Among Options

------This hand was played in "Cumhuriyet İkili Kupasi" tournament in November, 2007. What do you about this hand after your partner opens 2♥ weak and RHO pass.

♠AJ87653--------Vul: None
♥K43
♦AQ
♣A

It is obvious that you gonna play slam but which one? ♠ or ♥. How you gonna find grand slam? If both hands are like this you should play 7♥

♠AJ87653----------♠x
♥K43-----------------♥AQJxxx
♦AQ------------------♦xxx
♣A--------------------♣xxx

However, if both hands are:

♠AJ87653-----------♠Tx
♥K43-----------------♥AQJTxx
♦AQ------------------♦xx
♣A--------------------♣xxx

Better you play 6♠ because if K of ♦ is off you lose one ♦ and a ♠. So, I will advise you to play a nice system over 2M openings. All new suits are NF so, you should bid 2NT as an asking bid.

2♥--------------2NT
3♣(max. unbal.)
3♦(max. unbal.)
3♥(min. with good ♥)
3♠(max.4c ♠)
3NT(max Bal.)

In the original hand partner bid 3♥, now we bid 3♠ as a forcing bid.

W------N------E------S-----Vul:None
----------------2♥-------------Dealer: East
2NT----------3♥
3♠------------3NT(sing. ♠)
---------------4♣ (sing ♣, 3c fit)
---------------4♦ (sing ♦, 3c fit)
---------------4♥ (2 card ♠)

If we learn that partner has a sing ♠ we bid 7♥

W------N------E------S
----------------2♥------
2NT----------3♥------
3♠------------3NT
7♥-------

If partner bid other than 3NT we play 6♠ in order to save the AQ ♦
In real life bidding went like this:

W------N------E------S
-----------------2♥
2NT-----------3♥
4♣-------------4♥
4NT-----------5♣
5♦-----dbl----5♥
6♥----All Pass

After N's dbl to 5♦ it is clear that 6♠ is better than 6♥.
Both hands:

♠AJ87653--------♠T2
♥K43--------------♥AJ862
♦AQ---------------♦T93
♣A-----------------♣T32

It is not an good idea to open 2♥ without a singleton with 5 cards but, all I had was this. Anyway I lost 1♦, 1♠ and a ♥. down 2 for a bottom score.

Me, having regrets?

---At the 5. and the last match we are playing against a team that played for Turkish Schools team and Junior team in European Youth Bridge Championship held in Jesolo, Italy, this summer. This time opponents are better compared to the others. I really could have done better in this match. If I have done what I thought we would have won this match. Anyway, here is the best board of the match for me.
What would you bid with these cards at West over your partners 2♥ rebid?

W------N------E------S----------Dealer:E
-----------------1♥-----P----------Vul:None
1♠------P-----2♥-----P
?

♠AQ876
♥95
♦763
♣K65
I was kind of stunned and passed. After a fast play my partner claimed making +3!

♠AQ876------N-------♠K43
♥95--------W----E----♥AJT762
♦763----------S--------♦T
♣K65-------------------♣AJ4

If you think East should bid 3♥ over 1♠ it is not the correct bid with these few values. However, East he can bid 2♠ over 1♠. This hand is suitable for 4-3 ♠ fit so 2♠ should be an option. Anyway at the table I should raise 2♥ because I have 2 good cards and a fit so this is enough for a simple raise. Other room played 2♥ so we didn't lose imp but if I had bid 3♥, we would have qualified with this board.
2.important board from this match:
Would you overcall with this hand?

♠8
♥T7
♦KT97642
♣Q76

W------N------E------S-----------Dealer:E
-----------------P-----2♥*----------Vul:None
?

2♥: weak majors

I did not overcall with this hand and opponents bid 6♠ at last. I do not know if they bid slam after my overcall but I should have done something to make them away from their slam. If I had this hand again, I would bid
surely. Other room made 5♦ dbl -3 so this caused a 10 imp loss.
Opponents cards:

♠AJT53
♥KQ986
♦-
♣T95

---N----
---
---S

♠KQ9
♥A53
♦J3
♣AK432

Other room correct bidding should be like below. However, they dbl ed 5♦ after a misunderstanding in the bidding.

