TGIF October 2022: Scores
| 1. Matchpoints. Both vul.
|
A 2
K 4 2
Q J 10 5
10 8 4 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
2
|
4
(1)
|
4
| ? |
| (1) Strong, forcing, at least 5-5 in clubs and hearts (leaping Michaels).
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4NT
| 7
| 100
|
|
5
| 2
| 80
|
|
5
| 2
| 70
|
|
Dbl
| 1
| 60
|
|
5NT
| 1
| 50
|
|
Pass
| 1
| 40
|
|
6
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: The leaping Michaels convention is a handy convention to show a two-suited hand over an opponent's weak two. But it shows a *monster* hand, not just your garden-variety two-suiter. Thus the majority of the panel make a move toward slam.
Steve Weinstein: 4NT. I think 4NT should be a slam try for clubs, but if partner thinks it's for hearts, I'm not heartbroken.
Barry Rigal: 5. It is best to play that pass forces double facing any 'normal' hand. Double is maybe forward-going in clubs. Pass, then remove the double to 5/5 to play.
Steve Robinson: 5. Why can't partner have x A Q J x x x x A K Q J x, and my A is worthless?
David Waterman: 5. Seems clear. We may lose control in 5.
Michael Dimich: Pass. 6 is the practical bid, but let's torture partner with a pass. Over partner's double or suit bid, now bid 5.
Christopher Diamond: 5. A is tempting. K is seductive. Plus scores overrule at MPs.
Larry Meyer: 5. It's our hand and we have a double fit in clubs and hearts, but much of my strength is in the opponents' suit, so just bid the higher scoring game.
Perry Khakhar: 5. Is double responsive? I don't want to find out! 5 may have bad breaks. 5 should be safer.
Paul McMullin: 5. I would be more excited if the A was a minor suit ace instead.
Hendrik Sharples: 5. I take leaping Michaels very seriously.
Earle Fergusson: 5. 4-1 hearts might beat 5, wish 4NT was a slam move.
Kf Tung: 5. If partner bids 6, it will be safer than hearts. If partner bids 6, it will be safer than 6.
Louk Verhees: 4NT. Interesting. For my bid I need to know if there is also a weaker version available of the 2-suiter. Opps bidding 4 vul suggest they have something or just a lot of spades. I go with 4NT slam try (in clubs for me).
Bob Todd: 5. Do we have a slow club and a diamond loser or not?
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 5. Prefer clubs as better control is probably important in the play.
|
| 2. Matchpoints. None vul.
| |
K
A K J 8 3 2
A K Q 9 7 4
---
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
3
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 6
| 100
|
|
5NT
| 3
| 80
|
|
4
| 2
| 70
|
|
4
| 2
| 70
|
|
6
| 1
| 60
|
|
5
| 0
| 40
|
|
Moderator: A monster hand, only to be preempted by partner. Again, the panel aim for slam.
Josh Donn: 4. What in the blazes? Thank goodness this doesn't seem to happen in real life.
Roger Lee: 5NT. Pick a slam. Sometimes it's right to start with 4, but I don't see how we can reasonably expect to get back to hearts if we do that.
Jeff Meckstroth: 4. Might be best in diamonds. But could be awful as well.
David Waterman: 4. Partner should raise with 3, and I will then bid 6. If he bids 4, I will pass. Best result possible, not the best possible result.
Michael Dimich: 4. The expected club lead will make anything more than 4 problematic but what else can you do.
Ralph Buckley: 4NT. See if partner has any keycards.
Christopher Diamond: 4NT. Blah, blah, blah Blackwood with a void. If he has no ace I'll cut the damage, if they cash the A then clubs. Let them try that in 6. One ace I'll assume the A. This contest is not going to end well for me this month.
Gabor Sandi: 4. Intending to bid 5 over 5 by partner.
Stephen Vincent: 4NT. Thank you partner for preempting me.
Larry Meyer: 6. A non-vul pre-empt may be missing the ace or queen of trump in addition to missing the king, so just bid 6.
Perry Khakhar: 6. My partners never have A Q J 1 0 x x x. Plus partner may have difficulty getting to his hand to pull trumps.
Paul McMullin: 4. Possibly a 4 or 7 hand; I want to go plus!
Hendrik Sharples: 6. With some I'd pass and hope to make it, with others I'd look for 7.
Janet Galbraith: 5. Exclusion.
Earle Fergusson: 5NT. GSF for those not in the know it means . . . Great Spades Forgive.
Kf Tung: 5NT. If partner bids 7, usually he can find 13 tricks.
Louk Verhees: 4. Impossible hand. In my methods I can bid 4 for hearts and then 6. Here I just bid 4 for keycards, and see what he answers and then 6 opposite 1 keycard.
Joel Forssell: 5. Exclusion Blackwood.
Bob Todd: 4. Is this pointing out my being chicken on Hand 1?
Gareth Birdsall: 4. Looks like a 4/5 or 7 hand.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 6. Losing a spade?
|
| 3. IMPs. N-S vul.
| |
A 10 2
9 8 5 3
Q 9 7 4
K 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
3
|
Pass
| |
|
Pass
|
Dbl
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 7
| 100
|
|
4
| 6
| 90
|
|
3
| 1
| 50
|
|
3NT
| 0
| 40
|
|
5
| 0
| 10
|
|
Moderator: With no obvious game contract in the picture, the panel are split between passing with long weak trumps, or bidding 4.
