Penalising the weak NT

At my club almost everyone plays a weak no trump, Precision and Acol are the two favoured systems. It's probably because very few pairs seem to be good at penalising them. For example: My partner, North, opened a weak NT and East doubled. Without any agreement I bid 2♥ confidently. I love these bids, if partner thinks it's a transfer, great, showing hearts, great, both majors, great!

Dealer: North Vul: N/S	♠ K 3 ♥ K T 5 3 ♦ Q T 6 5 ♣ K J 3
♠ T 9 8 7 4 ♥ A 5 ♦ J 7 ♣ Q T 8 5		♠ A Q ♥ Q J 7 ♦ A K 4 3 ♣ A 9 7 4
	♠ J 6 5 2 ♥ 9 6 4 2 ♦ 9 8 2 ♣ 6 2

We're probably staring at -800 here and -1100 if they get it all right but West bid 2♠ over two hearts and picked up a solid +140 instead.


My favourite system (for now anyway) over a weak no trump has a penalty double (16+) but in the pass out I like to play double as more like 12+. Sitting down with a new partner our only discussion of system was "Landy and double is penalty". Sitting East at favourable I held this:

♠	A 6
♥	A 5 2
♦	J 9 4
♣	Q 9 7 3 2

I like better suits for 11 point openings so I let South open their weak NT. Two passes back to me and I was annoyed for playing something simple. Surely there's a partscore on for us, why do we have to lose 5 IMPs just because I didn't open? I could 'forget' I'm playing Landy and hope partner does likewise but he's sharper than that so I'll just double and trust he won't pick me for 16+!

The NT opener passed quickly but partner fell into a trance. "Don't bid 2♠, don't bid 2♠, don't bid 2♠..." Pass! Excellent.

Dealer: North Vul: N/S	♠ Q 9 8 3 ♥ T 9 7 3 ♦ K 6 2 ♣ T 8
♠ J 7 5 4 ♥ Q J 4 ♦ A T 5 ♣ K J 6		♠ A 6 ♥ A 5 2 ♦ J 9 4 ♣ Q 9 7 3 2
	♠ K T 2 ♥ K 8 6 ♦ Q 8 7 3 ♣ A 5 4

Partner led the Q♥ and I'm supposed to give reverse attitude; surely he can't think I like this suit so my smallest heart should ask for a club. J♥ continuation, sigh, declarer wins the King and fires back another heart to my Ace. I'll have to do the clubs myself; declarer took the second round but my well behaved partner had played his cards right so they're not blocked.

Declarer now has to guess who has which Ace, he knows neither of us have both but there's precious few clues as to which is where. Playing a diamond towards the table will allow 2 hearts, 1 spade, 1 diamond and a club for 500 away. Alas he played a spade to the Queen and Ace; on my clubs partner pitched his diamonds and declarer his spades. My last spade exit set up the spades with my partner holding an entry +1100.

There is always an exception

When I learnt to play bridge about 8 years ago I was taught Acol mostly for geographical reasons. The first rule I got taught was to "Open your longest suit". That was pretty simple and I mastered it quickly. My triumph was short lived as only a single hand later my world was overturned when I picked up a hand with two suits the same length.

It was time for lesson 2: "Open the lower of two four card suits and the higher of two five or six card suits." These two rules have worked in harmony for a long time because regardless of how much you play there isn't a hand for which they work badly. Except there is and I picked it up last night:

♠	6
♥	Q J 6 4 3
♦	K J 9 8 7 2
♣	A

If it's not immediately clear what I mean here's what happened:

Daniel	North	East	South
1♦	Pass	1♠	Pass

I'd really like to show my hearts now but to bid them it would be a reverse and I haven't the high cards. I just have to rebid my suit and hope to get a chance later.

2♦

Pass

3♣

Pass

That's not really what I wanted to see. There's all the warning signs of a big misfit and partner has no idea. I'd better be as discouraging as I can. Thinking about bidding hearts is useless anyway, we play fourth suit forcing.

3♦

Pass

3NT

Pass

I'm tempted to think I could get away with bidding the heart game here but what if partner takes it the wrong way? Will he simply pray that my insanity isn't contagious and pass or might he over think it? It doesn't seem worth the risk.

