Team Tactics

Team tactics was the theme tonight--no surprise! Frank and I have taught several lessons on team tactics--mostly to advanced players. Others--this is for you!

** BID!! We score oodles of imps by bidding games that other players don't. A couple of examples:

Hand 1. Pass, Pass, 1NT (13-15) by RHO and I doubled with this hand:

Axx
QJx
KQxxxx
A

I would have doubled a 15-17 NT as well. LHO and partner pass (there is some discussion that the pass by LHO forces the NT bidder to bid) and RHO now bids 2C. I bid 2D and Frank jumps to 3H! My hand looks just fine for hearts and we are vulnerable. The decision isn't even close--4H! Frank's hand:

Kxx
Kxxxx
x
Qxxx

Score up 650--win 11 imps!

Hand 2. Pass, Pass, 1C on my right and I hold:

Jxx
J10x
AKQx
98x

Not a very exciting collection, but I bid 1D. Hey--if nothing else I'll get partner off to the right lead! LHO makes a slow negative double and pard jumps to 3C: a 4 card limit raise. RHO bids 3S, LHO bids 4S and partner surprises me by bidding 5D! Now I must confess I am a little worried...we are vul and they aren't...am I in trouble? All pass...well, probably not too much trouble...

Dummy has an interesting collection which includes 5 card trump support :-)

x
AQxx
J10xxx
K10x

After a spade lead and a heart shift I am able to hold it to down 1. Our teammates made 4 or 5 spades for a net of 350 and 8 imps!

** Doubling

While it is dangerous to double part-score contracts at teams, it is often fine to double game contracts. If you're pretty sure it is going down, double it! You stand to gain more than you lose. (Just be sure they don't make a doubled overtrick!)

More on team tactics later...it's getting late!
See you at the table!