Mel Colchamiro: Pass. Risky, but if partner has the theoretical 4-1-4-4, there are 16 total trumps, and most times, 3 will fail. I plan to lead the K. I hope I have understanding teammates. 4 is a nothing bid and 5 on Q x x x is unthinkable. Another tough, but recurring problem.
Kerri Sanborn: 4. Passing is too rich for me, and 3NT needs a very specific compression in hearts. 3 is possible --- maybe moreso at matchpoints.
David Waterman: 4. Someone is going to quote Edgar Kaplan here, so I won't.
Michael Dimich: Pass. Take the plus, avoid the headache.
Christopher Diamond: Pass. New age thinking. Thanks Larry Cohen! At least it's a nonvul game.
Larry Meyer: Pass. Balanced with no real heart stopper, no 4-card spade suit, so just pass and hope to beat it.
Perry Khakhar: Pass. Can't see bidding any games. 5 is too many tricks, 4 is wrong sided. Seems that 200 may be easier.
Paul McMullin: 3. I do not have much more than is expected for me to have.
Hendrik Sharples: Pass. −530 (−630?) builds character.
Earle Fergusson: Pass. K.
Kf Tung: Pass. Pass to get a plus. 3/3N/4/4 are all dangerous contracts.
Louk Verhees: 4. Anything can be right. Passing just not my bridge.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 4. Don't like it, but I won't pass.
|
| 4. Matchpoints. Both vul.
| |
K Q 9 8 6 5 3
---
K J 10 7 3
10
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
2
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 6
| 100
|
|
3
| 4
| 90
|
|
2
| 3
| 80
|
|
4
| 1
| 50
|
|
Moderator: There are a few ways to show support here: simply raise partner, or make a 3 splinter bid.
Larry Cohen: 2. . . for now. Happy the opponents are not in our way.
August Boehm: 3. Leaves room to sort out strain and first-round controls.
Zachary Grossack: 3. An auction from Mars. I guess I'll start with a heart spliinter and see where it goes from here. Though I must admit I would have opened 4, I am quite hopeful with these developments now that I didn't!
David Waterman: 5. The practical bid.
Craig T. Wilson: 3. Splinter.
Michael Dimich: 4. Splinter in the singleton. If partner rests with 4 you can show first round control with 4.
Ralph Buckley: 2. We are in a game force auction. So take time to explore for the best contract.
Christopher Diamond: 4. I'm going to get crushed in this bidding contest but if this isn't exclusion then I accept my crushing knowing I died honourably.
James Harris: 2. Assumes the 2 bid is game forcing.
Gabor Sandi: 2. Will go to diamonds if partner bids anything but spades.
Larry Meyer: 3. We're in a game force, so set trumps now, to be followed by control bidding later.
Perry Khakhar: 4. Splinter. Man that hand got awesome in a hurry! Question is small slam or a grand?
Paul McMullin: 3. Was 2 a game force?
Hendrik Sharples: 3. The opponents' silence seems impossible with my hand.
Earle Fergusson: 3. . . unless 4 is Exclusion.
Kf Tung: 3. Bearing in mind that 5 is the likely stop, do not silence everyone by bidding it directly.
Louk Verhees: 3. Splinter I presume.
Joel Forssell: 4. Splinter.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 3. I opened this, so this is the consequence.
|
| 5. IMPs. N-S vul.
| |
8 5 2
A K Q
A K 8 6 3
9 6
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
1
|
1
|
Pass
|
2
| |
|
Pass
|
2
(1)
|
Pass
| ? |
| (1) Natural-ish, nonminimum.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 6
| 100
|
|
4
| 3
| 80
|
|
3
| 2
| 70
|
|
6
| 2
| 60
|
|
3
| 0
| 50
|
|
4
| 1
| 50
|
|
5
| 0
| 30
|
|
Moderator: Double-fitted, the panel choose to play diamonds.
Steve Weinstein: 3. I'll need to make sure the backs of my cards match the rest of the table's.
Janice Molson: 6. If my partner is not signing off with J x x x x missing the A K, I will play her for black-suit controls.
Jill Meyers: 3. I still don't know what to do, so I am going to kick the can back to partner and bid 3.
Steve Robinson: 4. I don't think 2 should be natural. Over 2, I'd bid 2 as last train holding: Q x J x x x x x x x A K Q.
David Waterman: 3. If partner bids 4, I will bid 4. Slam is unlikely but might as well bid out my hand.
Michael Dimich: 3. Partner has hard values outside the 2 suits they bid. The hearts could provide 2 pitches in a diamond contract.
Eurydice Nours: 4. Slam interest in diamonds.
Christopher Diamond: 2. Nonnatural and nonminimum since I presumably denied a forcing 1.
Stephen Vincent: 3. How to persuade partner to start cuebidding with such bad red cards?
Larry Meyer: 3. Tell partner about the double fit.
Perry Khakhar: 4. Picture bid? Let partner decide.
Paul McMullin: 4. Is there a bid that says 'Interested in slam, but no splinter'? Or another forcing bid I am confident of?
Hendrik Sharples: 4. Bidding what I think I can make.
Earle Fergusson: 3. Set trumps, then Blackwood. No way we have 2 quick losers.
Kf Tung: 4. Game forcing. I've shown 3352 or 2353, but with no strength in the black cards.
Louk Verhees: 3. I hate it, but don't know a sensible way to set trumps and hear enough. Partner will never cooperate in hearts.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 3. Bid your strength.
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