Junior Nationals Summary

This year we headed to the Junior Bridge Nationals at Mumbai with high spirits, as we were putting up our best team yet. Ashok, Prajwal, Guthi and I have been practicing hard and reading a lot this past year. Tota and Angad joined us at Mumbai and though they were out of touch they performed well enough.

The tournament turnout was disappointingly low; there were only 36 players from around the country. Guthi was not surprised, but I thought considering there were nearly 30 players at the first junior nationals at hyderabad three years ago, there should be a lot more now. And that 36 included six 10-12 year old kids from Salem. While I can understand CBA's sentiment in encouraging them, their presence totally messed up the scoresheets in the individual event and the pairs event. But it wasn't entirely their fault either that the above two events were not much fun; quite a lot of the players there were novices at the game. I had expected a significant number of people to be in the "intermediate" category, but what we got was a bunch of beginners, a contingent of six good players from west bengal, and another good team consisting of Aniket Sanghvi, Anurag Mohota, Soumya Das (dashu), Ayan Mandal, and a fifth player (Pravin) we didn't know from before.

In all, there were 7 teams for the team of four event, and immediately it was clear that the top three teams were way ahead of the field. We were informed that the top four teams would qualify for the superleagues, so for the top three teams it was a time of taking stock of the other two, and for the rest it was a race for fourth place. The other IIT Madras team from Tapti hostel narrowly missed qualifying, and it was a Mumbai team that made it. As for us, we lost by IMP margins of 10-11 to both the west bengal team and Aniket's team in the 8-board match.

The ostensible purpose of the superleagues was to decide who faces who in the semifinals (the winner gets to select the opponent), but they carried over the VPs from the leagues so Aniket's team was too far ahead to catch up even though we won all three league matches, getting the max 25 VPs two out of three times. So it was just play practice and gaining an understanding of the opponents' styles and systems. Also for us it was a morale booster, winning all matches comfortably, and beating the west bengal team soundly. Thus we had a psychological advantage going against them in the semifinals, once again winning by 25 VPs. Guthi and I had been playing really well from the superleague stage and we kept it up in the semifinals.

Then came the time of reckoning, but somehow we just found ourselves slipping in the finals, losing a few IMPs here and a few IMPs there to end up 24 IMPs down after 20 boards. In the final 10 boards, after no significant chance of gain after 6 boards I stopped concentrating and we slipped further to lose another 12 IMPs or so at the finish.

The good thing about the tournament was that we made a good impression by trouncing the west bengal team by 25 VPs twice and beating Aniket's team once (though Aniket himself missed that match). We didn't lose because they were better but because of the unpredictability inherent in bridge, and perhaps because we didn't handle our nerves as well as we should have in the finals. I hope at least a couple of us make it to the Indian Junior Bridge team this year, and we know we have a great shot at winning the JNs next year.

Cheers
Prashanth.

Slam hands from Junior nationals-,08.

Slam bidding is not easy. Grand slam bidding is probably easier, maybe because we bid them less aggressively than slams. 5NT GSF(Grand Slam Force) convention was explained to me by SP on the first day of the tournament. The same evening a hand came up where we used it.

A
AKQT
AKJx
Jxxx
(S.P)

xx
xx
QTxx
AKQxxx
(Guthi)

I opened a light 1C and in the second seat.
Here is how the complicated bidding sequence was.
1C - 1H
2C - 5NT
7C - End Yes! We bid a grand slam in just 3 rounds. Now that's something!

Here is how the 5NT convention works. The suit that was bid and supported or the suit that was last bid is fixed as the trumps suit. A jump to 5NT asks partner to bid 7 holding two of the the top three honors, 6 with just two of them. With the partnership can reach quick slams or grand slams and keep the defenders in dark. Though in this case the defender lead a trump.

This was in the pairs tournament, sadly the result was not very influential in pushing our scores up.
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This time is the play offs, results didn't matter much but we did play with all seriousness.

AKJx
KQxxx
A
Axx
(Guthi)

QTxxx
A
Qxxx
Kxx
(s.p)

I was dealer and started the uncontested auction with 1H.

1H - 1S
3C*(1) - 3D*(2)
3S*(3) - 4S*(4)
4NT - 5C*(5)
5D - 6C*(6)
7S*(7) - End

(1) - Terrible rebid problem, the hand is a quarter point short of a 2C opening and the only gave forcing bid available at that point was 3C, I chose this though it dosent reveal the support for spades.
(2) - SP meant it as a waiting bid, I took it as 'showing diamonds' Bid 3NT from your side.
(3) Time to show support.
(4) I think I know what is going on.
(5) One key card.
(6) King of clubs and Queens of spade.
(7) Good Luck Partner. ;-)

The lead was trump. S.P's hands were shivering, but the play was smooth. Ruff a diamond and pull trumps; then claim all. All.

