TGIF December 2017: Scores
| 1. Matchpoints. N-S vul.
|
4 3
A 7 4
Q 9 6 5
A 9 7 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
1
|
Pass
| |
|
Pass
|
Dbl
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
1NT
| 11
| 100
|
|
2
| 1
| 70
|
|
2
| 3
| 70
|
|
2NT
| 0
| 30
|
|
3
| 0
| 30
|
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3
| 0
| 30
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Moderator: In August, Brad Theurer posted this problem on Bridge Winners, where it generated a lot of conversation. 1NT didn't get much love, but here, it's the experts' preferred call.
Mike Lawrence: 2. This is a tough hand. Funny how some problems get under your skin. I will bid 2. Why? I don't want to bid 1NT. If partner has some values and if he has heart help, it should play from his side. If there is more bidding, I should be well placed.
Barry Rigal: 1NT. I could guess which minor to bid, but I think 1NT covers most bases. This is the sort of hand where, even if the opponents lead hearts and set up the suit, I can pitch losers on the run of the hearts and come to seven or eight tricks.
Sylvia Shi: 2. I don't think I have enough to cuebid, so I'll just bid my higher minor. Then I can bid again if the auction gets competitive. I don't like jumping in a minor with only four. In my experience, 1NT is right only when it helps us get to 3NT. Otherwise, partner likes to hear me respond in a suit when they make a takeout double.
Adam Melzak: 1NT. Minor suits are distortions and 2NT (or 2) are overbids.
Christopher Diamond: 1NT. Good hand for this bid. Should be unanimous.
Larry Meyer: 1NT. Showing 5-10 HCP with a heart stopper, and denying 4 spades.
Eugene Chan: 1NT. Slight underbid. No need to push for marginal games at matchpoints.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 1NT. No particular reason to guess on a minor or invite game here.
Hk Ho: 1NT. Tell pard that you have 9-10 HCP and a heart stopper.
Perry Khakhar: 1NT. Notrump pays best at matchpoints!
Chris Buchanan: 1NT. Not a fan of leaping in a minor here.
David Gordon: 2. Preparing to bid 3 later, if given the chance.
Mike Roberts: 2. This sort of depends if you play equal level conversion. If not, I'd choose 2.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 1NT. One stopper and no spades: go low.
Allan Simon: 1NT. Admittedly anti-positional, but otherwise descriptive and therefore the least of evils.
Kf Tung: 1NT. If partner cannot make another bid then you will have a good score for 1N.
|
| 2. Matchpoints. Both vul.
| |
K Q 10
A 9 4
10 3
K J 9 7 4
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
1
|
Pass
|
1NT
| |
|
Pass
|
3
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 8
| 100
|
|
3NT
| 4
| 70
|
|
Pass
| 3
| 60
|
|
4
| 0
| 50
|
|
5
| 0
| 30
|
|
Moderator: A convention called two-way checkback makes this hand more manageable, but, unfortunately, Bridge Bulletin Standard plays plain old new-minor forcing. So the question is, what is 3? Weak? Invitational? Strong? Your call depends on the answer.
Jill Meyers: 3. I don't know if 3 is forcing in Bridge Bulletin Standard, but regardless, I am bidding 3. If partner has a singleton heart, I don't want to be bidding 3NT.
Kerri Sanborn: Pass. There being no other way to sign off in clubs, I am guessing that this is it.
Roger Lee: 3NT. 3 is temping, but we might just rip nine tricks opposite the A and running clubs, so I will go for the most likely game without telling the opponents much.
Christopher Diamond: Pass. At IMPs I'd probably bid 3NT and hope for some heart help and a good lie.
Larry Meyer: 3. Show heart control, deny diamond control, while leaving 3NT as a possible contract.
Eugene Chan: 3NT. Two tens, two nines, and a five card club suit should produce 9 cashers.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 3NT. I'm close to maximum for my previous bidding. 5 could be better if partner has heart shortness but the opps' silence suggests the opposite.
