Monday, April 07, 2003
5:12 PM
Hand Evaluation – Tactics ( How to Play IMPS )
PITBULLS:
I have stated in previous articles that good IMPS players emulate good poker players .
Good poker players take calculated risks
so gamble when appropriate . They do not take stupid gambles
so play close to the vest until they strike . However , they do gamble . There is a gambling
aspect of Bridge so those who ignore that element of the game will not do well
in IMPS . Poker players gamble when the pot odds are
in their favour. It is a risk reward
type of thinking. IMPS players should be in tune
with the poker players not matchpoint players. In matchpoints ,
there are no wrong bids , just ones that did not work. When you want to swing
in matchpoints , just play good disciplined Bridge. You will be going against the field !
If I were to
critique all the IMP matches that I have played over the decades
, I would give the main reason for teams losing is they cannot or will not change away from the Match Point mentality. Match points
is where they learned their game so their “style” is match point orientated . What do I mean by that ?
The Holy Grail in match points is the plus . Get a
plus at all costs . Do not bid iffy games
, close slams or compete too much at high levels as
to get a minus.
There is no such thing as “taking out insurance”
for a small minus to avoid a big disaster. Its only 1 board in match points but
it may be 17 IMPS in IMP scoring taking a lot of energy to get it back .
I notice that match point players
playing IMPS over use game tries so
are trying to be too precise .
They do not take
calculated risks in slam or game bidding .Again the take a plus at all costs mentality .
They will not “fight” as much as IMP players in the psychological aspect of the
game . Super light lead directing bids in 3rd
seat seem to be nonexistent for the average matchpoint
player. Tactical psyches or aggressive bids
to keep opponents out of vul games when they
are not vulnerable are not in their repertoire . Mind games to keep the opponents guessing is not
something you see from Match Point Players very often. Sometimes you make bids
to pressure opponents into making wrong decisions . These bids no not come
without risk but they are part of the psychological warfare
of IMPS.
Risk taking is
a huge difference when playing IMPs rather than matchpoints.
Match points players take unnecessary risks
though by the nature of their game. This is in the area of competing
for partials or trench warfare as it is often called. As a partial is just
as important as a grand slam in
match points , they make “match point “ overcalls
without decent suits to win the partial . Even opening bids
are a competitive tool in matchpoints. Destructive
tactics rather than constructive tactics seems to work
better in matchpoints especially in weak fields. These
destructive tactics can back fire quite often causing
partner to make the wrong lead , wrong decision or just go for a horrible set . In IMPS ,
this action can be -14 IMPS so take many boards to win back . An IMPS player
makes sound overcalls with a decent suit so may balance later if the water is fine . In IMPS , balancing is far
less risky than a vul 2 level overcall on Jxxxx of clubs with 13 HCP . An overcall
in IMPS shows a suit not just a
collection of HCP’s. An opening bid shows a collection of HCP’s with quick
tricks whereas overcalls show a suit as
a rule. Just because you have opening bid HCP values , does not make your hand an overcall. You use hand evaluation skills to enter the
auction even at the one level. If
by not bidding you risk not getting to game , you bid
in IMPS. Competing for partials take a
back seat to common sense in IMPS. In IMPS , you sometimes sell out to a partial
to avoid risking a disaster. The logic in IMPS is when we are not missing a game
, no disaster. This action even in IMPS is repugnant to matchpoint hounds or Bergen disciples.
The “Bridge gods” for IMP players
are games & slams . Therefore any bid that
gets the auction off to a bad start , like garbage opening
bids & overcalls should be avoided. The
end result will be games & slams going down & eroding the discipline &
trust needed to make good high level Bridge decisions. In matchpoints , you sacrifice some
constructiveness as competing for partials is so
important in that game. Two very different games , two
different strategies. Matchpoint players are “not
afraid of going down” so will expose themselves to huge sets. The IMP player
uses poker style pot odds to guide their risk taking. When there is not much to
gain ,
the IMPS player will not take the risk.
IMPS players “play the
vulnerability” as a strategy , by
adjusting their overcall or opening bid style
to be more aggressive on the terrorist vulnerability.
In matchpoints , overcalls & even garbage openers
are consistent with any vulnerability
because of the importance of partials in that method of scoring. In matchpoints ,
being a terrorist with your overcalls or opening bids
on all vulnerabilities
is a winning strategy. One of the worst arguments I have seen for bad overcalls
in IMPS is the
following logic. By making bad overcalls you win a double partial swing , another double partial swing & then go for -500
to break even. This argument is fallacious as an IMPS player may still get the
double partial swings by being more cautious , balancing
& avoid the direct -500. In IMPS , the pot odds do not justify silly overcalls just to show HCP’s & compete.
You are gambling too much to gain too little. Who says your singlehanded “heroic” vulnerable overcall on ♠Jxxxx is the only way to gain a partial swing ? Misrepresenting
your hand to partner should be avoided
in IMPS. Competing is important in IMPS , but not “your god” as in matchpoints.
Partials are not the be all & end all as in matchpoints. The two games are scored
differently so the strategy is different. Very simple. Risk vrs reward are not the same
in the two games.
When you pass with
12 HCP’s with a bad suit rather than opening or overcalling & they buy the contract in NT ,
this is not necessarily a bad thing in IMPS.
You lead your suit & the opponents have the A,K
& queen of your suit then win & play their suits . You keep leading
your suit until it is established so you beat 1NT for +100. You analyze the hand & by
risking an overcall with a bad suit
vulnerable , you can make +110 or even +140. In IMPS
, so what ? not
a disaster. In matchpoints , not very good.
Match point doubles of partials should be avoided in IMPS
. When you “know” they are going down , a pass is quite often good as partner might
pull the double or weird distribution might allow them to make it . A bad penalty
double is not a
good poker style risk .The play of the cards
, opening leads , and defense also show me a Match Point player from an IMPS
player . Match point players are afraid of aggressive opening leads even when the auction calls for it . They will choose a passive lead
because deep in their subconscious they remember a –650 being a cold zero
because of the overtrick . An IMPS player makes much
more aggressive leads as overtricks virtually
mean nothing.
In defense too ,
Match point players are scared of making a switch as it may give up an
overtrick. They do not go all out
to beat a hand but tend to be overly passive . They do
not have the beat the game mentality instead the “ I will
not give anything away mentality” . Counting distribution ,
tricks and HCP’s guide the good IMPS player
in defense and play. Beating the contract guides the IMP players.
In the play of the cards , safety plays are the last thing Match Point players
think of . When the hand looks cold , an IMPS player
starts thinking of bad breaks and safety plays to ensure the
contract . The match point player is probably thinking of an overtrick . Playing IMPS you can go on “autopilot” and play
instinctively. Your instincts have been formed in the Match Point game so that
might lead to an IMPS disaster. When your Bridge background is rubber bridge , instincts should be O.K., but when they are formed
in Match Points , you are well on your way to losing ….