Example #24 - Final showdown

3NT can be set on a H lead by South, but the remarkably convenient 1D opening puts an end to that.
Where East found a 3NT bid over 3D is anyone's guess, but like we stated before: missing cold games is bad practice.

Dealer E Vul All Scoring MP Lead ♣5	♠ QJ64 ♥ AT982 ♦ 93 ♣ 42
♠ AK32 ♥ Q53 ♦ K8764 ♣ J		♠ T9 ♥ K4 ♦ AJ52 ♣ KQ987
	♠ 875 ♥ J76 ♦ QT ♣ AT653

West	North	East	South
		1♦	p
1♠	p	1NT	p
3♦	p	3NT	p
p	p

You play CJ from dummy, North contributes the C5, you overtake with the CK and fire back C8 (!!) to the C3, S2, and C2.

You have 10 tricks for sure, but you might make 11 if you play carefully and opponents don't know the layout like you do.
When you cash 5 D tricks North holds on to S QJx and H AT9, while South has discarded a small S. Now you play a small H from dummy to your HK, cash S AK and play another S to North who is forced to let HQ make the last trick.

Of course, this was exactly the way Aruf played - but in the process something very revealing happened.
After winning C8, declarer continued with DJ!!!

Have a good look at the situation: there is no layout where the DJ play can gain, but there are plenty layouts where it simply costs.
The only possible conclusion is that declarer knew the layout and was showboating - he is literally shouting from the rooftops that he is using unauthorised information.

Example #24 - Second chance

Boards presented here are not about 'normal' bridge. If that were the case there would be no need for this blog in the first place.
So, we feel it's fair to give you a second chance - but this time based on the same information we're convinced Aruf based his action upon when this board was played. For a more realistic approach you might contemplate acquiring a second computer, placing the monitor next to the one you're using right now, and studying the hand record presented below on the new monitor.

You're sitting East, playing with a pick-up partner in a 12-board ACBL-sanctioned tournament on Bridge Base Online.
Bidding is based on standard 5-c major systems like sayc or 2/1, unless stated otherwise.

Dealer E Vul All Scoring MP Lead ♣5	♠ QJ64 ♥ AT982 ♦ 93 ♣ 42
♠ AK32 ♥ Q53 ♦ K8764 ♣ J		♠ T9 ♥ K4 ♦ AJ52 ♣ KQ987
	♠ 875 ♥ J76 ♦ QT ♣ AT653

West	North	East	South
		1♦	p
1♠	p	1NT	p
3♦	p	3NT	p
p	p

You play CJ from dummy, North contributes the C5, you overtake with the CK and fire back C8 (!!) to the C3, S2, and C2.
Plan the play.

Once you've made up your mind you can compare your solution with Aruf's action, presented in the final post about this board.

Example #24 - Quiz

You're sitting East, playing with a pick-up partner in a 12-board ACBL-sanctioned tournament on Bridge Base Online.
Bidding is based on standard 5-c major systems like sayc or 2/1, unless stated otherwise.

Dealer E Vul All Scoring MP Lead ♣5	♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
♠ AK32 ♥ Q53 ♦ K8764 ♣ J		♠ T9 ♥ K4 ♦ AJ52 ♣ KQ987
	♠ ♥ ♦ ♣

West	North	East	South
		1♦	p
1♠	p	1NT	p
3♦	p	3NT	p
p	p

You play CJ from dummy, North contributes the C5, you overtake with the CK and fire back C8 (!!) to the C3, S2, and C2.
Plan the play.

To achieve maximum appreciation of the Aruf genius we suggest you decide on your action before looking at the full hand record, presented in the next post about this board.

Example #23 - Final showdown

Missing cold games is bad practice ...

