TGIF April 2008: Scores
| 1. IMPs. E-W vul.
|
Q 6 4 3
A J 5 3
A J 9
8 7
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
1
|
Pass
|
2
| |
|
Pass
|
3
(1)
|
Pass
| ? |
| (1) Splinter.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 9
| 100
|
|
4
| 8
| 90
|
|
4NT
| 1
| 20
|
|
3NT
| 0
| 0
|
|
Moderator: After North's 3 splinter bid, your hand has decreased in value because the Q is no longer useful. Eight panelists decide, therefore, to sign off in 4. However, half the experts disagree with signing off in 4---they feel a cuebid is justified.
Kai Zhou: 4. Not sure if 3NT would be serious here, otherwise I would wait with 3NT first.
June Pocock: 4. Hand not great but I do have a cuebid.
Eugene Chan: 4. My marginal opener just got worse. Splinter is the weakest of slam tries. 4 might even fail.
Stephen Vincent: 4. 3 doesn't improve my hand. If all partner's interested in is aces, he can bid RKC.
David Walker: 4. Slam's possible, but I have nothing in clubs, only the A.
John Hurdle: 4. My hand is a minimum opener, even before I subtract the Q.
David Breton: 4. I owe partner a courtesy cue-bid because he could still have a big hand.
Noah Stewart: 4. At matchpoints I might try 4; at IMPs, it's up to partner to go beyond 4.
Aidan Ballantyne: 4. Cue bid - I have a good hand, probably enough for slam.
Martin Henneberger: 4. It is my belief that when one hand is unlimited and unknown the other must cooperate below game. 4 denies a club control and cooperates.
Bonny Lee: 4. I have nothing of interest if that is what partner likes to know.
Ronald Kuiper: 4. Don't like my spade holding opposite singleton, but will show my A on way to game.
Larry Meyer: 4. Deny club control, show diamond control.
Mike Roberts: 4. Yeah, I have 2 aces. Q is garbage, hand is min, and I'd like a fourth diamond. Not enough for me.
Perry Khakhar: 4. Minimum bid for a minimum hand hand that seems to be staying minimum.
Chris Buchanan: 4. Let's give partner some co-operation. We have already described a minimum.
Bob Todd: 4. You're kidding, right??
Merv Adey: 4. Never give up on a hand.
Ranjan Bhaduri: 4. I've shown my hand - if there's more to be had, partner is better positioned to find it.
Yu Wang: 4. Pard has a hand better than just 4, maybe x KQxxx Kx AKxx. My A and doubleton club will be helpful.
David Gordon: 4. Wasted queen of spades. I will give a courtesy cuebid.
Chris Diamond: 4. No reason to encourage slam with this minimum.
Birol Guvenc: 4. No club control, yes diamond key-card.
Brian Zietman: 3NT. Showing my semi-stopper and my shape. Partner can stop in 4 or continue to slam.
|
| 2. IMPs. Both vul.
| |
Q J 8 5 4 3 2
A 10
A J
6 5
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1NT
|
Pass
|
2
(1)
| |
|
Pass
|
2
|
Pass
|
4
(2)
| |
|
Pass
|
5
|
Pass
| ? |
| (1) Transfer.
| | (2) Slam try, no shortness.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
6
| 14
| 100
|
|
5
| 2
| 40
|
|
5
| 1
| 30
|
|
5
| 1
| 20
|
|
Moderator: The majority bid 6. They made a slam try, and partner cooperated. Why fool around?
Larry Cohen: 6. Seven could make opposite the perfect dummy, but bidding and making six is plenty. Control bidding 5 is pointless unless you plan to pass 5.
Kai Zhou: 5NT. Pard must have long good clubs and max primary value to cooperate, and I do have some assets for 7.
Joel Martineau: 5. I think the panel will vote for 5, although 6 may prove more effective by denying the opps a lead-directing double.
June Pocock: 6. I don't think 7 is there.
Anssi Rantamaa: 5. No rush, we might be missing the ace and king of trump (although unlikely).
Eugene Chan: 6. Without grandslam ambitions, I try 6 immediately. No purpose to further cuebidding.
Stephen Vincent: 6. You're heading there anyway: don't give LHO a chance to make a lead-directing double.
