TGIF August 2022: Scores
| 1. Matchpoints. Both vul.
|
K 9
A Q 10 7
A
K 10 9 8 7 6
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
1
|
2
|
Pass
| |
|
Pass
|
3
|
Pass
|
3NT
| |
|
Pass
|
4
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4NT
| 7
| 100
|
|
6
| 3
| 70
|
|
5
| 1
| 60
|
|
5
| 1
| 60
|
|
5NT
| 1
| 60
|
|
Pass
| 0
| 30
|
|
6NT
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: All problems this month are from past Bridge Winners polls, and the scoring includes partial marks for popular choices in those polls. On problem 1, our expert panel makes some move towards slam.
Larry Cohen: 4NT. I severely underbid last round. Now I am driving to slam, but trying to find a way to reach seven opposite, say, A Q J 10 x x x and the A, which is quite possible. Hopefully my partner takes this as Roman key card; I really can't overrule him and bid 4NT naturally here.
Jeff Meckstroth: 6. I am a bit worried that we might belong in seven, but I really don't think there is an intelligent way to get there. Notrump might also be where we belong, but the possibility of ruffing diamonds or needing a ruff to establish clubs is too high.
Michael Dimich: Pass. If pard has diamond length, my hand doesn't help much beyond game.
David Waterman: 5NT. This is a fantastic hand, far better than partner will expect. I would bid RKC but I am afraid he might pass. If he has A Q, I will be happy to take my chances in 7.
Christopher Diamond: 5. Worried 4NT could be seen as a sign off. He has a huge hand. Following with 6 over 5.
Larry Meyer: 4NT. I have a bit extra, my hearts are well placed, and my K is golden, so go for slam if enough key cards are present.
Perry Khakhar: 5. I am afraid that 4NT may not be keycard asking. Yet I can hardly imagine a hand less than A Q x x x x x A for the cue bid. So the question is 6 or 7? This will get us going that way. 6 over possible 5 bailout try.
Paul McMullin: 4NT. This SHOULD be Blackwood. I will follow with 5, 6 or 7 depending on how many aces he has.
Allan Simon: 4NT. This is Easley the best move. (BB: This comment deserves bonus points.)
Earle Fergusson: 4NT. If we need the A on side, (I don't think we do), it will be.
Hendrik Sharples: Pass. Partner has a heart void with 6+ spades, my A Q doesn't look terribly useful, and the 5 level could certainly be in danger.
Lars Erik Bergerud: 5. Cuebid in support of spades. Partner makes a slam try with a good 6+ card spade suit. If he has the A, 7 is odds on.
Kf Tung: 4NT. You need 2 keycards and the Q … and bid 7.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 4NT. Slam move needed. Opposite the magic hand, this makes 7.
Louk Verhees: 4NT. In context you have a monster. Just not entirely clear where you belong. I think 4NT has to be keycard.
|
| 2. IMPs. E-W vul.
| |
Q J 8
A Q 8 3
J 7 5 4
J 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
2
|
Pass
|
2NT
| |
|
Pass
|
3
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 6
| 100
|
|
4
| 3
| 80
|
|
4
| 2
| 70
|
|
5
| 1
| 60
|
|
3NT
| 1
| 50
|
|
Pass
| 0
| 30
|
|
Moderator: The panel grope for game.
Steve Weinstein: 4. It's tempting to bid 3 and keep 3NT in play, but I really want to let partner know I have a fourth diamond.
Josh Donn: 3. I need partner's help to choose the best strain, so I will bid the only suit we both know can't be natural.
Mel Colchamiro: 4. My previous 2NT was barely adequate on this quackery, but I think 3 is forcing. 4 offers more chances than 3NT.
Michael Dimich: 5. Pard is interested in game and diamonds seem safest.
Ralph Buckley: 3NT. I have 1 stop in spades and I hope that's enough.
David Waterman: 4. Very close, but my minors don't look good for NT. Give him K A K A Q, and 4 is better. He should not bid this way with 3 small hearts.
Christopher Diamond: 3NT. Don't like it but any other game needs a lot too. So: Hamman's rule.
Larry Meyer: 3NT. Pard bid over my non-forcing 2NT, and I have a spade stopper, so bid the most likely game.
