tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167918454701652348.post8902273195932295726..comments2024-03-11T11:29:56.577-04:00Comments on The Gargoyle Chronicles: Match 2 - Board 32Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686740850642509457noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167918454701652348.post-81645925134783373702010-12-05T23:53:41.630-05:002010-12-05T23:53:41.630-05:00Balazs,
Thanks for the correction. This switching...Balazs,<br /><br />Thanks for the correction. This switching compass directions has been a big hassle throughout this blog. I've fixed the post.Phillip Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12686740850642509457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167918454701652348.post-41061787473163962842010-12-05T23:38:10.649-05:002010-12-05T23:38:10.649-05:00A lot to comment on, but I'll start with the s...A lot to comment on, but I'll start with the simple stuff. ;-) I know Phillip's preference here is to play in (a weak) 1NT. But I prefer to end up in 2D. There is a really neat agreement to have here playing any 2/1 style. 1D-1Major-2C is non-forcing and promises Diamond support. (Usually 3 pieces, maybe Queen-ten doubleton but no worse than that.) You can also play that way over a double.<br /><br />The idea is that the opponent's low-level bid gives you more, not less bidding room. (In theory you lose some bidding room, but in practice, there are several flavors of passes.) One message which it is nice to be able to send is this one--even if partner opened on a 3-card suit, we have a home in one of the minors--and no real interest in a no-trump game.<br /><br />Back to the actual hand, we have:<br /><br />West...North...East...South<br />...................Pass....1D<br />.1S......2C......Pass....2D<br />..?<br /><br />(Your HTML cannot be accepted: Tag is not allowed: PRE)<br /><br />Should West bid 2 Hearts? No, no, and no. Pass and see what East can do. I know a few non-risk adverse players who will think about 2 Spades as East (and decide against it), but even they would not think about 2 Hearts.<br /><br />So I wind up in 2 Diamonds, almost certainly making 3. What if the opponents compete. Will I take the push? No, my partner will. ;-) If the opponents push, he is sure I'm short in Spades. His Diamond spots are working, and if I don't have the King of Hearts he expects it to be in West's hand.<br /><br />Is two Diamonds a much better spot than 1 No Trump? In general, sure. I like playing in No Trump with mirrors just as much as Phillip does, but there are times when the best card reading and declarer play in the world just lets you get your bottom score sooner. :-( Keep the North-South cards the same, and shuffle the East-West cards. There will be lots of hands played in 3 Diamonds, but with 23 HCP it should only be down when 2 or 3 of a major makes for the opponents.<br /><br />Yes, in this case I get next to top with +110, but I'll take it.Robert I. Eachushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14500484244426395165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167918454701652348.post-16915058096652400132010-12-05T16:35:27.731-05:002010-12-05T16:35:27.731-05:00"But West passed in first seat. If he has bot..."But West passed in first seat. If he has both the club king and heart king, then the diamond finesse is working. So C is never better than A-1. I can just forget about it."<br /><br />It was East who passed. You switched directions after the bidding to become declarer.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06957797587080534739noreply@blogger.com