TGIF February 2008: Scores
| 1. Matchpoints. E-W vul.
|
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J 9 8 5
A Q 9 7 6 4
J 7 6
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| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
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1
|
Pass
| |
|
Pass
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Dbl
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2
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 7
| 100
|
|
3
| 6
| 90
|
|
3
| 5
| 70
|
|
4
| 0
| 40
|
|
4
| 0
| 30
|
|
5
| 0
| 30
|
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Pass
| 0
| 20
|
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Dbl
| 0
| 0
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Moderator: The panel is divided into three groups. One group bids their long suit, one bids their major suit, and one cuebids to find out more information.
Grant Baze: 3. I cannot commit to hearts unless partner has four - otherwise, I commit to diamonds. Over 3NT or 4, a 4 bid is not forcing because I could not overcall 2.
August Boehm: 3. .. a slight overbid in order to determine our best strain.
Richard Freeman: 3. I'll pass 3NT or 4, and bid 4 over 4.
Jill Meyers: 3. .. the most flexible bid. Over 4, I will bid 4. Partner should play me for long diamonds (and not enough strength to overcall) and four hearts.
The Coopers: 3. Not sure we would have passed initially.
Kai Zhou: 3. I want to be in the right game.
Mark Eddy: 2NT. If pard thinks 2NT is to play in this situation, I want a new partner.
Stephen Vincent: 3. An underbid but the auction is unlikely to end there and I'll be well positioned on the next round.
Anssi Rantamaa: 3. Partner may be balancing but rates to have at least 4 hearts. With this hand game seems likely.
Aidan Ballantyne: 3. Play safe. Pard may be balanced with a good hand and we will get to a good 3NT.
Martin Henneberger: 3. My fear is that pard will pass a 3 level bid here and bidding diamonds loses hearts. If pard doesn't bid hearts now I will bid 4 next over 3NT or 4.
Jongseok Oh: 3. First of all, I try to find heart game.
Larry Meyer: 3. Unless pard can bid again, game is unlikely.
Aloke Paul: 4. Long suit, a bit more forceful to partner to bid at least a game.
Judi Carter: Dbl. .. if double is responsive not penalty.
Mike Roberts: 3. This auction isn't going to end, and if partner is required to do anything intelligent it's vital that he knows my longest suit. I think pard is looking at a strong 1NT.
Perry Khakhar: 3. Right or wrong, I am committing this hand to game. I have a source of potential tricks for NT contract and ruffs in suit contract. If the hand is all wrong, the colours are still right. Best played by pard!
Chris Buchanan: 3. As much as the 4-4 heart fit is attractive, I like taking the tap in the 6-card suit. I play that 3 shows values and 2NT (by me) would be lebensohl.
Paul Hardy: 4. I intend on bidding 5 over the sure 4 bid.
Chris Diamond: 3. Where are all the other spades? Pard might have them. If he bids 3NT I'll pass.
Brian Zietman: 3. I would have overcalled 2 after 1. This free bid now gives partner the chance to bid hearts and we get to game. If partner is strong slam is a distinct possibilty in one of the red suits.
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| 2. IMPs. Both vul.
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K 9 5 4
9 4 3
A
A Q 9 8 3
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| West |
North |
East |
South |
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|
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1NT
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Pass
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2
| |
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Pass
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2
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Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 16
| 100
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3NT
| 2
| 60
|
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2
| 0
| 40
|
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4NT
| 0
| 30
|
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4
| 0
| 20
|
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4
| 0
| 10
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Moderator: You have the high-card points to make game or maybe even slam. Should you bid 3NT or explore other options by bidding your club suit?
Grant Baze: 3. Partner could have A 2 A K 8 7 K 4 3 K 10 6 4 or something similar, which makes 7 a favorite.
August Boehm: 3. What a shame to reach 3NT opposite A J A K Q 2 7 5 4 J 10 7 5, and find that the same club finesse needed for 3NT would let us make 6.
Jill Meyers: 3. Partner could have three low diamonds, and we could make a club slam.
Kai Zhou: 3. If pard can rebid 3, it will be great.
Mark Eddy: 3. What else?
Stephen Vincent: 3. Forcing. Slightly unfair to have this problem in a bidding competition as it depends on system.
