TGIF April 2020: Scores
| 1. IMPs. Both vul.
|
K J 6 5
K 9
Q J 6 5
10 3 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
2
|
Dbl
(1)
|
Pass
| ? |
| (1) Three-card spade support.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 6
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 6
| 90
|
|
2NT
| 4
| 80
|
|
2
| 0
| 50
|
|
3
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: The panel are caught on a three-way choice: invite game in notrump, go for a penalty or take the preference to 2.
August Boehm: 2NT. . . a slight stretch for a vulnerable game bonus. Might pass at matchpoints, aiming for plus 200 (or minus 180).
Mike Lawrence: Pass. You have fair chances of getting 500. Worth the occasional risk of their making 180. You could lose out, however, if partner has a maximum hand with six hearts and a stiff diamond. One thing about support doubles is that they don't show partner's range.
Barry Rigal: 2. Facing the typical 12-14 balanced hand, this is a partscore deal. 2 gets my hand type across, and although I have a maximum, this is still legal in 38 of the 50 states.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2. A tiny bit in reserve. For now I show that I have only four spades. I should not guarantee 3-card heart support for this.
David Waterman: Pass. People don't double enough at IMPs.
Steve Ottridge: 2NT. No double allowed?
Larry Meyer: 2NT. Deny 5 spades, show diamond stopper, invitational.
Michael Dimich: 2. If partner is minimum 2 is safest, if partner has short diamonds and a good hand they bid again and you can bid 3NT safely.
Stuart Carr: 2. Pass is probably a plus, but I'll go for lower risk.
David Hooey: 2NT. Pass, 2, 2, 2NT . . . any one could be the winning call here.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. We have no great fit our way and 2 may play very badly for declarer: I'm guessing one dummy entry at most.
Perry Khakhar: 2. This hand is not getting better. I'm going to pull in my horns and see if we can get a plus.
Paul Mcmullin: 2. I prefer the 5-2 fit to the 4-3 fit.
Hendrik Sharples: 2NT. Passing might be right.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 2NT. This seems right on: strength, only four spades, good diamond stopper, denying three hearts.
Timothy Wright: 2NT. If partner wants to run away from this, we should still be fine.
Mike Roberts: 2NT. A slight overbid, but pass is anti-partnership, and either 2 or 2 feels wrong.
Allan Simon: Pass. Partner is unlimited. Second choice 2NT, but if 3NT makes we should get at least 500 on defense.
Kf Tung: 2NT. The K and 10 make a 9 trick game palpable, and you are in the right seat.
|
| 2. Matchpoints. Both vul.
| |
A
J 8 6 3
A K 10 9 8 7 3
A
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
3
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3NT
| 7
| 100
|
|
Dbl
| 5
| 80
|
|
3
| 2
| 70
|
|
4
| 1
| 70
|
|
5
| 1
| 60
|
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Moderator: The uncomfortable strength and shape of the hand lead the panel to an offbeat 3NT.
Larry Cohen: Dbl. I can bid 3NT if partner (likely) bids 3. If he bids 4, I will be stuck with 5. My dream partner, of course bids hearts. Too strong for only 3.
Steve Robinson: 3NT. I can't double because partner could hang me in spades. I can't bid 4 because that is usually played as leaping Michaels. So my choices are 3, 5 and 3NT. 3NT needs very little from partner to make, and 5 could go down with three heart losers.
Zachary Grossack: 3. What else can I do? Double is begging for a disaster, and I have a stiff ace in two suits --- a negative as far as high-card placement goes.
Aidan Ballantyne: 3. It would be embarrasing to go down in 3NT cold for slam in a red suit. I could jump to 4, value bid, but want to leave room for pard to bid hearts.
David Waterman: 3NT. If a possible bid is 3NT, then . . .
Christopher Diamond: 3NT. I'll have company.
Larry Meyer: Dbl. Too strong for a simple overcall.
Michael Dimich: 3NT. . . probably nearly unanimous.
Stuart Carr: Dbl. If pard bids 3, I bid 3NT.
Stephen Vincent: 3NT. Putting all the eggs in one basket but it's the percentage action.