Dealer E Vul N/S Scoring MP Lead ♥9	♠ J87 ♥ 62 ♦ QT96 ♣ AQT2
♠ K52 ♥ T ♦ A7543 ♣ 9765		♠ AQ3 ♥ 98754 ♦ 8 ♣ J843
	♠ T964 ♥ AKQJ3 ♦ KJ2 ♣ K

West	North	East	South
		p	1♥
p	1NT	p	2♦
p	3NT	p	p
p

East got confused while defending - not so strange when the bidding has nothing to do with bridge as we used to know it - and declarer ended up with 11 tricks for all the marbles.

Example #23 - Second chance

Boards presented here are not about 'normal' bridge. If that were the case there would be no need for this blog in the first place.
So, we feel it's fair to give you a second chance - but this time based on the same information we're convinced Aruf based his action upon when this board was played. For a more realistic approach you might contemplate acquiring a second computer, placing the monitor next to the one you're using right now, and studying the hand record presented below on the new monitor.

You're sitting North, playing with a pick-up partner in a 12-board ACBL-sanctioned tournament on Bridge Base Online.
Bidding is based on standard 5-c major systems like sayc or 2/1, unless stated otherwise.

Dealer E Vul N/S Scoring MP Lead	♠ J87 ♥ 62 ♦ QT96 ♣ AQT2
♠ K52 ♥ T ♦ A7543 ♣ 9765		♠ AQ3 ♥ 98754 ♦ 8 ♣ J843
	♠ T964 ♥ AKQJ3 ♦ KJ2 ♣ K

West	North	East	South
		p	1♥
p	1NT	p	2♦
p	?

Once you've made up your mind you can compare your solution with Aruf's action, presented in the final post about this board.

Example #23 - Quiz

You're sitting North, playing with a pick-up partner in a 12-board ACBL-sanctioned tournament on Bridge Base Online.
Bidding is based on standard 5-c major systems like sayc or 2/1, unless stated otherwise.

Dealer E Vul N/S Scoring MP Lead	♠ J87 ♥ 62 ♦ QT96 ♣ AQT2
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣		♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
	♠ ♥ ♦ ♣

West	North	East	South
		p	1♥
p	1NT	p	2♦
p	?

To achieve maximum appreciation of the Aruf genius we suggest you decide on your action before looking at the full hand record, presented in the next post about this board.

Example #22 - Final showdown

A familiar theme ... you can see South has an obvious D lead, so:

Dealer S Vul All Scoring Imp Lead ♦8	♠ 976542 ♥ 9 ♦ 43 ♣ Q653
♠ KJ8 ♥ AQJ743 ♦ A2 ♣ T2		♠ QT ♥ K62 ♦ Q975 ♣ AJ94
	♠ A3 ♥ T85 ♦ KJT86 ♣ K87

West	North	East	South
			p
1♥	p	3NT	p
p	p

Declarer now has 11 tricks, but Aruf thought he could go for a 12th by taking the double C finesse.
His arithmetic turned out to be faulty and he ended up with only 10 tricks. No big loss in IMPs, especially since most declarers playing in H were held to 10 tricks as well.

Example #22 - Second chance

Boards presented here are not about 'normal' bridge. If that were the case there would be no need for this blog in the first place.
So, we feel it's fair to give you a second chance - but this time based on the same information we're convinced Aruf based his action upon when this board was played. For a more realistic approach you might contemplate acquiring a second computer, placing the monitor next to the one you're using right now, and studying the hand record presented below on the new monitor.

You're sitting East, playing with a pick-up partner in a 12-board ACBL-sanctioned tournament on Bridge Base Online.
Bidding is based on standard 5-c major systems like sayc or 2/1, unless stated otherwise.

Dealer S Vul All Scoring Imp Lead	♠ 976542 ♥ 9 ♦ 43 ♣ Q653
♠ KJ8 ♥ AQJ743 ♦ A2 ♣ T2		♠ QT ♥ K62 ♦ Q975 ♣ AJ94
	♠ A3 ♥ T85 ♦ KJT86 ♣ K87

West	North	East	South
			p
1♥	p	?

Once you've made up your mind you can compare your solution with Aruf's action, presented in the final post about this board.