W------N------E------S---------Dealer:E
-----------------P-----1♠--------Vul:None
3♦-----4♣----5♦-----5♠
P------6♠

We have lost this match 19-11 vp and couldn't qualify for the finals. If I had overcalled may be would have qualified who knows!

Chaos

-----At 4. match we play against experienced players and this time me and my partner Eymen are not playing. Again our team mates had a poor play so we could hardly win the match 16-14 vp. After the match one of my team mates told me that if the opponents played normally we could have get 0 vp from this match. Lets look at the adventures of the match.
Our 1. pair played 6♥, 2 aces missing with these cards below:
♠2-----------------------♠QT85
♥AKQ9876-----------♥T4
♦8542------------------♦KQ3
♣4-----------------------♣AKQ7
This costs us -11 imp, opps making 5♥=

On another board we see our 2. pair at work by playing 3NT with these cards below:

♠64--------------------♠J983
♥AQ53------N-------♥76
♦AKJT---W---E----♦643
♣873--------S--------♣9642

No, they are not in defence against 3NT. Believe it or not, I have the score sheet in front of me and this crime was committed in these sequence:
Dealer-: S
Vul:----:All

W-------N-------E-------S
----------------------------2♦*
dbl*----rdbl*----P------2♠
dbl*-----P-----2NT*--P
3NT*---All Pass

2♦: multi weak major
1.dbl:opening value with 4c M
rdbl: asks partner's suit
2.dbl: Partner I swear I have 13 cards
2NT: leave me alone !
3NT: You can run, but can not hide!

This funny board ended down 3. -300. However, we gained 7 imp beacause our 2. pair made miracle 3NT with N-S cards with a nice play. +600.

When I checked the results of this board of other tables I have seen that one pair played 3♣ dbl resulted -1700 from West!

Now let's see the appropriate bidding
W-------N-------E------S
---------------------------2♠
dbl------rdbl-----P------P
3♦------dbl------All Pass

If East bid 2NT as a lebensohl South should dbl because of his high values. However, East should pass after North's rdbl, meaning "partner find somewhere to hide".

Disasters from this match hasnt finished yet. Our first pair played 7♦ dbl thinking that they are making a save against 6♠.Result: 7♦ dbl -2. -500. All hands:

Vul----:None
Dealer-:W-----♠Q
--------------------♥7
--------------------♦JT985
--------------------♣KQJT84

♠AK8432-----------N-------------♠9765
♥Q642-----------W---E-----------♥KJ9853
♦32-------------------S-------------♦A
♣6-----------------------------------♣75
-------------------♠JT
-------------------♥AT
-------------------♦KQ764
-------------------♣A932
However, we didnt lose any imp because, 2. pair doubled 6♦ -2. +500 .
Appropritate bidding should be like this:

W------N-------E-----S
2♠------3♣-----4♠----dbl
P-------5♣-----5♥----dbl
All Pass

Cold slam

-----We were bye at the 2. match and got 18 vp. At 3. match we played against another not experienced opponents and we got 25 vp. Our scores were better than our team mates and the most important board was this 6♥ board which was only bid by 2 pairs in the championship.
I had this hand at the first seat and opened 1NT.
♠A8------------Vul-------:None
♥AJ85---------Dealer---:West
♦Q852
♣AT2
bidding went:
W------N------E-----S
1NT----P-----2♣----2♦
dbl-----P------3♦-----P
3♥------P-----4♦
4♠------P-----5♥
6♥----All Pass
lead 6 ♦.

