Van Learners Bridge Results

October 28, 2024



Section X  North-South
VanLearners Monday Eve Session October 28, 2024
Leaders after  7 rounds  Average:   42.0
Place   Pct   Score  Pair
  1   59.12   49.66   X-6   Barbara Spitz - Marlee Sheinin
  2   56.79   47.70   X-4   Brenda MacLean-Longpre - Cindy Chan
  3   55.64   46.74   X-2   Pam Tomlins - Tim Tomlins
  4   49.30   41.41   X-7   Diane O'Connor - Niamh Kelly
  5   46.93   39.42   X-5   Doug MacDougall - Scott Turner
  6   46.37   38.95   X-3   Ruth Castellino - Cathy Brown
  7   44.44   37.33   X-8   Alexa Allen - Lesley MacKay
  8   44.24   37.16   X-1   Joan Christensen - Carol Ward

Section X  East-West
VanLearners Monday Eve Session October 28, 2024
Leaders after  7 rounds  Average:   42.0
Place   Pct   Score  Pair
  1   61.81   51.92   X-1   Marcia Smith - Zdenka Buric
  2   59.93   50.34   X-8   Curtis Ballard - Elizabeth Ballard
  3   55.27   46.43   X-2   Peter George - Marion George
  4   47.32   39.75   X-4   Ian Wong - John Fraser
  5   47.02   39.50   X-6   Cindy Grauer - Donna Bridgeman
  6   46.55   39.10   X-3   Kathy Armstrong - Joyce Statton
  7   42.48   35.68   X-7   Ron Rogers - Patsy Thorpe
  8   36.80   30.91   X-5   Alan Atkins - David Rosenberg

Congrats to the winners!

Didn't do as well as you hoped? Don't worry; there is a large luck factor in short sessions, so there are increased chances of scores outside the normal range of about 35-65%. Things tend to even out over time, but less time means less even-ing out! The important thing is to have fun and let the learning happen by gaining experience as declarer, defender, and even as dummy, and perhaps by reading a little about the hands below!

Our game results are posted online at ACBL Live For Clubs, shortly after the main game ends.

The deals tonight are from October 14's open game.

Below is a full-colour screen version of the comments for each hand. This works best if you have kept score and brought your scorecard home with you so you can check your results against the hand records and see where there is room for improvement. You will find that the simple act of writing down the score on each hand (good or bad) serves as a sort of marker inside your memory that helps you recall later what the issues you thought about while playing that hand were. It's much easier to remember if you have taken the few seconds to write in the contract and the score than to rely on getting your results off the internet. Something happens in those few seconds inside our brains and you'll be surprised at how much you can remember later with the help of a well-filled scoresheet. More on this here.

 
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Board 1
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎J632 Vulnerable:
North♥︎A32 None
♦︎2
♣︎JT876
WEST EAST
♠︎T8 ♠︎KQ97
♥︎KQJT9 ♥︎85
♦︎Q965 ♦︎KJT7
♣︎42 ♣︎A53
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎A54 Tricks:
6 ♥︎764 NSEW
8 13 ♦︎A843NT5566
13 ♣︎KQ9♠︎6666
♥︎5477
E-W have 21 combined points♦︎4399
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎7755
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
2♦︎eK♣︎= 90
2♦︎e4♠︎+2 130
 
North passes and East opens 1♦︎, setting up one of the most commonly asked questions I get from new players: when the player on my right makes the opening bid I was about to make, what do I do? The answer, usually, is PASS. If you have enough for a 1NT overcall, get in there, but doubling shows a hand with diamond shortness, NOT a hand with diamonds and shortness elsewhere. So South passes and West responds 1♥︎. North passes and East rebids 1♠︎. South might try 1NT, which seems a longshot to me, but surely West will bid 2♦︎ and that will be the easily-made contract.
 
 
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Board 2
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎T6 Vulnerable:
East♥︎JT98632 North-South
♦︎Q74
♣︎2
WEST EAST
♠︎A93 ♠︎KJ52
♥︎AK754 ♥︎-
♦︎KT86 ♦︎AJ2
♣︎Q ♣︎AT9854
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎Q874 Tricks:
3 ♥︎Q NSEW
16 13 ♦︎953NT221111
8 ♣︎KJ763♠︎221110
♥︎5588
E-W have 29 combined points♦︎211111
Suitable Level: Game♣︎221111
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
5♥︎w2♣︎-4 200
3NwJ♥︎+1 430
 
East opens 1♣︎ and South passes; West responds 1♥︎ and North passes. East rebids 1♠︎, South passes, and now West needs to make a forcing bid with 16 points opposite an opener. 2♦︎ is forcing, but often responders will need to make a forcing call without that fourth suit, so 2♦︎ forces another call from East without necessarily showing diamonds. Most pairs play that such a fourth-suit bid is game forcing. The auction continues 3♣︎ from East, 3♥︎ from West, and 3NT from East should end it. How one of the open game pairs got all the way to 5♥︎ is beyond me and got a deserved result!
 