Example #22 - Quiz

You're sitting East, playing with a pick-up partner in a 12-board ACBL-sanctioned tournament on Bridge Base Online.
Bidding is based on standard 5-c major systems like sayc or 2/1, unless stated otherwise.

Dealer S Vul All Scoring Imp Lead	♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣		♠ QT ♥ K62 ♦ Q975 ♣ AJ94
	♠ ♥ ♦ ♣

West	North	East	South
			p
1♥	p	?

To achieve maximum appreciation of the Aruf genius we suggest you decide on your action before looking at the full hand record, presented in the next post about this board.

Example #21 - Final showdown

The question 'Plan the bidding' was not a joke ... you really have some work to do here.

6C is cold, provided you play the C suit the right suit around.
That is something you're not going to entrust to some ignorant partner, so instead of a clear-cut take-out double you start by bidding 2C.

Dealer W Vul - Scoring MP Lead ♦A	♠ AKQ973 ♥ 5 ♦ 932 ♣ Q93
♠ 642 ♥ KT2 ♦ Q5 ♣ AT765		♠ ♥ AQ98 ♦ KJ84 ♣ KJ842
	♠ JT85 ♥ J7643 ♦ AT76 ♣

West	North	East	South
p	1♠	2♣	4♠
5♣	p	6♣	p
p	p

The bidding proceeds like one would expect: 4S from South, followed by 5C from partner.
Now you can happily bid 6C. Of course, you don't misguess trumps ... 12 tricks, for another top.

Example #21 - Second chance

Boards presented here are not about 'normal' bridge. If that were the case there would be no need for this blog in the first place.
So, we feel it's fair to give you a second chance - but this time based on the same information we're convinced Aruf based his action upon when this board was played. For a more realistic approach you might contemplate acquiring a second computer, placing the monitor next to the one you're using right now, and studying the hand record presented below on the new monitor.

You're sitting East, playing with a pick-up partner in a 12-board ACBL-sanctioned tournament on Bridge Base Online.
Bidding is based on standard 5-c major systems like sayc or 2/1, unless stated otherwise.

Dealer W Vul - Scoring MP Lead	♠ AKQ973 ♥ 5 ♦ 932 ♣ Q93
♠ 642 ♥ KT2 ♦ Q5 ♣ AT765		♠ ♥ AQ98 ♦ KJ84 ♣ KJ842
	♠ JT85 ♥ J7643 ♦ AT76 ♣

West	North	East	South
p	1♠	?

Plan the bidding.

Once you've made up your mind you can compare your solution with Aruf's action, presented in the final post about this board.

Example #21 - Quiz

You're sitting East, playing with a pick-up partner in a 12-board ACBL-sanctioned tournament on Bridge Base Online.
Bidding is based on standard 5-c major systems like sayc or 2/1, unless stated otherwise.

Dealer W Vul - Scoring MP Lead	♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣		♠ ♥ AQ98 ♦ KJ84 ♣ KJ842
	♠ ♥ ♦ ♣

West	North	East	South
p	1♠	?

Plan the bidding.

To achieve maximum appreciation of the Aruf genius we suggest you decide on your action before looking at the full hand record, presented in the next post about this board.

Example #20 - Final showdown

No game is on, so what's the problem?

Dealer N Vul E/W Scoring MP Lead ♥J	♠ A952 ♥ J9 ♦ T742 ♣ KT3
♠ 876 ♥ Q3 ♦ 85 ♣ AQJ654		♠ KJT3 ♥ A85 ♦ AKJ9 ♣ 87
	♠ Q4 ♥ KT7642 ♦ Q63 ♣ 92

West	North	East	South
	p	1NT	2♥
3♣	p	p	p

You may wonder if E-W had any agreement about 3C being forcing or not.
We don't know - but it's clear West intended 3C to be forcing and anyway ... who would pass 3C playing with a pick-up partner?

Aruf doesn't need conventions and agreements. In fact, he would often be better off without partners altogether - but even BBO management is unlikely to grant him that privilege.
Remember the board where Aruf replied 2NT to his partner's 2C opening and claimed it was a transfer to H? This happens to be the same partner ...

