0025 - End Play

Playing weak notrumps (12-14 hcp) or strong notrumps (15-17 hcp) to show an 18-19 hcp balanced hand opener first bids 1m and on rebid jumps to 2NT.

This deal was player on November 2019 in the Hilton Head Camellia Classic. This analysis is by Jamie Traudt. (see Pages: Authors)

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Playing weak no trumps in a Swiss Teams event, South picked up the following hand and opened 1♣ planning to jump to 2 NT.

Auction: After a pass from West and 1 ♦ from partner, the World Champion in the East seat overcalled 1NT. Double by South. West passed quickly and partner bid 2♦. After a pass from East, South bid a vulnerable 3NT and the attractive woman in the West seat offered a withering look that asked “What drug are you on?” After two passes, a low spade hit the table and declarer saw this lovely dummy.

“Is that the same hand you held during the auction?” he wanted to ask, but didn’t, knowing that his partner might rightly ask whether he didn’t see the 1NT bid on his right, or just chose to ignore it. Enough recriminations.

2019 Mini-McKinney

Unit 252 2019 masterpoint winners in the Mini-McKinney and Ace of Clubs awards in addition the Hilton Head Bridge Club Special yearly awards.

Marvin Shatz Award – Dave Haleks
Craig Gibbons Award – Gerard Gardner
Attaining Life Master 2019 – Stephen Grossberg, Kathy Mootz, Barbara Schulz

Mini-McKinney Winners 2019 Unit 252
Category               Player                     Masterpoints
0-5                  William Murray                 34.31
5-20                Phillip Dobrzynski             23.00
20-50              Murial Murphy                  67.87
50-100            Laural Ludden                 139.74
100-200          Gerard Gardner                186.87
200-300          Jinny Morgan                   112.06
300-500          Dave Haleks                     104.95
500-1000        Scott Vincini                     319.45
1000-1500      Jamie Traudt                     404.83
1500-2500      Tom Schlossberg              263.72
2500-3500      Stanley Hurwitz               300.16
3500-5000      Lesley Fells                      269.36
5000-7500      Gary Donner                    960.91
7500-10000    Ron Perry                         362.03
10000+           Geoff Phipps                    673.96

Ace of Clubs Winners 2019 Unit 252
Category          Player                     Masterpoints
0-5                Carol McCann                  25.74
5-20              Kareen Jacobs                  19.05
20-50            Brian Hudson                   58.45
50-100          Vickie Imhoff                   96.26
100-200        Gerard Gardner              124.74
200-300        Jinny Morgan                   82.45
300-500        Steve McLaughlin            89.36
500-1000      Scott Vincini                   241.65
1000-1500    Jamie Traudt                   253.21
1500-2500    Mary Gilroy                    213.35
2500-3500    George Pope                   253.76
3500-5000    Lesley Fells                    214.84
5000-7500    Adele Newman               294.65
7500-10000  Ron Perry                       317.50
10000+         Geoff Phipps                  291.32

0024 - Minorwood

One of my former students shared this deal from a 2/1 Game Forcing book and asked me to explain the auction, specifically the bids of 4 ♣ and 4NT.

Auction: North deals and with 14 hcp, 6 losers and well place honors North has a solid opening hand. With a nice 6-card heart suit ♥ AK10632 North opens the bidding 1 ♥ with the plan on rebid to bid 2 ♥. South, with and opening hand of 12 hcp and 5½ losers, responds 2 ♣ as 2/1 Game Forcing. North rebids 2 ♥ showing a 6-card heart suit and limiting values (12-14 hcp). South's bid of 2 ♠ is natural showing 5+ clubs and 4 spades.

here is the complete auction ... 

ACBL

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I did get an opportunity to review your Hilton Head Bridge blog.  I think it is good in this downtime that we have things to keep up people’s interest in our game.  Your efforts seem to be a positive step in that regard. 

On behalf of the District, I write to commend and support your efforts with the Hilton Head Blog. Including some hands and other human interest items will hopefully keep up the interest of our members in our game during this slack period. I am sure that you are aware, but some of your readers may not be aware that the League has set up a procedure by which clubs can conduct a game online that is limited to people who have played in that club in the last 12 months. There are also tournaments being held, the proceeds of which benefit local clubs.

Once again, thanks for all your efforts, and if I can be of any further assistance, please contact me.

Mike Kovacich
District 7 Director

You can follow Mike K District Director Report on the D7 website.

Learn more about ACBL, District 7 & Unit 252 see Pages: ACBL

0023 - Last Train (part 2)

Remember from from the auction (part 1) North-South are in a 6♠ contract with South as declarer.  East-West were silent throughout the auction.

This play analysis (part 2) is by Gary Donner playing South on this deal as gdonnersc1 on BBO. (see Pages: Authors)

North-South at the other table ended up in a 4 ♥ contract.  So if the slam is made, it would be a big pick-up.  What does it take to make the slam?

Play: North-South are virtually certain of 10 tricks: 6 spades, 2 hearts 1 diamond and 1 club. Declarer (South) can pick up 1 additional diamond trick by finessing East for the ♦J, but 1 diamond trick does not help. The best source of additional tricks is hearts.The opening lead is the ♠ 4. So the question becomes how to set up the hearts.

0023 - Last Train (part 1)

This post features a great bidding and play analysis of a 6 ♠ slam. The bidding (part 1) features a convention called Last Train invented by Jeff Meckstroth and named after the song The Last Train to Clarksville. The Last Train is the bid just below game in an agreed upon major suit and is the last bid available before setting game at 4M. A Last Train bid is typically made in a bidding sequence where one partners has bid to show an interest in slam and the other partner has more than enough values to signoff in game.

This deal was played as Board 5 Fri. April 3, 2020 on Bridge Base Online (BBO).

This bidding analysis (part 1) is by Gary Donner playing South on this deal as gdonnersc1 on BBO. The play analysis (part 2) is posted as a separate analysis. (see Pages: Authors)

Auction: North deals and with 12 hcp and 6 losers opens the bidding 1 ♥. East-West are silent throughout. South responds 1 ♠ (natural) and North rebids 2 ♣ (natural). South with 16 hcp and 5 losers bids 2 ♦ as artificial and game forcing (GF) as Fourth Suit Forcing (4SF). The fact that South actually has diamonds has not been shown. North rebids 2 ♥ (6 hearts and denying 3 spades) and South rebids 2 ♠ (6 spades). In a game forcing auction North's bid of 3 ♠ does not promise any extras. South is still an unlimited hand and North would not want to use space to go to 4 ♠.

here is the complete deal and auction ...

ACBL District 7

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ACBL District 7 is made up of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, East Tennessee and a portion of Southwest Virginia.

http://district7bridge.org/

Fred Ferguson, an active and thoughtful player, in Hilton Head has reactivated this bridge “blog” for players to continue to get their “bridge fix” during these turbulent times where we have lost access to local clubs and tournaments.  I know many of our players are active on BBO----and that is a fantastic option to keep your bridge skills honed.  

Fred’s “blog” will provide insights on ways you might be able to improve your game and I encourage you to check it out and also give Fred feedback.

Pete Misslin

D7 President

Learn more about ACBL, District 7 & Unit 252 (see Pages: ACBL)