David Walker: 5NT. Grand slam force.
John Hurdle: 6. Once partner bids 5, I'm going to slam. Cuebidding in search of the magic grand will possibly help the opponents to infer or direct and unwelcome lead.
David Breton: 5. Partner has no void and didn't Blackwood, my guess is that he's open in a red suit and has the king in the other plus a source of tricks somewhere. 7 is probably cold. My next bid is 6.
Noah Stewart: 5. Planning to follow up with 6 and let partner decide where to play it.
Aidan Ballantyne: 6. ... consistent with my previous underbid of 4.
Martin Henneberger: 6. I don't think cue bidding will allow me to stop in 5 or bid 7, so enough information has been exchanged and I will bid the practical small slam.
Bonny Lee: 5. Partner knew my shape, it's time to tell the control.
Ronald Kuiper: 6. Place I want to be, pard can't have enough for a grand and with club stopper 6 is odds on.
Larry Meyer: 6. Since pard is 15-17 balanced, the grand seems unlikely.
Aloke Paul: 6. Together 28-30 points with long spade suit and 3-aces, should be close.
Mike Roberts: 6. Ok. Partner is clearly worried about at least one of the reds. Don't give the opps any hints.
Perry Khakhar: 6. It's the case of the dog that didn't bark! Why did partner not blackwood? Must be 2 quick losers in a red suit. Well, I have that covered. Tough to construct a max for partner that makes 7, so...
Chris Buchanan: 5. Partner has 2 rags in a red suit. Looks like I have them covered. I will show both of them, just in case.
Bob Todd: 5. 7 is cold opposite A A K and K Q x x OR K Q J x, but it is hard to ask for that!!
Merv Adey: 5. Never give up on a hand. I like 6 if it means what I hope it means (both red aces), but we haven't discussed it and I just made that up anyway.
Yu Wang: 5. Why pard not bidding 4NT to check keycards? 5 probably showed worries and concern, so we have 2 quick losers on clubs.
David Gordon: 6. Looks dicey but we have arrived.
Chris Diamond: 6. If pard can cue-bid this should be enough for slam.
|
| 3. Matchpoints. E-W vul.
| |
7
K 9
Q J 10 9 8 7
A J 10 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
4
(1)
| ? |
| (1) Eight playing tricks in spades.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 12
| 100
|
|
Dbl
| 4
| 50
|
|
5
| 2
| 40
|
|
4
| 0
| 10
|
|
Moderator: Bid now or wait and perhaps bid later? The majority of the panel feels that you should pass because bidding directly will overstate your hand. You know you will have a second chance to act.
Larry Cohen: Pass. It is popular to play double as a light takeout. It is 'on the house', as they say, because the opponents can't play here. I have the wrong hand for double with only two hearts.
The Stansbys: Pass. We plan to bid 5 over 4.
Kai Zhou: Dbl. I want to show diamonds first to suggest a possible save. I really need guts to bid 4NT over 4 again to show 6-4 type.
Joel Martineau: 4. Let's see what marvelous adventures it creates. This partner has been looking for an excuse to move on.
June Pocock: 4NT. Pass might be a better option but I like bidding.
Anssi Rantamaa: 5. The hand's better suited to offense. 5 also discourages partner from venturing in hearts.
Eugene Chan: Dbl. If partner holds A K, my double will show those values more suited for offense than defence.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. Fixed.
David Walker: 4NT. If partner's 5 gets doubled I'll run to 5.
John Hurdle: Pass. Double is not an option (that would show a light/noncommital takeout of 4). A direct 5 overstates my hand.
Patti Adams: 4NT. ... takeout for the minors.
David Breton: Pass. I don't know what double means but whatever it does mean, I pass.
Aidan Ballantyne: Pass. Not sure what double would mean. See what happens.
Martin Henneberger: Dbl. Double here at fav vulnerability suggests a sack in my partnerships. I can't insist on a 5-level bid alone here so I would like partner's input. I also am happy to defend 4 if partner passes.
Bonny Lee: 4NT. Down 3 should be a good score.
Jongseok Oh: Dbl. To show diamonds.
