TGIF March 2008: Scores
| 1. Matchpoints. None vul.
|
A Q 7 2
6 5
K J 7 5
A 8 6
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| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
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1
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 13
| 100
|
|
1
| 2
| 40
|
|
1
| 3
| 40
|
|
1NT
| 0
| 0
|
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Dbl
| 0
| 0
|
|
Moderator: You have 14 high-card points, but no five-card suit and the wrong shape for a double. The majority of the experts pass.
Allan Falk: Pass. I just don't have the suit texture to consider overcalling in a four-card suit. I'm not so flush with values that I have to bid something immediately.
Jill Meyers: Pass. The vulnerability makes me want to bid, but my spade spots are too shoddy to overcall 1.
Kai Zhou: Pass. I will be able to find the double if opps find their heart fit later. 1 is another alternative, but not my style.
Julien Levesque: Dbl. Not the most elegant shape but with Spades for a rebid/raise it should be fine. Not quite right for a 1NT overcall, and so take out Dbl is a lesser evil.
Joel Martineau: 1. A terrific problem. The best strategic bid is probably 1, leaving room for partner to bid a four-card spade suit. And a diamond lead may work well for our side if we defend. However, I predict that 1 will receive more votes. Fogies will Pass.
Eugene Chan: 1. You pays your money, you gets to bid. Dubious spade overcall, but this is matchpoints.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. 1 might work on a good day.
Roy Li: 1. Good spade suit, some length in clubs, good chance to find a fit.
Gilbert Lambert: Pass. I might bid later if convenient. Bidding now could work sometime, but it is losing bridge to do it all the time.
Eleanor Mcfarlane: 1. 14 point overcall.
John Hurdle: 1. I open the bidding for our side with one diamond, giving us the most space to pursue our possible options, and suggesting a decent lead if the opponents outbid us. My diamond quality is less of a flaw than my other options.
David Breton: Pass. If those 7 and 8's were 9 and 10's I'd bid 1NT. As it is, I'm not good enough a declarer.
Aidan Ballantyne: 1. All purpose overcall.
Martin Henneberger: 1. To pass was my 1st reaction. However there are quite a few auctions that could develop that do not allow me to enter safely which could easily lead to a bad result. 1 in retrospect seems right.
Bonny Lee: Pass. I'll listen to the bidding develop before making a bid. I've got the master suit---could come in at any time.
Jongseok Oh: Dbl. .. other 2 suits 4-4 and 14 HCP.
Larry Meyer: Pass. No suit good enough for an overcall, and can't dbl with only 2.
Peg Mcshane: Dbl. I have a major and a minor. I am not weak.
David Walker: 1. Least evil.
Mike Roberts: Pass. Double is sick, I can't see any reason to upgrade to 1NT, and 1/1 is a card light. I'd prefer 1 to 1, but why not pass?
Perry Khakhar: Pass. I can see that it is non vul at match points, but really is there any good reason (other than it's your turn) to get involved in this?
Chris Buchanan: 1. Pass is bad. A 1 overcall is the best action that I have avaliable.
Bob Todd: Pass. There's always time to act later.
Paul Mcmullin: Pass. Sometimes, when you have nothing to say, it is best not to say it!
Yu Wang: Pass. Not enough for 1NT, 1 card in hearts less for a takeout dbl.
Brian Zietman: Dbl. Not strong enough for 1NT. If partner bids hearts I can either bid spades or NT.
|
| 2. IMPs. N-S vul.
| |
A K Q 7 6 4
A
A J 7
A 5 2
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| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
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2
| |
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Pass
|
2
(1)
|
4
| ? |
| (1) Game forcing: At least one king or two queens.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 9
| 100
|
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4
| 7
| 50
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Dbl
| 1
| 20
|
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6
| 1
| 10
|
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4NT
| 0
| 0
|
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5
| 0
| 0
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5
| 0
| 0
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Moderator: The 2 bid creates a game force. That gives you a chance to pass over 4 and perhaps bid more accurately at your next turn--- a direct 4 will often end the auction.