♠A8------------------♠K754
♥AJ85------N------♥KQT63
♦Q852---W--E----♦-
♣AT2-------S-------♣K875
I ruffed it and played A of ♠, ruffed ♦ again. Now I played K of ♥, K of ♣ and another ♣ South ruffed it and played A of ♦. Here is the position
-----------♠QT9
-----------♥9
-----------♦-
-----------♣QJ9

♠8-----------N--------♠K75
♥AJ8-- -W---E-----♥QT
♦Q8---------S--------♦-
♣A---------------------♣87
------------♠J6
------------♥-
------------♦AKJT9
------------♣-
I ruffed it, North pitch a ♣, and only chance was returning hand with A of ♣ in order to ruff a ♦. So I played ♣ and seeing that South can not ruff I claimed all making 6♥= +1460 .
If you look at the diagram after ruffing ♦ when I cash all of ♥ North is squeezed in black suits.

Now lets see the appropriate bidding and play.
♠A8-----------N-------♠K754
♥AJ85----W---E----♥KQT63
♦Q852-------S-------♦-
♣AT2------------------♣K875

W------N------E-----S
1NT----P-----2♣----2♦
P-------P------3♠-----P
4♦------P------5♦-----P
6♥----All Pass
West should pass if you play non-forcing stayman, East's 3♠ bid shows 4c ♠ and 5c ♥ with short ♦ because he can double 2♦ with long ♦. Now West has a wonderful hand against a stiff ♦ so cue-bid with 4♦, and the story ends.
If South bid 2♦ or 3♦ I should have played it in this line:
1.ruff ♦
2.K of ♣, and a ♣

---If you A of ♣ wins at the 3. trick you make the contract with cross-ruffs. However, South ruff your small ♣ at the 3. trick and now you have enough entries.
after ruffing 2 more ♦ you reach the position:

♠8------------------♠K7
♥AJ-------N-------♥Q
♦Q------W--E----♦
♣2---------S-------♣75

When you cash ♥'s opponents are caught double squeeze. North is forced to keep ♠ and ♣ and south ♠ and ♦. Nice slam board that should be easily bid and made.

Love of 3NT

-----Last week on 26-29 October 2007 Turkish Bridge federation succeed one of the most important events for Turkish Juniors by organising Turkish Youth Bridge Championship for the first time. I hope this championship will be held every year with a rising success and be better and better.
In the MP pairs me and my partner Eymen scored 58,17 _ 53,11_ 55,00 and became 4. which was a failure for us. At the Team Matches we had one of the strongest teams (UZUM) however, we couldn't even qualify for the knock-outs. This was really a disappointing thing for us. When I look back I can find many boards that could change our results and will try to talk about them in every match.
There were 2 groups and first 2 teams of the groups played K.O. Yucel team beat us in the first match so we couldn't qualify for the K.O

Rank----A-GR----------VP------AVR
1-------GUNDOGDU---91------18,2
2-------YUCEL-----------84------16,8
3-------UZUM-------------84------16,8
4-------OCAK-------------80------16
5-------OZGUR-----------43------8,6

1. Match Yucel vs Uzum
----Eymen Bedir, my partner was late for the first match so I played with Huseyin Bakan against not an experienced team at all.
This hand was one of the most annoying deals of this match. I had these cards sitting West at the 3. seat:
♠6-----------------Vul-------:-All
♥AKT52---------Dealer--:East
♦AQT64
♣A7
Bidding went:
W------N------E-----S
------------------P-----P
1♥------P-----1♠-----P
3♦------P-----3♠-----P
3NT---All Pass

after ♣ lead both hands:
♠6-----------------♠A9752
♥AKT52---------♥J7
♦AQT64---------♦J975
♣A7---------------♣85
---As you see 5♦ is the best contract and it is hard to bid 6♦ because we have few points. Anyway I won the second ♣ and finessed ♦ but it didn't work so we could take 5 tricks means -400.Other room: 3♦+1. -11 imp
However the appropriate bidding should be like this:
W------N------E-----S
1♥-----P-------1♠----P
3♦-----P-------3♥----P
3NT---P-------4♦----P
4♠-----P-------5♦-- All Pass

On another board our team mates bid 3NT with these cards below and result -400 again!
♠AKJ86------------♠52
♥8-------------------♥QT652
♦75-----------------♦Q9
♣J7432------------♣AKT8
After first match we proved that we have a deep for love 3NT. However, it was an unrequited love. This ended for a 16-14 vp loss.

