Conference turris::bridge

  The 3C bid indicates a good hand.  Why would you ever pre-empt in
 balancing seat ?

  Yes, we lost to John Malley's team in a 32-board match.  Here's an
 interesting play situation I faced  in 4th chair :

               10x                  1S-2D-P-2S
               Jxx                   P-3D-Dbl-3NT
               AQJxx                 P-P- Dbl -P
               QJx                   P-P

               A97x                SK led and ducked, RHO playing S6,
               Qxx               SJ continued to SA, RHO pitching a
               -                 diamond, revealing KQJ8xx spades LHO.
               AKxxxx              Now what ?

  bb

    Sure it depends on scoring & vul. The only criterion there is:
    your bid maximizes gains (minimizes losses). In the case in point,
    3C means (to me): let them not talk us out of a vul game (if there's
    one). Hence, I'd take it as a solid 6+ C-suit, certain 8 PT, and
    possibly needing S stop for 3N, or C-fit for 5C.

    BB, I'd play a 'picolo teatro': win tr 1, cross to CJ, ask for DJ.
    As soon as this is played, I'd make a grimasse and murmur
    'wrong jack'. Hopefully, RHO would let this hold.

Well....LHO has 6HCP in spades, nothing in clubs, and presumably nothing
in diamonds. His opening bid is kind of thin unless he's got AK of hearts.
If you give up an early diamond trick it would be all too easy for the opps
to cash 2 spades, 2 hearts, and a diamond. A small heart from hand might
just make this contract legitimately, especially if LHO has no more than
1 diamond. On the negative side, you could cash out for down 1, but go down
many if my analysis is wrong. I usually play on the theory that I need a
little luck to win, so I'd play the heart.

Dave

    Jokes aside, the likeliest legit way to make it (and quite consistent
    with the bidding suggesting red guardS with RHO) is to play LHO for 
    doubleton HAx,  Thus Hx from hand at tr 3 to RHOs HK, and next duck H. 
    Right, DG, this would make even if LHO had both HAK and single D
    (less likely, but not impossible). Was it like: 
                       Tx-Jxx-AQJxx-QJx
     KQJ8xx-Ax-....                          x-KTxxx-KTxx....
                       A9xx-Qxx-0-AKxxxx

A solution to Braucher's play problem might be to let LHO hold trick two, as
he is then somewhat endplayed.  You have eight tricks (6C,1S,1D), and any
lead LHO makes at trick three gives you the timing for forcing the ninth
trick.  A spade is into your tenace, a heart gets you a third round heart
trick, a diamond lets you drive out the DK, and a club also gives you timing
to drive out the DK, or to play on hearts yourself.  Of course, if you
concede a diamond, they can now beat you if they figure out to cash two heart
tricks immediately, but I think you maximize your chances by giving RHO a
chance to err at trick three with a heart shift.  If LHO makes the best guess
at trick three and exits a club, you will surely exert some pressure by
running the six club tricks next, coming to a 5-card ending where LHO has to
retain two spades and RHO two diamonds (or if LHO happens to have the DK, he
may be caught in a 3-suit squeeze).  You may now sometimes succeed in a late
endplay against whichever opponent wins the second heart.  Although it looks
like perfect defense will prevail, this seems to me to be the plan that
offers the opponents the most chances to go wrong.  Cashing the DA before
running the clubs will help opponents count the red suits and force you to
pitch a heart, but you would really pickle LHO if he started with both heart
honors, because he ends up with AK of hearts and two spades in that 4-card
ending, letting him lead into your SA9 at trick twelve.  If Bill has a 100%
line to make this one, I can hardly wait to see the rabbit in this hat.
						-- Alan

I was in second seat, behind the 1S opener holding KJxx-Kx-JTxx-Qxx, and the
auction proceeded:  1S-P-P-3C-3H-3NT-4H-P-P-5C-P-P-5H-X-AP, scoring up an
ugly -650 when dummy hit with Axxxx of hearts and a stiff spade.  Kotok had
balanced 3C on approximately  xxx-x-Qx-AKxxxxx (and may not even have had the
DQ as my memory is faulty on the cards in that suit).  I suggested that
passing for -140 or -170 would have been a better choice.    But we were
always losing IMPs on this board as our partners managed to play 6HX-1.  Even
if Kotok had been in top form, our backs were not strong enough to carry our
teammates as badly as they played in the afternoon session.

And who won the GNOT-B?  Mark and Dave?  Stephanie?  Jim and Pamela?  Shekhar?

    
      On the 3NTx, LHO had KQJ8xx Ax xx xxx, RHO x K109xx K109xxx x.  Dave
     Gross makes it, as SK points out, by playing a heart at trick 2 or 3.
     I don't think either opponent will err here, as the bidding is too
     revealing, so I don't think conceding the DK will ever work.
    
