TGIF May 2008: Scores
| 1. IMPs. Both vul.
|
A K J 10
A Q 10 8 6 2
3
K 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
3
|
Pass
|
Pass
|
Dbl
| |
|
Pass
|
4
|
Pass
| ? |
Do you agree with South's double?
| | Votes | Award
|
|
Yes
| 18
| 50
|
|
No
| 0
| 0
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 14
| 50
|
|
5
| 2
| 30
|
|
4NT
| 2
| 10
|
|
6NT
| 0
| 5
|
|
5
| 0
| 0
|
|
5
| 0
| 0
|
|
6
| 0
| 0
|
|
6
| 0
| 0
|
|
Moderator: As long as preemptive bids give their opponents problems, players are going to keep making them. North can bid 4 with a variety of hands, so you're guessing. The majority view is to
Kai Zhou: 5. I sincerely believe that pard would have A and I am actually asking about the number of clubs he has.
Eugene Chan: Pass. Rather than double, I prefer an aggressive 4 as initial action. Protects the K against opening lead.
Heather Garrison: 4NT. I do not agree with Dbl as south does not have tolerance for diamonds.
Adam Melzak: 5. A number of other bids have arguments, including good ol' 4NT. Of course if pard has a stiff heart....
Anssi Rantamaa: 4NT. If an ace is missing the K is in peril from east leading. Maybe take a shot at 6 if one ace missing.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. Slam may be there but how do you investigate? RKC won't help unless partner shows 2 aces. And you know for sure what lead you're going to get: the auction's placed the wrong hand as declarer.
Craig T. Wilson: Pass. There are probably two club losers immediately.
David Walker: Pass. With east on lead, anything more would be speculative. It's a victory of the pre-empt particularly when vulnerable.
John Hurdle: Pass. Dangerous to pass. Dangerous to bid.
Martin Henneberger: Pass. Exploring the 5 level isn't safe. Why ruin a game bonus looking for magic cards when pard could easily have Q x x x x x K x K Q x 9 x, or any similar variation.
Robin Hart: Pass. partner used principal of fast arrival and indicates to me longer spades and lack of controls.
Aidan Ballantyne: Pass. Guessing that pard has a lot of shape and not too many points (maybe even a void heart) so going on is too dangerous. Of course, I could be wrong and we could be cold for a grand.
Bonny Lee: 6. Slam in Heart stands a better chance without the lead through the K.
Larry Meyer: 6. Yes, show strength / Pard showed values, if he has A, A, K, 6 looks easy.
Dave Waterman: 5. We can't do everything here. Maybe 6 is making and 6 not. That's life.
Mike Roberts: 4NT. Gambling that there aren't two club losers, and that the K is onside.
Chris Buchanan: Pass. Partner has a cue bid available to show a better hand.
Paul Hardy: Pass. Pre-empts work, now it's a guess...does pard have the right cards for a club lead? I take the plus.
Yu Wang: 5. For Spade contract, my K will be vulnerable immediately. Could we have 6? It requires pard providing Q, K plus A or A. Any danger in bidding 5? Partner might correct to 5 or bid 6 if he had the cards.
David Gordon: 4NT. If 1 keycard then I will check into 6NT.
Roelof Van Lopik: 4NT. But you have to become declarer (to protect your K), so NEVER end in a spade contract!
Chris Diamond: 4NT. 7 still an option.
Brian Zietman: 4NT. If partner would have bid diamonds, I could easily bid hearts. I only need 2 key cards now for the slam so I must make a try. Partner could not overcall after the preempt so he can't be too strong.
|
| 2. Matchpoints. N-S vul.
| |
K 8 7
---
Q J 10 4 2
A Q J 9 7
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
Pass
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
1
|
1
|
4
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 14
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 3
| 60
|
|
Dbl
| 0
| 20
|
|
4NT
| 1
| 10
|
|
5
| 0
| 10
|
|
Moderator: The opponents have preempted again! Your hand is not strong enough to bid 4 (theoretically), but the majority feel you must take the push with a void.
The Colchamiros: 4. We're sort of endplayed into overbidding a little with 4.
Andrew Jeng: 4. I have spade support and a void in hearts.
Jeff Meckstroth: 4. No guarantees here, but worth taking the risk.
The Stansbys: 4. The play in 4 could be awkward. We hope they bid 5.
Kai Zhou: 4. The problem is what to do over 5.
Eugene Chan: 4. Grandma would bid 4 as well as Momma and Poppa. Nothing fancy required.
Adam Melzak: 4. Yeah breaks may not be good but 5-3 fit (inferred) and other features like VUL.
Anssi Rantamaa: 4. Trying for five of a minor seems like reaching since partner is a passed hand.
Craig T. Wilson: Pass. If vul was reversed I'd bid 5.
