TGIF July 2017: Scores
| 1. Matchpoints. None vul.
|
J 8 3
K 8 5
Q 9 8
A J 9 7
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
1
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
1NT
| 10
| 100
|
|
Dbl
| 4
| 80
|
|
2
| 0
| 50
|
|
2
| 1
| 50
|
|
2
| 0
| 40
|
|
2NT
| 0
| 30
|
|
Pass
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: Stoppers in notrump --- overrated or underrated?
Steve Weinstein: 1NT. A touch light on stopper and a touch heavy on strength. Just like Goldilocks.
Jill Meyers: Dbl. . . compensating values. Also, if partner has a spade stopper, I think notrump should be played from their side (1NT being my alternative call).
Sylvia Shi: 2. The siding in notrump could be worth a trick or more. If partner has spade shortness, then my hand is a gold mine with 10 unwasted high-card points --- something my partner will never play me for if I bid 1NT. And my spots are pretty good for notrump.
Kate Allard: 2. Denies a 4-card heart suit or stopper in spades but advises of 10+ points 2/1.
Christopher Diamond: 1NT. A little heavy, no real stopper, but other than that, perfect.
Larry Meyer: 1NT. Choosing the cheapest imperfect bid.
Eugene Chan: 1NT. When not vulnerable, 1NT does not promise a stopper. A common treatment that should be alerted but never is.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 1NT. Consider this a big downgrade. There is no real danger of wrong-siding the NT.
Jack Aaron: 2. Prefer it to passing, having at least 24 points between self and partner, and being matchpoints and not vulnerable.
Hk Ho: 2. The spade stopper is too weak to suggest NT. It's up to pard to to treat 2 as limit raise OR asking for a stopper for NT. We have the HCP for this cue-bid.
Perry Khakhar: Pass. This auction is not over yet. No idea where to play this and every bid is a lie.
Paul Mcmullin: 2. I would gladly trade any 2 of those 8s for a 10 and a 2.
David Gordon: 2. Sometimes the cheapest lie is the best lie.
Mike Roberts: Dbl. Very close between this and 1NT.
Plarq Liu: 1NT. This hand has mediocre values for anything.
Chris Buchanan: 1NT. Which lie is better? Heavy on values and light on stoppers. Not a fan of doubling without hearts.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 2. At least it's forcing and says something true about my hand.
Kf Tung: Dbl. You are ready to compete!
|
| 2. IMPs. Both vul.
| |
2
K 10 9 6
3
Q J 10 9 6 5 4
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 11
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 3
| 70
|
|
4
| 1
| 50
|
|
Moderator: Most of the panelists start with 3 despite the good four-card heart holding.
August Boehm: 3. If we fit hearts, they often fit spades and can outbid us. If my majors were reversed, I wouldn't preempt.
Barry Rigal: Pass. At pairs, I might bid 3, but at teams vulnerable, the downside is obvious.
Josh Donn: 4. I am sure 3 will score better, but I much prefer exerting more pressure with this much playing strength.
Kate Allard: 3. Even though vul, it's worth an opening bid with two singletons.
Anssi Rantamaa: Pass. A preempt might lose the heart suit.
Christopher Diamond: 3. Wouldn't do it with 4 spades, but even if we own a heart fit we might get outbid.
Larry Meyer: Pass. Bidding 3 could make it too hard to find a possible heart fit.
Eugene Chan: Pass. Discipline. Discipline. Discipline. 3 big lessons I learned from my sifu (Chinese kung fu master).
Andrew Krywaniuk: 3. This only backfires if partner has both hearts and spades.
Jack Aaron: Pass. Rather than 3; IMPs and vulnerable, prefer to be disciplined and conservative. I like my two singletons and may get in later.
Hk Ho: Pass. With a decent 4-card heart suit, pre-empting might miss a heart game. If we were in third seat, 3 by all means. If E/W could make only a part score, it would be poor strategy to risk -200 to save it.