 
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Board 3
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎J965 Vulnerable:
South♥︎AQ4 East-West
♦︎J953
♣︎92
WEST EAST
♠︎2 ♠︎AKQT3
♥︎KT753 ♥︎9
♦︎864 ♦︎KQT2
♣︎KQ83 ♣︎JT6
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎874 Tricks:
8 ♥︎J862 NSEW
8 15 ♦︎A7NT4499
9 ♣︎A754♠︎4499
♥︎5588
E-W have 23 combined points♦︎4499
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎3399
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
1Nw5♠︎+1 120
3Nw9♣︎= 600
 
South, West and North all pass and East opens 1♠︎. South passes and West responds 1NT, endplayed by the need to respond with 6 points or more and the prohibition on making a 2/1 response with less than ten points. North passes and East might as well. If East rebids 2♦︎, West can bid 2♥︎ and East will try 2NT or 3NT. There are nine tricks available in notrump if East takes a first round finesse of the T♠︎, and why not: a 50% finesse is a bit better than hoping the J♠︎ will drop in three rounds.
 
 
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Board 4
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎T762 Vulnerable:
West♥︎A7 Both
♦︎KQ6
♣︎AQT3
WEST EAST
♠︎KJ ♠︎Q853
♥︎JT65 ♥︎K8432
♦︎AT43 ♦︎87
♣︎K62 ♣︎J8
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎A94 Tricks:
15 ♥︎Q9 NSEW
12 6 ♦︎J952NT6666
7 ♣︎9754♠︎7766
♥︎5588
N-S have 22 combined points♦︎7766
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎8855
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
1Nn3♥︎+1 120
1Nn8♦︎+1 120
 
West opens 1♦︎ and North bids 1NT, which as an overcall is about the same as an opener (except don't try it without a stopper in the opened suit). East passes and South does as well, and West has no reason to compete further. The computer computes that six tricks are the limit, but both pairs made eight tricks; what happened? The opening bid of 1♦︎ got a diamond lead at one table, which helps North establish the suit. A spade lead from East may be the way to beat 1NT, but seems unlikely on this auction.
 
 
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Board 5
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎T52 Vulnerable:
North♥︎KT North-South
♦︎872
♣︎T9865
WEST EAST
♠︎K ♠︎J984
♥︎J82 ♥︎A763
♦︎AJT6543 ♦︎Q9
♣︎Q4 ♣︎K32
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎AQ763 Tricks:
3 ♥︎Q954 NSEW
11 10 ♦︎KNT4488
16 ♣︎AJ7♠︎8855
♥︎6677
E-W have 21 combined points♦︎33910
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎9944
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3♦︎wK♥︎+1 130
2Ne6♠︎+1 150
 
North and East pass and South opens 1♠︎. Recent changes to ACBL rules make it legal to open 1NT with singletons as long as the singleton is a queen, king, or ace. My opinion is that just because the ACBL allows it, doesn't make it right! On this hand the defenders can get nine tricks against 1NT by dropping the singleton king. West overcalls South's 1♠︎ opener with 2♦︎ and North and East pass. South bids 2♥︎ and West bumps it up to 3♦︎, which should end the auction and make easily. 3NT actually makes from East unless the defenders play perfectly.
 
 
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Board 6
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎A9 Vulnerable:
East♥︎KT East-West
♦︎AQ64
♣︎AJT94
WEST EAST
♠︎J6 ♠︎KQ8543
♥︎9643 ♥︎A52
♦︎KJT9 ♦︎83
♣︎KQ6 ♣︎85
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎T72 Tricks:
18 ♥︎QJ87 NSEW
10 9 ♦︎752NT6555
3 ♣︎732♠︎5578
♥︎7766
N-S have 21 combined points♦︎7756
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎8855
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♠︎e*2♣︎-3 800
3♣︎n8♦︎-2 100
 
East opens 2♠︎ and South passes. West raises to 3♠︎ and North is pressured-by-preempt. 4♣︎ might be the best call, 3NT might work or might be a disaster. If East begins with the K♠︎ against 3NT, gets in with the A♥︎ and tries the Q♠︎, down comes partner's jack and dummy's T♠︎ is a surprise stopper! West's raise to 3♠︎ is not invitational, by the way — as one of the open game Easts found out the hard way! Raises of weak twos are all non-forcing.
 