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Cheers
Guthi.

TNSC deals.

You hold

K
KQ9xxx
Q9xx
Axx

RHO is the dealer:

P-1H-1S-2D;
p-?

I called 2S. There has been no prior understandings on these situations but I choose to bid 2S anyways. This generally means one of the two - Good raise in Diamonds; or asking for spade stopper. It will be better if we have agreement on if it show extras or not. Here on opponents kept passing, not even making lead directing doubles or asking what the bids meant. Here is what happened.

K
K Q 9 x x x
Q 9 x x
A x x

Q x x
A
A K 10 x x x
x x x

P - 1H - 1S - 2D;
p - 2S - p - 3S;
p - 4C - p - 4D;
p - 5D - End.

As you can see, slam in diamonds is a down unless there is a heart void with East.
In which case 6NT is safer. And it is a better bid at MPs.

Prajwal meant the 3S as showing half stopper in spades, or so he wanted to. (Qxx is a full stopper) I bid 4C showing my Ace of clubs. The 4D was confusing. We generally do not cue bid in the trump suit. Probably he was afraid to show singleton Ace of hearts. I have read somewhere that if the single ton is hearts do not show it, bid 4NT - this I do not understand. I took the 4D as showing poor values, and made a sign off looking bid of 5D. I never showed my extra heart, so I could have bid 4H over his 4D, if it understood as showing King of hearts or extra length, it should be good news. I wish we can bid these hands without trouble in the upcoming J.Nationals.

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You hold

Q x
Q T x x
A x
A K Q 9 8

The auction is uncontested. Partner begins with 1D. You are playing 2/1, so you bid 2C, making life simple for partner. If 1H is bid, then over either a 1S or a 1NT rebid, there is a slight problem in showing your club suit. The requirement on suit quality should be agreed on.
Partner rebids his diamond suit cheaply. In 2/1 this bid is mandatory if the opener has 5 or more diamonds. You bid as planned, 2H. The entire auction is as follows.

1D - 2C
2D - 2H
2NT - 3C
3D - 4NT
5S - 6D
6NT - End

I held. Lead was spade Jack.

Q x
Q T x x
A x
A K Q 9 8

K x
A x
K Q x x x x
T x x

Let us count our tricks. 1+1+3+3=8; if diamonds break we get 3 more tricks. Still one trick short. Will we need the clubs to break as well? If they were 4-1, then 6D will make but not 6NT.
At IMPs, I would have left it there, but playing MPs I gambled for the NT contract.
I played low from dummy and RHO played low too, me winning with King. I quickly played low diamond to Ace, and a diamond back to hand. All followed. :-) quickly played off my diamonds discarding hearts and spades from dummy. There is one 4-1 break in clubs I can handle, if the 4 carder is with my LHO. So I preserve my heart ace and test the clubs, Alas, RHO has Jxxx in clubs! I cashed all the top clubs and played the lone heart queen from dummy and went up with my Ace and RHO drops the King! My last two cards were a small heart and a small spade. I did not watch the discards carefully. Playing a spade is a losing play, so I played the heart 6. Bingo, it won, we were lucky!

Any comments on the bidding? - till 6D :D
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A
AJTxx
AQJTx
Kx

RHO opens 2S (weak), what is your call? 3S? What your agreements on these bids?

LHO raises it to 4S, partner passes. what now?

I bid 5D, which was doubled and went down 2. Looked like 4S was going down on any lead. One trick in each suit. I bid my way to a bottom. Anyways, partner had

Q x x
9 x x x
9 8 x
Q J x

A
AJTxx
AQJTx
Kx

I lost one club, one trump and two hearts. The hearts were 3-1, with LHO (one who raised spades) KQx. If the hearts were 2-2, it would have been better. Coming back to bidding, In Prajwal's position, would correct 5D to 5H - fair?



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x
8 7 3
K 8 4 3
A K Q x x

(Prajwal-dummy)

A x x x x
Q J T x x
Q T 9
-void- :)

(Guthi)



Bidding went -

1C - 1S;
2C - 2H;
2NT - 3H;
4H -end.

It is always a problem with such hands when opener rebids his minor. What is would it mean if I bid 3H instead of 2H? A 5-5 with non GF values? It did not come to my mind at the table.

