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Vil Gravis Writes

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Tricky Questions (09)

Vil's Tips - Mon, 01/03/2021 - 2:26pm

You are South each time.
1. Match Points Dealer S NS Vul
Your hand:
AJT9AJT642KQ3

SouthWestNorthEast1Pass1Pass?
What would you bid?

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Categories: Vil Gravis Writes

Tricky Answers (08)

Vil's Tips - Mon, 01/03/2021 - 2:13pm

You are South each time.

1. Match Points
Dealer E NS Vul

AKJ4J762AJT63

a) The bidding has been:
SouthWestNorthEast---2XPass3Pass?

East’s 2H is a standard weak two, 6-10 HCP and six card suit.
What would you bid?

The consensus of respondents was that IF you are playing Lebensohl, you should raise to 4D but if not, pass is best. What is Lebensohl, you may ask? For the uninitiated, after your takeout double of a weak two, 2NT is WEAK and any bid at the three level has some values, say 8+ HCP. Makes a big difference doesn’t it?

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Categories: Vil Gravis Writes

Wednesday Play at The Hutt (06)

Vil's Tips - Fri, 26/02/2021 - 2:16pm

This week there were a number of interesting deals but I want to revisit last week’s deal because there were a number of responses to my request for bidding suggestions. Let’s take a look at the East-West hands again.

Board 17 Dealer N Nil Vul
A5T32AKT6AJ86KQT872A44K432

The bidding should start the same way every time. But after that, the possibilities are numerous.

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Categories: Vil Gravis Writes

Some Tricky Questions (08)

Vil's Tips - Tue, 23/02/2021 - 11:24am

You are South each time.

1. Match Points
Dealer E NS Vul

AKJ4J762AJT63

a) The bidding has been:
SouthWestNorthEast---2XPass3Pass?

East’s 2H is a standard weak two, 6-10 HCP and six card suit.
What would you bid?

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Categories: Vil Gravis Writes

Wednesday Play at The Hutt (05)

Vil's Tips - Tue, 23/02/2021 - 6:14am

Another very good reason for having a TRUMP suit is that there are invariably more options in the declarer play, giving you ways of improving your score without taking risks that you would not be able to take if you were playing in No Trumps.

Board 17 from Wednesday 17/02/2021
Dealer N Nil Vul

63QJ96QJ987T9A5T32AKT6AJ86KQT872A44K432J94K875532Q75

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Categories: Vil Gravis Writes

Wednesday Play at The Hutt (04)

Vil's Tips - Mon, 22/02/2021 - 1:28pm

This deal provides a perfect sequel to the one I reviewed last time. Clearly, none of the Wests read it, or if they did, they ignored it.

Board 24 from Wednesday 10/02/2021
Dealer W Nil Vul
QJ628Q73KQT85A874AKQT32A42J96JT9865AJ74KT953754K2963

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Categories: Vil Gravis Writes

Some Tricky Answers (06)

Vil's Tips - Wed, 10/02/2021 - 8:38am

You are South each time.
Dealer S NS Vul

AKJ43AJ72AJT6

a) The bidding has been:
SouthWestNorthEast12PassPass?
What would you bid?

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Categories: Vil Gravis Writes

Wednesday Play at The Hutt

Vil's Tips - Fri, 05/02/2021 - 7:56am

Board 21 from Wednesday 3/02/2021
Dealer N NS Vul
T965Q5KT9A864AQJ4AJ76QKQJ3K832K82A754377T943J862T952

Despite the fact that I intend to focus on play in this series, the bidding on this board is worth addressing because it should be easy if you follow basic ‘rules’: West opens 1C, the lowest four card suit. East bids 1D. No other option. West bids 1H, next four card suit ‘up the line’. East bids 1S. West now has heard enough to bid 4S. A trump fit has been found and even opposite East’s minimum six points, West has the POINTS and TRUMP SUPPORT for GAME. Simple. Yet only four out of 12 EW pairs were in 4S.

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Categories: Vil Gravis Writes

Tricky Questions (06)

Vil's Tips - Fri, 29/01/2021 - 1:19pm

Vil springs back into his challenging series after a good break over the holidays. Here are some more tricky questions:

You are South each time.

1. Match Points

Dealer S NS Vul

AKJ43AJ72AJT6

a) The bidding has been:
SouthWestNorthEast12PassPass?
What would you bid?

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Categories: Vil Gravis Writes

Tricky Answers (05)

Vil's Tips - Mon, 21/12/2020 - 7:58pm

Thanks for your input to the tricky questions and answers. Maybe we will do this again next year if there are any interesting ones, maybe you will have some to add from your own experiences, please do send me anything of interest. In the meantime, here is the result, in Tricky Answers No.5

1. Match Points

Dealer S Nil Vul
Q42AQJT4AKJ63

The bidding has been:
SouthWestNorthEast1213Pass?
(1. weak jump overcall)

What would you bid?

