TGIF September 2008: Scores
| 1. Matchpoints. Both vul.
|
A J 8 6 4
---
K J 4
A K Q 10 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
1
|
Pass
|
Pass
|
2
(1)
| |
|
Dbl
|
Pass
|
Pass
| ? |
| (1) Michaels cuebid (spades and an undisclosed minor).
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Rdbl
| 15
| 100
|
|
3
| 1
| 30
|
|
Pass
| 1
| 20
|
|
3
| 1
| 10
|
|
2
| 0
| 0
|
|
Moderator: Does partner's pass say he has no preference for the minors or does it mean he wants to play hearts?
Jill Meyers: Rdbl. Sometimes partner has Q J 10 7 6 3, and will sit for the redouble.
Larry Cohen: Rdbl. Partner doesn't know I have such a good hand, so I must do something big. This is big.
Mike Lawrence: Pass. This may not be a universal answer, but if North wants to play hearts, passing is the only way. Rdbl by North should offer a choice of contracts and 2NT should ask for my minor.
Kai Zhou: Rdbl. It looks like a misfit. Just in case pard made a trap pass, he will feel safer to go on to the 3-level. He may also choose to play 2 redoubled.
Mark Eddy: Rdbl. Whatever happened to all the fun in the world?
Eugene Chan: 2NT. About right on values. Partner rates to have stopper. Partner's pass should deny 3 spades.
Stephen Vincent: Rdbl. Show my values. Hopefully this won't lead us into murky waters.
Roy Li: 3. 4 losers, must try for game.
David Walker: 2. Will be glad to make 8 tricks.
Eurydice Nours: Rdbl. Forcing partner to do something intelligent because I have a good hand.
John Hurdle: Rdbl. To confirm ownership of the hand and put subsequent calls into constructive context.
David Breton: Rdbl. A good case for playing with an intelligent partner: 'Here pard, do something intelligent.'
Stephen Ottridge: 3. Partner does not like spades, so maybe some spades could be ruffed in a club contract?
Noah Stewart: Pass. I like to think my partner knows what he's doing, and this is what he thinks is best.
Aidan Ballantyne: Rdbl. Has take out undertones with interest in 4th suit (like SOS!) as well as a good hand and probably a heart control. I just wish I the A as pard might play it here! 3 2nd choice.
Bond Liu: 3. It's time to tell the undisclosed minor.
Mike Hamilton: 3. Partner's pass may mean he is unsure of the minor, so we tell everybody. Hopefully, partner will interpret my bid as 'waiting' since neither of us knows the strength of the other. If he is broke, he can pass or take preference.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Rdbl. Go for broke. Partner presumably has a heart stack. If 3NT makes then 2-xx will probably make as well.
Larry Meyer: 4. Identify minor, and show extra strength.
Dave Waterman: Rdbl. Shows hand and saves space.
Mike Roberts: Rdbl. Better than 3, because it allows us to stop at 3, while I've shown a good hand.
Perry Khakhar: 3. Sounds like a 30 point deck. May be we can make a game.
David Gordon: 3. Partner knows I have spades. Bid the minor.
Chris Buchanan: 3. 3NT is the most likely place that we will play this, but 3 will show my good michaels.
Cliff Gillis: Rdbl. Practical value bid: flexible in that partner can chose 2 over 3 minor unless he has 5+ diamonds.
Chris Diamond: Rdbl. I need more info from pard. I know he has short spades but how good is his minor fit? Could end up playing 2 rdbl'd.
Brian Zietman: 6. Best bet for matchpoints.
|
| 2. IMPs. E-W vul.
| |
A Q 4
K Q 6
A Q 10 9 7 6
5
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
Dbl
|
1
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 14
| 100
|
|
3
| 3
| 70
|
|
3
| 1
| 20
|
|
2
| 0
| 0
|
|
2
| 0
| 0
|
|
4
| 0
| 0
|
|
Moderator: The majority of the panel are concerned about missing a spade fit and so invent a reverse to 2.
Richard Freeman: 2. I don't want to jump-raise spades with three-card support and a 3 bid might miss a spade contract.
