TGIF January 2021: Scores
| 1. Matchpoints. None vul.
|
K 5 4
A 2
4 2
Q 10 9 8 6 2
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| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
Pass
|
Pass
| |
|
1
|
Dbl
|
Pass
|
Pass
| |
|
Rdbl
(1)
|
Pass
|
1
| ? |
| (1) SOS - for rescue.
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Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
1NT
| 5
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 6
| 90
|
|
2
| 2
| 80
|
|
Dbl
| 2
| 80
|
|
1
| 0
| 60
|
|
Moderator: Congratulations to Martin Henneberger for winning the local points race for 2020. Michael Dimich was second. And congrats to Qiang Wu (China) and Leo Weniger (Nova Scotia) for their finish in the world-wide race.
Mike Lawrence: Pass. Seems clear. Partner may feel like doubling 1, something I would be happy to help with. It's possible they're in a 4-3 fit. Might be worse than that.
Zachary Grossack: Dbl. I have a feeling my partner is going to double this one, and in my methods, my double promises a doubleton and a real penalty of clubs (as opposed to passing the double because I have no better alternative). Redouble by opener here tends to be major-suit oriented, so I like our chances against 1 doubled.
Daniel Korbel: 2. Why not? This should be natural and nonforcing. Fun!
Janice Molson: 1NT. What does everything even mean? An interesting matchpoint problem. I bid 1NT, not 2. I think a double of 1 is like a three-card penalty double. After all, you've already made a penalty pass of 1, so how many diamonds can you have? Pass is nonforcing. At IMPs, I would bid 2, but do I want to play 2 opposite a takeout double of 1?
Gary Harper: 2. Seems that LHO would have only three clubs and partner doesn't have a five card major. So perhaps this is our best chance for a plus.
Christopher Diamond: 1NT. I'm pretty much unlimited. Let's solve that.
Aidan Ballantyne: 1NT. Show my strength. 2 would presumably be natural but misleading about nature of my hand.
Larry Meyer: Pass. I have already described my hand.
Michael Dimich: Pass. I will pass the lunch menu to partner.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Pass. My bidding so far has described my hand accurately. What more is there to say?
Stephen Vincent: Pass. Maybe they have nowhere to land.
Perry Khakhar: Pass. No point getting ahead of partner. You've already shown your hand.
Paul McMullin: Pass. I am in no rush to get to our likely club partial.
Hendrik Sharples: Pass. Why would I bid here?
Ig Nieuwenhuis: Pass. Where am I to play? Let's give partner the opportunity to bid if he wants to. 1NT from his hand is probably best.
Allan Simon: Pass. I won't act in front of partner.
David Gordon: 1NT. Looks about right on values.
Joel Forssell: Pass. Forcing.
Kent Ritchie: Pass. Partner knows I have long clubs and values and no 4-card major. Nothing else to say.
Kf Tung: 2. Constructive, natural suit, and partner will know that your side has more points, more controls but not more than 6 diamonds.
|
| 2. IMPs. Both vul.
| |
---
A 7 6
A Q 10 5
A K J 8 6 5
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
2
|
Dbl
|
3
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 4
| 100
|
|
Dbl
| 4
| 90
|
|
4NT
| 3
| 70
|
|
4
| 2
| 60
|
|
5NT
| 2
| 60
|
|
5
| 0
| 30
|
|
5
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: This is a similar problem to December 2020 Problem 1. The panel move higher, but in one of 5 different ways.
Steve Weinstein: 4. A 4 reverse must be forcing. I have a great hand, especially if we find a diamond fit. I'm forcing the hand to slam.
August Boehm: 4NT. . . showing primary clubs, secondary diamonds. Probably bound for slam, but let's first find the trump suit. 4 is available to agree hearts.
Barry Rigal: 5NT. Should be clubs and diamonds, I think, but I'm not sure I can afford to give up on hearts altogether. If we can't make slam, maybe they will save.
Mel Colchamiro: 4. Hope we can sort it out later. This is an awfully good hand. I won't be stopping short of six and I've got my nose pressed against the grand-slam window. Opposite J x x K J x x K x x x Q x, can we find our way to 7?
Josh Donn: Dbl. Pretty risky with a void, but I don't see any better option. At least every contract remains in play.
Gary Harper: 5NT. I'm not sure how to explore for the perfect x x x K Q x x K x x x Q x from partner, so will try to find the best small slam. Plus I've never bid the 5NT 'pick a slam' in a bidding contest.
Christopher Diamond: 4. I still think 4 could agree hearts but that got shot down last time. Not averse to a heart contract if he insists this time.
Aidan Ballantyne: Dbl. Responsive, extra strength. Anything else could lose hearts if we have them.
Larry Meyer: 4. Show slam interest and spade control.
Michael Dimich: Dbl. Heavy take-out. If partner bids diamonds will be slam sniffing.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 4. As a free bid, this should imply reverse strength.
Perry Khakhar: 4. I think double here is responsive. However, this bid kind of shows my shape and values better.
Paul McMullin: 4. I will raise whatever partner bids to slam. Messy hand!
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 4. Extra values, longer clubs than diamonds: that's what I have. But not 4. Could try 4 or 4NT if we've discussed what the difference is.
Allan Simon: 4. . . and raise partner's bid to 6.
David Gordon: 4. Natural and forcing.
Earle Fergusson: 4. Next bid may be tougher.
Kent Ritchie: 4. Should be forcing. Looking for at least game, possibly slam, in a minor.
Kf Tung: Dbl. You show a strong hand, and plan to move towards a suitable slam.
|
| 3. IMPs. N-S vul.
| |
A J 9 8 2
A 5
7
Q 8 5 4 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
2
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2NT
| 9
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 2
| 70
|
|
2
| 2
| 60
|
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3
| 2
| 60
|
|
2
| 0
| 30
|
|
Moderator: Despite the 5-5 shape, the majority show their values with 2NT.
August Boehm: 3. . . a stretch, but we're vulnerable at IMPs. More comfortable facing a sound opener.
Jill Meyers: 2NT. The best of the worst. In my partnerships, I play that 2NT is forcing one round.
Steve Robinson: 2. While hearts is not a 'new minor', 2 should be artificial, asking partner to complete his description. When you can make the cheapest bid, you will get the best results.
Roger Lee: Pass. I don't worry about hands like this anymore, especially opposite my partners who tend to open aggressively with unbalanced hands.
Gary Harper: 2. May still have game, though not strong enough for 3.
Christopher Diamond: 2NT. Please can I play this as forcing one round? I hate this bid.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2NT. About right on values and level. 3 probably new minor forcing, but basically game forcing and an overbid.
Larry Meyer: 2NT. With invitational values, extend an invitation.
Michael Dimich: 2NT. Awkward but what else can you bid?
Andrew Krywaniuk: 2NT. Not ideal, but 3 is going to get us overboard too often.
Stephen Vincent: 2NT. Not with any enthusiasm.
Perry Khakhar: 3. I have enough values to show my hand naturally.
Paul McMullin: 3. Bidding my pattern.
Hendrik Sharples: 2NT. Can't force to game but have to encourage.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 2NT. In my own methods this is a 2NT-bid as 3 is an artificial game-force. So this comes down to agreements.
Allan Simon: 3. I'm not stopping below game at this vulnerability.
David Gordon: 3. Natural and forcing.
Kent Ritchie: 3. Too much to pass. Willing to play 3.
Kf Tung: 3. The game potential is higher than the misfit potential.
|
| 4. Matchpoints. Both vul.
| |
---
A 10 8 2
Q J 10
A Q 8 7 6 5
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
1
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
3NT
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 8
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 6
| 80
|
|
4
| 1
| 60
|
|
Moderator: The panel are roughly split between a 4 slam-try or taking the money in 3NT.
