TGIF March 2023: Scores
| 1. IMPs. E-W vul.
|
A Q 5
A Q 8 7 6 2
---
J 9 7 6
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
2
|
2
| |
|
4
|
Dbl
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
5
| 7
| 100
|
|
5NT
| 3
| 70
|
|
5
| 3
| 60
|
|
4
| 0
| 50
|
|
6
| 0
| 50
|
|
Pass
| 1
| 50
|
|
Moderator: The panel welcome Alex Kolesnik, the winner of the ACBL Online version of this contest, for the next three months. Problem 1 sees the panelists commit to a slam.
Amber Lin: 5. With a diamond void and club fit, I want to force to slam. I expect partner has at most three diamonds on the auction, and with a few extra values, there are many hands where slam is good. I think 5 should imply a diamond void and be most helpful to partner in determining the best contract.
Josh Donn: 5NT. This depends heavily on the meaning of partner's double. The 'expert' way to play is generic extra values, which makes us worth a shot at slam.
Kerri Sanborn: 5. We could easily be missing a slam, but partner's double warns of wasted high cards in diamonds. After all, they heard the jump as well. If the partnership is in the habit of opening 1 with 4-4 in the minors, I would give serious consideration to passing the double.
Michael Dimich: 5. Normal action is Pass. Partner has length in the blacks --- 5 is saying we are all offence.
Christopher Diamond: Pass. I don't like it but everything is a guess and he expressed an opinion.
Gabor Sandi: 5. If partner has the A or K and the K, 6 is very likely to make.
Larry Meyer: Pass. No reason to overrule partner.
Allan Simon: Pass. Partner has a singleton heart and wasted diamond honours and they are vulnerable. Rather than look for an iffy slam, I'll take my 800.
Hendrik Sharples: 4. I don't play this as penalty. Hoping partner has heart tolerance. 5 is too rich for me.
Paul McMullin: Pass. If we have slam, they should be down 4 or more.
Earle Fergusson: 5. Give pard a chance to show something in hearts, otherwise 6.
Lars Erik Bergerud: 5. Settle for at least 6 and keep a grand in the picture. 2 is not a game force so opener has reasonable extras with a good club suit an tolerance for hearts.
Perry Khakhar: 5. Partner is warning us that hearts is not our fit. But we need to show our club fit. I am not sure whether a slam is likely, but we can defer that decision to partner.
Kf Tung: 6. Two slam choices are available.
Louk Verhees: 5NT. Very interesting problem. Don't even know what Dbl exactly shows here. Second choice: 6.
Timothy Wright: 4. Partner won't have a diamond stack on this auction.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 5. Yes, I am forcing partner to bid again. Willing to play a slam. Not sure what I'll do over 5.
|
| 2. IMPs. N-S vul.
| |
K 10 6 3
8 7 5 4
K 7 5
A K
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
1
|
Dbl
| |
|
3
|
Dbl
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 9
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 4
| 70
|
|
3
| 1
| 50
|
|
3NT
| 0
| 30
|
|
Moderator: Partner has boomeranged your takeout double right back to you with a responsive double. Sure, partner could be 4-4 in the majors, but could also easily have 4-4 in spades and clubs. The majority conserve room with 3.
Mel Colchamiro: Pass. Game is uncertain, and my hand is all defense --- as many as five tricks on a good day. Could easily be that opener is 4-4-3-2.
Steve Robinson: 3. Pard's double should show two places to play. Partner could have: A J x x x x x x Q J x x x.
Michael Dimich: 4. Pick a major! This hand will play well cross ruffing.
Christopher Diamond: 3. Ugly double, ugly bid. He needs a moose to give 3NT a shot.
Gabor Sandi: 3. Pard might have only 10 points. If he has only 3 hearts, let him bid spades.
Larry Meyer: 3. Make a minimum bid to show a minimum hand.
Allan Simon: 3. I'm not sure I would have doubled. Anyway, I'll play the straight man for a change and bid my stronger major.
Hendrik Sharples: 3. Hope I didn't miss our 4-4 to play a 4-2. I'd like to cue bid to get partner to pick, but just don't have enough.
Paul McMullin: 3. Not enough to bid game myself.
Earle Fergusson: 3. . . and hope.
Lars Erik Bergerud: 3. Partner shows some points but without a clear response at the moment. So without significant extras, you are supposed to bid 3 with 4-4 in the majors.
Perry Khakhar: 3. I think we need more than a minimum responsive double to make game. If I have a choice, I'm picking my best major.
Kf Tung: 3. Usually partner will bid 4 with enough strength for game, but 3 is alright in case he wants to pass.
Louk Verhees: 3. This seems pretty obvious. What else can I do? I could pass --- not my style, but can certainly work.
Timothy Wright: 3. I got lucky when my offshape double got a responsive double from partner and not a 4-2 club fit.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 4. Pick a major. Chance of making game is too big.
|
| 3. IMPs. E-W vul.
| |
K Q 9 4 3 2
10 3
10 5
K Q J
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
2
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2NT
| 9
| 100
|
|
3
| 4
| 80
|
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3
| 1
| 50
|
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3NT
| 0
| 50
|
|
2
| 0
| 40
|
|
4
| 0
| 30
|
|
2
| 0
| 20
|
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Moderator: The panel pick 2NT among an array of unpalatable choices.