Play: Lead was a small diamond, taken by RHO with Ace, and returneda low diamond. I did not pay much attention to the spots played by LHO, so won with Queen in hand, cashed spade ace, ruffed on, played on top clubs discarding spades from hand. At this position, I led low heart from dummy to my Queen, taken by LHO with King. He thinks for a while and plays Ace of hearts and exits in a CLUB! Cupper, I claimed all. RHO began shouting, for his partner did not return a diamond for a ruff. I did follow the spots, he had echoed, playing high-low, asking for a ruff.

*******************************************************************************
J 9 x
A T x x
A Q J 8
A x
(Guthi)

A K 6 x x
x
T 9 x
K J x x

(Prajwal)

Bidding went -

1S - 2D; 3C - 3S; 4H - 4NT; 5H - 6S.

Lead Heart King. Prajwal thinks for a short while and plays Heart Ace, followed by two quick rounds of top spades. The Queen did not drop. Playing for the Diamond finesse is the only hope, which worked. Twelve tricks and slam made. :)


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A J x x
-void-
A K Q x x x
A x

K x x x
?
?
?

-under development-

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Q 9 x x
A
A K Q x x
K x x

J T x
K J x x
T 8 x x x
x


-under development-

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Cheers
Zzzz...
Guthi

Bidding doubts and Problems

Problem 1:

You hold

T9xx
AKJxx
x
Kxx

I hope all will agree that this hand is worth opening in any seat, any vul.
As dealer you open 1H and partner responds 2D. What is your rebid?
Playing SAYC, there is no option but to repeat your major. Playing 2/1, we have to bid
2S. ( -a- Isn't that compulsory? What do we do one small club is replaced by a small Heart)

-b- What if the the responders bid had been 2C? Should we bid our weak spade suit instead of showing support?

Problem 2:

You hold

xx
x
AKQJx
Qxxxx

In first seat partner opens the auction with 1H.

-c- What is your bid? What do you plan to rebid over 2H,2S, 2NT, 3C and3D. [You are playing 2/1. ]

Answers:

-a- It is compulsory to bid 2S and clarify the distribution. We all know that.
With a 6-4: I remember reading in A.R columns, he suggested that we bid the cheapest of the two bids. By that, its 2H here. It does not promise a 6 carder, right?

-b- It is still better to show the spade suit and clarify the distribution I think, I need some guidance here.

-c- Over rebids of 2H, 2S and 2NT, the call will be 3C.
Over a rebid of 3D, 4C ( showing 5-5 ?) If the majors were 1-2 instead of 2-1, is 3S a cue agreeing on Diamonds?
Over a rebid of 3C, 4C again?

Waiting from gyaan from the pundits of bidding.

Cheers,
Guthi

Random Slam hand from 2007

You are in a 6D contact after your partner(dealer) opened 1NT and your LHO bid lots in Hearts. The bidding was

1NT-P-2S!-4H
Dbl - p - 5D -p
6D - End
(2S is minor suit stayman)

The lead is heart Q and the dummy tables

Qxx
AK98
Axx
K32
(Dummy)

Kx
x
KQJxxx
A985
(You)

There is no option but to go up with the Ace of hearts on the lead, RHO follows suit ( most likely a single ton) Looking at a potential club and spade loser, declarer has to be careful.

Declarer did this: Played a low spade right way, at trick two. West with some hesitation played low and the Queen of spades won the trick. Trumps were drawn in three rounds ending in dummy. Then played the Heart King, drop the Spade King, East too discarded a spade and West obviously followed suit. This marks East with exactly 7 hearts and one diamond, 1+ spades and ? clubs. All that is left to do is to play the club suit for not more than one loser. There is no end play situation possible, there was a chance if the trumps broke evenly.

K32 opposite A984

With six cards missing, if the suit breaks 3-3 all is well. If it is 4-2 with three of the club suit honours (Q,J,T) with the double ton, there is only one club loser. That was the case. LHO held QT of clubs. Declarer played Ace and King of clubs and exited in a club. West had Axx;QJTxxxx;x;QT Voila! The contact is home.

What would have happened if West wins Ace of spade at trick two and switches to heart/spade/diamond? Then the declarer can discard one club on spade queen and another on heart King. Same result. I do not know if there is a safer way to play this hand. Or if there is better defence.

Actually, This is what should have happened. When this hand actually came up, South played in 4NT. :D

I do not think there is a scientific way to bid it after such an intervention. Wonder how the auction would have been playing a strong club system. Also, I think North can chance a bid of 6NT (Especially at pairs?) As there is a high chance of heart ruff at trick one. With hearts doubly stopped, it shouldn't be a problem. What say?

Happy New Year!

Cheers
Guthi