BridgeMatters

This blog provides supplementary thoughts and ideas to the www.bridgematters.com site. If you haven't seen the main site, there is a lot there including the Martel and Rodwell interviews, photos, and articles. This blog is focused on advancing bridge theory by discussing the application of new ideas. All original content is copyright 2009 Glen Ashton.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Treasure Mine - Systems & Style - Chapter 2 - 4cM - Part V

(The recent world championship gives us a treasure trove that can be examined to study systems and style implications for success. For this chapter of the study, 4cM stands for 4 card majors, and our look at the recent world championships will focus on the use of openings that show 4 card majors).

The semi-finals had these pairs using some form of 1st/2nd seat 4cMs:

1 Geir HELGEMO - Tor HELNESS, Norway - 1H Opening
2 Terje AA - Jorgen MOLBERG, Norway - 1H Opening
3 Andreas KIRMSE - Michael GROMOELLER, Germany - 1H Opening
4 David GOLD - Tom TOWNSEND, England - 1H/S Openings
5 Jason HACKETT - Justin HACKETT, England - 1H/S Openings

That is 5 of the 12 pairs in the open semi-finals were using some form of 4cMs, in 1st and 2nd seat, and not in a big club system. We haven't seen that in ages, and it's one of the reasons why we are looking at how these methods did in the event.

In both semi-final matches we saw a 4cM opening with a 3-4-3-3 - here are Helness-Helgemo:

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The Hacketts had the same HH auction in the England-Germany match. In that match, both Easts led a club against 3NT and both Wests got in with the spade ace to switch to a red suit - England switched to a heart (even though North had bid hearts), 3NT making, Germany switched to a diamond, 3NT down 1. Italy also switched to heart, 3NT making, while the West for Norway led a diamond against 3NT by South (North passed, South opened 1NT 12-14) - this created three diamond tricks to go with the major aces for down one.

Board 14 saw the Hacketts create a problem for the German West:


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South opened 1S with a 4-2-3-4 13 count, and over West's double, North made a raise to 2S with 4Ss and 1 point - with a good raise North would make an artificial bid to show it. This left West with a rebid problem, which he nicely solved with 3NT.

Board 22 of the match saw a German 4cM opening:


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At both tables 4H was reached, down one. On board 26, England started with a 4cM:



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The Hacketts reached the same 4H contract as the Closed Room. Note East's rebid of 2NT even with no diamond stopper - 2NT is used here to show hand type (only 4Ss, no good rebid), and does not promise stoppers.
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England made the contract when North underled the club ace to declarer's jack. Declarer arranged a diamond ruff and wrapped up 620. At the other table a heart lead was won the heart ace (not best on this layout), and declarer played a club to the jack and ace, and North cash the heart king and switched to diamonds. Declarer had no quick entry back to dummy's good clubs and was down.
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The first board of the 4th segment saw a 1S opening by England:


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The Vugraph record is incorrect here - I believe East passed and the complete auction is 1S-2C;-2NT, by NS, making three. In the Closed Room it was 1NT(11-13)-3C(invite);-3NT, and with a spade lead and the club king nicely placed, that was making three for 6 IMPs to Germany, now ahead 99-85.

The next board had the Hacketts showing suit quality is not a consideration for their 4cM openings:


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2S was +110. In the Open Room, the English NS decided to balance against a slow auction to 2S, and since opener had rebid 1H, ended up picking the 4-3 diamond fit to play in, for -200, and 3 IMPs to Germany, now ahead 102-85. The next four boards were 4, 17, 2, and 13 IMPs to England, and after a series of battles England finished the segment 152-123, well on their way to the finals.

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