Perry Khakhar: 4. I would have bid 3 last time. Now we are stuck. Partner has extras for his shape-out bidding. I hope it isn't down 1.
Paul McMullin: Pass. Most of my points are QJs. Try for a plus score here.
Allan Simon: 4. 5, 3N or 4? That is the question. I believe the odds are best in a 4-3 fit.
Earle Fergusson: 4. My minor jacks are working. May not have time for 9 in NT with a spade lead.
Roelof Van Lopik: 3NT. Pard could have passed 2NT. Now that he didn’t, he wants to either play 4 (if I have a 5-card suit) or 3NT.
Hendrik Sharples: 5. Partner holds extras with short spades. I don't need to be a hero.
Lars Erik Bergerud: 4. Partner forces with 3 card heart support and very likely short spades. But which game to bid?
Kf Tung: 3NT. Q J 8 good enough for 3N try. Your hand is not suitable for 4 with too many quacks.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 4. I've limited the hand, but not announced that I have real diamonds.
Louk Verhees: 3. Most flexible, so with stiff honor he can still bid 3NT.
|
| 3. IMPs. Both vul.
| |
4
Q J 8 4
A Q 7 3
A Q 9 4
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
Pass
|
Pass
|
1
|
Pass
| |
|
1
|
1
|
Dbl
(1)
| ? |
| (1) Three-card heart support.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 9
| 100
|
|
Rdbl
| 2
| 70
|
|
1NT
| 1
| 60
|
|
2NT
| 0
| 50
|
|
3NT
| 1
| 50
|
|
Moderator: The panel majority pass, hunting for a big number.
Barry Rigal: Pass. I think I'd like to find out more before taking action. I could redouble to go headhunting, but I think I put the opponents under more pressure if I force West to take action rather than redoubling and letting West pass.
Kerri Sanborn: Rdbl. I normally use this to show a doubleton with 8-10 points, but with both of us being passed hands, that would be silly. When I later bid notrump, partner will realize that I have not cuebid, so should try a second suit if they have one. I can't imagine it going all pass to redouble and if so, we could make it.
Michael Dimich: Pass. Great hand for defense, poor on offense. Do you want to play 1NT from your hand?
David Waterman: Pass. Nothing else works. I would like redouble and then double for penalty, but I don't think that is what redouble means.
Christopher Diamond: Pass. Wait a round before I make a bad decision. Seriously, I will get more info.
Robert Sauve: Pass. The opponents are getting into trouble.
Larry Meyer: Pass. Not anxious to introduce my 4-card diamond suit at the 2-level on this misfit deal.
Perry Khakhar: Pass. I want to Rdbl for game, but I don't think Rdbl is clearly showing 'values'. May get another chance to double them.
Paul McMullin: Pass. Partner should be able to make overtricks at 1 doubled. The opponents will be in trouble at the three level.
Allan Simon: Pass. I'm sharpening my axe.
Earle Fergusson: 1NT. Maybe my passed hand pard has a second suit to bid. Game unlikely.
Hendrik Sharples: Pass. I'll Dbl whatever the opponents bid.
Lars Erik Bergerud: 2NT. Natural invite with likely short spades. Redouble shows probably some kind of spade support.
Kf Tung: Pass. Looks like West cannot pass and defend 1. Then they will go to 2 or 2, which you double.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 2NT. Should show something like this hand.
Louk Verhees: Pass. . . and Dbl next bid. Alternatives are Rdbl (and 1NT).
|
| 4. IMPs. Both vul.
| |
J 10 8 5 4
K 10 7 6 5 4
7
3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1NT
(1)
|
Pass
| ? |
| (1) Your toolkit includes Stayman; Jacoby and Texas transfers; Smolen; 3 to show 5/5 majors invitational; and 3 to show 5/5 majors game forcing.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 7
| 100
|
|
2
| 6
| 90
|
|
2
| 0
| 50
|
|
3
| 0
| 40
|
|
4
| 0
| 40
|
|
2
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: Your toolkit offers many options. The panel are almost evenly divided between Stayman and an immediate 3.
Mike Lawrence: 3. If partner has no minor-suit aces, he will need good majors to bid game. My 6-5 shape makes this 4-count worth a game try.
Jill Meyers: 2. And over 2, I'm bidding 4 delayed Texas.
Michael Dimich: 2. Transfer to hearts and then bid spades.