Example #20 - Second chance

Boards presented here are not about 'normal' bridge. If that were the case there would be no need for this blog in the first place.
So, we feel it's fair to give you a second chance - but this time based on the same information we're convinced Aruf based his action upon when this board was played. For a more realistic approach you might contemplate acquiring a second computer, placing the monitor next to the one you're using right now, and studying the hand record presented below on the new monitor.

You're sitting East, playing with a pick-up partner in a 12-board ACBL-sanctioned tournament on Bridge Base Online.
Bidding is based on standard 5-c major systems like sayc or 2/1, unless stated otherwise.

Dealer N Vul E/W Scoring MP Lead	♠ A952 ♥ J9 ♦ T742 ♣ KT3
♠ 876 ♥ Q3 ♦ 85 ♣ AQJ654		♠ KJT3 ♥ A85 ♦ AKJ9 ♣ 87
	♠ Q4 ♥ KT7642 ♦ Q63 ♣ 92

West	North	East	South
	p	1NT	2♥
3♣	p	?

Once you've made up your mind you can compare your solution with Aruf's action, presented in the final post about this board.

Example #20 - Quiz

You're sitting East, playing with a pick-up partner in a 12-board ACBL-sanctioned tournament on Bridge Base Online.
Bidding is based on standard 5-c major systems like sayc or 2/1, unless stated otherwise.

Dealer N Vul E/W Scoring MP Lead	♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣		♠ KJT3 ♥ A85 ♦ AKJ9 ♣ 87
	♠ ♥ ♦ ♣

West	North	East	South
	p	1NT	2♥
3♣	p	?

To achieve maximum appreciation of the Aruf genius we suggest you decide on your action before looking at the full hand record, presented in the next post about this board.

Example #19 - Final showdown

Never mind the bidding ... you knew you wanted to play 4S, and exactly how you get there is irrelevant.
Your job now is to make as many tricks as possible, like Aruf did.

Dealer N Vul N/S Scoring MP Lead ♥T	♠ KT874 ♥ A ♦ KJ74 ♣ A63
♠ A9 ♥ K52 ♦ 85 ♣ KQ9754		♠ J32 ♥ T6 ♦ QT32 ♣ JT82
	♠ Q65 ♥ QJ98743 ♦ A96 ♣

West	North	East	South
	1♠	p	2♥
3♣	X	p	4♠
p	p	p

Declarer put up HJ in dummy, ducked by West, for the Ace. Next came a small C ruffed in dummy followed by HQ, covered by the K, ruffed.
And now declarer played S10!!! This was ducked all around, and followed by another S to the Q and West's Ace.
West returned a C, which turned out to be not a good idea. Declarer took CA, drew the last trump, crossed to DA and claimed 12 tricks.

Example #19 - Second chance

Boards presented here are not about 'normal' bridge. If that were the case there would be no need for this blog in the first place.
So, we feel it's fair to give you a second chance - but this time based on the same information we're convinced Aruf based his action upon when this board was played. For a more realistic approach you might contemplate acquiring a second computer, placing the monitor next to the one you're using right now, and studying the hand record presented below on the new monitor.

You're sitting North, playing with a pick-up partner in a 12-board ACBL-sanctioned tournament on Bridge Base Online.
Bidding is based on standard 5-c major systems like sayc or 2/1, unless stated otherwise.

Dealer N Vul N/S Scoring MP Lead ♥T	♠ KT874 ♥ A ♦ KJ74 ♣ A63
♠ A9 ♥ K52 ♦ 85 ♣ KQ9754		♠ J32 ♥ T6 ♦ QT32 ♣ JT82
	♠ Q65 ♥ QJ98743 ♦ A96 ♣

West	North	East	South
	1♠	p	2♥
3♣	X	p	4♠
p	p	p

Plan the play.

Once you've made up your mind you can compare your solution with Aruf's action, presented in the final post about this board.

