Articles›Duplicate Tournaments›10/14/2025 Game Post-mortem Video (R)
10/14/2025 Game Post-mortem Video (R)
35 minutes
Mon, Oct 13, 2025Mine UsluelDuplicate TournamentsNews
Thanks for playing in the Wolpert Bridge Duplicate game. We hope you enjoyed the game.
We used the same dealset as 05/02/2023 game. That's why at the start Gavin says 'Welcome it is Tuesday May 2nd'. You can check the Q&A of 05/02/2023 Game for Gavin's responses to the questions asked after the game.
For further info about the topics mentioned in the post-mortem video, take a look at the following lessons:
Board 2: The Art of Balancing
Board 3: "1m-1M: Now What?" by Steve Weinstein
Board 6: Going for Blood with Penalty Doubles
Comments
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Hi again - board 7, playing weak NT, my partner opened 1C (3+) as N then rebid 1NT over my 1H. Playing 2 way checkback (2 way NMF) should I bid 2C to pass the diamond relay ? Usually I’d prefer 6 diamonds for this but this hand looks like it would play much better in a 5-2 diamond fit. Would you generally do this with 5 diamonds and no outside entry in such auctions or even always with 5 diamonds and a weak hand ? Worked out really well on this hand. Finally on board 8, would you consider treating the N hand as 10 rather than 11 with 3 jacks and making a slightly heavy weak jump overcall - feels like you need a lot from partner for game so could be better to get in the opponents way a bit more.
Yes I would relay to 2♦ to play there. With a singleton and a weakish hand, it rates to be a better contract than 1NT, and is usually a 5-3 fit. More than the jacks, I think the two aces are a big flaw for making a weak jump overcall. Partner will misjudge and save too often. But it would work well, of course, if it causes the opponents to make a mistake.
Good point about the aces - I think you’re right - my hand has a bit too much defence here. Need to think snout ODR more perhaps
Hi Gavin / Josh, On board 5 as south, is it worth trying to get to 4H via a more roundabout route. At this vulnerability, I would expect partners 2H to be pretty sound so expect that 4H would make. Trouble is, I expect that west will come to the same conclusion and bid 4S even if their spade support is less than perfect. Is it worth trying 2NT then bidding 4H over their expected 3S ? This trick worked with robots playing EW but not sure if it would against human opposition. Would you say this kind of tactical approach would be more likely to result in gettting to actually play in 4H ?
Sometimes a strategy like that can work, but it shouldn't be your default. Best in general is take up the most room possible. On the actual west hand, I am sure many players would have passed over 4♥ due to the level and moderate values, but raised to 3♠ if they could have, which might allow east to then bid 4♠.
Possibly a case of knowing your opponents - I feel like many of the people I play with would be very loathe to sell out to 4H here but then many of the people I play with have a tendency to overbid and get doubled ! In general I absolutely agree and do usually aim to take up room - somehow felt this hand might work better if taken slowly - guess it’s all about judgement and can’t get them all right - thanks for the reply
Hi Gavin - on board 3, I learned a different version of spiral raises (fragment spiral) where 3M is 4 min, 3M+1 is 4 Max, 3m is 3 min and with 3 max you bid a fragment so 3om is a fragment in that suit and 3H shows a heart fragment over S and 2NT shows a spade fragment over H (asking bid is 2S over Hearts). Is this version popular with experts ? I just learned it from a website.
It seems quite reasonable, I like it.
Brd 4. would 2S by W be ok with the poor doubleton Heart expecting W to be short in Hearts or have 5S?
Wondered the same thing
It's quite plausible, although personally I prefer 1NT, after all the spades are bad too.