TGIF January 2023: Scores
| 1. IMPs. N-S vul.
|
K 3
A K Q J 10 7 6 5
J 7 3
---
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
2
|
Pass
|
3
(1)
| |
|
Dbl
|
Rdbl
(2)
|
4
| ? |
| (1) Hearts is the trump suit, show me controls.
| | (2) No agreement.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 6
| 100
|
|
5
| 5
| 90
|
|
4
| 2
| 80
|
|
4
| 2
| 70
|
|
Moderator: One of the great mysteries about this auction is left-hand opponent's afterthought of a double, which starts all kinds of warning lights flashing. The next mystery is what partner's redouble should mean.
Barry Rigal: Pass. Of course we are in a forcing auction. I plan to pull a double to show shortness and make a slam try. Should I pull to 4 or 4? You didn't ask, but I'll tell you anyway. 4, I think.
Steve Robinson: 4. The only possible meaning of redouble is no aces and good defense, such as: Q J x x -- K Q x x x K Q J x.
Kerri Sanborn: 5. I think 5 should be exclusion, but that's because I'm looking at my hand (and also Bridge Bulletin Standard doesn't play exclusion). I'm bidding 5 anyway, then bidding 6 over a signoff. At a high level, maybe I should be bidding 5NT after signing off to show the K.
Roger Lee: 4. In my world, I'm showing a hand with a spade control, club control, no diamond control, and enough to force to at least the five level. I'm happy to hear keycard from partner.
Christopher Diamond: Pass. Assume he denied A so probably heading to 6 but no hurry.
Larry Meyer: Dbl. Show my club control, and leave maximum room for partner to further describe his hand.
Gabor Sandi: 4NT. If partner shows 1 or 2 Aces, go to 6.
Samuel Krikler: 5. Pard did not bid 3 or 4. We could be off 2 cashing Aces. This is a final attempt to get to 6.
Perry Khakhar: Pass. Does partner have A K Q and A? If nothing else, the Rdbl has set up a forcing pass. I need to know about diamond controls, so I will pass for now and allow partner to bid his hand. If he doubles, I guess we will have to subside in 4.
Paul McMullin: Pass. Give partner another chance to show controls.
Chris Buchanan: Pass. Still forcing. I suspect the Rdbl is penalty oriented but we shall see.
Hendrik Sharples: 5. Got to look for a grand here.
Timothy Wright: 4. Partner could have bid 3 but didn't, so I am assuming she doesn't have it—so looking for slam is really looking for a solid diamond suit.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: Dbl. In my agreements this promises first round control.
Louk Verhees: Pass. Two choices: Pass or bid 5 directly. Passing gives partner the opportunity to bid 4. On a very bad day you belong in 4.
Joel Forssell: Pass. Forcing pass.
Kf Tung: 6. Offers the best chance to buy and make the contract. The more accurate you bid, the more likely outcome for them to bid 7. Partner cannot hold A.
|
| 2. IMPs. E-W vul.
| |
A 7 5
K 9 7 3
---
A Q 10 6 5 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
Pass
|
2
| |
|
Pass
|
2
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 8
| 100
|
|
2
| 4
| 70
|
|
4
| 3
| 70
|
|
5
| 0
| 50
|
|
Moderator: Having discerned at least an eight-card spade fit, now we have at least an eight-card heart fit, too?
Steve Weinstein: 2. This is a really hard problem. Suit quality will often determine which major we want to play in, and there's no way to ask partner about that. At least 2 starts us off lower. If partner shows a fifth heart, we'll know to play in hearts. Otherwise, we're just guessing. I was so torn between 3 and 4 I settled for 2.
Jill Meyers: 3. I want to see what partner is going to bid, although if partner raises to 4, I might make another try. If partner bids 3 control, I will be very cooperative. If partner bids 4, I will love my hand; if partner bids 4, I will not love my hand.
Amber Lin: 4. Splinter. I am pretty comfortable passing 4 and I think this call describes my hand very well.
Christopher Diamond: 3. Another complicated hand. A case could be made for 5 exclusion but that gets messy.
Larry Meyer: 3. We're in a game force, so lock in the trump suit, leaving room for slam investigation.
Gabor Sandi: 6. Blackwood will do you no good, any heart or spade bid can be passed.
Samuel Krikler: 4. Any other bid would be GF on this auction. The unnecessary jump in diamonds should be clear as a splinter in support of hearts.
Stephen Vincent: 3. Too strong to splinter. Also hearts may not necessarily be the best strain.
Perry Khakhar: 4. I guess we best catch up with this. Splinter! I plan to show my A over 4.
Paul McMullin: 4. For 13 HCP, there is a LOT of slam potential here - maybe a splinter will help?
Chris Buchanan: 4. Splinter seems to be the most descriptive here.
Hendrik Sharples: 4. Seems too easy.
Timothy Wright: 4. I hope we know how to handle voids when we ask for aces.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 4. Splinter.
Louk Verhees: 3. Again two choices: 3 and 4. The thing is if you bid 4 it gives partner very little room to manouevre. Do you pass his 4? Therefore I think 3 is more practical.