Ronald Kuiper: Dbl. With 5-5 in minors, I would bid 4, but being 6-4 I'll double showing diamonds and bid 5 over 4. I don't want to sell out to 4 at this vulnerability.
Larry Meyer: Dbl. ... lead directing.
Mike Roberts: Dbl. ... followed by 4NT after 4-P(?)-P. I'm not selling out with the minor suit tens.
Perry Khakhar: 5. For me, pass is not an option. So that leaves double and 5. Well, this could easily go for -800, but it may get out for -300 opposite a game. At least they have to guess at the 5 level.
Chris Buchanan: Pass. Double here should be takeout of spades. There is no need to take action right now, let's see what develops.
Bob Todd: Pass. I think dbl should be diamonds and not a takeout of spades. I think the partner will play me for a takeout of spades. I will wait and see what partner does and will bid 5 later.
Yu Wang: 4NT. Showing both minors.
David Gordon: Pass. I have to limit my hand with a pass if I want to compete after 4.
Jane Fyfe: 4NT. Choose a minor!
Chris Diamond: Dbl. The trickier question is whether to bid 4NT over 4 if partner passes.
Birol Guvenc: 4NT. Unusual NT: (minors, defense, sacrifice)
Brian Zietman: 4NT. At this vulnerability I must suggest a good minor sacrifice.
|
| 4. Matchpoints. E-W vul.
| |
J 10 8 7 3 2
K 7 5 2
K 5 4
---
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
Pass
| |
|
Pass
|
1
|
2
|
4
| |
|
Dbl
|
Pass
|
5
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
5
| 12
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 4
| 50
|
|
5
| 2
| 20
|
|
5
| 0
| 0
|
|
Moderator: After you push the opps to the 5-level, you usually pass or double them versus bidding on. Bidding 5-over-5 is usually avoided by expert players. With this hand, however, you have extreme distribution (a void) and a sixth spade.
Larry Cohen: 5. With six-card support and a void, I'm taking the push. Sure, this could be wrong.
The Stansbys: 5. This hand has more offense and also more defense than a typical 4 bid. Partner can hardly expect a void and two second-round controls. We would have preferred to have bid 3 on the previous round, planning to bid game over a signoff.
Kai Zhou: 5. A tough decision. Double by west showed general strength, we might take two hearts and K to set 5. In Teams I would buy the insurance, but at MP, I'll take a shot.
June Pocock: 5. This is hard, as pass is not forcing and partner may have clubs.
Anssi Rantamaa: Pass. This should be forcing on partner indicating some defensive values.
Eugene Chan: Pass. A no-brainer. Partner did not redouble 4. Red kings are good defensive cards.
Stephen Vincent: 5. I believe the opponents.
David Walker: 5. Both sides may be okay at the 5 level.
John Hurdle: 5. Partner won't be happy if her stuff is in clubs, but far more often we will be cold for 5 and she won't dream of bidding.
David Breton: Dbl. I wish I had shown more strength on the previous round, perhaps with a splinter. Bidding 5 in front of pard is poor.
Noah Stewart: 5. I want partner to play this hand at this vulnerability, although I'm nervous -- where are the hearts?
Aidan Ballantyne: 5. In for a penny...I have two offensive surprises - a sixth spade and void club.
Martin Henneberger: Pass. I really am a big advocate of predicting a 5-level auction therefore I would have bid 4 at my first opportunity. By a passed hand I have enough to splinter with a well placed K. Now I don't know who can make what and neither does partner. Sweet.
Robin Hart: Dbl. Just for fun! My partner will decide...I can stand whatever!
Bonny Lee: 5. With a trick in diamond needs to establish a second trick if opps sacrifice at 6-level.
Jongseok Oh: Dbl. The diamond and heart kings will be key cards.
Ronald Kuiper: Pass. Partner could have been light third seat opener, the 5 level belongs to the opponents, I have a semblance of defence with my 2 red kings: all reasons to leave this up to pard.
Larry Meyer: 5. 11 trumps suggest bidding up to the 5-level.
Mike Roberts: Pass. Discipline. I wouldn't have bid 4 last time (I'd bid 4), but I'd be masterminding to bid here.
Perry Khakhar: 5. The hand is way too good (offensively) for the initial jump! We almost got lucky when the opponents doubled. I have a hand that may contribute 2 tricks on defense, but I need compensation for +420. So 5-level it is!