Example #19 - Quiz

You're sitting North, playing with a pick-up partner in a 12-board ACBL-sanctioned tournament on Bridge Base Online.
Bidding is based on standard 5-c major systems like sayc or 2/1, unless stated otherwise.

Dealer N Vul N/S Scoring MP Lead ♥T	♠ KT874 ♥ A ♦ KJ74 ♣ A63
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣		♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
	♠ Q65 ♥ QJ98743 ♦ A96 ♣

West	North	East	South
	1♠	p	2♥
3♣	X	p	4♠
p	p	p

Plan the play.

To achieve maximum appreciation of the Aruf genius we suggest you decide on your action before looking at the full hand record, presented in the next post about this board.

Example #18 - Final showdown

Experienced partnerships may have agreements about this situation, but pick-up partnerships are unlikely to have any - so, it's common sense.
Taking that into account, there appear to be 3 possible actions: pass, 3D, and 3NT. Which one you go for is largely a matter of personal style.

Knowing the complete layout things look different. You can see exactly where you want to play: in 3Cxx - but even if you pass, partner doesn't have a clear-cut redouble and may well bid 3NT instead.
So, you must do your duty and help partner out ...

Dealer S Vul E/W Scoring Imp Lead ♠J	♠ AQ ♥ AJ9 ♦ AKQJ4 ♣ Q53
♠ 975 ♥ T87 ♦ T96 ♣ AK82		♠ JT63 ♥ KQ632 ♦ 853 ♣ 6
	♠ K842 ♥ 54 ♦ 72 ♣ JT974

West	North	East	South
			p
p	2♣	p	2♦
p	2NT	p	3♣
X	XX	p	p
p

Partner had no trouble passing and 3Cxx +2 scored another bundle.

We often wonder why players at this level fail to report blatant examples like this one. But in this special case, we at least have no doubt about the motives not to file a complaint of one of the players involved.
The West player on this board, playing with a pickup-partner, was Nevzat Aydogdu. He is a Turkish 'star' player on BBO, just like his brother and regular partner Fikret Aydogdu. There is an impressive number of hand records from online bridge suggesting the behaviour of these gentlemen, when playing together, is not exactly what one would call perfectly ethical. But in fact these hand records are irrelevant as there is a far better indication of the way this pair operates: when defending a hand in a BBO tournament, with dozens of eyewitnesses kibitzing, a message from one of the brothers appeared in the chat window telling his partner how to defend - the classic mistake of a pair using MSN or ICQ to communicate, but typing a message in the wrong window.
Actually, this incident was not enough for BBO management to sanction them - BBO management only act when they feel it is to their advantage. The brothers were not suspended, let alone kicked out - and both still have their star. So instead of being kicked out of bridge this pair could get to the semi-final stages at the Open European Pairs Championships, played recently in Antalya.

Example #18 - Second chance

Boards presented here are not about 'normal' bridge. If that were the case there would be no need for this blog in the first place.
So, we feel it's fair to give you a second chance - but this time based on the same information we're convinced Aruf based his action upon when this board was played. For a more realistic approach you might contemplate acquiring a second computer, placing the monitor next to the one you're using right now, and studying the hand record presented below on the new monitor.

You're sitting North, playing with a pick-up partner in a strong teams match.
Bidding is based on standard 5-c major systems like sayc or 2/1, unless stated otherwise.

Dealer S Vul E/W Scoring Imp Lead	♠ AQ ♥ AJ9 ♦ AKQJ4 ♣ Q53
♠ 975 ♥ T87 ♦ T96 ♣ AK82		♠ JT63 ♥ KQ632 ♦ 853 ♣ 6
	♠ K842 ♥ 54 ♦ 72 ♣ JT974

West	North	East	South
p	2♣	p	2♦
p	2NT	p	3♣
X	?

No bids were alerted and we don't know if 3C is Stayman or Puppet, but you may assume N-S knew.

Once you've made up your mind you can compare your solution with Aruf's action, presented in the final post about this board.