Perry Khakhar: 3. I'm certain that partner will find hearts for us if that is right.
Paul Mcmullin: 3. What is the BBS bid for a 7-card suit and two outside singleton aces?
Hendrik Sharples: 3. If I knew diamonds were running I'd try 3NT, but I'd be poorly placed if lefty bids 4.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: Dbl. I think I have enough to double and later bid diamonds (unless my partner miraculously bids hearts of course) but it is close. I need heart support to get enough tricks.
Timothy Wright: 3NT. Double risks a disaster if partner believes me; 3 could miss a laydown game.
Mike Roberts: 3. Pre-empts work.
Allan Simon: 3NT. I hate it, but all alternatives have worse flaws. I particularly dislike double, because partner will most likely bid spades, and then he will misinterpret my diamond bid as a cue for spades.
Kf Tung: Dbl. Start with double to get flexibility. Game in diamonds, hearts, NT may not be enough, and you need room to bid.
|
| 3. IMPs. N-S vul.
| |
Q J 10 8 6 2
A K
A 10 8 3
7
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
Pass
|
Pass
|
1
|
1
| |
|
2
|
2
|
3
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Dbl
| 5
| 100
|
|
3
| 3
| 80
|
|
3
| 3
| 70
|
|
4
| 3
| 70
|
|
4
| 2
| 70
|
|
3
| 0
| 50
|
|
4
| 0
| 30
|
|
Moderator: There are a wide variety of possibilities on this deal.
Steve Weinstein: Dbl. Going to elicit the most natural bid from partner. He will likely put us on this shape.
Jill Meyers: 3. No one is holding a gun to my head to bid 3, so this must show extras.
Kerri Sanborn: 3. . . forward-going without committing to one major or the other. It looks like partner has a bad-suit weak two-bid, so the tap when playing in hearts may be uncomfortable. But J 10 9 x x x would be fine facing my hand.
Daniel Korbel: 4. I hope partner interprets this as a choice of games. If he isn't sure, he may try 4, over which I will bid 4.
Sylvia Shi: 4. I think partner has a fitting spade card to introduce a not-so-great heart suit here, and I'm just going to hope to take 10 tricks. I could have a lot less if I bid 3.
Aidan Ballantyne: 3. Partner may have a lot of hearts and may not have any spades. Too conservative to pass.
David Waterman: 4. Partner is still there to bid 4, but I am not stopping short of game.
Christopher Diamond: 3. Wonder why he didn't open 2? If he has only 5 hearts he is close to an opener. Just moving things along.
Larry Meyer: 4. Show support for hearts and a club control.
Michael Dimich: Dbl. . . to show either 5-2-4-2 or 6-2-4-1. Let partner know we are fine at the 3-level and maybe more.
Stephen Vincent: 4. Partner didn't open 2 and didn't make a responsive double: he should have some kind of spade tolerance.
Perry Khakhar: Pass. I'm not crazy about my suit. And I wouldn’t want partner to ruff in my hand. The diamond suit is really not mentionable at this level. 3 or 3 might make but I'm ok with defending.
Paul Mcmullin: 3. Hoping partner will rebid a major suit, which I'll raise to game.
Hendrik Sharples: Dbl. Brings all suits into play.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 3. Opposite 5+ hearts and 2-3 clubs, the best playable spot is probably the suit we can keep control in. That means partner should rebid a 6-card heart suit or revert to spades with 2.
Timothy Wright: 3. Partner needs to know about the diamonds to make the right decision.
Mike Roberts: 4. This HAS to be choice of games.
Allan Simon: 4. Important to tell partner it is OUR hand, so that we can make a forcing pass later on if the opportunity presents itself.
Kf Tung: 3. You have extras, so show your diamonds. Show more on the next round.
|
| 4. IMPs. N-S vul.
| |
J 2
A K J 10 6
A 5
A 8 6 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
1
|
Dbl
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 8
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 5
| 70
|
|
2NT
| 2
| 60
|
|
Rdbl
| 1
| 40
|
|
3
| 0
| 30
|
|
3
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: Because a redouble would show 3-card support for spades, that is off the table. The majority go low with 2.