Jeff Meckstroth: 3. I wish my RHO had bid something, so I could start with a support double.
Steve Robinson: 2. If partner has four hearts, then he has five spades.
Kai Zhou: 2NT. Tough question: With stronger spades, I might go for the Moysian right away, but 5-3 spade fit is still possible.
Mark Eddy: 2. Sorry pard, I had a club in with my hearts.
Eugene Chan: 2. Slight underbid. At favourable vulnerability, partner's 1 could be somewhat light.
Stephen Vincent: 2. Still make the same bid as without the double.
Roy Li: 2. If partner has 4 hearts, he has 5 spades and 4 will be a good contract.
David Walker: 3. Best of a bad lot.
John Hurdle: 2. Easy route to show heart strength in good hand with long diamonds. Expect to bid 3 next round.
David Breton: 3. Good hand for a weak NT system where a 2 bid here would show a good hand.
Aidan Ballantyne: 3. Wish I had a 4th spade but this is about right on strength.
Bond Liu: 4. Splinter.
Mike Hamilton: 3. Let partner know you have a long playable minor with extra values. Partner's free call over the double hopefully promises a fifth spade. You can afford to compete higher if partner is not bust and will get a chance to bid again on this auction.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 3. Show the points first. Game in spades is likely. Even a 4-3 fit should be playable.
Larry Meyer: 2. Reverse to show extra values, then support spades.
Dave Waterman: 2. This is the bid I would make without the double - it is still the right call.
Mike Roberts: 2. This is clear - if partner can raise hearts, he has 5 spades, and can't outbid me.
Perry Khakhar: 2. If partner can't make another move, we are probably high enough.
Chris Buchanan: 2. I am too strong for a 3 jump so a reverse is the 'best lie'. This should be safe as partner has denied 4-card heart support.
Cliff Gillis: 2. Strong semi-natural, how else to find out if partner has 5 spades?
Chris Diamond: 2. A reverse seems the best way to get more info. I intend to bid spades next.
Tim Francis-Wright: 2. Safe here because partner will raise only with longer spades.
Brian Zietman: 3. Highly invitational.
|
| 3. IMPs. None vul.
| |
K Q 10 4 3
9 6 5 2
4
K J 9
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
1
|
Dbl
|
1
|
Dbl
(1)
| |
|
Rdbl
(2)
|
Pass
|
2
| ? |
| (1) Penalty.
| | (2) Three-card spade support.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 4
| 100
|
|
3
| 3
| 90
|
|
3
| 3
| 80
|
|
4
| 2
| 70
|
|
2
| 4
| 60
|
|
4
| 1
| 60
|
|
Pass
| 1
| 30
|
|
2
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: Your double uncovered East's psychic 1 bid and he escaped to 2. What do you do now?
August Boehm: 3. Let's clarify the trump suit and invite. Nice try, East.
Allan Falk: 3. I would have bid 2 the first time; double was silly. I need to show decent values now, but don't have enough to cuebid, so here I am jumping in a bad suit.
Jeff Meckstroth: 2. Yes, RHO is fooling around, but there is no reason not to mention the heart suit.
Kai Zhou: 2. Should be descriptive: 4-4 in majors and 8+HCP, and maybe 5-4.
Mark Eddy: 3. If he can bid my suit, why can't I can bid his?
Eugene Chan: 3. Someone is playing games. Hope it isn't partner.
Stephen Vincent: 2. On the previous round some would use double to show 4 spades and 2 to show 5.
Roy Li: 4. Although pard has singleton spade, there are 2 pitches, 4 is likely to make.
David Walker: 3. Must have a nice fit here.
John Hurdle: 3. Too good for 2. Remove any doubt that East is psyching.
David Breton: 2. 4 is very tempting: Why did East choose to psych? It looks like he figured out it was our hand and made a desperate attempt to stir us away from our best spot. In the end, non-vul, I decided to give partner some leeway.
Noah Stewart: Pass. I think partner knows what to do better than I do, at this point.