Pass

Pass

So I opened my hand with the intention of showing some suits and doing some bidding but in 4 rounds of uncontested auction I couldn't bid my 5 card major. That can't be right.

♠ 6 ♥ Q J 6 4 3 ♦ K J 9 8 7 2 ♣ A		♠ A Q 9 5 4 ♥ K T 7 ♦ Q 6 ♣ K T 6

3NT isn't too bad a contract... well... it's quite good when they lead the unbid suit (he he, surprise!). On a club lead though 3 clubs and two red aces are unavoidable. In 4♥ the bad guys can't get 3 tricks.

Watch what happens if I don't open according to the beginner rules:

Daniel	North	East	South
1♥	Pass	1♠	Pass
2♦	Pass	4♥	Pass

I think I've learnt something here.

Delivery

I was at a music festival this weekend. It was a lot of fun and I got to see a bunch of bands that I like and some bands that make you think "Hey, I didn't know that song was by them!" It rained and I got wet but that's life right?

On his excellent blog that maybe if we prod him some he'll keep writing, Sartaj spends at lot of time talking about delivery. Delivery is when you hear a band on the radio and love the song. It speaks to you, it's got all the components of a great song: rhythm, beat, melody everything. You get excited about it and buy the album. The album is alright, there's some other reasonable songs but nothing that quite grabs you like the first one did.

Then a friend says they're going to the concert and you agree to go along. The supporting band is a bit odd and forgettable but then your band comes on. It doesn't sound anything like the album version, while it's the same song it's lacking all the polish. The lead singer is yelling a bit more than singing and the guitarist is too early into each verse.

This is delivery. At their best, carefully guided in a studio by an expert producer this band can craft an amazing song but in the real world they struggle to hold it together. I can see squeezes, throw ins and even the scissors coup when someone gives me a problem and tells me to be careful but in the real world I take the finesse and go down.

Serious bridge is all delivery. It depends not on your technical skill or imaginative defense, everyone in the tournament can do these problems on paper. Winning is the art of applying the best of yourself to the hand you're playing.

Calling for the fair police

You know what I mean. When you make a bid or play that's almost certainly correct only to discover the uncomfortable difference between "almost certainly" and "certainly". For example say you pick up this:

♠	A 9 3
♥	A K Q
♦	J 4 3
♣	A K J 5

Even by taking off your shoes and socks you can't count them all but after calling for an abacus you come to 22 high card points. But wait, it's not your turn. Your partner over there is doing complex sums on a piece of tree bark. Some time later, satisfied with his scratchings, he opens a strong 1NT.

Back to the abacus you go and a clattering of beads later you decide this means you have between 37 and 39 highs combined. A quick walk to the library to find your well worn encyclopaedia confirms that the requirements for a small slam are 33 highs and for a grand slam 37 highs. Content in the rigour of your process you lay down all the bidding cards with a lovely thump; 7NT.

♠ K 6 5 4 2  ♥ J 3 2 ♦ A K Q ♣ Q 6		♠ A 9 3 ♥ A K Q ♦ J 4 3 ♣ A K J 5

Disappointing? Definitely. I'm not sure I've ever seen someone claim down one in a grand on the lead.

To bid or to trap

Some people are hunters others just bid their contracts ignoring the opponents as much as possible. Here's a hand:

♠	5
♥	K Q 9 8 6
♦	6
♣	A K T 8 6 3

You're favourable or non-vul against vul. Your partner deals and opens 1♦, right hand opponent bids 1♥ and it's up to you. Your agreements state that when the auction goes 1x and an opponent overcalls a suit below 2x opener will always reopen with a double unless they have an extreme shape in which case they will bid.

It seems like there are only two options, pass aiming for a penalty when partner doubles or abandon the penalty and bid a natural and forcing (but not game forcing) 2♣. Just to be wacky though I'll throw in a natural 2NT showing 10-12 and a heart stop (cos that's what you've got right??).

I've tried not going to influence this by stating my own opinion but I'll sneak in a vote after a couple of other people.

Updated: I'm glad the votes were reasonably well split, shows it was a good problem. There was a furious debate when the hand came up at the club between the "what's the point they'll run to spades" group and the "they won't always run and 1100 is so much fun" group. At the table I was the 1♥ bidder and didn't get trapped but I'd be trapping rather than bidding. As it happens they'll run to spades, you'll bid clubs and end up in the making 3NT you would have got to if you'd bid 2♣ rather than trapping. Boring huh.

