Mentoring session with Norrito1 - 10-28-2007 grizz: hi Norrie, how you doing today? norrito1->Lobby: grizz grilling norrie in club 2over1 now HELP !H cc1313: lol Norrie grizz: y, finally making improvement! grizz: what should we work on today? grizz: random hands today? norrito1: random is fine Pete grizz: do you play puppet stayman? i just worked up a bunch of hands on that topic norrito1: yes Pete over 2nt if I remember grizz: ok grizz: buckle up :) norrito1: I have no cheat cards here, wrong house grizz: ok, some theory first norrito1: ok grizz: with a balanced or semibalanced hand in the 20-23 range, responder will pass a 1-bid with many hands that make game grizz: some of those 5332 hands have a 5 card major grizz: but not good enough for 2!c opener grizz: and pd could pass 1!h or 1!s grizz: solution? norrito1: puppet grizz: yes, allow for 2NT opener to have 5M (5-card major) norrito1: to see if supp? grizz: so we need a way to find a 5-3 fit grizz: enter Puppet grizz: so in Puppet, 3!c asks whether opener has a 5 card major grizz: and here he does! norrito1: thats the easy bit lol grizz: unfortunately 4!h is down 1 here grizz: might make on defense error grizz: but correct contract norrito1: K c OFFSIDE grizz: y, unfortunate grizz: only makes 2NT from the N norrito1: & Q !!s grizz: yup, this hand is snakebit norrito1: ME BIT FLAT grizz: the robots are fired! norrito1: can I fire them? norrito1: no 5-card major? grizz: so N does not have a 5 card major, but DOES have 1 or both 4-card majors grizz: and you have several possible responses grizz: with both majors, you bid 4!d or 4!c to announce that grizz: difference is: grizz: 4!d shows no interest in slam grizz: but 4!c does grizz: so 4!d says you have no slam interest, both majors, and asks pd to pick a major grizz: 4!d here norrie norrito1: writing grizz: perfect spot, lose !d and !c norrito1: we play? grizz: notice it makes only 2NT, on a minor lead grizz: would you like to? norrito1: nah grizz: really this is all about bidding norrito1: continue puppet grizz: here is different grizz: with only one 4M, you bid the OTHER one as a transfer norrito1: 3!D was? grizz: 3!d says N has no 5M, but 1 or 2 4M grizz: and 3!s must be alerted grizz: and N must remember that it really means !hs grizz: and you have a flat hand, a few points short of slam range, so 3NT is perfect norrito1: so bid wrong major is the key ? norrito1: & game of course grizz: makes 6!s on a fluke, but 3nt is the correct contract grizz: yes, with only one 4M your bid is a transfer grizz: so the strong hand plays it, if there is a fit norrito1: yes 4!H lucky grizz: y, makes 5!h or 6!s norrito1: & !D K etc grizz: y grizz: decision time here norrito1: I like transfer grizz: ask about 5!H in North, or transfer to !S grizz: trf stands out here with 6 grizz: no slam interest norrito1: more sure grizz: perfect spot, but let's back up the auction grizz: you have another bid available to describe this hand grizz: do you know Texas transfers? norrito1: yes texas too grizz: 4!h transfers to 4!s, and shows 6+ in the suit grizz: AND grizz: it's on over interference! norrito1: if a jump? grizz: yes grizz: 4!h->4!s norrito1: will take time to alert ok grizz: sure norrito1: make clearer grizz: perfect contract norrito1: yup grizz: one other thing grizz: texas is usually made on a hand like this, with no slam interest grizz: but if you bid on, of course you are interested in slam, and next bid is likely a cue grizz: or 4NT, which would be RKC with the major as the anchor suit grizz: one other thing grizz: when you transfer at the 3 level and then raise to 4, it's a stronger hand than if you just transfer at the 4 level grizz: maybe we will have an example of that, i have 140 hands in this series norrito1: so transfer & game is slam try yes? grizz: mild slam try, y norrito1: so normal trans & game is try grizz: y norrito1: ok its what I learned grizz: and of course responder decides whether to bid on after 4-level Texas transfer grizz: last hand was to demonstrate that even if you play Puppet, regular transfers and Texas still apply norrito1: ok grizz: what does North have here? norrito1: a major grizz: 5 card !h suit norrito1: ah grizz: 3!d would be one or both 4 