Hk Ho: 3NT. In matchpoints, a minor suit contract is least preferable. Hope North is showing 12+ HCP.
Perry Khakhar: 3NT. Source of tricks and stoppers. Giddy-up!
Chris Buchanan: 3NT. Great playing strength.
David Gordon: 3NT. Close to a max so will try game. The 10, 9 and 5th club suggest NT.
Joel Forssell: 3NT. Hoping for a spade lead.
Mike Roberts: 3NT. While 3 is a technically better bid, it telegraphs the lead to the opponents.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 3NT. If trying for 9 tricks, I might as well try for the game-bonus.
Allan Simon: 3. Most descriptive bid, best to involve partner in the choice of contracts.
Kf Tung: Pass. Partner invites, you cannot be sure of a game, and you want to have a plus.
|
| 3. IMPs. N-S vul.
| |
Q J 2
A J 6 2
A K Q 6 4
J
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1NT
(1)
|
3
| ? |
| (1) 15-17.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
5
| 0
| 100
|
|
6NT
| 6
| 100
|
|
5NT
| 2
| 70
|
|
Dbl
| 4
| 70
|
|
4
| 1
| 60
|
|
4NT
| 1
| 60
|
|
4
| 0
| 40
|
|
3NT
| 1
| 30
|
|
Moderator: Karen Walker explains 5 as the perfect solution for this problem. 'I'm a bit surprised that no panelist chose it, but it's still worth 100 points.'
Barry Rigal: 5NT. . . pick-a-slam, planning to convert 6 to 6 and play six of a red suit. Note this may put the void spade on lead, which could be a very good idea.
Daniel Korbel: 6NT. If we are missing specifically the A K, that's life in the big city. It would be nice if 5 asked partner to bid 5NT with no spade control and bid on with one.
Josh Donn: Dbl. I believe I can handle pretty much anything partner does, and usually find out if spades are controlled or not.
Adam Melzak: 3NT. Those pesky A K will score in any contract unless you play and LHO is out. 3NT or 6 (or 4 or whatever you advance with)? I chicken out.
David Waterman: 4. . . and 6 over 5, 6NT over anything else. If he has a 15 count missing the A K - too bad.
Christopher Diamond: 4. No clue. If this is taken as a transfer, I'll raise 4 to 5 and convert a reraise to 6NT.
Larry Meyer: Dbl. Even if partner bids clubs, we are strong enough to bid again.
Eugene Chan: 4. Have to make some sort of slam try. Where we will end up is anybody's guess.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 4NT. . . quantitative invite. If partner is better than minimum then he must have a spade control.
Hk Ho: 4. South's 18 HCP should be sufficient for a slam. The only question is whether North has the K. If he bids 4NT with K x, go 6NT. If he bids 5 with 2 spade losers, correct to 5.
Perry Khakhar: 5NT. Hopefully partner can read this as 2 quick spade losers.
Chris Buchanan: Dbl. What is Bridge Bulletin Standard here for double? I hope it is takeout.
Rina Rosenberg: 4. . . Gerber?
David Gordon: Dbl. Should be negative here.
Mike Roberts: Dbl. So either partner has a spade honour (bid 6NT) - or he doesn''t. I'll guess not.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 3NT. 3 will probably not go 4 down. 4NT would imply a better spade stop (but is still tempting).
Allan Simon: 4. It is possible we're off the A K. I hope partner can cue bid 4, over which I will trot out Old Black.
Kf Tung: 6NT. Trust partner, or trust the opponent?
|
| 4. IMPs. N-S vul.
| |
A
J 8 3
A Q 7 2
A K Q 10 5
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
2
(1)
|
2
|
4
| ? |
| (1) Weak.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
5
| 5
| 100
|
|
5NT
| 5
| 90
|
|
Dbl
| 4
| 90
|
|
6
| 0
| 50
|
|
Pass
| 1
| 40
|
|
Moderator: The panel are fairly evenly split between 5, 5NT and Dbl.