Anssi Rantamaa: 3. My hand will play better in a suit. Maybe partner has 4 spades and then cuebids will come into play.
Aidan Ballantyne: 3. Mild slam try. Pard may rebid hearts which I will take as a 5-cd suit.
Martin Henneberger: 3. Natural and forcing. Can this hurt? If pard bids 3NT now I will pass.
Jongseok Oh: 3NT. 3NT is better than 5. If partner has spades, they will bid 4.
Larry Meyer: 3. According to ACBL on-line convention card notes, if responder rebids three of either minor, he shows slam interest and at least a five-card suit.
Mike Roberts: 3. 3NT is premature; partner could have 5, partner could have xxx in diamonds. It's IMPS, so I don't mind giving away an overtrick on the lead, or playing 5. Yes, this is a game force.
Perry Khakhar: 3NT. A club slam requires too many specific cards from partner. A better than 50% spade slam is easily possible, so if partner bids 4, I will check for Key Cards.
Chris Buchanan: 3. One small little try at slam. I am likely going to bid 3NT at my next opportunity.
Chris Diamond: 3. Wish I knew the structure. I would think 3 forcing.
Brian Zietman: 3NT. A very tough decision. Maybe 6 is on but even 5 can go down. Too risky to try.
|
| 3. Matchpoints. N-S vul.
| |
9 4 2
A Q 7 6 4
8 3
Q 6 3
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| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
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1
|
Pass
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1
| |
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Pass
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1
|
Pass
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1NT
| |
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Pass
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2
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
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2
| 9
| 100
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Pass
| 7
| 80
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2NT
| 1
| 50
|
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2
| 0
| 40
|
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3
| 0
| 30
|
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3
| 1
| 30
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2
| 0
| 10
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Moderator: An interesting split on this problem. Just under half the panelists thought the best chance for a plus score was in the suit where they had the strongest support. The rest - the 'Misfit, who cares?' contingent - were confident enough of a plus score that they went for the higher-scoring strains.
Grant Baze: 2. We may take as many tricks in spades as in a minor. Even a trick less in spades might break even.
August Boehm: 2. Pass could work nicely, but 2 seems to go with the matchpoint odds.
Jill Meyers: 2. At matchpoints, I will go for a major-suit partscore.
Kai Zhou: 2. A trump lead will not make you happy, but 2 should be no problem.
Stephen Vincent: 2. Go for the highest scoring partscore.
Anssi Rantamaa: 2. Partner has at most one heart the hand should produce a ruff or two.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2NT. Pard has intermediate values (16-17 HCP) but judge my hand isn't good enough for 3NT (misfit, nothing in pard's suits).
Martin Henneberger: 2. I'm going for the matchpoint spade partial.
Jongseok Oh: 2. I know my partner's hand (4441), but I don't know my partner's HCP. 2 is 3-card support. Then, I will wait my partner's decision.
Larry Meyer: 2NT. Looks like a misfit, with no source of tricks.
Aloke Paul: 2NT. Don't have too much support for partner's suit, if he has extra points he can go to 3NT.
Mike Roberts: 2. They're all 7 card fits (maybe 8 in clubs, if the lummox is 4-0-4-5), but why not try for the MP ring?
Perry Khakhar: 2. Partner is showing a little bit extra. But I have wastage in hearts. At IMPs, I bid 2, but I am tempted to play a moysian with better than average values, for a bigger plus.
Chris Buchanan: 2. All I can say is YUK! Probably the best partial for MP.
Chris Diamond: 2. I'm a pig.
Brian Zietman: Pass. Partner is 4-5-4 so we are not going anywhere.
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| 4. IMPs. Both vul.
| |
A Q 9
A 10 8 6
7 5 2
A 5 3
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| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
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1
|
Pass
| |
|
Pass
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Dbl
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2NT
| 15
| 100
|
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3NT
| 0
| 60
|
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2
| 2
| 50
|
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1NT
| 0
| 40
|
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3
| 1
| 40
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4
| 0
| 30
|
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Moderator: Bridge players are taught that when partner doubles a major suit and you have four cards in the other major, you should respond in it. This problem, however, shows the difference between expert and non-expert players. On this deal, most of the panel bid notrump because of one card: the 9.