Aces High

------This hand was played in one of the team matches and requires a good agreement for partners to be successful at this board.
You hold these cards in the 3rd seat.
♠Q
♥Q
♦AKQT9876
♣J32

While thinking what to open your partner opens 1♣ and your right bids 2♠. You bid 3♦ and your partner 3NT.

W---N---E---S--------Vul----:None
-----------1♣--2♠------Dealer-:E
3♦---P--3NT--P
----Now what you will bid over 3NT? If your partner has aces slam is cold, even Grand slam. So, we need a cooperation about our partners hand. Actually he has already given a wonderful description about his hand while bidding 3NT.
3NT means ♠ stopper and a hand lack of aces. So, 3NT is a discouraging bid.
What if he had this hand?

♠Axxx
♥Axxx
♦xx
♣RDx
Here is the solution; you have 3♥, 3♠ and 3NT bids. You should use 3♥ bid with these kind of hands which are more suitable for playing trump and 3♠ asking a spade stopper .
As you see 3NT is unbeatable.

♠Q-----------------------♠KTx
♥Q-----------------------♥KJ87
♦AKQT9876----------♦xx
♣J32--------------------♣KQxx

Now take a look at the opponents hand.
what would you bid with this hand ?
♠542
♥A6542
♦2
♣A54

W---N---E---S
-----------1♣--2♠
3♦---?

At the table North did not involved in the bidding, however, this may lead a bad result sometimes but you should bid 4♠ anyway. Now opponents are in big trouble. East will double with his values and this should be the end of the bidding.

W---N---E---S
-----------1♣--2♠
3♦---4♠--dbl All pass

If East has a "acey" hand he should pass and over his partners dbl he should bid 3NT or anything else except for pass.
It is very hard for E-W to reach correct contract after opponents 4♠ bid but dbling 4♠ is the best thing cause E-W can hardly make 3NT and 4♦.

Just a standard bid

-----Another hand played by me in one of the Training matches at Turkish Youth Bridge Camp in Antalya, September 2007.

After a fast -800 board I was holding this hand at West::
♠ QJ9874---------------Vul-----:-All
♥ T9----------------------Dealer:-East
♦ KT7
♣A6
W------N------E------S

-----------------1♣----4♥

?

Now its my turn to bid. I was going to bid 4♠ in a hurry but hesitated for a while. If previous board was not -800 after my overcall I would immediately bid 4♠, but I knew that I should overcall again and after 10 sec conflict in my mind I bid 4♠. Waiting that left opponent gonna double immediately he seemed unwilling to bid and after about 1 min decided to double and All Pass. Partner has:
-
♠ K632
♥ 2
♦ Q5
♣KQT843
-----I was surprised when I see the dummy. He had so much values for a passed hand and should have opened 1♣. Anyway it was a lay down 4♠.
-----Result: 4♠ dbl=. 790.
Lets look at the 4 hands and see the real life bidding.

-----------------♠AT--------Dealer-:-E
-----------------♥Q3--------Vul-----:-All
-----------------♦A9864
-----------------♣J972

♠QJ9874--------N-------♠K632
♥T9-----------W----E----♥2
♦KT7-------------S-------♦Q5
♣A6-----------------------♣KQT843
-----------------♠5
-----------------♥AKJ87654
-----------------♦J32
-----------------♣5
W------N------E------S
-----------------1♣----4♥
4♠-----5♥-----P------P
dbl---All Pass
-----
-----What I should emphasis on this deal is about bids of West and North.
West's 4♠ overcall may be thought as an overbid or defined as a
"Lion Heart Bridge Player's Bid" but it is actually a standard bid and should be accepted by everyone.
-
-----North, instead of doubling 4♠ should bid 5♥ because he knows that they get 8 ♥ tricks and 2 aces, so 5♥ is down 1 and hard to beat 4♠ unless partner has short ♦. East's pass is "Forcing" and shows a desire to bid 5♠ but West dbl with his values.

