TGIF October 2019: Scores
| 1. IMPs. None vul.
|
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J 10 4 3
K Q 8 7 4
Q J 6 4
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
2
|
Dbl
|
3
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 7
| 100
|
|
Dbl
| 6
| 90
|
|
4
| 0
| 50
|
|
4NT
| 1
| 50
|
|
5
| 0
| 50
|
|
Moderator: The panel are all heading to 4. The choice is in the route they take.
Daniel Korbel: 4. I don't want to double, because I think partner should be able to pass a responsive double when he feels it is right: here, I'm pretty sure it won't be.
Mike Lawrence: Dbl. I'm going to bid 4 at some point, no matter what I do. I can bid 4 now or I can double first, expecting to bid 4 next. My partner's bid after my double requires another agreement. Does he play my double asks for 3NT? Or does he play my double as showing the minors? I expect I will play 4 only if I have a 4-4 fit.
David Waterman: 4. My spade holding suggests partner may have some length in spades, which means he may not have 4 hearts and he may have more than minimum HCP. 4 will get us to the right strain, for sure, and gives us a fighting chance to get to the right level.
Christopher Diamond: 4. Lots of spades in their hands. Feels like a classic setup, allowing me to bid 4 since that is easier to pass if pard has a big hand and two spades. But it's classic because it works.
Aidan Ballantyne: Dbl. Most flexible. Pard does not promise a 4-card heart suit and we may make a minor slam or defend their contract if pard is strong and balanced.
Robert Sauve: Dbl. Responsive.
Larry Meyer: Dbl. Give pard an economical chance to describe his hand.
Chris Buchanan: 4. Will bid 5NT over 4.
Hendrik Sharples: 4. I think Dbl should deny 4, but that might be passe.
David Gordon: 4. Reserve Dbl for more problematic hands.
Kf Tung: Dbl. Beware of exciting partner too much - 4 may backfire!
Timothy Wright: 4. I have a decent hand, but a lot of slow tricks, and need a lot from partner to make slam.
|
| 2. Matchpoints. Both vul.
| |
A J 9 2
A Q 8 6 4 3
A 4
5
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2NT
| 8
| 100
|
|
2
| 5
| 80
|
|
4
| 1
| 70
|
|
3
| 0
| 40
|
|
4NT
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: Even with a strong jump shift available, a majority of our experts choose Jacoby 2NT to announce the game-forcing raise and solicit additional information from partner. A direct 4NT would be ace-asking, but 2NT followed by 4NT would be keycard.
Steve Weinstein: 2NT. Jacoby will tell me what I need to know. Normally, you want to bid your source of tricks to let partner take over. On this hand, however, I can take over because cuebids and key-carding will let me place the contract.
August Boehm: 2. Partner's heart holding is apt to be important for a spade slam, so let's clue him in.
David Waterman: 4. . . followed by RKC. If we have all key cards, I will bid 5NT for specific kings and hope partner ignores the K. If he has both red kings he will bid 7. If he bids 6 I will bid 7. If he bids 6 I will bill 6.
Christopher Diamond: 2NT. A strong jump shift might work. But I'm going to slam anyway so I'll try to find the grand slam cards I need this way.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2NT. Basically a Blackwood hand so I'm setting trumps. If I don't mention hearts I may get a heart lead.
Larry Meyer: 2NT. First show 4-card game forcing support, then 1430.
Marco Paladino: 2. Keep the bidding low and find out all the keycards that my partner may have.
Chris Buchanan: 4. My actual answer is 3 splinter but that does not conform to standard convention.
Hendrik Sharples: 2NT. I'd bid 2 at the table, but it's a bidding contest.
Kf Tung: 2. Find a suitable strain first.
Timothy Wright: 4. Yes, we could belong in hearts, but I have enough here to make one slam try over partner's 4 rebid.
|
| 3. IMPs. E-W vul.
| |
A 2
8
A K 10 8 7 5
Q 6 4 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
1
|
Pass
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Dbl
| 9
| 100
|
|
2
| 4
| 80
|
|
2
| 1
| 60
|
|
3
| 0
| 30
|
|
Pass
| 0
| 30
|
|
Moderator: With their eyes trained on the vulnerability, most panelists double, inviting partner to show his heart suit.
Jeff Meckstroth: Dbl. Penalty before purity. They are vulnerable and I have decent defense.
Jill Meyers: 2. Another one I don't think is close. I'm not giving partner an opportunity to pass a reopening double, particularly because they probably have spades to run to. My hand is 'all diamonds,' and that is what I want to convey to partner.
David Waterman: 2. I know, where are the spades? But I can't pass with shortness in hearts and a good hand.