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Categories: Vil Gravis Writes

Tricky Questions (05)

Vil's Tips - Wed, 16/12/2020 - 9:45pm

Hi folks, here are the final tricky questions for the year. You are South each time.

1. Match Points

Dealer S Nil Vul
Q42AQJT4AKJ63

The bidding has been:
SouthWestNorthEast1213Pass?
(1. weak jump overcall)

What would you bid?

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Categories: Vil Gravis Writes

Tricky Answers (04)

Vil's Tips - Wed, 09/12/2020 - 7:53am

1. Teams
Dealer E All Vul
9873A9723QT74

The bidding has been:
SouthWestNorthEast---1Pass1Pass2Pass2Pass3Pass3Pass4Pass4Pass5PassPassPass

Your lead?

Good to get a near unanimous verdict here. Even I, despite my abhorrence of singleton trump leads, would lead my singleton diamond, trying to protect what club tricks I have, since they are in danger of getting ruffed in dummy, which will almost certainly have three diamonds and a singleton club, as in fact was the case.

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Categories: Vil Gravis Writes

Tricky Questions (04)

Vil's Tips - Sun, 06/12/2020 - 7:35am

Prepare yourself for when the panel responds to Vil's latest searching questions. You are South each time.

1. Teams
Dealer E All Vul
9873A9723QT74

The bidding has been:
SouthWestNorthEast---1Pass1Pass2Pass2Pass3Pass3Pass4Pass4Pass5PassPassPass

Your lead?

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Categories: Vil Gravis Writes

Tricky Answers (03)

Vil's Tips - Mon, 30/11/2020 - 1:52pm

You are SOUTH each time.

1. Match Points
Dealer W EW Vul
AQ3AK64AKT964

Partner opens 1H, you bid 2C, partner 2H.
a) What is your bid?

Everybody should be looking at the possibility of a grand slam, but how to get to it and should it be 7H or 7C, or even 7NT as one of the more optimistic panelists thinks. Some panelists believe that the 2H rebid will be at least a six card suit so it should be an easy matter to use Key Card and then, if you’re sophisticated enough (I am NOT) find out if partner has the CQ and bid 7NT. If that card happens to be singleton, partner will need six hearts to the AK and the king of spades for 7NT to make for certain, but then again, six hearts to AK without the jack will also founder against a 4-1 break. A singleton or doubleton small club would make a grand slam in hearts odds on when opener has AKxxxx when the grand slam in No Trumps is impossible.

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Categories: Vil Gravis Writes

Tricky Questions (3)

Vil's Tips - Wed, 18/11/2020 - 12:19pm

You are SOUTH each time.

1. Match Points
Dealer W EW Vul
AQ3AK64AKT964

Partner opens 1H, you bid 2C, partner 2H.
a) What is your bid?

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Categories: Vil Gravis Writes

Tricky Answers (2)

Vil's Tips - Tue, 17/11/2020 - 10:38am

You sit South for each hand and play at matchpoints:

1. Dealer E Nil Vul
QT97322K943AQ

East opens 1C, natural. You bid 2S (you play ‘intermediate jumps’ but West does not ask and doubles. Pass from North, 2NT from East, 3NT from West.
a) No questions asked, but do YOU think 2NT from East is 15-16?
b) What would you lead?

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Categories: Vil Gravis Writes

Tricky Questions (2)

Vil's Tips - Fri, 13/11/2020 - 10:25am

In Vil's new series the questions have been floated past a panel at time of publishing here. Vil comments on the responses in his following article. All hands come from recent sessions. You can join an email list for direct access by contacting Vil at villyn@xtra.co.nz

You sit South for each hand and play at matchpoints:

1. Dealer E Nil Vul
QT97322K943AQ

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Categories: Vil Gravis Writes

Tricky Questions (1)

Vil's Tips - Fri, 13/11/2020 - 10:16am

Vil is starting a new series that he's sure will be both interesting and helpful for those who enjoy a challenge or two. All hands come from recent sessions and you can join an email list for direct access by contacting Vil at villyn@xtra.co.nz The questions are floated past a panel at time of publishing here. In this series Vil will comment on the responses in his following article but, for this first one his thoughts follow on. Cover up the prognostications at the end while you work through the hands with your favourite partner.

You sit South for each hand and play at matchpoints:

1. Dealer S Nil Vul
K987362AKQ862

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Categories: Vil Gravis Writes

Vil's Red Book

X-Club Blog

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