David Walker: 4. I'm content with a simple 4. Partner can reopen it.
John Hurdle: 4. This hand makes a good case for double to be a flexible takeout, as opposed to extra values, but that would be wishful thinking.
Martin Henneberger: 4. .. a little shy on values but partner has to cut me some slack when the opps cut off room to exchange information. There could be many hands where partner can't act again if I pass, and a double game swing potential is in the mix.
Aidan Ballantyne: 4. Thankfully pard is a passed hand and won't hang me. Two-way bid as they may make theirs if we go down. Passing is likely to end the auction and I can't afford that.
Bonny Lee: 5. Shows both minors. I'll bid spades over 5 to show my full description of my distribution and values.
Larry Meyer: Pass. No compelling reason to bid at the 5-level.
Dave Waterman: 4. The practical bid.
Mike Roberts: 4. HATE this. I'm assuming that 1 showed 5+. Wouldn't double for takeout be nice?
Chris Buchanan: Pass. The auction is not over. If partner passes it is definitely right.
Yu Wang: 4. A void in hearts and 3 cards trump support with king should be satisfactory.
David Gordon: 5. If opps compete to 5 I will bid 5.
Roelof Van Lopik: 4. 1 shows at least a 5-card suit. And with this vulnerability I want to play.
Chris Diamond: 4. A stretch but should play well.
Brian Zietman: 4. The 4 bid cramps our bidding space, but if partner is strong he may be able to make a move.
|
| 3. Matchpoints. N-S vul.
| |
6 4 3
7 5
K Q J 4
K Q 6 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
Pass
|
1NT
| |
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
Dbl
| |
|
Pass
|
4NT
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
5NT
| 8
| 100
|
|
5
| 8
| 90
|
|
6
| 1
| 30
|
|
5
| 1
| 10
|
|
Moderator: Partner made a nonforcing 3 call at his second turn, but now bids 4NT. What does this mean? The majority are gunning for slam.
The Colchamiros: 5NT. Pick a slam. Our three low spades and KQ in both minors are gold.
Mike Lawrence: 5NT. I am not sure what partner is up to, but he is bidding strongly. He pulled my double saying he is happy at the five level. With this hand I cannot imagine our not having a slam. Over 5NT, he will choose the spot that will make with my hand.
Jeff Meckstroth: 5NT. I want partner to pick a slam. I have the perfect cards with nothing wasted in spades.
Kai Zhou: 5. Strange auction. I would play him for 7 solid plus a minor suit ace, so I try 5.
Eugene Chan: 5. NEVERWOOD, my favourite convention, is 4NT never asking for aces. Of course nobody will play it with me. For now, 5 whatever that means.
Stuart Carr: 5. I take as ace-asking: I respond 0.
Adam Melzak: 5. Umm is this 1430 RKC? :-)
Stephen Vincent: 5. An unusual auction. My hand's become quite valuable, with no wasted values in spades opposite a singleton at most. But partner's intentions are a little unclear, particularly since the 3 bid wasn't forcing. 5 leaves me well-placed in the post-mortem.
David Walker: 5. Partner's 3 limited his hand, so without an ace I'm out of here.
John Hurdle: 6. Because partner's pull of my double confirms what I might have suspected earlier.
Martin Henneberger: 5. Partner's 4NT suggests 2 places to play, 5 or 5 of some minor. I will bid 5 in case it's clubs and they will pass or correct to 5.
Aidan Ballantyne: 5NT. Can pard really be 0-6-(4-3) or 0-7-3-3? Sounds like it, in which case I ask for a minor. Will settle for small slam as it would take a perfect hand to make seven.
Larry Meyer: 5. ... assuming pard has a 2-suiter, and will correct to 5 if necessary.
Dave Waterman: 5. Nothing else makes sense.
Mike Roberts: 6. My guess is that partner has a really big 0634/0733. My maximum, with spade cards, make slam a certainty. Note - even a 4-3 diamond fit might play better than a 4-4 club fit.
Chris Buchanan: 5. Partner should be able to handle the tap better in hearts than in whatever minor they have. I hope we aren't missing 6.
Bob Todd: 5. As Al Roth would say... I abstain there is no such bid. :-)
Yu Wang: 5. Could pard be holding x AKQJTxx Axx Ax, probably he'd bid 4 at 2nd time. I will answer what he asks.
David Gordon: 5NT. Partner has spade void with 4-3 in the minors. I want partner to pick the 4 card minor.
Chris Diamond: 5NT. Pard's void in spades since he pulled the double. He can pick a slam.