Perry Khakhar: Pass. It's a conspiracy. I have to pass 2 hands in a row!
Paul Mcmullin: Pass. Hand not worthless in support of hearts, do not necessarily WANT a club lead.
David Gordon: Pass. Easy 3 bid in third seat.
Mike Roberts: 3. Yeah, I've got a little too much playing strength, but I refuse to bypass 3NT.
Plarq Liu: 3. Preemptive. The club suit is solid but not strong enough.
Chris Buchanan: 3. Too tough to catch up in the auction if you pass as 4 will be what you are facing at your next bid.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 3. 2 opps, but only 1 partner to make life difficult for.
Kf Tung: Pass. If you open this hand in first seat, partner will be skeptical of your bids.
|
| 3. Matchpoints. None vul.
| |
K
A Q 9 8 4 2
10 8 5
9 5 4
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
2
(1)
| |
|
Pass
|
3
(2)
|
Pass
| ? |
| (1) Weak.
| | (2) Natural and forcing.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 7
| 100
|
|
3
| 5
| 90
|
|
3
| 2
| 50
|
|
3
| 0
| 50
|
|
3NT
| 1
| 50
|
|
5
| 0
| 30
|
|
Moderator: The panel agrees that rebidding 3 to show a dead minimum is out. They are divided, however, as to how to move forward.
Mike Lawrence: 3. I don't want to make a weak bid, and raising clubs feels too aggressive. If my K was the K, I would make a splinter bid of 4. 3 keeps the bidding going.
Kerri Sanborn: 3. I want to show something and this seems like the best way. I'll pass 3NT, raise 4 to five and pull 4 to 5 (obviously).
Daniel Korbel: 4. I have a great hand for clubs. I hope partner considers this forcing. My second choice: 4 splinter.
Kate Allard: 4. Implies a fit in clubs with no other suits nor stoppers for NT.
Christopher Diamond: 3NT. Raising clubs misses 3NT, 3 achieves little. So with a decent suit and pieces in the other suit, 3NT.
Larry Meyer: 4. Show my 3-card support for pard's suit.
Eugene Chan: 3. Would not have opened 2 in the first place. Almost never open weak twos with singleton spades. Another simple guide is that weak twos should be hands that will bid game opposite a strong NT. Is this a game going hand opposite a strong NT? Which game?
Andrew Krywaniuk: 4. I have a pretty good hand for first seat nonvul. Hope the K is not totally wasted.
Jack Aaron: 4. I'm forced; and have already shown I have 6 hearts.
Hk Ho: 3. I wish I could pass 3. 3 indicates to partner that your hand was really poor.
Perry Khakhar: 4. Ruffing value, 3-card support, etc. Maybe partner can bid 4 with J x or better. I have a good hand for this auction and vulnerability.
Paul Mcmullin: 3. Too good to just rebid 3, no rush to bypass 3NT.
David Gordon: 4. Support with support.
Mike Roberts: 4. First step is to establish the fit. Cuebidding can wait.
Plarq Liu: 3. No side strength to speak of.
Chris Buchanan: 3. I have a really good hand for clubs so I will show my spade ticket. Partner may want to be in 3NT with J 10 x.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 4. Depends on agreements; support with support?
Kf Tung: 3NT. You have an outside King!
Kees Schaafsma: 3. Club fit, spade control.
|
| 4. IMPs. N-S vul.
| |
J 8 7 4
Q J 6
Q 10 9
J 10 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
3
|
Pass
| |
|
Pass
|
Dbl
|
Pass
|
3
| |
|
Pass
|
4
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 10
| 100
|
|
4
| 3
| 70
|
|
4
| 2
| 70
|
|
Moderator: Look at the queens and jacks! What are they good for? Not too much according to most of the experts.
Larry Cohen: 4. Some of these quacks must be useful, but they are still quacks.
Jeff Meckstroth: 4. I have some help, and partner's 4 might be choice of games.