The momentum of a double

A while ago I bought and read an excellent book called "Psychological Strategy in Contract Bridge: The Techniques of Deception and Harassment in Bidding and Play". Unfortunately I lent it to my mother who took it on a bridge trip and left it on a plane. Actually I suspect that when my father with whom she was to play saw the bidding contained therein threw it out the window.

One of the concepts it introduced me to however was that doubles have momentum. Once you convince a player that doubling is the correct action they are more likely to double later when it might not be as correct. This sounds all very interesting but nothing explains an idea like an example, I'm South:

Vul: NS Dealer: North	♠ T ♥ 7 5 3 2 ♦ Q 9 8 6 4 3 ♣ 8 4
♠ Q 6 3 ♥ Q J 9 ♦ A K 2 ♣ A J T 9		♠ 5 ♥ K T 8 6 4 ♦ J 5 ♣ K Q 7 6 3
	♠ A K J 9 8 7 4 2 ♥ A ♦ T 7 ♣ 5 2

Now this isn't the vulnerability or the position to pick up this sort of hand and when East opens 2♥ showing a weak hand with hearts and a minor the room's going to bid 4♠, get doubled and it'll probably cost them 200 or 500. It might make but then again they might bid 5♥ over the top and make that.

What I'd really like to do is either convince them to double 3 when the room's doubled in 4 or convince them to double 4 when the room bids 5♥. Lets start off by bidding something silly that'll get me doubled.

Partner	East	Me	West
Pass	2♥	2NT	X1
XX2	Pass	3♣3	X4
3♦	Pass	Pass5	X6
Pass	Pass	3♠7	X8
Pass	Pass	Pass9

Some explaining:
1: First double!
2: This is a transfer to 3♣ as an escape from doubled no trumps.
3: There's no way I'm revealing the psyche at this stage plus 3♣ may get out undoubled.
4: Reeling them in.
5: Diamonds might not be so bad and I'll bet West can't pass.
6: Hook, line and....
7: Trying to look like a desperate attempt to avoid the Axe.
8: Sinker!
9: Happy sigh after a job well done.

It's so lovely when partner with the best of intentions complements and enhances your little scheme. The defence were always getting 5 tricks but every other table was in 4♠x down two or 5♥ making 5.

More sacrificial mayhem

Three times in the last session I played my partner passed the first round or two of the auction then with the slightest provocation jumped gleefully to the 4 or 5 level. It was a bit scary. None were more spectacular than when he attempted a nil-vul sacrifice holding:

♠	-
♥	T 3
♦	A J 9 8 2
♣	J T 9 5 4 3

The auction went like this:

Partner	East	Me	West
Pass1	1♠	2♥	2♠
Pass2	4♠3	Pass	Pass
4NT	X4	5♣	Pass
Pass	X5	Allpass

1: We don't have an opening for this sort of hand so what else is there to do?
2: This auction is basically forcing, you never pass them out in 2♠ at pairs.
3: Bid confidently and without a moments hesitation.
4: Clearly penalties. I love these doubles they always make me smile inside.
5: Doubled the last contract, gonna double this one!

If you think partners void in trumps meant I might have a few you could be onto something. If you think that he might be holding an Ace too many for a sacrifice opposite a two level overcall you are onto something. I completely thwarted his attempts at sacrifice by holding:

	♠ - ♥ T 3 ♦ A J 9 8 2 ♣ J T 9 5 4 3
♠ Q J 6 5 ♥ K 9 4 ♦ K T 5 3 ♣ 8 6		♠ A K T 9 7 4 3 ♥ Q 7 2 ♦ 7 ♣ K 7
	♠ 8 2 ♥ A J 8 6 5 ♦ Q 6 4 ♣ A Q 2

Not only has he jumped against a non-making game but the contract we've bid puts most freezers to shame. This sacrificing thing is clearly harder than it's made out to be.

