Brian Davies
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Even if you don’t play strong tens (and I don’t any more) it is worth understanding them so that you can interpret your opponents’ leads.
It’s still a funny overseas URL Stewart. Mine is the link to the magazine on the EBU website, so I would expect it to be trustworthy.
I think that the article is in the April 2009 edition of English Bridge. This link should work (no idea where Stewart got his from):
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/ebumagazine/2009-04.pdf#page=42
I have certainly read quite a bit about Smith Peters, but never had a regular partner who has wanted to try them.
I agree with your point about playing in tempo and think that this would be nearly impossible when you first try the method. To be fair, this problem is not unique to Smith Peters and I find that this is also the case for opponents who use discard systems such as DODDS, Italian and Revolving (or as one club owner used to call them: Revolting).
The problem of course is that the unwritten rules of Smith Peters are:
- A fast high card means that you have a positive interest in the the suit that partner lead.
- A slow high card means that you don’t have much in partners suit, but don’t have much anywhere else and partner might as well carry on the suit.
- A fast low card means that you definitely want partner to switch.
- A slow low card means that you quite like partner’s suit, but didn’t really think that you could spare the 10 in declarer’s suit.
Or am I too cynical?
I don’t think that Smith Peters is a novice topic and I would expect a novice to find it hard.
For what it is worth, I have played most signalling systems but I have never played Smith Peters – I have only read about them in books! I have never had a partner that wants to try them and both members of a partnership need to be invested in making a system work, or it won’t work. I did find Bernard’s presentation very helpful, not least because I find that I play against Smith Peters quite often.
You would definitely make two diamonds and a third ruffed by partner, since your partner can have two diamonds at most, and this would definitely defeat 5H. But will your partner lead a doubleton diamond when both opponents have bid the suit? Even if partner has the likely singleton, will partner lead it?
How high do you rate your chances of a spade trick?
Yes, John has summarised the 5NT king ask very well. I would just add that the original responses and the default assumption if you haven’t discussed it with your partner is John’s first method (a). My understanding is that Bernard uses John’s second method (b) – that is, he bids specific kings up the line. But I wouldn’t expect to play this method unless you have agreed it in advance with your partner.
In the unlikely event that you are wanting to know about the 5NT Grand Slam Force convention (also known as Josephine) – it is a bid of 5NT without bidding 4NT first and asks about the trump holding. My advice is to not bother with this convention – it never comes up!
5S from North would have been interesting!
Yes, collect the poor score and move on, at least pairs. There was only one player in the room who would find that bidding sequence with the West cards.
Thanks Brian, I can’t disagree with your analysis and of course I want partner to protect in fourth seat.
I guess that this illustrates one of the reasons why we like to play a weak no trump – it can sometime freeze the opponents out of the bidding if each opponent has a weak no trump as well (although that West hand is closer to 15 points than 14). I am happy to effectively give up on games when the opponents open a strong no trump, but I am reluctant to completely give up on games just because our opponents open a weak no trump. The type of scoring matters as well. I would be more reluctant to pass this at teams – particularly if vulnerable.
There was a more general point that I was trying to make as well. When partner passes and later competes, it might be that partner lacked the values to compete before, but very often it is because partner lacked the suit quality to compete.
Finally, Bernard’s East hand is close to a (1NT)-3S weak jump overcall with one of my partners!
Yes rules is a better generic term to cover the laws, regulations and conditions of contest.
One area that I think has slipped is unauthorised information – in particular maintaining a normal tempo. We all hesitate from time to time, but this does convey UI and has consequences for your partner. I have sometimes felt that some players have blatantly used their partner’s hesitations but when you are online there might be legitimate explanations (connection problems, telephone, door bell etc.).
No idea why they finished in clubs rather than diamonds.
I led the eight of hearts, hoping that it might be deceptive (it wasn’t).
The full hand was:
On the bidding, it is very unlikely that the ace and queen of spades are valuable in defence and the king of hearts looks pretty useless. I was very tempted to go on to 6S, but I figured that I was probably going to get a bottom whatever I did.
I passed and collected my 0% when 6 clubs made. If I bid on to six spades, I might go three-off if they get the defence spot on, but two-off is also possible. Two pairs were allowed to play in 5D doubled (making 12) and I would have beaten them and improved the score on the board to 22%. But of course the downside might be quite big if 6S was drifting off.
I think it clear to bid on a teams -500 (or better -300) is a lot better than -1370 and might be 13 or 14 IMPs. The risk / rewards now favour bidding on in my opinion.
Interested in other peoples thoughts?
West was not under pressure when he freely forced his partner to bid a slam. Are you sure that your ace of spades will stand up?
Hi Nik, to attach a screen print:
(1) Capture the screen shot. In Windows, there is a utility under “windows Accessories” called the “Snipping Tool”. It is pretty easy to use:
(2) attached the screenshot – use the last icon – the one that looks like a mountain with the sun shining:
