TGIF December 2021: Scores
| 1. Matchpoints. None vul.
|
Q J 9 6
K Q 8 5 4
J 10
K Q
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
2
|
Pass
|
2NT
| |
|
Pass
|
3
|
Pass
|
3NT
| |
|
Pass
|
4
|
Pass
|
4NT
| |
|
Pass
|
5NT
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
6
| 6
| 100
|
|
6
| 6
| 100
|
|
6NT
| 2
| 70
|
|
Pass
| 0
| 30
|
|
Moderator: Why didn't we bid 2 over partner's 2? We don't know. Despite slamming on the brakes with both feet the last two rounds of bidding, here we are now, being asked by partner to pick a slam.
Steve Weinstein: 6. Choosing partner's first-bid suit. With four honors in partner's suits, I would have bid 4 over 4!
Mike Lawrence: 6NT. I'm hoping partner is asking me to pick a slam and not making a quantitative raise. If this is so, I will pick one. I'll choose 6NT because the wrong major might still permit 6NT to make.
Kerri Sanborn: 6. It's a question of whether you think partner can handle ruffing a third round of diamonds, then pulling trumps in a 5-2 club fit. I personally think it's more likely that the J 10 is a great holding on the auction. I envision something like: A - K Q x x x x A J x x x x.
Robert Sauve: Pass. No aces. I don't like my 4NT bid, I would have bid 4.
David Waterman: Pass. Give him a major suit ace, A K and A J. Slam is still poor. Give him an extra king and he would have bid slam on his own.
Steve Ottridge: Pass. I don't have any aces.
Christopher Diamond: 6. I really want to pass this junk but his bidding makes no sense unless he's demanding I pick a slam. So, OK boss.
Larry Meyer: 6. I take partner's bid of 5NT as showing the A, so I count 5 tricks in each minor, and 1 trick in each major.
Michael Dimich: Pass. I don't like the 5-2 minor fits. I am guessing what values pard has in the majors.
David Hooey: 6. 4NT bid wrong, I would bid 4 instead.
Perry Khakhar: 6. Clearly, "pick a minor slam". I seem to lack controls. However, it may be easier in diamonds than clubs.
Paul McMullin: 6. Maybe pard can set up the hearts? Maybe I should bid 7? Maybe pard will want a new partner?
Hendrik Sharples: 6. Partner must be 7-6 or 6-6 with an outside ace. I should probably bid 7.
Allan Simon: 6. 5N is pick a slam.
David Gordon: 6. Now that I have gone out of my way to dislike diamonds, I guess I should show my 2 honours.
Louk Verhees: 6NT. I feel we are off 2 aces often, though I have a lot of HCP for the auction. A x A K Q x x x A J x x x or K x A K Q x x x A J x x x.
Earle Fergusson: 6. Getting to a making slam should be great here. Pard's 5NT forces to six and invites seven. I accept in diamonds in case pard has x A x A K Q x x A J 10 x x.
Kf Tung: 6. 6 by North is better than 5N by South. (East has the K and A!）
|
| 2. IMPs. None vul.
| |
A
A K J 9 6 3
J 10 9 4 3
K
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
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1
| |
|
Pass
|
1
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 9
| 100
|
|
3
| 3
| 80
|
|
3
| 2
| 70
|
|
2
| 0
| 40
|
|
Moderator: Despite the great heart suit and playing strength, the majority introduce the second suit.
Barry Rigal: 2. Life is too complicated to rebid hearts here. This actually looks like a deal I saw recently in an ACBL game where partner might pass 2 ... but were you happy when you saw dummy? Or did you play in a silly heart contract when diamonds were better? Rebidding hearts might work, but it is unilateral, of course.
Steve Robinson: 3. This hand probably belongs in hearts, not diamonds, so I don't want to confuse things by introducing diamonds. If I could bar partner, I'd jump to 4. All 4 needs is: x x x x x x x A 8 x x x x. If I jumped to 4, however, and partner has an opening bid, we could get too high.
Daniel Korbel: 3. I think I'll overbid slightly to ensure we don't miss a game.
David Waterman: 2. Take the slight risk of partner passing in return for a more accurate auction.
Christopher Diamond: 2. Complicated hand. Not a 3 bid and maybe I can get it across if I save room.
Stephen Vincent: 2. Not quite good enough to force to game.
Larry Meyer: 3. 16 HCP, -1 for stiff K, 2 length points in hearts, 1 length point in diamonds, 1 point for quality heart suit = 19 adjusted points, enough for a jump shift.
Michael Dimich: 2. I do have a second five card suit so I bid it.
Perry Khakhar: 2. New suit forcing. I don't think this hand is good enough for a strong jump shift. So go slower and make 1 try. No point pushing too hard for a nonvul game.
Paul McMullin: 2. Give partner space to rebid spades before I rebid hearts; if he passes, hope everyone else gets too high.
Hendrik Sharples: 2. Tougher at matchpoints.
Allan Simon: 2. Conserve bidding space! My second choice is 2, but if we belong in diamonds I must show them now.
David Gordon: 2. Natural and wide ranging.
Louk Verhees: 2. It is slight underbid, but alternatives have bigger disadvantages in my opinion.
Earle Fergusson: 2. Not sure there another call.
Kf Tung: 2. Stiff ace, stiff king, you avoid the 3 bid to pave a smoother path.
|
| 3. IMPs. E-W vul.
| |
A Q 5
9 8 7 5 3
A K Q 4
9
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
3
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 7
| 100
|
|
Dbl
| 6
| 90
|
|
4
| 1
| 70
|
|
Moderator: This problem was submitted to the Bulletin by yours truly. I held these cards in a recent home game and both me and my counterpart at the other table chose 4. That was not a great success when partner produced a minimum 4-4-3-2. When the hand was shopped around to other experts, there were votes for 3 and Dbl and I felt I would share this good 3-way problem with the Bulletin. Harsh but true, my 4 bid garnered 1 measly vote.
Steve Weinstein: 4. . . the best path toward 6. I'm not sweating partner being 4-4-3-2 when the opponents preempt.
Zachary Grossack: Dbl. Too flexible to bid 3. I'd actually be happy for partner to be short in hearts ... that would make 6 a big favourite. I'm not sure exactly what I'll do over 3 from partner, but I'm sure I'll figure something out!
Josh Donn: 3. I can see why someone would want to double or immediately raise diamonds, but a 5-3 heart fit might still be our best game.
Robert Sauve: 4. Shows first or second round control.
David Waterman: 4. Don't bid bad suits on good hands, especially at IMPs.
Christopher Diamond: Dbl. Pick your poison. 3 on junk forcing a 2-card raise isn't appealing. 3 by him is going to make an ugly choice after the double.
Stephen Vincent: 4. How much better support for partner's suit do you need?
Larry Meyer: Dbl. Looking for a fit in the majors, can always return to diamonds if a major suit fit is not found.
Michael Dimich: 3. What else would you bid?
David Hooey: 3. I have partner's diamond honours, so obviously she has my hearts.
Perry Khakhar: 3. It isn't my best suit but I have 5 and a potential for 9-card fit. So bid naturally.
Paul McMullin: Dbl. I do not like ANY of my choices!
Hendrik Sharples: Dbl. The days of promising both majors at this level are long gone.
Allan Simon: Dbl. The problem is my next bid!
David Gordon: Dbl. Start with a negative double.
Louk Verhees: Dbl. I would not introduce my hearts here. Alternative is 4.
Earle Fergusson: 4. Forcing diamond fit, may be hard to show slam interest in diamonds later after a negative double.
Kf Tung: 4. Splinter. Diamonds is the proper strain; 6 or 7 is the level to be explored.
|
| 4. Matchpoints. N-S vul.
| |
A K 9 2
A
K 10 4
A Q 8 6 5
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
3
|
Pass
|
4
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Dbl
| 11
| 100
|
|
4
| 3
| 70
|
|
4NT
| 0
| 40
|
|
5
| 0
| 30
|
|
Moderator: All you doublers refuse to commit to a plan when partner inevitably bids 4. Don't think you're not going to see this problem again!
Larry Cohen: Dbl. Thankfully you aren't asking what I do after partner takes it out to 4, but I can postpone my guess one round and dream that partner bids something other than 4.
Jeff Meckstroth: 4. Marshall Miles was famous for overcalling four-card suits at high levels.
Christopher Diamond: Dbl. Correct bid is probably pass. The hero call I'd probably make in real life is 4. 4NT would appeal if I knew it was natural. Double will get many votes.
Stephen Vincent: Dbl. Unpleasant but what else is better?
Larry Meyer: Dbl. If partner can bid spades, great. If partner bids hearts instead, then I will rebid 5.
Michael Dimich: Dbl. E/W got me. All I can do is double.
Perry Khakhar: 4. An adventure for sure. If we have a game opposite passed partner, I hope it is in spades. Preempts work!
Paul McMullin: Dbl. What? Is it my bid already?
Hendrik Sharples: Dbl. . . and hope something good happens.
Allan Simon: 4. A 4-3 fit wouldn't be the end of the world.
David Gordon: Dbl. Good hands start with double.
Louk Verhees: Dbl. What else can I do? I correct 4 to 4.
Earle Fergusson: Dbl. Correct hearts to spades and hope for the best. The only sure plus is pass.
Kf Tung: 5. Too strong for a double, and 5 could buy the contract and make, or push them one more and then you double.
|
| 5. Matchpoints. E-W vul.
| |
K 5
A K Q 8 6 5
3 2
K Q 8
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
2
|
3
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 7
| 100
|
|
4
| 4
| 80
|
|
3NT
| 3
| 70
|
|
4NT
| 0
| 30
|
|
Dbl
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: The magic started with partner's 2. Here's where 2/1 has it all over Standard: Come what may, you know partner isn't going to pass below game.
August Boehm: 4. . . a call that shows extra length and values. How bad can that be? OK, maybe a trifle heavy. Still, no palatable alternative.
Barry Rigal: Pass. No call seems to fit the bill. Maybe an unforced action from my partner will tell me more. An option is to bid 4NT. Hopefully I can unethically listen in to whether partner thinks this is keycard or too good for a 3NT bid. With diamonds, I would always start by raising/splintering in spades.
Mel Colchamiro: 3NT. . . the matchpoint winner, even if we have a slam. Double will be the majority answer, but what do I want partner to bid?
Robert Sauve: 3NT. Least of all evils.
David Waterman: Dbl. What does this mean in BWS? If partner passes he has 2 hearts or fewer and there is an excellent chance RHO has only 6 or 7 tricks.
Christopher Diamond: 4. Probably can't make 3NT unless the hearts run. Pass likely just gets a double then what? This is closest to getting my hand across I think.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. Must be forcing.
Larry Meyer: Pass. We are in a game forcing auction, so partner cannot pass. Leave all his bidding options open.
Michael Dimich: Pass. 2 was game forcing so I have an easy pass.
Perry Khakhar: Pass. This is clearly a forcing pass. Pass and pull to hearts over a double may convey the message. Of course partner may bid a suit, then a new decision. But for now pass is best.
Paul McMullin: 4. I doubt they go down 2 at 3 doubled.
Hendrik Sharples: 4. Wish I had the J.
Leonid Bossis: Pass. I will pull Dbl to 4; if instead of Dbl pard bids 4, I will use RKCB on a way to slam.
Allan Simon: 4NT. Quantitative. It's not easy to construct a hand for partner with less than x x x x A K Q x x A x x x. I prefer playing notrump, both because of the extra 10 points, and the danger of a spade ruff.
David Gordon: Pass. Give partner room to further describe.
Louk Verhees: 4. This is a really tough one. Can bid 3NT, but you do have an extra ace and heart for that. The chances of getting to slam are bigger if you bid 4. Can also pass and over expected Dbl bid 3NT. Showing doubt.
Earle Fergusson: 4. I have a bit extra for a change.
Kf Tung: 3NT. Could be the normal contract.
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