Steve Weinstein: Pass. Where are the spades? I don't know what partner has, but in general, I'm not a fan of the 3NT bid; I would prefer fourth-suit forcing. Because partner had the opportunity to find out more about my hand and chose not to, I suspect 3NT is the right spot.
Larry Cohen: 4. Really, partner should have a million high-card points in spades, so pass could be right. This hand just has too much slam potential to give up. Picture K J 10 x x A K x x x K x x.
Mike Lawrence: 4. It's forcing. I expect partner to have 13 to a bad 15 with perhaps serious spade wastage. The opponents' silence suggests that their 10 spades aren't very good. 3NT is not an easy bid for continuations.
Christopher Diamond: 4. Even with spade wastage this is worth a try. Maybe we can get out in 4NT if he insists.
Aidan Ballantyne: Pass. Trust partner who could have bid 1 if unsure.
Larry Meyer: Pass. I have already described my hand.
Michael Dimich: 4. One nudge towards slam while alerting partner to spade concern if they rebid 4NT.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Pass. If partner has forgotten whether we play 1 or 2 as fourth suit forcing, then the charge is on him.
Perry Khakhar: 4. I hate going contra-Hamman, but this hand may have some slam potential. First round control in all of the side suits and excellent support for partner's suit.
Paul McMullin: 4. This SHOULD be forward going.
Hendrik Sharples: Pass. I've already shown an unbalanced hand.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: Pass. Since he could have gone a multitude of different ways, I'll assume partner knows what he's doing. This type of hand should not be a surprise. K x K x x K x x x x K x x is very possible.
Allan Simon: Pass. If partner wanted to hear any more from us, he would have employed fourth suit forcing.
David Gordon: Pass. Good luck.
Earle Fergusson: Pass. Not asked for my input.
Kent Ritchie: 4. Opponents hold 10+ spades. So the minor suit game more viable.
Kf Tung: Pass. Partner wants to play 3N after 2 bids from you, and he is not interested in further exploration.
|
| 5. Matchpoints. E-W vul.
| |
2
K Q 10 5
7 4
A Q J 8 7 4
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
1
|
2
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 9
| 100
|
|
3
| 5
| 80
|
|
Pass
| 1
| 60
|
|
Moderator: In a noncompetitive auction, rebidding a suit higher in rank than the suit you opened shows a hand with significant extras: a reverse. What happens when there is an intervening bid?
August Boehm: Pass. 2 shows extra values in my book. The auction isn't over yet.
Kerri Sanborn: 3. This is almost a good enough hand to bid 2. Just make the Q or J the king---it's that close. Plus, would it be better positionally for partner to be playing the hand instead of me?
Josh Donn: 2. A reverse in competition should be lighter than otherwise, exactly because of hands like this. Even so, this is a stretch, but letting the opponents play in 2 is giving up too easily.
Gary Harper: 3. Strong playing hand despite the lack of a fit. Don't see it as strong enough for 2.
Christopher Diamond: Pass. Hoping for a double then 2. So fewer than 3 spades and thus likely longer clubs and a minimum.
Aidan Ballantyne: Pass. Lots of warning signs.
Larry Meyer: 2. Bid out my shape.
Michael Dimich: Pass. I have a shapely hand. If partner doubles my hand is great but another spade call by North doesn't encourage any continuation.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 3. The classic IYC conundrum: how to handle a tricky situation that is easily solved by a popular convention.
Perry Khakhar: Pass. I can't think of an alternative bid!
Paul McMullin: Pass. 3 is a close second choice.
Hendrik Sharples: Pass. 2 is tempting with a 6-4 but I'm an ace short.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: Pass. If we belong in this auction further, partner will let me know.
Allan Simon: Pass. Tempting to bid 2, but unfortunately that's a reverse in my system.
David Gordon: Pass. Not enough to take a bid.
Kent Ritchie: Pass. Not strong enough for 3. Pard can double with 4 hearts.
Kf Tung: Pass. Thank East for a helpful bid, but remember to pass in tempo.
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