      I chose to run the clubs, but could no longer make it, as they
     defended best.  There just isn't any pressure, and once you cash
     your last hand entry, LHO can cash his spade without worry, then
     play a diamond.  At the other table, they opened 2S, and balanced
     3C for 110, so this was a big swing against us - I think if I make
     it, I tie the match.
    
      It is true that hearts risks down 2, or possibly even 3, but it
     can also cause a defensive error.  In retrospect, I should have
     played one.
    
      bb

	Unfortunately, it was the other David Miller.  We folded in the last
	round.  -10 at the half, -23 overall.  A most exhausting event.

    In response to Alan's query, I have to report that dinner was a mistake
    for our team. We finished first in the qualifying, then promptly lost to
    the eighth placed team after leading by 20 IMPs at the half. Mark won
    his round of 8 match, so did Jim and Pamela. But I wasn't there on
    Sunday so I can't tell you the rest of the story.
    
    The match against Mark and Dave was fun and we eked out a victory only
    because my partner made an improbable 6N after a bidding misunderstanding, 
    which was totally my fault.
    
    Fate and partner paid me back in a subsequent round:
    
    Holding KQx-AQJx-xx-Axx in 1st seat, we conducted the following
    uncontested auction: 1N-4H(Texas)-4S-4N(RKCB)-5C(3KC)-6S. A club is
    led. Here's what I see:
    
    AJ109xxx-x-KJx-Qx
       opposite my
    KQx-AQJx-xx-Axx
    
    I play the queen from dummy and all hopes of this being an easy
    contract fade as RHO covers with the K. So who among you considers
    himself to be a lucky finesser?
    
    Shekhar

Sounds familiar. Dinner has often been my downfall too.

Dave

	Our "funny misunderstanding" story is in 335.2 for those that don't
	use UNSEEN maps.

	The weirdest hand we saw had interesting auctions at both tables,
	neither one of them very scientific:

			Jxxx-xxx-Jx-xxxx
	A-AQxx-Kxx-KQJxx		QTxxxx--AQTxxxx-
			Kx-KJTxxx-x-Axxx

	I sat south and participated in the following auction:

	1C-P-1S-2H-X-P-3D-P-3N-P-4D-P-6D-AP

	Holding S-Kx and CA, I wanted to double for a spade lead.  Ah restraint.
	Besides...  I'm on lead.

	At the other table, it went:

	1C-P-1D-2H-3H-P-4S-P-5D-P-5H-P-6N-P-7D-X-AP

	One of our teammates bid 6N to make, and the other thought it was
	going down for a ride and pulled to 7D, figuring it'd be down 1 at
	most.  The opponent with my hand definitely found a double looking
	at his black cards, and soon lived to regret it.  6D/M7 vs 7DX/M7

	We had a very nice auction against Collis and Alan, resulting in slam:

	AQTxxx-AQJxx-x-x opposite Kx-Kx-AKxxxx-xxx, with the auction going:

	1S-2D-2H-3C*-3H-3S-4N-5S-6S

	After partner's final preference at the low level after 4SGF, it was
	a piece o'cake.

	One major bidding misunderstanding:

	Pard	RHO	Me	LHO
	Pass	2S	3C	Pass
	4H	All pass

	I had no clue what 4H was.  JK, does this qualify as fit-showing jump
	by a passed hand?  Without a pass, would it be FSJ in competition?

	Anyways, I passed with Ax-xx-K9x-AKxxxx opposite Qxx-AKxxx-x-Jxxx (?),
	and partner was afraid we had missed 6C.  6C can't make from my
	side on a spade lead, but 3N or 5C easily makes.  Opps played 5C.
	Unfortunately, this was one of the final round bounds that cost us
	an arm and a leg.

	The "Gutsiest bid" award:

	Holding Jx-xx-AKQTxxx-AT, I bid 3N over P?-P-1C-?.  HJ was led from
	Qxx-AJTxx-Jxx-xx, and dummy hit with Txxxx-KQxx-x-Jxx.  +600 vs 2D
	making 3 for -110.

	One play problem I didn't have to face:

	Holding Kx-AKx-Kxx-AKJxx, partner and I had the following auction:

	2N-3H!-3S-4D-4N-5S-5N-6C-6N

	4D was natural and forcing.  Without a fit for partner, I decided
	4N was a "2-way" bid.  Partner knows my point count, so how could
	I be taking control of the auction.  So it must be natural, and if
	partner has extras, he can bid again.  I'll take any response as
	1430 keycard for diamonds, so 5D would be zero, and I'd pass.