Christopher Diamond: Dbl. No negative double and no competition so he's probably drooling over there. Next, what to do over their 1.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2. Pass could be the winner (where are the spades?), but too unilateral at IMPs.
Larry Meyer: Dbl. Protect partner in case he has a heart stack.
Marco Paladino: Dbl. I can feel my partner's got hearts.
Paul Mcmullin: Dbl. Enough defense to entertain a penalty double if that was what he wanted. I will rebid diamonds over a spade response.
Chris Buchanan: Dbl. Keeping it alive. Not the best shape but partner shouldn't be leaping in spades since they never doubled going in.
Hendrik Sharples: Dbl. Will pull 1 to 2. Hope partner doesn't go nuts.
David Gordon: 2. Will continue with 3.
Kf Tung: Dbl. You have extras, and +200 is possible when there is no game.
Timothy Wright: 2. Sorry partner, not enough spades to double.
|
| 4. Matchpoints. None vul.
| |
K 9 4
Q 10 9 7 4
K Q 10 6 4
---
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
1
|
1
|
2
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 6
| 100
|
|
2
| 5
| 90
|
|
Pass
| 2
| 70
|
|
3
| 1
| 50
|
|
3
| 0
| 30
|
|
Dbl
| 0
| 0
|
|
Moderator: Unfortunately, you can't double to alert partner of the opponents' probable misfit. A double in this seat is a snapdragon double, showing 5+ in the 4th suit and tolerance for partner's suit.
Roger Lee: Pass. I think they're in trouble, and there's no reason to give them an out. I'm happy to double any nonclub contract above 2NT.
Mike Lawrence: 2. System doesn't let me double. It would be a snapdragon double. So I go towards our own contract without confusion.
Barry Rigal: 2. Not nearly as good a hand as it looks. Much more defense than offense. But I can't bring myself to stay silent at my first turn. Maybe partner won't hang me?
David Waterman: 3. This will not score well, but it is the best bid. If I bid 4, opponents are endplayed into doubling - it will not play well. Best to let them find their way after 3.
Christopher Diamond: Dbl. Can you still express an opinion on the best place to play? Not enough spades to override this.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2. It looks like they are headed for trouble so pass is certainly an option, but I want to encourage a spade lead, presuming we defend.
Larry Meyer: 2. Support with support.
Paul Mcmullin: 2. I am sure we have a misfit, but I can not see doubling red suits yet.
Chris Buchanan: 2. Simple limit raise.
Hendrik Sharples: 2. Partner has 8 clubs and psyched?
David Gordon: 2. I would bid 3 with a 4th trump.
Kf Tung: Pass. Holding 10 cards in their suits, keep the bidding low.
|
| 5. IMPs. N-S vul.
| |
3
A J 10 4 2
A Q 10 7
A Q 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
2
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 6
| 100
|
|
2NT
| 6
| 90
|
|
Pass
| 2
| 60
|
|
3NT
| 0
| 40
|
|
Moderator: A great majority of the panel favours moving forward with this hand. On the question of how to do that, however, they are evenly divided.
Sylvia Shi: 3. At this vulnerability specifically, I think I have too much to pass. I assume if partner has a good hand and a good spade suit, partner can jump to 4 rather than raising me on a low doubleton heart.
Larry Cohen: 2NT. . . the middle ground. A lot depends on partner's style. With one of my former partners, I'd pass and hope to make it; with a different one, I'd drive to game and expect overtricks. Not naming names.
Steve Robinson: Pass. Where do I want to play opposite: A Q 10 x x x x x x x x x x? Partner could have less.
David Waterman: 3. Partner MIGHT have 3 hearts to an honour, and 4 MIGHT be better, but 3 is too risky. He will bid 4 with honour doubleton and I don't want that. Even if he has 3 small hearts, his spade suit at this vulnerability means 4 is probably the best place.
Christopher Diamond: 2NT. I'm stalling. I'm still going to have to likely guess which game to play.
Aidan Ballantyne: 3NT. If I bid 3, I may endplay pard into 3NT from the wrong side. In any case, heart support would be welcomed in notrump.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. Hope either that we don't have a game or LHO commits an indiscretion.
Larry Meyer: 2NT. Ask pard to further describe his hand.
Chris Buchanan: 2NT. Let's find out what kind of preempt they have.
Hendrik Sharples: 3. I'll try 3NT over 3, partner should pull to 4 with a suit that can play opposite a stiff.
David Gordon: 3. Try for game.
Kf Tung: 4. . . easier than 3N.
Timothy Wright: 2NT. If partner signs off, we're done. If she bids 3/3, we can suggest a heart game.
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