card majors norrito1: 3!D is 4 card yes grizz: remember, in Puppet 3!c asks for a 5-card major norrito1: yup grizz: perfect, makes 5!h norrito1: prime norrito1: object 5 card grizz: right grizz: or 4, but 5 is main goal norrito1: & others just in case etc grizz: right grizz: here is where most mistakes are made in Puppet grizz: players forget to ask about a 5-card major when they have only 3 norrito1: thus dont need 4 card as responder grizz: yes norrito1: ALERT OK? grizz: right wyoming33: do you play it after 1NT opening ->wyoming33: hold that thought, and remind me if i forget grizz: what do you suppose 3NT means? grizz: 3NT denies a 4 card major grizz: so will be a signoff bid most of the time grizz: but always be aware that it shows only 4, 5 or 6 cards in the major suits grizz: 2-2, 3-2 or 3-3 grizz: so you might be in minor slam territory if pd bids 3NT grizz: so remember also - grizz: if opener bids 3NT, that's the answer to the major question, not necessarily a signoff if you as responder have a good minor or 2 grizz: with only one 4M, you transfer to it by bidding the other grizz: 3!h->3!s, and 3!s->3!h grizz: and North must remember that the !h bid shows !s grizz: makes 4 grizz: darn, i should have been claiming so you can replay the hands. i'll start now, and go late wyoming33: seems to be 3!D shd be alerted also since normal 3!D denies any 4-card major grizz: all the puppet bids should be alerted grizz: now, somebody asked whether you can play puppet over 1NT grizz: and the answer is yes grizz: there are several versions of it grizz: one is that 1NT-2!c is 4-card Stayman, but 1NT-3!C is Puppet with GF values norrito1: OK grizz: another is that 1NT-2!c is always Puppet, and no guarantee of GF values grizz: third that I know of is the Australian Lavings system, but I won't confuse you with that - it's very complicated norrito1: great dont Pete lol grizz: how to choose? grizz: depends on how good memory is, for both you and pd grizz: and i don't find that opening 1NT with a 5M has many advantages wyoming33: you usually open the major then? cc1313: if playing weak nt does that change things? grizz: unless you play weak NT, and then there are certain advantages if you are on 12 or 13 hcp, but not 14 grizz: but that's way beyond the scope of what we are doing today grizz: so let's just leave it that Puppet is possible over 1NT, but if it were wildly successful everybody would be doing it grizz: and they don't :) wyoming33: right - norrito1: I like majority grizz: there are advantages to running with the herd grizz: experts tend to run with the herd most of the time, but grab a top here and there grizz: above all, avoid the bottoms grizz: opener's bid is natural, not a transfer :) grizz: lol norrito1: my keybosrd drunk grizz: rofl norrito1: which to choose grizz: remember what to do here? grizz: 4!d is no slam interest grizz: and both 4Ms norrito1: hey I wrote it down lol grizz: easy make, but only 3NT norrito1: because distributional hand grizz: y grizz: now grizz: decision time norrito1: imagine alert all grizz: right grizz: guess we should both practice that too grizz: N has 4, 5 or 6 cards in the majors norrito1: I do practice alerts but here once is enough grizz: but you have only 8 hcp, and terrible !d suit grizz: so passing 3NT stands out norrito1: 3nt grizz: turns out this one makes 6!c, 6!d or 6NT but those are all bad contracts norrito1: 4 5 6? grizz: if N does not have a 4 card major, he can only be 2-2, 2-3 or 3-3 in !h and !s grizz: but this is not a hand where you should go looking for a !d slam grizz: add an ace or king, and you should keep going grizz: oops grizz: transfer, remember? norrito1: xfer, oops grizz: notice that North should not jump to 4!s here grizz: that leaves room for S to invite slam with a cuebid on the way to 4!s norrito1: clever yes grizz: btw, i'm having you play South because even though North has the good cards, South is captain of the partnership grizz: because the N hand is known to within strict limits of shape and strength grizz: but responder is unknown to N norrito1: the Capt thing grizz: so S has a better understanding of total partnership assets grizz: exactly - very important! grizz: so as S you must make all the