Allan Falk: Pass. Hey, I've got the boss suit. I can pass and not worry about being embarrassed trying to show my suit later. If my majors were switched, I'd bid 4 now. If partner doubles, I'll try 4, but if partner produces 4, I'll be looking for a grand slam.
Betty Ann Kennedy: Pass. If partner doubles 4, that tells me he has a balanced hand, and, therefore, no shortness in spades. In that case, I'm going to get to slam in spades.
Jill Meyers: Pass. I want to hear what partner will do. If partner doubles, I will then bid 4.
Kai Zhou: Pass. I think this hand is too strong to bid 4 right away, pass would provide pard with a chance to describe more about his hand.
Eugene Chan: 4. Partner can carry on with club shortness, a spade fit and a red king.
Stephen Vincent: 4. This is why I opened 2 in the first place.
Roy Li: 5. Partner may have singleton club.
Gilbert Lambert: 6. There are no textbook bids for those kinds of hands and auctions. What will work today might not work tomorrow.
Eleanor Mcfarlane: 5. Try for small slam.
John Hurdle: 4. It's enough to bid 4 here. Even game is risky if spades are unfavourable. Responder can advance with suitable shape and values.
David Breton: Pass. Our side is owed about 1400 points on this deal. We won't get it in 4-X. So pass and pull.
Aidan Ballantyne: Pass. Shows a distributional takeout; will bid spades next. More encouraging than a direct 4. The overcall improved my hand (pard likely has at most two clubs so I may be able to ruff a third round in dummy).
Martin Henneberger: 4. I will bid my 1 suited hand I was planning to over 2. Passing and bidding 4 over partner's forced action could lead to confusion. Good preempt!
Bonny Lee: 4. Take a shot at the only makable game.
Larry Meyer: 4. Trust pard to bid again if he has extras.
Peg Mcshane: 4NT. I can decide where we go.
David Walker: 4. Based on one king. With more pard will go on.
Mike Roberts: 4. I don't get it.
Perry Khakhar: 4. I have pass and pull also available, but that would torture poor partner. I need more than the possible K that partner may have to make a slam try by myself.
Chris Buchanan: Pass. I am about to pass and pull partner's dbl. If partner bids, I will bid spades then.
Bob Todd: Pass. I'll pull a double to at least 5 and will bid 6 over 4. Partner should know I have all suits controlled... I hope.
Paul Mcmullin: 4. If partner has MUCH more than 'one king or two queens', he'll bid again; if we're supposed to be in 6 or 7 opposite K Q x x x in partner's hand, then it was an effective preempt.
Yu Wang: 5. Partner likely only singleton club, if he just holding Q + Q, he will pass; and will judge if better hand.
Brian Zietman: 4NT. Have to find out how many kings partner has to know whether to play in 6 or 7.
|
| 3. Matchpoints. N-S vul.
| |
Q 7 2
7
Q 10 4
A 10 8 7 4 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
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Pass
|
Pass
| |
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Pass
|
1
|
1
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2
| |
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2
|
3
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Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 7
| 100
|
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4
| 6
| 90
|
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5
| 0
| 40
|
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4
| 4
| 30
|
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3
| 1
| 20
|
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4NT
| 0
| 20
|
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5
| 0
| 10
|
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3NT
| 0
| 0
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Moderator: Partner has made a forcing cuebid that announces a strong hand and asks you to further describe yours. Even though you made a 2/1 bid with 8HCP, the majority don't feel it's a stretch to cuebid at your next turn.
Betty Ann Kennedy: 4. We're on our way to game or slam in clubs. My failure to bid 3 tells partner I have no control in that suit.
Jill Meyers: 4. My hand has become huge.
Kai Zhou: 3. 2 seems to be a little bit overbid, 3 here might still be a showing bid or a strong hand to support clubs. I would hope pard bids 3NT next, then I can pass.