 
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Board 7
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎Q43 Vulnerable:
South♥︎JT964 Both
♦︎865
♣︎T5
WEST EAST
♠︎7 ♠︎AK6
♥︎A75 ♥︎KQ2
♦︎Q9743 ♦︎KJT2
♣︎K964 ♣︎A83
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎JT9852 Tricks:
3 ♥︎83 NSEW
9 20 ♦︎ANT221111
8 ♣︎QJ72♠︎6677
♥︎331010
E-W have 29 combined points♦︎221111
Suitable Level: Game♣︎221010
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3NeJ♠︎+2 660
3NeJ♠︎+3 690
 
Pass-pass-pass to East, and 2NT gets a raise to 3NT from West and it is a board about overtricks. East begins with seven top tricks in clubs, hearts, and spades, and four more in diamonds once the A♦︎ is dislodged. If South begins with the J♠︎ and East wins and knocks out the A♦︎, then wins the spade return, on the run of the red suit tricks, the defenders come down to three cards. South must keep the QJx♣︎ and North must keep the Q♠︎ or East makes twelve tricks instead of eleven!
 
 
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Board 8
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎3 Vulnerable:
West♥︎AT543 None
♦︎Q94
♣︎K862
WEST EAST
♠︎7642 ♠︎AQ98
♥︎J86 ♥︎-
♦︎AK6 ♦︎J8752
♣︎QT5 ♣︎AJ73
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎KJT5 Tricks:
9 ♥︎KQ972 NSEW
10 12 ♦︎T3NT6677
9 ♣︎94♠︎33109
♥︎8855
E-W have 22 combined points♦︎331010
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎5588
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
2♠︎wA♥︎-1 50
5♥︎s*A♦︎-1 100
 
West and North pass and East opens 1♦︎. South overcalls 1♥︎, and West should make a negative double to show four spades, even four bad spades. It's the last chance for E-W to find their spade fit since North is about to raise hearts to the moon! East will not be able to bid 4♠︎ over 4♥︎ unless West makes the crucial negative double. On the other hand, 4♠︎ is not easy to make even though the computer thinks that East can do it. I think getting clubs running so South has to ruff in may be the key to ten tough tricks.
 
 
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Board 9
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎JT3 Vulnerable:
North♥︎T87 East-West
♦︎KT9
♣︎K843
WEST EAST
♠︎9862 ♠︎K54
♥︎95 ♥︎A643
♦︎72 ♦︎A65
♣︎AJ752 ♣︎QT6
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎AQ7 Tricks:
7 ♥︎KQJ2 NSEW
5 13 ♦︎QJ843NT8855
15 ♣︎9♠︎7766
♥︎9933
N-S have 22 combined points♦︎9933
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎6677
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
1NeK♥︎-3 300
2♦︎sA♣︎+1 110
 
North passes and East opens 1♦︎, giving South bad options: double (shows diamond shortness, not diamonds as longest suit!), 1NT (not legal with a singleton), 2♦︎ (partner would read this as a Michaels cuebid promising five hearts and five spades), pass (hard to justify with 15 points). The least worst bid may be a simple 1♥︎ overcall, on the four-card suit. West and North passes and if East passes as well, South probably makes eight or nine tricks; if East tries 1NT, this might go down several. Finding the least worst call from bad options is a key skill in difficult auctions!
 
 
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Board 10
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎Q8 Vulnerable:
East♥︎953 Both
♦︎AT743
♣︎AJT
WEST EAST
♠︎T9 ♠︎J542
♥︎AJT842 ♥︎KQ6
♦︎Q82 ♦︎J5
♣︎43 ♣︎KQ65
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎AK763 Tricks:
11 ♥︎7 NSEW
7 12 ♦︎K96NT6677
10 ♣︎9872♠︎9944
♥︎5588
N-S have 21 combined points♦︎101033
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎9944
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3♥︎wQ♠︎-2 200
3♠︎s2♥︎-1 100
 
East is close to an opener, but I would pass the aceless 12-count. South opens 1♠︎ and West is a bit too vulnerable to consider a pre-emptive 3♥︎ call, and not strong enough for 2♥︎, so passes. North responds 2♦︎ and East might try a double. South passes and West bids 2♥︎. North and East pass and South should make a call: partner has a hand strong enough for a two-over-one response, so South should compete to 2♠︎ or perhaps 3♦︎. Either makes easily and North-South can defeat 3♥︎ if the East-West pair competes further.
 