Brian Zietman: 5. Partner must be void in spades and have a powerhouse. I take the 4NT as Blackwood and show no aces.
|
| 4. IMPs. None vul.
| |
K 4
K 8 6 5 4 3
Q 7 6 3 2
---
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
2
(1)
|
Pass
|
2
(2)
| ? |
| (1) Natural, six or more clubs (or five with a four-card major), 12-15 HCP.
| | (2) Artificial inquiry.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 11
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 4
| 70
|
|
3
| 2
| 50
|
|
2NT
| 1
| 10
|
|
Moderator: You don't have many high-card values, but your distribution is good for offense. The majority of the panel bid 2.
Mike Lawrence: 2. Passing will leave you wondering later if you should have bid. This is your chance.
Kai Zhou: Pass. 2 is ok, but not too descriptive, 2NT might be misunderstood as natural, 3 might be thought as majors, pass first looks good, double then bid hearts is also very good, but you do not really want a diamond lead.
Eugene Chan: Pass. Always tough to swallow minus 1100. Double is not in the picture.
Heather Garrison: 2. Do not like quality of the heart suit, but with 8 hcp and 5 points for void in clubs I bid hearts.
Stuart Carr: 2NT. .. showing red suits (2 lowest).
Stephen Vincent: Pass. If they have a spade fit, they'll probably find it irrespective of what you bid now. The poor intermediates also suggest passing: maybe I'll have a chance to come in later.
David Walker: 3. Must interfere here.
John Hurdle: Pass. Too little defense and too poor suit quality for direct intervention.
Martin Henneberger: 2NT. To me, 2NT has to be a 2-suited takeout with diamonds and a major. 3 would be Michaels. I'm getting in my 2 suits now while I can.
Aidan Ballantyne: Pass. Maybe later...
Bonny Lee: Pass. I'd like to hear more information about opps' hands.
Larry Meyer: Pass. Suits too porous to bid them.
Dave Waterman: Pass. No texture, no lead directing potential, no reason to warn of bad breaks.
Mike Roberts: Pass. No. No spot cards, no real chance of showing both suits. This could be 800 against air, but it's far more likely just to give them information.
Chris Buchanan: Pass. No fair, third pass this set. Let's find out what is going on before we enter this auction.
Yu Wang: Pass. Anything urgent and good enough to tell pard, before opps showed their ambitions?
David Gordon: Pass. The suits are poor and underpowered.
Leo Weniger: 2NT. ... if considered unusual, if not 3.
Chris Diamond: 2. With no suit agreement, I'll just get hearts in for now.
Brian Zietman: Pass. I have to await developments. Too dangerous to enter the auction.
|
| 5. IMPs. N-S vul.
| |
J
K Q 9 7 6 5
A J 9
A K J
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
4
|
Pass
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Dbl
| 14
| 100
|
|
5
| 4
| 50
|
|
4NT
| 0
| 0
|
|
5
| 0
| 0
|
|
6
| 0
| 0
|
|
Moderator: You have a choice between doubling and bidding your six-card suit.
Jeff Meckstroth: Dbl. I don't have much luck bidding 5. We could easily belong in a minor suit, or defending 4.
The Stansbys: Dbl. Double keeps all the options open, unlike 5.
Kai Zhou: Dbl. Enough strength for double for sure, more flexible to suit pard's possible hands.
Eugene Chan: Dbl. Have chance to beat 4 even if partner is broke. 5 is asking for trouble.
Heather Garrison: 4NT. Through 3 Dbl is for take out; here, Dbl would be for penalty. Bid 4NT for take-out.
Adam Melzak: Dbl. All roads lead to double and at IMPs even vul I think you can survive a pass.
Anssi Rantamaa: 4NT. I assume that this is played as a takeout.
Stephen Vincent: Dbl. Most flexible.
David Walker: 5. What the hell! If we can beat this two we can make 5, and Pearl always comes up with a good singleton trump for me.
John Hurdle: Dbl. Clear at IMPs.
Martin Henneberger: Dbl. I am batting zero for 8 on double for takeout with these hands, but I'm going for 9. To me double is the most flexible and all my partners know how to scramble with 4NT rather than pick any old 4 card suit.
Robin Hart: 4NT. For takeout.
Aidan Ballantyne: Dbl. Transferable values. The next call will be the problem. I'll pass 5 of a minor.
Bonny Lee: 5. Tell partner about my suit.
Larry Meyer: Dbl. Hearts not good enough to bid them at the 5-level, and I have good support for whatever pard bids.
Mike Roberts: Dbl. Pre-empts work. Taking my 'sure' plus at imps.
Chris Buchanan: Dbl. Bidding 5 here is dangerous. A simple card-showing double should work well here.
David Gordon: Dbl. I take out dbl which partner will convert most of the time.
Leo Weniger: Dbl. If pard bids a minor, then bid 5.
Chris Diamond: Dbl. The real problem is next round. I'm actually pulling for pard to pass so I don't have to face it.
Brian Zietman: 5. I cannot think of anything better but no space to find out.
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