Steve Weinstein: Dbl. Not enough shape for 5. 4NT would be Roman key card Blackwood for spades. I will drive to slam if partner bids anything but 4.
Larry Cohen: 5NT. If pass were forcing, that would be my choice instead. Here, I will gamble that partner doesn't have two low hearts (so unlikely!).
Steve Robinson: 5. Let partner guess which slam we belong in.
Adam Melzak: 5. Partner should be void in hearts, but what strain is best and how to get there?
David Waterman: 5. This won't score very high, but I think it is the right bid.
Christopher Diamond: Dbl. . . extras. The real question is what to bid over 4.
Larry Meyer: 4NT. Deny spades and ask partner to choose a minor.
Eugene Chan: 5. Was planning to reverse at lower levels. Although auction has accelerated, our slam prospects have improved.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 5NT. Hamman's law of bidding polls: If 5NT (pick a slam) is a possible choice then bid it.
Hk Ho: 6. North must be short in hearts. Hope his free 2 response is made on K Q x x x x and K x. An optimistic gamble.
Perry Khakhar: 5. This is as clear as we can make it for partner.
Chris Buchanan: 4NT. . . pick a minor with longer clubs than diamonds. Would like to be 6-4, but . . .
David Gordon: 5. Reverse into slam as partner is short in hearts.
Mike Roberts: Pass. . . must be forcing. 5NT (pick a slam) over double, 4NT (RKC, I hope) over 4.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 5. Will bid 6 over 5.
Allan Simon: Dbl. This should go for a big ride if partner sits for it, else I'll go slamming. My second choice of 5 is ambiguous and might be misconstrued as a cue bid in support of spades.
Kf Tung: 5. . . slam interest, and then you will end up in a minor suit small slam.
|
| 5. Matchpoints. Both vul.
| |
A J 7 4
10 9 6 3
K 7 2
8 6
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
1
|
Dbl
| |
|
Pass
|
2
|
3
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 6
| 100
|
|
3
| 4
| 90
|
|
Pass
| 3
| 70
|
|
Dbl
| 2
| 60
|
|
Moderator: There's also no universal understanding about partner's 2 - minimum or extras?
Jeff Meckstroth: 4. Seems like I have just the right stuff if spades don't split too badly.
Geoff Hampson: Dbl. . . a game try. I expect this shows a good 3 bid, which I have - assuming 2 shows some extras.
Mel Colchamiro: 3. Despite being a Law violation, my K x x suggests this could be a two-suit fit all the way around. I presume that 2 is just a minimum 13-15 raise - as if I had responded 1. I also presume that double would be a game try, so that leaves only pass and 3.
Sylvia Shi: Pass. Modern style for me is that 2 shows a minimum with four spades. If partner has a balanced hand, I'm not thrilled about competing when suits might be breaking poorly, and we are vulnerable at matchpoints.
David Waterman: 4. If I had K x x of the other minor I might double to show this hand - but I have too much offence.
Christopher Diamond: 4. . . old fashioned. 2 still shows extras, not just 4 spade cards.
Larry Meyer: 3. With an invitational hand, make an invitational bid.
Eugene Chan: 3. A competitive 3 seems automatic. But if it is late in the session and I need a top, I will swing for the fences and double.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 3. Only 8 points, but what I have is pure.
Hk Ho: 4. North should not have many heart losers. If he has opened on a minimum, he should take out in 1 only. Help him to go game with 9 points.
Perry Khakhar: 4. I like my K!
Chris Buchanan: 4. Easy call here: all my values in all the right places.
David Gordon: Dbl. Pard has a little extra for 2.
Mike Roberts: 4. I've got to go on. Partner could have K Q x x x A Q J x x x x x, and can't bid 4 over 3.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 3. 4 might make, but it might not.
Allan Simon: 4. Bid what's under your nose. Happy Holidays everyone!
Kf Tung: 3. You have to beat +110. It is easier to get +140 than +200.
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