 
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Board 11
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎T542 Vulnerable:
South♥︎J9 None
♦︎QJ98
♣︎K76
WEST EAST
♠︎KQ6 ♠︎AJ93
♥︎AQT74 ♥︎865
♦︎7 ♦︎AK
♣︎AQ84 ♣︎J952
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎87 Tricks:
7 ♥︎K32 NSEW
17 13 ♦︎T65432NT221111
3 ♣︎T3♠︎221111
♥︎221111
E-W have 30 combined points♦︎6677
Suitable Level: Game♣︎221111
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♥︎wQ♦︎+1 450
3Ne4♦︎+2 460
 
South passes and West opens 1♥︎. North passes and East bids 1♠︎. There is no call in standard that shows a 13 point hand with three-card support for partner's major suit opening, so East must make a temporizing forcing call before supporting West's hearts on the second round. South passes and West rebids 2♣︎. North passes and East bids 2♦︎, fearful that 2♥︎ or 3♥︎ might be passed and 4♥︎ might miss out on a slam chance. West continues with 2♠︎, another delayed raise showing three-card support, and East now bids 4♥︎, where the second overtrick depends on a guess in trumps: low to the Q♥︎, or the T♥︎?
 
 
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Board 12
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎A943 Vulnerable:
West♥︎T965 North-South
♦︎K952
♣︎2
WEST EAST
♠︎KJT5 ♠︎87
♥︎QJ ♥︎A843
♦︎AJ8764 ♦︎Q
♣︎A ♣︎QT9843
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎Q62 Tricks:
7 ♥︎K72 NSEW
16 8 ♦︎T3NT5677
9 ♣︎KJ765♠︎5577
♥︎5577
E-W have 24 combined points♦︎5588
Suitable Level: Possible Game♣︎5588
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3Ne6♣︎-1 50
3♦︎w2♣︎= 110
 
West opens 1♦︎ and North passes. East bids 1♥︎ and South passes. West rebids 1♠︎ and North passes. East realizes that 2♣︎ at this point would be a fourth-suit forcing call, and East isn't that strong, so East tries 1NT. South passes and West tries 2♦︎, to show extra length in the suit. This sets off the "misfit" alert light in East's head, and bidding more never got out of the trouble a misfit hand presents, so East passes and lets West try to make eight tricks...and West succeeds! Often you need to recognize that you and partner have no fit, and park the car as soon as possible before you get too high.
 
 
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Board 13
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎6 Vulnerable:
North♥︎K6 Both
♦︎A98765
♣︎QT87
WEST EAST
♠︎AKQ32 ♠︎T98754
♥︎Q8532 ♥︎J4
♦︎Q2 ♦︎K4
♣︎9 ♣︎K32
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎J Tricks:
9 ♥︎AT97 NSEW
13 7 ♦︎JT3NT7755
11 ♣︎AJ654♠︎4499
♥︎7755
N-S and E-W each have 20 combined points♦︎111122
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎111122
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♠︎e3♦︎-1 100
4♠︎eJ♦︎-1 100
 
North feels frisky and tries a slightly aggressive 2♦︎ opener. The guidelines for suit quality for a weak two in a major do not quite apply to 2♦︎. East passes and South raises to 3♦︎. West doubles and North passes. East is surprised to have a six card major suit on this auction, and although 3♠︎ may look like the right response, better is a jump to 4♠︎. 4♠︎ might make or might put pressure on the opponents; 3♠︎ does neither. In fact, 4♠︎ can be beaten and 5♦︎ makes!
 
 
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Board 14
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎A7 Vulnerable:
East♥︎QT7 None
♦︎KJ986
♣︎AK6
WEST EAST
♠︎K5 ♠︎QT86
♥︎AKJ93 ♥︎6542
♦︎T3 ♦︎Q54
♣︎QT43 ♣︎72
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎J9432 Tricks:
17 ♥︎8 NSEW
13 4 ♦︎A72NT9944
6 ♣︎J985♠︎9944
♥︎6677
N-S have 23 combined points♦︎101033
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎9944
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
4♠︎sA♥︎-1 50
2♥︎w*A♣︎= 470
 
East and South pass and West opens 1♥︎. North overcalls 1NT (15-17 with a heart stopper) and East competes to 2♥︎, because with four points you get in there when you get a chance! South passes and West passes. North won't want to give in with a full 17 and 3♦︎ should be the next salvo. East and South pass and West probably should as well. 3♦︎ makes, but bidding on to 3♥︎ might have gotten a double from North and a one-trick defeat.
 