Result: 5♥dbl -1. +200

1 down is good bridge

---- This hand was played by me in one of the Training matches at Turkish Youth Bridge Camp in Antalya, September 2007.

♠ KQ32----------Dealer : N
♥ AQT832-------Vul : E-W
♦ Q
♣ J3
-----I was holding my breath while waiting at the 4th seat at unfavorable Vul with this hand, and silence was broken with South's bidding 5♦. It is not one of hands that needs to be thought deeply, so I bid 5♥. Everyone at the table had prepared their bids after my overcall. North doubled immediately and All Pass.
W-----N-----E-----S
--------P-----P---- 5♦
5♥----dbl----All Pass
On ♦9 lead, I went 3 off. -800. All hands:

-----------------♠ JT4-------Dealer: N
-----------------♥ KJ94-----Vul: E-W-
-----------------♦ 96
-----------------♣ K742

♠ KQ32---------- N------♠ A975
♥ AQT832---W----E---♥ 7
♦ Q-----------------S------♦ 84
♣ J3------------------------♣ AT9865
-----------------♠ 86
---------------- ♥ 65
---------------- ♦ AKJT7532
---------------- ♣ Q
-----It was easy to see that we can easily make 5♠, but how we can reach that. While evaluating these hands after the match with our trainers I was thinking if I should dbl 5♦ rather than bidding 5♥. But this is wrong because a hand doubling 5♦ should have 2 cards ♦ as it is in below:
♠ KQ32
♥ AQT832
♦ Q6
♣ J
-----So, why we double 5♦ while holding 2 card ♦ but, overcalling while holding short ♦?. Answer lies in the logic of the playing at 5th level. It would be nonsense try to play at 5th level while losing 2 ♦. Even with this hand below it would be a good idea to dbl 5♦ rather than overcalling.
♠AKxx
♥AKJxxx
♦xx
♣A

-----Anyway, the reason why I have chosen this hand was evaluating North's dbl and East's pass.
Let's have a view from their sides, may be it would be much more easy to get the situation.

You have:

♠ JT4-----------Dealer-:-N-----------W-----N-----E-----S
♥ KJ94----------Vul----: E-W---------------P-----P---- 5♦
♦ 96-------------------------------------5♥-----?
♣ K742

After 2 Pass your partner opens 5♦ and right bids 5♥. It would be the last thing to double because you see that no way to make 5♦ and beyond that opponents can make everything except for 5♥. Do not give them another chance just Pass smoothly.

Now it's time to sit East.

♠ A975-------------Dealer---:-N--------- W-----N-----E-----S
♥ 7-------------------Vul-------: E-W--------------P-----P-----5♦
♦ 84-------------------------------------------5♥----dbl-----?
♣ AT9865

East can not risk passing to 5♥ because it would be so optimistic thinking that partner has solid ♥ that can play against singleton. What else to bid? Do you play rdbl to play? Better you should not. Rdbl means you are ready for black suits and happy end you reach wonderful 5♠ contract.

We are not done yet with East. Think that you are not in Junior bridge and North pass to 5♥. Now what to bid ?
If you say Pass, look at this hand:

♠ AQ32
♥ JT8632
♦ -
♣ KQJ
-----By giving this example I want to mention that 5♥ bid wouldn't suggest solid suit. So, with that hand better you bid 6♣. If your partner has solid ♥ you play 6♥.
-----So, an appropriate bidding should be like this:

W-----N-----E----- S
--------P-----P-----5♦
5♥----P-----6♣---All Pass

Result: 1 down. -100.