Chris Buchanan: Dbl. I really wish I had not backed myself into this corner by not giving a splinter raise. I think I am going to double because I have 2-Kings more than advertized and they look to be situated well. I hope partner can take a joke.
Bob Todd: 5. This is a very good hand! All suits controlled.
Merv Adey: Pass. When I bid 4, I promised not to unilaterally bid 5, didn't I?
Paul Hardy: 5. I really had to bid 4 the first time? That would not have been my first choice.
Yu Wang: 5. Can we defeat 5 without any spade tricks? I think we better sacrifice.
David Gordon: 5. I have to make up for the first underbid as I would have bid 4 right away.
Chris Diamond: 5. Clueless. Double or pass could be right. At least this way I stop their spade cuebid.
Birol Guvenc: Dbl. Negative, showing shortness.
Brian Zietman: Pass. Up to you partner - double or return to 5.
|
| 5. Matchpoints. None vul.
| |
K Q 5
Q J 7 6 5 2
A
K J 5
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
Pass
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
1
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 10
| 100
|
|
2
| 3
| 80
|
|
2
| 2
| 50
|
|
3
| 2
| 30
|
|
3
| 1
| 30
|
|
Pass
| 0
| 0
|
|
Moderator: Your hand can play in either major, but it's difficult to show your strength. A 3 bid should contain a fourth trump and a 3 bid should deliver a better suit. Because of this, the majority made the mark-time bid of 2.
Larry Cohen: 2. If you answer enough bidding-panel questions, you see this type of problem frequently. You have the wrong majors for 3 or 3. If Al Roth were still with us, he'd consider this automatic.
Kai Zhou: 2. A typical rebid question. I think 2 looks like the best lie and gives pard the most flexibility.
Eugene Chan: 2. Tough choice between 2 or 2. When in doubt, I defer to partner.
Stephen Vincent: 2. Least of evils. If partner drops it there we're probably getting a bad score but that's life.
David Walker: 2. On the way to game. Will correct to a major later.
John Hurdle: 2. Too many high card points for 2 or 2, inadequate trump for 3 or 3.
David Breton: 1NT. If I bid 2 they'll break 5-1. If I bid 2, they'll tap pard in a Moysian. So I'll take my zero in NT like a matchpoint player.
Noah Stewart: 3. I think I'm worth 3 here to hear one more informative bid from partner; a number of contracts could be correct here.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2. Follow up with spade raise.
Martin Henneberger: 2. I'm probably outnumbered in the voting here, but I will take my chances with 2. 2 is an underbid and 3 hides spades and overstates suit quality. Raising spades is a guess to what level. Any continuation here over 2 leaves me well placed.
Bonny Lee: 2. Will like to hear partner's second bid before committing to a contract.
Jongseok Oh: 3. 16 HCP and 6 card suit.
Ronald Kuiper: 3. I got 6 of them and a nice hand. I don't really see the problem here.
Larry Meyer: 3. Prefer to show spade support and extra values instead of rebidding weak 6-card suit.
Aloke Paul: 3. Jump shift to show muscle and to force to game.
Mike Roberts: 3. Classic problem, with no clear solution. The suit isn't good enough for 3, 2 risks pass, and it's too strong for 2.
Perry Khakhar: 2. In spades my hand would play like a bad 12 count, not a bad 16 that it is. If partner can find a belated raise with honour-doubleton, we probably can make 4. But I need to let partner know of my length if nothing else. At IMPs, I bid 2.
Chris Buchanan: 3. Where is my 2.5 option? Oh well, do the best I can.
Bob Todd: 2. The standard bidding contest problem.
Merv Adey: 2. When the going gets tough, put partner on play. Which way is the bar??
Yu Wang: 2. It is one card less than I promised in clubs, but I want to know: does he have a fifth spade or 2 card heart support?
David Gordon: 2. I will move a heart over to the club suit and bid.
Chris Diamond: 2. How's that go? If I get by this round I'll know more.
Brian Zietman: 3. I don't like to support with only 3 cards but this is the exception. Good points in spades, single outside ace - we will maybe play in a Moysian but that also works sometimes.
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