Aidan Ballantyne: 3. My double should have exposed the pysche. Pard will know I have invitational values with both majors. We should be able to find the best fit too. Tempting to bid 4 even and perhaps prod them into 5.
Martin Henneberger: 2. I want to show good spades here and we know east is goofing around. I predict this auction will compete to the 3 level where I will introduce hearts next. The problem with bidding 2 now is partner will never know how much better my spades are.
Bond Liu: Dbl. Takeout.
Mike Hamilton: Pass. You have set the tone of the auction, and partner knows what's going on. She was prepared to defend and East pulled (in fear?). Partner may have diamonds and you have side-suit defense. A forcing pass over the rescue effort lets partner decide.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 2. There are too many points and/or spades in this deck. Partner's double does not appear to show short diamonds. Game in hearts is likely.
Larry Meyer: 2. Pard was asking if we have a 4-card major. Tell him the good news.
Mike Roberts: 2. Close between this and 3. It makes it clear that I have 5 spades - with 4-4 I'd just bid hearts the first time. I don't think the stiff diamond is a big asset.
Perry Khakhar: 3. Strong invite for a spade game.
Bob Todd: 4. East has psyched - I don't think hearts is better... I'm sure 3 is the winner.
David Gordon: 2. Continue patterning out.
Chris Buchanan: 2. Hmmm, I have seen this auction before. The spade psyche has been exposed, but partner may still be 3-4-2-4 and hearts can still be the place to play. I will bid 2 as it is the most flexible.
Chris Diamond: 3. 2 may be enough, but all my cards rate to be working.
Tim Francis-Wright: 4. Someone is psyching--and it's almost surely East with West not getting the memo.
Brian Zietman: 3. We may well have a heart game here.
|
| 4. Matchpoints. None vul.
| |
6 3
A 10 9 2
K 7 4
A K Q 5
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
1
|
2
(1)
| |
|
Pass
|
4
|
4
| ? |
| (1) Limit raise or better in hearts.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
5
| 13
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 2
| 60
|
|
Dbl
| 2
| 40
|
|
5
| 1
| 20
|
|
Moderator: The experts are divided as to whether a pass is forcing or not. Because you have extra values, a control bid of 5 seems safe.
Larry Cohen: Pass. This is forcing because my limit-plus raise was accepted. I am not sure I want to take unilateral action. Partner will be better placed to decide based on his spade holding.
The Sutherlins: Dbl. Pass would not be forcing. Double merely says we have extras, not a trump stack. With a singleton spade, partner can pull to 5.
Grant Baze: 5. We may have a slam. If not, plus 500 may not be available if East is a sane person.
The Stansbys: 5. It's worth one try. We plan to sign off if partner bids 5.
Kai Zhou: Pass. Forcing pass followed by 5 if pard doubles, the problem of 4NT is that you never know if pard has 2 spades or 1, and 5 would have been good over 4 if no 4 bid.
Mark Eddy: Pass. I think I have just enough here for a forcing pass.
Stuart Carr: Pass. Forcing.
Eugene Chan: Pass. Forcing Pass. Double would suggest a weaker hand. 5 guarantees 2nd round spade control.
Stephen Vincent: 5. Hopefully I'll be able to pinpoint the absence of a spade control.
Roy Li: Pass. Pass is forcing, telling pard that I would like to bid, but due to doubleton low spades, don't know if a slam can be made.
David Walker: 5. I don't have second round control of spades.
Eurydice Nours: Pass. Forcing pass, partner can double if he/has more than 2 spade losers, or bid 5.
John Hurdle: 5. If partner cues 5, she won't have 2 losing spades and we can suggest seven via 6.
David Breton: 5. Since I choose to bid on, I may as well show slam interest with a cue-bid.
Stephen Ottridge: Dbl. Too adventurous East, so he has 7 good spades, what else?
Aidan Ballantyne: 5. Slam try seems obvious. Doubling won't get enough if they have spades and diamonds.
Bond Liu: 5. Show club control and slam interests. Partner has to have A and K to open.