Zachary Grossack: 2NT. I'll just bid what I was always planning to rebid here. 2 with such weak clubs is not appealing to me, and if the colours were reversed, pass would be the standout action, as I would be keen to collect a penalty. With the vulnerability as it is, I would try to get to game without causing too much confusion.
Roger Lee: 2. I the old days, you could happily redouble. I prefer to play 1NT shows extras (17-19) and would bid that if I could.
Josh Donn: Pass. The follow-up could be tricky, but fortunately, you didn't ask about that. The opponents could be in trouble, and I am not going to let them off the hook.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2. Will rebid normally since interference has not prevented me from doing so. I am denying spade support.
David Waterman: 2. There is no reason not to bid out my hand.
Christopher Diamond: 2. Let me guess . . . we're playing support redoubles? Stupid convention.
Larry Meyer: 2NT. The J has become a valuable card.
Michael Dimich: 1NT. I would have bid 2NT without East's interference. 1NT tells the same story now.
David Hooey: 2. I think 3NT will be the final contract and I want partner to declare.
Perry Khakhar: Pass. The auction isn't over and I need information!
Paul Mcmullin: Rdbl. Partner will pull with a weak hand.
Hendrik Sharples: 2NT. . . what I was going to bid without the double. Other choice is pass.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 2. Systemic I think, though maybe worth an upgrade to 3.
Timothy Wright: 2. Not good enough for 3. Even if partner has her bid, 2 might be high enough.
Mike Roberts: 2. Pass is masterminding.
Allan Simon: 2. I would have opened 1NT. Hands with 15 to 17 HCP and five hearts are notoriously hard to describe.
Kf Tung: Rdbl. Show strength. You will clarify with the bidding space created. Partner will like to play NT if appropriate.
|
| 5. Matchpoints. None vul.
| |
K 10 9 5
---
6 2
A K Q 8 7 5 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
1
|
Dbl
|
1
| |
|
3
|
Dbl
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
5
| 7
| 100
|
|
4
| 5
| 80
|
|
3NT
| 3
| 70
|
|
4
| 1
| 60
|
|
Pass
| 0
| 40
|
|
Moderator: A very active auction punctuated by partner's strength-showing double. The majority aim at 5 or 6.
August Boehm: 3NT. Very descriptive and often right on target.
Drew Becker: 4. Partner's double shows cards, not hearts. I'm tempted to bid 5 directly, which would clarify our strain, but the void gives the hand enough potential that I'll risk possible ambiguity with 4.
Mel Colchamiro: 5. Because double isn't pure penalty, 3NT, my first instinct, is really too wild a gamble. Partner could easily have A x x Q x x A x x x x J x and we could be on for 5 or even, on a good day, 6, while 3NT goes down.
Aidan Ballantyne: 4. Too much playing strength to sit for a double that is action, not penalties. 3NT is too risky as they may run hearts or clubs may not break.
Lisbet Soda: 4NT. Asking for aces.
David Waterman: 4. A bit cowardly. Pass could definitely be right, but I don't want to discourage partner from making frisky penalty doubles in the future.
Christopher Diamond: 4. They probably have 9 hearts so apparently I'm supposed to bid something.
Larry Meyer: Pass. Sounds like pard has their suit.
Michael Dimich: 4. I can't play 3NT from my side. 4 gives partner that option as well as showing solid 7+ club suit for potential slam.
David Hooey: Pass. Looks like a business double.
Stephen Vincent: 4. Too much offence/defence ratio to pass.
Perry Khakhar: 3NT. 400 beats the magic 200!
Paul Mcmullin: 4. How did we get so high so fast?
Hendrik Sharples: 3NT. 3NT is never the right answer to a bidding problem!
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 4. I hate leaving in (optional?) penalty with a void, plus: I have a lot of trick-potential. If Dbl is defined as action I will always pull. Suspect partner is something like 2-4-5-2.
Timothy Wright: Pass. 4 is for wimps. Or IMPs.
Allan Simon: 3NT. Probably infuriating partner: I don't often pull penalty doubles but this hand is an exception.
Kf Tung: 4. East is not helpful as he has passed 3. You have to bid 4, and partner will do the rest. Why has partner not bid 3NT?
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