important decisions norrito1: ok that'll do grizz: not that there's any pressure or anything, but the whole world is in spec :-) grizz: perfect grizz: giving up on a !s fit? norrito1: nah people talking here norrito1: ok ? grizz: remember, 3NT is not drop dead, only the correct answer to the stayman ask grizz: with the appropriate hand you may continue to explore for minor slam grizz: but this one ain't it :) norrito1: yes norrito1: I will sniff it I hope grizz: wow!!! grizz: lol this is where you must ask pd whether that was Unusual 2NT grizz: decision time again grizz: you can cuebid, or you can blast right to 4NT RKC norrito1: you to cue yes? norrito1: 1/2ND ROUND grizz: y, but with 2 aces must continue - either more cues, or RKC grizz: i like 4!s, intentionally bypassing game and making unmistakeable slam try grizz: yeee haaaaaaaa! norrito1: so thats 3 then grizz: y grizz: no 1430 on kings norrito1: specific ok grizz: either 0,1,2,3 or grizz: Specific grizz: starting with cheapest norrito1: ok grizz: no, 1430 does not apply to kings, even if you play it for aces grizz: let's make it easy and play Number, not Specific grizz: we have all the aces, all the kings and you have the !HQ norrito1: or maybe nt if etc grizz: so 7!h or 7NT? norrito1: imp or mp grizz: at imps, there is no score difference between 7!h and 7NT grizz: and !h is safer grizz: so bid 7!h grizz: at matchpoints, the decision is a little more complicated norrito1: in MP nt score more yes? grizz: first of all, many pairs will stop in 6 grizz: so you beat them grizz: so count your tricks norrito1: no stop with pete bidding 6!S lol grizz: 9 for aces, kings and the Q!h grizz: and likely the !DQ abd !CQ grizz: 11 tricks grizz: and 2 long !hs grizz: = 13 grizz: :) grizz: 7NT is in the bag, and you can count the tricks before you bid it grizz: there is no risk to 7NT here norrito1: if 7!X yes more grizz: and that's the way it should be with a grand, you should be able to count all the tricks before laying down dummy norrito1: so byepassing kings = 7 & just where grizz: is that cool or what??? norrito1: real cool grizz: yup, you have all the information you need when you hear the 6!S bid norrito1: I was not too happy with my Q9 !D grizz: wasn't that fun? grizz: only risk would be that N has !DAK tight, and takes only 2 tricks norrito1->Club: shall we play it ? rofl grizz: but one must be an ultimate pessimist to think that there wouldn't be another trick or 2 somewhere in the hand grizz: notice one other thing grizz: the books say you need 37 hcp for a grand grizz: how many do we have here? norrito1: 35 grizz: so the 'scientific' types may stop in 6 grizz: and the newbies might not get past 3!!! norrito1: unless sick grizz: let's back it up, i don't like this auction grizz: now, with an unbalanced hand you should show the second suit - there might be a !c slam here grizz: now it gets tricky whiz: lol norrito1: no then? grizz: ok, you have a !h fit grizz: a good !c suit with an ace, and a stiff !d norrito1: DONT like the XX !S grizz: are you thinking slam might be on? norrito1: i am not norrito1: coward grizz: lol grizz: i would make one slam try, and pass if pd did not cooperate norrito1: but 5 probably ok? norrito1: yup norrito1: so 5!H now I pass norrito1: !C nicely placed grizz: lucky this time grizz: in real life, i would probably would not bid 5!s in the N grizz: that's the whole point, S is not limited and balanced grizz: second suit by S is 95% 5+ rq4mulae: but has no side values besides the 5c suit shown with 4!c. grizz: so only 3- cards in the other 2 suits, and N has aces there grizz: this hand is a big double fit grizz: let me talk about slams for just a minute grizz: there are 3 basic types, and combinations of the 3 grizz: 1. overwhelming strength grizz: 2. freak distribution and side controls grizz: 3. double fits grizz: this one is a perfect example of double fit grizz: !h and !c grizz: and known shortness in the South in !S and !D grizz: so while this one is not guaranteed, it's a good slam - even with just 25 hcp! grizz: ok, it's about time to wrap this up grizz: unless you have any questions norrito1: tks Pete Same time next week 1pm ET grizz: thx kibs, glad you could stop by grizz: ok, bye now