David Waterman: 2. Over 2, Smolen. If partner bids 3NT over 3, I will bid 4 to show my 6-5. I am not staying out of game.
Eurydice Nours: 4. Texas transfer to hearts.
David Hooey: 2. Is garbage Stayman in the toolbox? 4M if we have a fit, and 2 if no fit.
Christopher Diamond: 3. Who knows? But hot at IMPs so bid game.
Robert Sauve: 3. Best description available.
Larry Meyer: 3. Give partner an opportunity to evaluate his fit for the majors.
Perry Khakhar: 4. I need this played from partner's side. I refuse to bid a major.
Paul McMullin: 2. I will bid game over a major response, and 3 over 2.
Allan Simon: 2. 6-5, but I'm not coming alive unless there is some unexpected action.
Earle Fergusson: 2. . . then bid spades twice. We will get to game in our best fit.
Hendrik Sharples: 3. Is 4 a transfer over 3NT? We might find out.
Lars Erik Bergerud: 2. Transfer to spades, then 4 wich shows a weakish 5-6 in majors as I play.
Kf Tung: 3. Do we have a major suit fit and 4 key cards? We'll know later.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 3. This is what the hand is worth in a trump contract (I think). Will correct 3NT to 4 to show the 6th one.
Louk Verhees: 3. If partner has equal length in the majors, you'd like to play in hearts. Hopefully partner is aware you can be 6-5. I feel you can go low with garbage Stayman or invite. GF seems like a big overbid.
|
| 5. IMPs. None vul.
| |
3
K Q 9 7 3
J 10 6 4 3
A 9
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
1NT
(1)
|
2
|
Pass
| |
|
Pass
|
Dbl
|
Pass
|
Pass
| |
|
2
|
Dbl
|
Pass
| ? |
| (1) Forcing one round.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2NT
| 8
| 100
|
|
3
| 4
| 70
|
|
3
| 0
| 60
|
|
Pass
| 1
| 60
|
|
Moderator: This auction that started with such promise sure has gone to hell in a handbasket. While it may be tempting to spoonfeed that double to partner, it's important to remember that bridge is, above all, a partnership game, which means that partner's zero is your zero, too.
August Boehm: 3. Partner expects me to divine his distribution. He has something like 3-2-2-6 with high-card values.
Daniel Korbel: 2NT. Sorry partner, I'm not about to defend their nine-card fit with this hand.
Brad Bart: 3. Not sitting. Partner needs a perfecto to beat this. It's probable that our only 8-card fit is in diamonds, so maybe a natural 2NT would be better.
Michael Dimich: 2NT. Scrambling into the cheapest save.
Ralph Buckley: Pass. Sounds like a penalty Dbl.
David Waterman: Pass. I don't like this at all. They have 9 spades and half the deck! But I have nowhere to run.
David Hooey: 3NT. Open 1? That deserves -8 IMPs, which is what is going to happen.
Christopher Diamond: 2NT. This is weird. Presumably they have 9 spades and our best fit is maybe diamonds with pard doubling with length and a max. Hoping they'll bid 3.
Robert Sauve: Pass. Trust partner.
Larry Meyer: Pass. Partner previously suggested a willingness to play in spades, so his double must be for penalty.
Perry Khakhar: 2NT. How did we get here? Least of all evils. Maybe down 2, but maybe they can’t double.
Paul McMullin: Pass. Pass and pray!
Allan Simon: Pass. Mysterious auction. Partner has at most 3 spades, at most 2 hearts, and short in diamonds?? I pass beause the alternatives (2NT?) are worse.
Earle Fergusson: 2NT. Scrambling. 2 (maybe more) is cold.
Hendrik Sharples: Pass. Too bad abstain isn't an option. At least I have 1 defensive trick. -670 might be the best score available at this point.
Lars Erik Bergerud: 2NT. The opps fled from a doubled contract so the second double is of course a very strong suggestion to play against 2 doubled. But the opps, with half the deck, have found their fit at a comfortable level. And 2NT doesn't look that bad.
Kf Tung: 3. Minimum. Let's play 3.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: Pass. I would NOT have opened this, but the result is that we are going to defend.
Louk Verhees: 2NT. Yuck what an awful problem. But obviously I will not defend 2 in their likely 9-card fit. Just not sure what is best to bid.
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