Barry Rigal: 4. 4 is an unequivocal cuebid for spades and in context, I have enough bits to make one cooperative move. Partner rates to have close to a 2 opener to cuebid here. I'll claim I confused the Q with the king.
Christopher Diamond: 4. I've got quite a bit more than I could have, but that's allowed.
Larry Meyer: 4. Sounds like pard has the reds, so bid the cheaper game.
Eugene Chan: 4. I will be happy to make 10 tricks. Losing trick count is so high I ran out of fingers.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 4. My hand has no redeeming features and no other place to play.
Jack Aaron: 4. Wicked! I take partner's cue bid as some support for my spades but I don't want to promise more than the 4 spades I have. 4 is a lousy bid but I'm forced and I'm flummoxed!
Hk Ho: 4. Hope partner gets the message that you are not yarborough.
Perry Khakhar: 4. No primes, special shape(!), maybe 2 cover cards, and ruffs in the wrong hand. I am going to drag my feet as hard as I can.
Paul Mcmullin: 4. I do not know where he is going, but my hand is not ENTIRELY without value.
David Gordon: 4. No shape. Nor Aces. Nor Kings.
Mike Roberts: 4. Depends how you play 4. If it's a slam try, I should sign off. If it's choice of games, I think 5 is our best shot opposite 3451.
Plarq Liu: 4. Cheapest rebid.
Chris Buchanan: 5. I wish I had a cue bid but I don't. I have a max 3 bid and partner is looking so I will cooperate.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 4. Still minimum.
Kf Tung: 4. You are not interested in other contracts.
Kees Schaafsma: 4. North may have hearts and diamonds.
|
| 5. IMPs. None vul.
| |
K 9 8 5
A 9 7 4 2
2
K 10 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
Dbl
|
Rdbl
(1)
|
1NT
|
Dbl
| |
|
2
|
Pass
|
Pass
| ? |
| (1) Three-card heart support.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 12
| 100
|
|
3
| 1
| 60
|
|
Dbl
| 2
| 60
|
|
2NT
| 0
| 50
|
|
Moderator: Despite the 5-card heart suit, the vast majority of the panel opt to stay low.
Steve Robinson: Dbl. I have good defensive cards and I hope to beat it at least two.
Roger Lee: 2. We've already shown some values, and I feel uncomfortable forcing to a higher level with such weak heart spots.
Kate Allard: 4. Fit in hearts, and the singleton diamond increases the value of your hand.
Christopher Diamond: Dbl. Ah, support doubles. Does he have 10 or 19? I think the pass suggests a couple of clubs and I have no idea how high to bid. So let's suggest a penalty.
Larry Meyer: 2. With the clubs sitting over me, I'm not confident about setting 2, so just bid to our own level of fit.
Eugene Chan: 3. Should have bid 3 invitational over 1NT in the first place. 1NT-X was vague, prone to misinterpretation. Partner will hate you.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 2. I've shown my extra strength, but partner doesn't know I have 5 hearts yet.
Jack Aaron: 2. We have a fit in hearts and at least 24 points, so 2 is the conservative route to go in IMPs.
Hk Ho: 2. Our double of 1NT has shown that our 1 response was not minimum. On the other hand, the K K are in front of the doubler and the singleton diamond is not an asset in partner's suit.
Perry Khakhar: 3. If East hadn't bid 1NT, I would have made this bid. I prefer a part score to defending this. Maybe partner can surprise us and bid a game.
Paul Mcmullin: 2. Switch the diamond suit with either black suit and I would try 3 here.
David Gordon: 4. Working values.
Mike Roberts: 2. Black kings are badly placed, trumps aren't breaking. Let's go low.
Plarq Liu: 2. To play.
Chris Buchanan: 2. Looks like my black kings might be poorly placed. Shown extra values by Dbl of 1NT so partner can make a decision.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 2. Apparently they've found a fit, but we seem to have the points and a fit.
Kf Tung: 2. You can make 2, but you are not sure of a bigger number.
Kees Schaafsma: 2. Just too many wasted values.
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