 
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Board 15
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎AT9 Vulnerable:
South♥︎KJ987 North-South
♦︎96
♣︎642
WEST EAST
♠︎842 ♠︎KJ76
♥︎A54 ♥︎2
♦︎A4 ♦︎KQT85
♣︎AJ973 ♣︎KQ8
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎Q53 Tricks:
8 ♥︎QT63 NSEW
13 14 ♦︎J732NT111111
5 ♣︎T5♠︎221010
♥︎7766
E-W have 27 combined points♦︎111212
Suitable Level: Game♣︎111212
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3♦︎e3♥︎= 110
3♣︎w2♣︎+2 150
 
West opens 1♣︎ and North passes. East responds 1♦︎ knowing that with 14 points this will not be East's only bid. South passes, West rebids 1NT and after North passes, East bids 2♠︎ to show a four-card suit (and thus longer diamonds) and West should settle in 3NT. East's 2♠︎ rebid shows a decent hand since with four spades and 6-10 East would first respond 1♠︎, bypassing the longer diamonds. Thus, West can bid 3NT, which is an easy make. 6♦︎ and 6♣︎ are there, but not easy to get to.
 
 
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Board 16
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎74 Vulnerable:
West♥︎QT76 East-West
♦︎KJ74
♣︎AKQ
WEST EAST
♠︎9865 ♠︎KJT32
♥︎8 ♥︎AK93
♦︎T86 ♦︎32
♣︎J9654 ♣︎T7
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎AQ Tricks:
15 ♥︎J542 NSEW
1 11 ♦︎AQ95NT9922
13 ♣︎832♠︎6677
♥︎111122
N-S have 28 combined points♦︎101022
Suitable Level: Game♣︎9944
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3Nn3♠︎= 400
3♦︎nA♥︎+1 130
 
West passes and North opens 1NT. East passes and South bids a Stayman 2♣︎. West passes and North bids 2♥︎. This might be the moment for East to get in with a spade bid, but South will bid 4♥︎ whatever East does, and with the K♠︎ onside the only losers are in the trump suit, where East should get two tricks. The open players didn't do too well with this deal, failing to find the 4-4 heart fit and getting into inferior contracts.
 
 
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Board 17
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎732 Vulnerable:
North♥︎T94 None
♦︎A4
♣︎AQT65
WEST EAST
♠︎T ♠︎K65
♥︎AJ ♥︎Q76
♦︎KQJ76532 ♦︎T98
♣︎K2 ♣︎J987
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎AQJ984 Tricks:
10 ♥︎K8532 NSEW
14 6 ♦︎-NT9944
10 ♣︎43♠︎111122
♥︎111122
N-S and E-W each have 20 combined points♦︎4499
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎9944
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
5♦︎wA♣︎-1 50
6♠︎sK♦︎-2 100
 
North and East pass and South opens a very shapely 1♠︎. West overcalls 2♦︎ and North raises to 2♠︎. East passes and South considers a jump in hearts to complete the picture, but then decides to simply jump to 4♥︎ and leave the picture of his hand deliberately out of focus. Against 4♠︎, with the K♣︎ and K♠︎ both onside, the only losers are three heart tricks.
 
 
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Board 18
 
NORTH
Dealer:♠︎KQ32 Vulnerable:
East♥︎8642 North-South
♦︎942
♣︎T3
WEST EAST
♠︎AJT975 ♠︎4
♥︎73 ♥︎QJ5
♦︎Q875 ♦︎AJT
♣︎9 ♣︎AKJ764
SOUTH Available
HCP: ♠︎86 Tricks:
5 ♥︎AKT9 NSEW
7 16 ♦︎K63NT6676
12 ♣︎Q852♠︎5588
♥︎7766
E-W have 23 combined points♦︎5588
Suitable Level: Partscore♣︎4488
 
ContractLeadResultN-S ScoreE-W Score
3Ne9♥︎-3 150
3Ne5♣︎+1 430
 
East opens 1♣︎ and South bids 1♥︎ despite having only a four-card suit, rather than pass a 12-count. Four-card overcalls on good suits at the one level are usually safe. West bids 1♠︎ and North raises to 2♥︎. East tries 3NT and this ends the auction. South should lead the A♥︎, not the fourth-best nine from this holding. East wins the third heart and has some work to do. The best bet is a club finesse, but South wins the Q♣︎ and the fourth heart leaves declarer needing the rest. If South saw North's 3♠︎ and noticed the missing 2♠︎, a spade lead now will get the defenders two more tricks!