	Partner showed 2A plus trump Q, I showed partner the rest of the
	keys in case grand was possible, and bid 6N over the expected zero
	king response.

			Axxxx-QJx-AQJx-9

			Kx-AKx-Kxx-AKJ8x

	At the other table, the auction went 2C-2S-3C-3D-3N-[more bids?]-6N

	At our table, a low club was led.  Whew!  (I'll leave it to DG, the
	master of squeezes to figure out any chances for seven)  I won't say
	for now if RHO played CQ, CT, or Cx at trick one.

	At the other table, a diamond was led (I think), and declarer has a
	much tougher time.  I'd be interested in lines of play, noting that
	the spade spots are *terrible*.  I think the highest spot we had was S7.

	I think the best line is to try and duck a spade into LHO, but the
	spots make it tough to do so.  I also wonder how many red-suit tricks
	you cash before ducking the spade.  And finally,  I also wonder what
	choice you make if you can't put LHO on lead, and RHO wins the spade
	and returns a club so you can't test spades before taking the finesse.
	The odds of the 3-3 split are certainly less than the straight finesse,
	but at least you've attempted to combine the two chances.

	Axxxx-QJx-AQJx-9		Contract: 6N
	Kx-AKx-Kxx-AKJ8x		Lead: Cx

You have 12 tricks after a club lead. The only threat cards are
black. Cash the 3 club tricks they give you (Vienna coup, but maybe
you set up the C8 (J?) by force). Then cash the red suit winners.
With 4 cards remaining and the lead in dummy, this is the postion:
	Axx-void-J-void
	Kx-void-void-8x
On the last diamond winner you pitch a low club. If either opponent
started with 4 spades and the missing club spots, s/he is dead.
If the 8 is not established, simply try to cash SK, SA, Sx.

Dave

re: Alan F's question about balancing jumps:
   I looked this up in Lawrence  ("Complete Book of Balancing") last
night.  This confirmed my suspicion that he doesn't play these bids as
strong as some of you might think.  Further, there is a distinction
between 2 level jump balances (i.e. in a higher ranking suit) and 3
level jump balances (i.e. in a lower ranking suit, typically a minor) in
that the 3 level jumps, being oriented more towards reaching 3NT than 5
of the minor, promise a better suit than the 2 level jumps.  The 2 level
jumps simply show a decent 6 (or 7) card suit and about opening bid
strength (he says "15 points give or take", but several of his examples
are weaker--down to maybe 11 with a 7 bagger).  The 3 level (single)
jumps are about the same strength but the suit must be strong.  These
bids are most definitely *not* forcing.  Further, it is clear from his
examples that an 18 count would definitely be too strong for this
treatment (such a hand would either double first then bid the suit
(maybe with a jump) or cue-bid first then bid the suit).
If people want details (and none of you have the book), I'll be glad to
type in specific examples.
A couple of interesting related notes:
   1. a double jump balance to the 3 level in a higher ranking suit
(e.g. 1C-P-P-3S) is a weaker bid but with a long suit.  I believe his
example was something like S: KJT9xxx H: xx  D: Ax  C: xx
   2. a 2N (jump) balance is natural: 19-20 HCPs balanced with
stopper(s) guaranteed.

In light of this, I'd say Kotok's actual hand (quoted as :
xxx-x-Qx-AKxxxxx) is too weak for 3C but that if you beefed it up to
xxx-x-Ax-AKxxxxx, 3C would be clear).  However, Frantz's suggestion that
AK should just pass out 1S strikes me as "resulting".  Seems to me AK's
hand is an obvious 2C balance.
>    CraigZa

		Axxxx-QJx-AQJx-9			Contract: 6N
Q9x-xxx-xx-QTxxx		JT8-Txxx-Txxx-xx
		Kx-AKx-Kxx-AKJ8x			Lead: Cx

At our table, a low club was led, with C9 holding the trick.  When I
crossed to hand and played CAK, RHO didn't know which major to hold
and pitched a spade.  Now it's a simple squeeze against LHO in the
black suits for 13 tricks.

At the other table, the auction was more revealing, so declarer received
a safe red suit lead.  She did not try to test the spades, and lost the
immediate club finesse.  RHO knew to keep SJ, and LHO coughed up SQ on
the black suit squeeze.  +1470 for us, and +100 for our partners.

I'm not positive about the spade spots, but QJ are correct, and they
also have T98.  If you try and lose a spade to LHO on this layout, the
first spade from dummy will show LHO has Sx.  So you rise SK and lead
Sx, hoping LHO will have to hold the trick.  If RHO overtakes S9 with
SJ, and fires a club through, what do you do?  It appears spades are
QT98 opposite Jx.  Now you can try a squeeze, or take a 50% finesse.
Is the squeeze even possible anymore?