♣ 4 |
| West | North | East | South |
| | 1♣ | 2♥ | 2♠
|
| All pass |
| | |
A different view
Did East, Bob Drijver, here preempt himself? He was unlucky not being able to bid his twosuiter after the 1♣ opening. But should he be content with -170?
Judith Nab, Bob’s girlfriend, showed her hand in great style
| West | North | East | South |
| Laura | | Judith
| |
| | 1NT | 2♥ | 2NT
|
| Pass | 3♣ | Dble | 3♠
|
| 5♣ | 5♠ | Dble | All pass |
The great effort by Judith was well enjoyed by Laura Dekkers with 5♣ (it even takes a diamond lead to defeat 6♣!) and north-south in fact did the right thing in saving for -200. It must have been a big board for the Dutch because at both other tables north-south were allowed to play 4♠ for 620.
| Board: 17. Dlr: North/None |
| | ♠ 10 6 4
♥ Q J 10
♦ J 6
♣ K Q 7 5 2 |
♠ K J 9 7
♥ 5 3 2
♦ 5 4 2
♣ 8 4 3 | |
♠ 8 3
♥ K 9 7 6
♦ A 7 3
♣ A 10 9 6 | | | ♠ A Q 5 2
♥ A 8 4
♦ K Q 10 9 8
♣ J |
| West | North | East | South |
| Michielsen | | Drijver
| |
| | Pass | Pass | 1♦
|
| Pass | 1NT | Pass | 2NT
|
| Pass | 3NT | All pass
| |
A small heart went to ♥10 and a club to ♣J followed. Then ♦10, ducked all around. Diamond for ♦J and ♦A. A spade, ducked in dummy for ♠J. Club for ♣A and a second spade left declarer helpless.
It took some time unless a peculiar winning line was discovered. Suppose declarer plays ♠Q in the first spade trick. If west wins, ♠10 will become an entry for the ♥-finesse. And if west ducks, declarer takes all diamonds and plays ♠A and a spade. Am I right?
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