Eugene Chan: 3. A negative double over 1 would have been my preference anyway.
Stephen Vincent: 5. The absence of controls suggests jumping to 5.
John Hurdle: 3. I mark time here with 3 to discover partner's intentions. Partner won't expect serious spades and should allow cuebids below 3NT to be focussed on strain issues when strain might be an issue.
David Breton: 4. I have 6 clubs, 2 honors in partners suit, a heart control and a side card. Not bad for a passed hand.
Aidan Ballantyne: 3. Last train. We're still in game, not slam, auction. Pard's next bid will be revealing.
Martin Henneberger: 4. Partner is looking for 3NT with club support or a good source of tricks in diamonds. I will insist on game and show a stiff heart on the way to 5 of a minor in case this is the key to a magic slam.
Bonny Lee: 3. If partner likes to play in a NT contract he can still bid it. Any minor suit partscore is fine with me or a moysian fit in spades.
Larry Meyer: 4. Not 3N - no heart stop. Not 4 - suit not good enough, so show D support.
Peg Mcshane: 4. I have clubs.
David Walker: 4. Sorry, no heart stopper.
Mike Roberts: 4. No pard, it's YOUR problem!
Perry Khakhar: 3. The most flexible bid. Suggest a moysian game (lack of negative dbl) in case that is right. Or, maybe partner can bid 3NT. I am not too crazy about 11 trick games.
Chris Buchanan: 4. I barely have my 2 bid as it is, partner has forced me so I tuck tail and go back to my dreadful suit.
Paul Hardy: 5. Pick of games... 5 or 5.
Paul Mcmullin: 4. 2 was a stretch, time to slow down.
Ranjan Bhaduri: 4. Not exactly sure what the 3 by partner means.
Yu Wang: 6. We seem to have double fit in the minors, opponents in the majors.
Brian Zietman: 4. No stopper for 3NT and partner knows I have clubs so I have to show my support for diamonds.
|
| 4. Matchpoints. None vul.
| |
J 8 5 4 3
A 10 4
K 8 2
6 4
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
2
|
Pass
|
2
| |
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Pass
|
2
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2NT
| 7
| 100
|
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2
| 2
| 60
|
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4
| 4
| 60
|
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3NT
| 4
| 50
|
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3
| 1
| 20
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3
| 0
| 0
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Moderator: The experts chose five different calls. You have a good hand in the context of the bidding. 2NT got the most votes. You'd like to have a better spade stopper, but 2NT isn't final, it's only a suggestion.
Allan Falk: 2NT. I've got more values than I said with my preference to 2. I really wish I had the 10 for 2NT. I'm not sure of partner's distribution, so I can't go leaping to 4 quite yet.
Kai Zhou: 2NT. Pard is showing either 0454 or 1354 shape with 16-17 HCP, or 1345 possible too. 2NT says I still have some extra.
Eugene Chan: 2. We know partner is short in spades. We tried to sign off in 2. So 2 is treading water asking for clarification.
Stephen Vincent: 2NT. Whatever partner's intent is, this can't be too far off the mark.
Gilbert Lambert: 3. I know pard has a good 1-3-5-4 hand, but he did not jump shift. My club holding is not good for him.
John Hurdle: 3. I sign off in 3 with my useful minimum because, my spades are too feeble to withstand 3NT and my values too meagre for 5. Partner is sure to have 5 diamonds, unlikely to have 4 hearts.
David Breton: Pass. I suspect partner is a greedy little MP player.
Aidan Ballantyne: 3. I have a pretty good hand for the auction. This is the most flexible approach.
Martin Henneberger: 3NT. I will accept partner's probe for game and bid the practical 3NT.
Bonny Lee: 3. I have good trump support and a key card in diamond. Good match point for 4-3 fit.
Jongseok Oh: 2. ... to show 5 cards.
Larry Meyer: 2NT. Invite pard to bid 3NT - our most likely game.
Peg Mcshane: 3. Is it no trump?