Mike Hamilton: 5. Partner jumped, even though you may have only a limit raise, and you have much more. We may have two spade losers in a heart contract. How do you check the spades at the 5-level, and how many spades does West have? Make a 'waiting cue bid' in clubs.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 5. Game looks solid. Insufficient bidding room to determine if 6 will make.
Larry Meyer: Pass. Forcing since we voluntarily bid game. With doubleton spade, don't know if we should double or bid on. Let partner decide.
Mike Roberts: Pass. Forcing, obviously. I'll sit for a double - it's got to be right sometime.
Perry Khakhar: Dbl. Forcing pass auction and 2 quick spade losers. What else?
Bob Todd: Pass. Partner showed extras. If he bids I will raise to 6. Over double I pass.
David Gordon: 5. Multi purpose cuebid.
Chris Buchanan: 5. Shows 2 rags in the opponent's suit.
Cliff Gillis: Dbl. Showing 2 fast spade losers and a hand with slam interest.
Leo Weniger: 5. Other possibility is to pass and pull the double to 5, showing better hand.
Chris Diamond: Pass. Forcing pass seems to be best with all my cards working. If pard has a stiff spade he might be able to work out that we have slam.
Brian Zietman: 5. We'll double them in 5.
|
| 5. Matchpoints. N-S vul.
| |
A K 9 4 3
7 4
10 5 3
Q J 10
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
2
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 15
| 100
|
|
3
| 2
| 50
|
|
2
| 1
| 20
|
|
2
| 0
| 10
|
|
3
| 0
| 0
|
|
3
| 0
| 0
|
|
Moderator: Sometimes you must give a false preference and await developments. If partner passes, you will be happy you have extras.
Karen Walker: 2. When the fourth suit happens to be the unbid minor, bidding it at the two level should be treated as new minor forcing for one round, not as fourth suit forcing to game.
The Coopers: 2. .. a slight underbid, but no other option appeals. 2 could work out, but partner usually has a stiff spade. 3 is right on values, but wrong on number of clubs.
Kai Zhou: 2. With prime spade values and good club support, the hand upgrades and a great chance for game here.
Mark Eddy: 2. A great argument for playing 4th suit as only a one round force, huh?
Eugene Chan: 2. FSF great if forcing only one round. Unfortunately, I play it GF. No-trump, if right should be played from the other side.
Stephen Vincent: 2. Keep the auction alive.
David Walker: 2. Asking for 3 card support.
John Hurdle: 3. I don't normally raise partner's second suit on 3 trump, but this seems the only safe way to express my invitational strength.
David Breton: 3. Game is still a possibility so I have to find a bid.
Stephen Ottridge: 3. Looking for 5.
Noah Stewart: 3. I have a feeling that whatever I do here will be wrong, but this may be the least wrong.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2. This hand is not as good as it seems if pard has short spades. 3 overstates values and misrepresents shape. Nothing else is in the ball park.
Bond Liu: 2. Flat hand, put the brake on.
Mike Hamilton: 3. Although you have 5 good spades, partner has the stronger hand, and you should show where your values lie. You have carried the bidding past 2, and this should imply something extra. Partner has a chance to show strength and/or spade support.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 2. 3NT is still possible, but unlikely. Give partner a chance to sign off in 2/2.
Larry Meyer: 3. Not enough for 4th suit forcing. Chunky 3-card support is equivalent to mediocre 4-card support.
Dave Waterman: 2. Tougher problem at IMPs.
Mike Roberts: 2. But with a smile on my face!
Perry Khakhar: 2. No need to push!
Bob Todd: 2. I hope he bids again.
Paul Hardy: 2. I hope this is a one round force....
David Gordon: 3. Partner will bid 3 with 3 spades and 3NT with a diamond stop.
Chris Buchanan: 2NT. Looks like the most appealing bid. If 2 was only a one round force that would be a great call for THIS hand.
Cliff Gillis: 2. The other option is 2 but I'm too good for that and have 5 spades.
Chris Diamond: 3. I don't like raising with 3 but it gets my values across and maybe pard has extras.
Tim Francis-Wright: 2. If partner cannot move, we do not have a game.
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