TGIF September 2015: Scores
| 1. IMPs. N-S vul.
|
A K 10
A 5
J 8 5
K Q J 9 6
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
1
|
2
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 8
| 100
|
|
2
| 6
| 90
|
|
Dbl
| 3
| 70
|
|
2NT
| 0
| 50
|
|
Pass
| 0
| 50
|
|
3
| 0
| 30
|
|
Moderator: Half of the expert panel choose to cue-bid, and they know precisely what 3 means, even if it doesn't mean the same thing for everyone.
Larry Cohen: 2. Amongst all the lies, I think 2 has the most upside. Partner would raise only if he had four, and maybe a 4-3 spade fit is our best fit.
Kerri Sanborn: Dbl. Although most pairs play this as support, an addendum is frequently 'support or a big hand'. These types of hands are unbiddable without that agreement.
The Sutherlins: 3. Because we are playing support doubles, we can't double to show a good hand. Our diamond stopper is too tenuous to bid notrump after a two-level overcall.
August Boehm: 3. . . usually showing a strong, balanced hand without a stopper in the opponent's suit, or sometimes a big club hand or a huge heart raise. If I bid where I live - 2 - I'm stuck when partner raises.
Eugene Chan: 2. Good hand for a reverse, lack of 4 card suit notwithstanding. In any event, artificial reverses happen a lot in my partnerships.
Joel Martineau: Dbl. Not sure what I would do at the table, but Dbl usually prevails in this bidding contest.
Stephen Vincent: 2. A little off shape but nothing else terribly appeals. Hopefully the quality of the spades will protect us from disaster if the auction takes an unexpected turn.
Ian Greig: Pass. Will leave it up to partner to act on hands with short(ish) diamonds.
Jongseok Oh: 3. Stopper check.
Larry Meyer: 3. Ask pard to bid 3NT if he has a diamond stopper.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 3. When in doubt, just cue-bid. There are lots of ways to raise hearts here, so a cue-bid should imply limited support.
Plarq Liu: 2. Fake reverse, will bid NT over any spade raise.
Bob Todd: Dbl. . . the modern approach: when in doubt, double with extras.
Mike Roberts: 2. (please don't raise. please don't raise. please don't raise.)
David Gordon: 2. Fake a reverse.
Amiram Millet: 3. G.F., no diamond stopper, no heart support, no 4-card spades.
Chris Diamond: 2. Have I mentioned I hate support doubles?
Kf Tung: 3. Tell pard you have a strong hand but you are not certain about the strain.
Timothy Wright: 2. How annoying for East to take away my planned fake reverse bid!
|
| 2. Matchpoints. Both vul.
| |
4
K 10 4 3
K J
Q 7 5 4 3 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
1
|
Dbl
|
4
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
5
| 9
| 100
|
|
4NT
| 3
| 70
|
|
Dbl
| 2
| 60
|
|
Pass
| 2
| 60
|
|
5
| 1
| 50
|
|
Moderator: Pausing 10 seconds after East's preempt, the majority of the panel choose 5.
Barry Rigal: Dbl. I'm not happy to bid, not happy to pass - so what can I do but take the action that lets me blame partner if I'm wrong?
Mike Lawrence: 5. I could hope for 4-card support, but there's no guarantee. 5 protects my hand from a diamond lead. I might try to get both hearts and clubs in the picture, but that risks our playing in 6. A small bonus is that 5 leaves room for them to bid 5.
Don Stack: Pass. I don't think our side can make anything, and we do have some defense - partner did make a takeout double for three suits, including spades. Bidding will create some action, but I'm not willing to take a minus when there's a good chance of going plus.
Steve Robinson: 4NT. . . takeout. If partner bids 5, we'll play it there. Otherwise, we'll play it in 5.
Eugene Chan: 5. Looks like insurance is apropos here. More upside to bidding than defending.
Ian Greig: Dbl. I don't think I can afford to force partner to pick a suit at the 5-level (with 4NT) as he might be a 4-4-3-2 (goodish) weak NT (majors first style).
Jongseok Oh: Pass. 9 points, but the position of the K J is not good.
Larry Meyer: Pass. With a flimsy 6-card suit, and the diamond bidder behind my K J, this hand does not want to play at the five level, nor does it want to double.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 5. It appears from the auction that EW are concealing a big diamond fit. Bidding on is a 2-way shot. I don't like bidding 4NT with a clear preference.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: Dbl. . . responsive. Should offer a choice between pass for penalties and other suits. Partner may not understand I have 4 hearts.
Plarq Liu: Pass. If partner doubles again, I will bid clubs.
Mike Roberts: 5. Shrug.
David Gordon: 5. Likely double fitting hand.
Amiram Millet: 5. Will punish a bid of 5.
Chris Diamond: Pass. Harder at IMPs but it seems more likely to have a plus defending than declaring.
Kf Tung: 5. +500 is not enough. There is a little danger in 5 but +600 is what you want.
Timothy Wright: 5. Double might be right, but we probably have a double fit in the round suits.
|
| 3. IMPs. N-S vul.
| |
J 10 8 3
A J 9 5 4
A
K 9 4
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
1
|
Pass
|
1NT
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 6
| 100
|
|
Dbl
| 5
| 90
|
|
2
| 4
| 80
|
|
Pass
| 2
| 60
|
|
Moderator: A good problem for the panel - there is no clear action, and it amounts to choosing the best lie to tell.
Roger Lee: 2. It's too scary to double here with a singleton diamond and no recovery. I like to play that 2 in this auction shows 5-4 in the majors either way and 2 shows 5-5.