Kf Tung: 3. Let partner show his shape and then move on to the suitable slam if appropriate. You need a robust trump fit to get 12 or 13 tricks. 11 may be the maximum when partner has wasted points in diamonds.
|
| 3. Matchpoints. Both vul.
| |
A
7 6 4 3 2
7 2
A K 8 7 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
Pass
|
1
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 11
| 100
|
|
2
| 1
| 60
|
|
Pass
| 1
| 60
|
|
Dbl
| 2
| 50
|
|
2
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: Technically, sure, this is a two-suiter if, vulnerable, that heart suit can really be considered a suit. The vast majority bid Michaels regardless.
Roger Lee: Dbl. It feels like I have to do something, but the hand feels wrong for 2 or 2.
Josh Donn: 2. What else? I don't care that the hearts are bad because this hand is plenty good enough to fight for the contract.
Robert Sauve: 2. Hearts are too bad to use Michaels.
Christopher Diamond: 2. Treat it as a 5-4 and hope to find hearts later if we can. Guess you could double.
Larry Meyer: 2. No Michaels because I really don't have a 5-card major.
Jack Aaron: 2. Michaels.
Gabor Sandi: 2. Too weak to bid 2.
Samuel Krikler: 2. Michaels.
Stephen Vincent: 2. At least partner will get off to what is probably be the best lead.
Perry Khakhar: 2. I think that I am going to need 4 hearts in partner's hand for a heart contract to be viable.
Paul McMullin: Pass. With partner a passed hand, why rush in to look for a misfit?
Chris Buchanan: Dbl. I dislike Michaels more than I dislike Dbl and 2.
Hendrik Sharples: 2. 2 to get a lead when you're the one on lead doesn't make sense to me.
Timothy Wright: Pass. Good news: only 6 losers. Bad news: only 3 cards higher than an 8-spot.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 2. Don't like it, but I won't pass.
Louk Verhees: 2. Very cute problem. I don't like passing, but can't double. So really 2 or 2 are the options. Since partner is a passed hand passing can have some merit.
Kf Tung: Pass. Smell a misfit or bad break. You want to defend 1 if it is passed out. If West can bid, they get the hot potato. If West cannot bid and partner can enter the fray, you don't have a problem.
|
| 4. IMPs. Both vul.
| |
J 5 2
A K Q 10 9 4
3
9 7 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
1
| 10
| 100
|
|
2
| 5
| 80
|
|
3
| 0
| 60
|
|
Pass
| 0
| 30
|
|
Moderator: A style question, mostly. Does this fit your definition of an opening bid? A vul first-seat preempt? Or neither?
August Boehm: 2. Depends on style. Maybe I'm showing my age. The young at heart probably bid 1.
Janice Molson: 1. In the old days, this was a classic 2 opening. Therefore I expect the elders to open two. But I am a younger, so 1.
Robert Sauve: 2. Bid 3NT over 2NT to show a solid suit.
Jake Grabow: 1. Too good to preempt.
Christopher Diamond: 2. Likely 1 in today's world. But it fits an oldtimer 2 with a 3NT rebid so that's me.
Larry Meyer: 1. The length and strength of my heart suit is enough to justify opening at the one level.
Gabor Sandi: 2. Too many losers to open 1.
Samuel Krikler: 2. Fourth seat 2 bid should be a bit stronger with the 6 card suit but the stiff diamond makes up for it.
Perry Khakhar: 2. I have a good suit vulnerable. No outside controls, so 1 is crazy!
Paul McMullin: 1. Too good to preempt, too good to pass.
Chris Buchanan: 1. Not perfect, but too good to preempt.
Hendrik Sharples: 2. Won't be the majority choice but I don't mind having a decent hand once in awhile.
Timothy Wright: 2. Opening 1 overstates my values.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 2. Sometimes you have a maximum.
Louk Verhees: 1. Surely not opening 2. So it is 1 or 3. No strong pref.
Kf Tung: 2. Weak two with good suit and good points.
|
| 5. Matchpoints. None vul.
| |
K 10 5
J 10 7 4 2
7 3
A 4 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
1
|
1
|
2
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 14
| 100
|
|
2
| 0
| 60
|
|
4
| 1
| 50
|
|
Moderator: An overwhelming majority choose to show a limit-raise-plus kind of hand.
Mel Colchamiro: 3. With my defensive stuff outside of hearts, I don't feel too bad about this slight overbid. Second choice is 2; but at matchpoints, 4 is a no-no for me.
Robert Sauve: 3. Limit raise.
Christopher Diamond: 3. Good enough for an invite opposite likely short clubs and eats a bit of space if we don't own the hand.
Larry Meyer: 4. I would cue bid their suit to show a strong raise, so this has to be a bid based on fit only.
Gabor Sandi: 4. Make your opponents guess.
Samuel Krikler: 3. We do not need to bid game if they only have a partial. The quality of partner's overcall not known and I have indicated a mixed/limit raise.
Stephen Vincent: 3. The hand is a bit too flat to bid 4.
Perry Khakhar: 3. I don't consider my hand preemptive. Let's see where we end up.
Paul McMullin: 4. No one is doubling (yet?).
Chris Buchanan: 4. Textbook 4 bid here.
Hendrik Sharples: 4. Bidding what you think you can make isn't fashionable.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 4. Bid your strength.
Louk Verhees: 2NT. A good 4+ raise. Alternatively you could bid 3 (mixed).
Kf Tung: 2. If you have only 8 tricks, you want to play 2.
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