David Walker: 2NT. Yes, a stopper of the fourth suit.
Anssi Rantamaa: 2. Fourth suit forcing?
Mike Roberts: 3. I like this hand enough not to bid 4. I haven't denied 4, but I'll pull 4 to 5.
Perry Khakhar: 3NT. We seem to be headed for a 50/50 shot at a minus score, so what the heck! I bet partner is 10 K Q x A Q x x x K J 10 x. Could he be any worse for this bidding? Probably! But I think I will be optimistic on this one.
Chris Buchanan: 3. Partner is 1-3-5-4 or 0-4-5-4 so NT is OUT! Partner has +15-18 and is inviting game. Lebensohl in this situation is often a useful tool so you can differentiate between the nice 8 in this hand and the bad 6 in another but either way, 3 has to be right.
Paul Mcmullin: 3. Is partner 0-4-5-4? Then 4-3 heart fit should work. If he was probing for 3NT with long diamonds, it plays better from his side.
Ranjan Bhaduri: Pass. Not too sure what distribution partner is promising.
Brian Zietman: 3. Sounds like partner is void in spades with 4 hearts, 5 diamonds and 4 clubs. Where are we going? Nowhere.
|
| 5. IMPs. N-S vul.
| |
K
A Q J 6
A 5 3
Q J 7 5 4
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
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1
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
1NT
| 11
| 100
|
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1
| 7
| 70
|
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Pass
| 0
| 10
|
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Dbl
| 0
| 0
|
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Moderator: Do you pass or do you tell a lie? If you lie, which one?
Allan Falk: 1NT. This hand is too strong to pass, so the choices are 1NT and 1. The hand is near the top of the 1NT range, so if there is game, then we're more likely to find it with a quantitative bid.
Betty Ann Kennedy: 1NT. Might as well get it out of my system now, as Barry Crane used to say.
Kai Zhou: Pass. Not the end of the world, great suit and HCP to overcall 1 though. I will feel stuck if pard can raise hearts.
Eugene Chan: Pass. No clear reason to bid. (IMPs)
Stephen Vincent: 1NT. Should this lead to a poor result, I'll claim my hand was missorted and a club was in with my spades.
Gilbert Lambert: 1NT. It is OK to lie about your distribution with a NT overcall. It is NOT OK to do it with a takeout double.
Eleanor Mcfarlane: Pass. Do not seem to have a biddable suit.
John Hurdle: 1. Overcall 1, and if that doesn't unearth a fit right away, I still have values in reserve if the waters seem safe later in the auction.
Barry Wade: Pass. Could overcall 1NT or overcall a strong heart suit with 4 but pass is the best.
David Breton: 1. So I don't have 5 of them: sue me. I don't like 1NT and I've already passed 3 times in the contest.
Aidan Ballantyne: 1. Discovery overcall.
Martin Henneberger: 1NT. 1NT is right on values: stiff king is as good as 2 small in case partner transfers. I can also make a takeout double if the opps find spades.
Bonny Lee: 1NT. I do not like the singleton king but it's the bid to describe my values correctly and to stop them from finding their spade contract.
Larry Meyer: Pass. Expect to bid next round, when more info is available.
Peg Mcshane: 1. I have good hearts.
David Walker: 1. Everything else is worse.
Anssi Rantamaa: 1NT. A small club mixed in with the king of spades.
Mike Roberts: 1NT. If they have 8 spades, this is the right thing to do; if they don't, I missorted my hand.
Perry Khakhar: 1NT. Right on values if not on shape! It's IMPs and you are vulnerable, so pass and catch up is out. If you make a 4 card overcall and get raised, taps are in the wrong hand, so you need partner to have something in spades. That helps at NT as well!
Chris Buchanan: 1NT. What stiff spade? Sorry pard, I had a club in with my spade king!...You pick how you want to explain it, but it is a good description of the hand.
Paul Mcmullin: Dbl. Will follow 1 by partner with 1NT.
Brian Zietman: Pass. Trap pass.
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