Daniel Korbel: 2. Logically, 2 should show both majors, as East will always have some clubs when he bids 1NT. Sure, I'm a spade short, perhaps, but this is the hand they dealt me.
Jill Meyers: Dbl. . . takeout. If partner bids 2, I will bid 2.
Eugene Chan: 2. E/W auction typically shows a club raise. What if auction went 1 - P - 2 - ? An easy 2 overcall.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. The dangers of bidding outweigh any potential gain opposite a passed partner.
Ian Greig: Dbl. . . then correct partner's 2 to 2.
Jongseok Oh: Dbl. If partner bids diamonds, you can bid hearts.
Larry Meyer: Pass. We are vulnerable with at most half the deck - why risk -200 or -500 against their part score?
Andrew Krywaniuk: 2. A close choice between 2 and 2. Ultimately it is safer to offer 2 places to play.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: Pass. Partner probably has short clubs and could not act. Especially vulnerable I am not going to stick my neck out AND tell opps where the values are.
Plarq Liu: Pass. Not enough reason for action, if partner balances I will bid.
Mike Roberts: 2. While I might run after Dbl-P-P, I want to right-side the K.
Judi Carter: 2. Pick a major.
David Gordon: 2. Too short in diamonds to Dbl.
Amiram Millet: Pass. Don't wish to invite trouble.
Chris Diamond: Dbl. Guess I need to read the system.
Kf Tung: 2. Dangerous to bid now? It will be more dangerous if you bid later!
Timothy Wright: Pass. I bet Fantoni and Nunes always land on their feet after doubling here, but my partners will take out to 2 (or 3) with 5 diamonds.
|
| 4. IMPs. None vul.
| |
A 8 7 6 5
K 9
---
K Q J 8 4 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
2
|
Pass
|
4
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 6
| 100
|
|
Dbl
| 6
| 100
|
|
5
| 5
| 90
|
|
Pass
| 0
| 50
|
|
Moderator: Another preempt to deal with! The panel are evenly split among 4, 5 and Dbl.
Steve Weinstein: Dbl. Three good things could happen. We could defend 4 doubled (when it's right), we could play in spades or we could play in clubs. Anything else limits my options. When you buy a car and they offer you options for free, do you turn them down?
Geoff Hampson: 4. . . our most promising game contract.
Allan Falk: 5. 4 is awfully unilateral on such a moth-eaten suit. It also does not position me for further bidding if there is more competition.
Eugene Chan: 4. If doubled, I will run to 5.
Stephen Vincent: 4NT. Shows clubs and keeps the spade suit alive.
Ian Greig: 4. Will go with this until someone suggests that spades might not be breaking.
Jongseok Oh: 4. None vul, gambling.
Larry Meyer: 4. Bid the most likely game.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Dbl. Equal level conversion applies for all high-level auctions.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: Dbl. . . and correct to a black suit if necessary. Prefer to do something stronger but trying not to play partner for magic hand.
Plarq Liu: Dbl. If partner has six hearts, maybe play hearts.
Richmond Williams: 4NT. This has to show clubs and a major 2-suiter.
Mike Roberts: 4. It might work...
David Gordon: 5. You can always bid 5 over 5.
Amiram Millet: 5. Looking for a slam in a black suit.
Chris Diamond: Dbl. Awful bid could get an awful result. But I just can't get myself to bid a suit. Correct 4 to 4 which I hope shows a 2 suiter.
Kf Tung: 4. Partner may not be able to move over 4.
|
| 5. IMPs. Both vul.
| |
Q J 5 2
J
K 10 8 7
A J 7 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
1
|
Pass
| |
|
Pass
|
Dbl
|
2
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 9
| 100
|
|
2NT
| 7
| 90
|
|
Dbl
| 1
| 70
|
|
3
| 0
| 60
|
|
3
| 0
| 60
|
|
3NT
| 0
| 40
|
|
Pass
| 0
| 30
|
|
Moderator: Though the panel are split between 2 and 2NT, they favour the more constructive 2 which might lead to 3NT.
Larry Cohen: 2NT. I can claim this is natural or minors - whatever suits me best in the postmortem.
Wafik Abdou: 2. I have a super hand for partner, and if he can stop hearts, great. If not, we can compete in the minors. 2NT is possible, but that's a call that can be made with fewer high-card points.
Eugene Chan: 2. We should have game somewhere. Start with cue bid.
Stephen Vincent: 2NT. About right on values.
Monica Angus: Dbl. . . responsive.
Ian Greig: Dbl. . . responsive. Though the singleton heart is obviously not ideal should partner choose to defend I have well-placed compensating values and am prepared to lead the J against 2-X.
Jongseok Oh: Dbl. Minor 4-4.
Larry Meyer: Dbl. . . intended as responsive - partner, please bid your better minor.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 2NT. Showing a good hand with a spade stopper. Unless 2 shows that hand, in which case this is both minors.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 2. . . show values and stopper. Will raise 2NT (showing good heart-stopper) to 3.
Plarq Liu: Dbl. Responsive double: I have strength but no suitable calls.
Mike Roberts: Dbl. Not clear, but I bet it will win the poll.
David Gordon: 2. Two places to play and an opening hand.
Amiram Millet: 3NT. Can't see a safe way to investigate 6 of a minor.
Chris Diamond: 2NT. The double or even triple entendre bid. Could have bid 3NT as that's probably where we're heading anyway.
Kf Tung: 3NT. You can guard the spades hopefully and then 3N would be made.
Timothy Wright: 3. Leaving room for a club bid later on.
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