Cream of the Crop 11/Cream of the Crop 11-1.iso/games/marvin01.zip/EXPERTS.PPA

Text File | 1995-10-21 | 6KB | 118 lines

                       BEATING THE EXPERTS


Experts bid better, defend better, and play the dummy better than
you. They also have better partnerships, so how can you possibly
beat them? The usual answer is to copy their methods (surely the
best) and to try for swings with unsound bids and plays. Wrong!
That might work for a short Swiss match, maybe one time in ten, but
not for a longer match.

No, your best chance is to play a solid game that differs from
theirs. You don't want the same contract, played from the same
side, with the same opening lead and line of dummy play, at both
tables. If your alternatives get better results, you win! If they
don't, so what, you were going to lose anyway. Here's the plan:

-- Don't play their system. If they play five-card majors, you play
four-card majors. Use different notrump ranges, if only to play
16-18 HCP one notrump openings vs their 15-17, and 21-22 HCP two
notrump openings vs their unsound 20-21. It is amazing how often
good bidding in different systems will result in a different
contract or different declarer.

-- Use alternative conventions and treatments. They use Michaels
cue bids? You use top-and-bottom. Forget weak jump overcalls, yours
are strong or intermediate. No negative doubles unless the vul-
nerability is unfavorable--you double for business (but read up on
the techniques). Throw in some good but uncommon gimmicks, like
transfer responses to overcalls.

-- No ultra-light openings, doubles, overcalls, or responses. The
experts are better at stealing hands than you are, so don't mimic
their macho style. That does not mean bidding timidly. If you have
a reasonably good bid or double, make it.

-- Don't open notrump with a weak doubleton or off-shape hand.
Eschewing these questionable practices, popular with experts, can
get some great results.

-- Avoid bidding weak suits with marginal hands. Partner will have
more confidence in raising or leading your suit, and you'll have
fewer disasters.

-- Prefer a sound minor suit bid to a questionable one in a weak
major or in notrump. A good minor suit contract, disdained by the
experts, often yields a nice swing.

-- Prefer a notrump response or rebid when the alternative is to
bid a weak four-card suit. Don't use Stayman with a weak major and
a balanced hand. You might gain if their suit contract gets a bad
break, or your unrevealing bidding elicits a favorable lead.

-- Try to stay out of the low-percentage games that experts are
fond of (their chief weakness). Sometimes they will succeed in a
bad contract, and your lesser bid will result in a loss. The loss
would be greater, however, if your inferior play or their superior
defense would have defeated you in the same contract. Often the bad
contract won't succeed, and you will have a gain instead of a push.

-- Don't get too scientific; their science will be better. If you
are pretty sure of game or slam, just bid it. Hiding your assets
may get you a favorable lead. Use only those conventions and
treatments that your partnership knows thoroughly. It is hard
enough to beat experts without giving them gifts arising from
misunderstandings.

--  With a close opening lead decision, try to guess what the
expert will do and choose the alternative. Maybe you'll get a
swing. Don't make strange leads, however, like king from king-
small. To do so is to play into the experts' hands (literally).

--  Take alternative lines of dummy play. With nine trumps,
finessing for the queen can produce a swing. It's only 52 to 48 in
favor of the drop, so why not take a chance?

--  Against suit contracts, lead low from weak doubletons and high
from weak tripletons. This is a better method than MUD (middle-up-
down) for distinguishing between doubletons and tripletons, and
often works better than standard leads.

--  Don't use "odd-even" or other coded discards. In fact, signal
only when absolutely necessary. Experts love defenders who reveal
the location of high cards.

--  Don't let a bad result demoralize you. Experts have bad
results, too. Say absolutely nothing critical or apologetic. Just
smile, and don't let them see you sweat! For that matter, silence
in general is wise. Experts are very good at deducing skill level
from opponents' smallest comments. If you keep quiet, they may
think you're an expert too!

--  Before leading against any contract, routinely say, "Please
explain your auction." They must explain not only any conventional
bid or non-standard treatment, but also any standard bid about
which they have a special understanding.

--  Experts excel at reading "breaks in tempo" (hesitations or
unwonted speed) during the bidding or play, so try to make every
call and play at the same (slow) speed. Consider your opening
leads, no matter how obvious, for five seconds or so. Why tell them
you don't have a lead problem?

--  Call the director if there is any irregularity whatsoever. The
experts will do so whenever your side has a break in tempo, and
you must return the favor. Directors are notoriously loath to rule
against experts, so use your right of appeal if a decision seems
unfair. Whatever happens, keep your cool. Be pleasant. Experts
thrive on disgruntled opponents.

--  Don't tolerate misbehavior by the experts' kibitzers, who must
be seated and silent. Kibitzers may look at only one hand, and must
give the same attention to a bust hand as to a blockbuster. You
have the right to banish any one kibitzer without cause.

  While the foregoing is aimed mainly at team-of-four games, most
of the tactics apply to pair games in which you are outclassed.