Sacrificing at the three level

Playing pairs can be a horrible business. The difference between +110 and +120 shouldn't be worth the stress it is afforded. The singly worst thing though is when you can't trust the field to bid. Playing teams you have someone to string up, at pairs there's only 'the room'. Here's and hand on which I opened a third seat weak 1NT:

♠ A K 5 4 3 ♥ Q 6 3 ♦ Q 3 2 ♣ Q J

I opened 1NT rather than 1♠ for lots of reasons. Some of them are misguided but at least over 1NT if my partner has long diamonds or long hearts we can play in them at the two level which isn't possible over 1♠. I can always bid 2♠ later if my opponents attempt to pilfer the contract.


The auction proceeded:

West	North	East	South
Pass	Pass	1NT	2♣*
3♥	Pass	Pass	Pass

*Single suited
Uneventful. My partner knows I like opportunities to recognise he's a past hand; his bid must be weak and something of a pre-compete so I'm not raising. Part played the hand quickly; there really wasn't much to it. He was only getting 7 tricks from the outset -200. However in context:

	♠ J 9 8 6 2 ♥ A ♦ K J 7 5 ♣ T 5 2
♠ Q T ♥ J 9 8 7 5 4 2 ♦ 6 4 ♣ 7 6		♠ A K 5 4 3 ♥ Q 6 3 ♦ Q 3 2 ♣ Q J
	♠ 7 ♥ K T ♦ A T 9 8 ♣ A K 9 8 4 3

North-South can make slam in either minor or 3NT so we're getting a good board right? My partner has found an excellent bid here. Par:-170 and 35%.

A bidding problem

Here's your hand:

♠ A 8 5 3 ♥ K J T 5 ♦ 9 ♣ 6 5 4 3

Seems pretty normal but lets pretend for a moment that when your partner opens 1♠ it will be a good opening; only the very best 11 counts and 5332 with a poor suit gets opened a weak 1NT. If you play openings that could be lighter maybe make it KQT5 of hearts. I suggest that regardless of the vulnerability or the form of scoring you want to be in game on this hand. Here are the bids available to you (ignoring the silly options):

2♣	Aiming for a delayed game raise maybe? Partner is going to be unimpressed by the suit.
2♥	Another attempt at a the delayed game raise. These tend to show better hands though right? That heart suit is not a good source of tricks!
3♣	Jacoby 13+, 3+ spade support FG
3♦	Bergen style 10 - 12, 3+ spade support
3♥	Bergen style 6 - 9, 4+ spade support
3♠	Pre-emptive 0 - 5, 4 spade support
4♦	Splinter
4♠	Pre-emptive 0 - 5, 5 spade support

Realistically 3♠ and 4♠ but you can vote on the rest. If you've got a philosophy, view on life that explains your answer or just want to tell me I'm playing a stupid system please comment!

Double dummy

Along with the hand records our dealing machine adds a double dummy analysis of the contracts available. I'm not sure if it uses Deep Finesse or one of the myriad other solvers that have appeared but no one has been able to fault it so far. The most common 'use' for this wee feature is for beginner and intermediate players to look at it and say "Look it says we should be in 3♦! How do we bid that?".

What I enjoy is the hand that comes along every so often where it appears that the double dummy is wrong. The time spent working out just how it does what it does is fun especially with a few people to help throw in ideas. Even better when the double dummy result is the intuitive one until someone challenges it and then you have to prove they're wrong:

Contract: 4♠ by South	♠ 8 3 ♥ T 8 5 ♦ T 9 5 3 ♣ A 8 6 4
♠ 7 ♥ Q J 9 7 3 2 ♦ Q 8 7 6 ♣ T 9		♠ Q 9 6 4 ♥ A K ♦ A K J 2 ♣ 7 3 2
	♠ A K J T 5 2 ♥ 6 4 ♦ 4 ♣ K Q J 5

On this hand the double dummy solvers will testify that you cannot make 10 tricks in spades. This is intuitively correct because you have 3 red losers and you're an entry to dummy short to finesse twice in spades.

Look though at the doubleton ♣T9 in the same hand as the short spade! Surely you can ruff at trick four and overtake the K♣ to take the first spade finesse. Then cash a club, enter the dummy by the 8♣ and take that second so desperately needed hook. Good point.

However just like double dummy declarers make it look easy double dummy defenders make it impossible. First the defence start with two rounds of hearts followed by a sneaky under lead in diamonds to get back to the West hand. West nonchalantly plonks a big heart on the table allowing East to pitch a club. That critical club pitch ruins the clever line above and you're back to the 9 tricks it always looked like there were.