Grant Baze: 2NT. Notrump is often right, even if we have a 4-4 heart fit.
Richard Freeman: 2NT. I'll give up on hearts.
Jill Meyers: 2NT. Partner could have 10 HCP and be making a reopening bid.
The Coopers: 2NT. About right on values. We'll ignore the hearts for now.
Kai Zhou: 2. .. setting up GF first, 3NT or 4 will likely be the final contract, maybe even slam.
Stephen Vincent: 2. On the way to 3NT no doubt. If I knew what to lead it would be tempting to pass.
Anssi Rantamaa: 3. Partner is unlimited but this hand should declare a heart contract.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2. Show an opener for now. Hand looks more like suit play than NT. Can always bid NT later.
Martin Henneberger: 2. Hearts or no trump? I'm not guessing. 2 allows partner to bid 3 with hearts or 3 of a minor. Over 3 of a minor I will bid 3NT and hopefully partner will work out I have hearts.
Jongseok Oh: 2. I show a strong passed hand.
Larry Meyer: 1NT. Pard borrowed a king from me to dbl in pass-out seat. Show my flat distribution and double stopper.
Aloke Paul: 2NT. 2NT shows at least minimum 12 points.
Mike Roberts: 2. If I knew partner had the jack or ten of spades, I'd bid NT. But two stoppers aren't enough, and this hand is too strong for 3.
Perry Khakhar: 2. The only possible force short of just bidding 4. I am going to strongly suggest getting to game in hearts.
Chris Buchanan: 2. Going to force this one. If partner bids a minor, I am going to try 3NT but I won't like it. I will pass 3 if they bid it.
Paul Hardy: 3NT. When my hand looks like NT, I bid NT.
Chris Diamond: 2. Pretty good hand. But can I drop him below game next round? Good place for transfers.
Brian Zietman: 2. Let see where we are headed here. We can always be in game in NT or hearts but the beautifully placed A Q means that we must make a slam try here.
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| 5. IMPs. N-S vul.
| |
K Q 4
3 2
A K J 9 5 2
8 2
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| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
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3
|
Pass
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Dbl
| 15
| 100
|
|
4
| 1
| 60
|
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3NT
| 2
| 50
|
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Pass
| 0
| 40
|
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5
| 0
| 10
|
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Moderator: Should you overcall your good six-card suit? The majority of the panel double, the most flexible call.
Grant Baze: Dbl. I don't like equal-level conversions except when doubling three of a major. The double permits a penalty pass or a 3NT bid by partner. Both of these are so important that it's worth the risk of a 4 bid, which can be pulled to 4 as an equal-level conversion.
August Boehm: Dbl. Ugly problem. 4 is okay, but double caters to 3NT and spades. If partner leaves it in, it may not be a success, depending on partner's diamond length.
Jill Meyers: Dbl. I don't want to leave 3NT out of the picture. If partner bids 4, I will bid 4 and pretend I have a 6-4 hand.
Kai Zhou: 3NT. Pard will have a heart stopper in most cases, and 3NT seems promising compared to 5.
Stephen Vincent: Dbl. Hate it.
Aidan Ballantyne: Dbl. Will correct clubs to diamonds.
Martin Henneberger: Dbl. Equal level conversions are popular to deal with this scenario. If pard picks clubs I will convert to diamonds. Double here is the most flexible and caters to many outs including partner passing!
Jongseok Oh: 4. 4 is suitable for 13HCP and 6 cards.
Larry Meyer: 4. Just bid my hand.
Aloke Paul: Pass. Being vulnerable 13-points is too risky to bid over pre-empt.
Mike Roberts: Dbl. Hate this. I really want to bid 3NT.
Perry Khakhar: Dbl. Some times partner has 5! Besides, who says that the moysian won't play well here. Clearly Double is the most flexible bid. Obviously, I correct 4 to 4.
Chris Buchanan: Pass. If partner can not squeak, I won't either.
Chris Diamond: 4. This sucks. I'd like to double but that could create all sorts of problems later.
Brian Zietman: Pass. A vulnerable 3 down in 4 could be a disaster. Not worth risking at IMP's
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