Daniel Korbel: 2NT. Nothing quite fits. 2NT is right on values, and OK on direction.
Alex Kolesnik: 3. At IMPs, I will push a little to get to the most likely game. At matchpoints, I may be tempted to go low with 2. 2NT or 3 may work out if partner has tricks and spade shortness.
Michael Dimich: 2NT. 3 would shut out partner from patterning out their hand.
Christopher Diamond: 2NT. Ugh again. I'd still like 2NT forcing.
Gabor Sandi: 2. Minimum hand, 6 spades.
Larry Meyer: 3. If we are to play NT, let the lead run up to partner's red suit tenaces.
Allan Simon: 3. No second choice. I'm going to game, partner's next bid will be crucial. Over 3 I'll bid 3N, over 3 I'll bid 4, over 3 I'll bid 4, over 3N I'll pass, and over 4 I'll bid good-bye.
Hendrik Sharples: 2NT. Awkward, but have to make a positive move, and playing 3 in a 6-0 fit doesn't appeal.
Paul McMullin: 2. Six card suit should be worth a rebid. I am not optimistic enough to jump to 3.
Earle Fergusson: 3. May get too high but will find the right strain.
Lars Erik Bergerud: 2. Not happy, but even less happy about the alternatives. Partner MAY have another bid, e.g., a good 3-5-4-1. But he may have an ordinary 1-5-4-3.
Perry Khakhar: 3. I don't think that I'm willing to commit to game let alone the strain. On a day that I am feeling frisky, I might try 3NT instead of 3 as it seems to be a cheap game.
Kf Tung: 2NT. Partner will consider why I cannot bid 2 or 2.
Louk Verhees: 2NT. Interesting one. Hand shouts 2NT in spite of the 6 spades.
Timothy Wright: 3. If 3NT is right, perhaps partner will bid it with 10 x x x.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 2NT. . . and if partner doesn't pass I will rebid 3. Alternative is a direct 3.
|
| 4. Matchpoints. None vul.
| |
J 5
J 10 7
A K J 3
K J 9 5
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
3
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3NT
| 7
| 100
|
|
Dbl
| 6
| 90
|
|
4
| 0
| 50
|
|
4
| 1
| 50
|
|
5
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: The doublers are edged out by the 3NT bidders, a gutsy bid with a lot of upside.
Jill Meyers: Dbl. I am tempted to bid 3NT, but I am going to double and then bid 3NT if partner bids 3. I hope that gets the message across that I have game values, fewer than four spades and a partial heart stopper.
Zachary Grossack: 3NT. An industry secret: Bid notrump quickly enough and you will simply manifest a stopper. Double is too likely to land us in spades, and we need to play game. A nice partner will have but just one baby heart honour, and we should be good to go.
Michael Dimich: 3NT. Matchpoint madness.
Christopher Diamond: 3NT. I'm suppose to bid a stopperless 3NT right? OK who doesn't want to be an expert?
Gabor Sandi: 5. Pard has at least 4 diamonds, as he cannot have 4 hearts. And he has opening points.
Robert Sauve: 3NT. The devil made me do it.
Larry Meyer: 4. Support with support.
Allan Simon: 3NT. I hope I've bid in tempo.
Hendrik Sharples: 3NT. Making or down 3 I guess. Maybe lefty or partner has a stiff honor or lefty a void.
Paul McMullin: Pass. There must be 6 WRONG bids here. This one seems least wrong.
Earle Fergusson: 3NT. If they run hearts, please change my bid.
Lars Erik Bergerud: 3NT. The alternative is double and then correct spades to diamonds if partner cannot bid 3NT. Maybe Double - 3 - 3NT can show the hand type?
Perry Khakhar: 4. Right on values, but at matchpoints, I'd like a plus. Of course, if partner is K Q x x K x x Q x x x x Q x, I'm going to regret bypassing 3NT!
Kf Tung: Dbl. I have points!
Louk Verhees: Dbl. Need a tool for this, but I start with Dbl; kinda forced to do so.
Timothy Wright: 4. We probably belong in either 5 or 6, so I will give her room to explore slam if she wants.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 5. Opening + opening = game.
|
| 5. IMPs. None vul.
| |
K Q 6 4 3
5
9
K 9 8 7 4 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
3
|
Pass
|
3
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 6
| 100
|
|
4
| 3
| 70
|
|
4
| 2
| 60
|
|
Pass
| 2
| 60
|
|
Dbl
| 1
| 50
|
|
4
| 0
| 40
|
|
Moderator: The majority find their way into the auction with their shapely 8-count.
Janice Molson: Pass. Assuming 3 is forcing, I pass. Over 4, I would double back in, and to me, that should show spades and clubs.
Jeff Meckstroth: 4. . . a Michaels-type bid here.
Kerri Sanborn: 4. I don't want to emphasize one suit over the other, and I don't want partner to play me for more cards than I have. I should be afforded some leeway with a shapely hand. Had my RHO passed, I would have bid 4, showing clubs and a major. I doubt this is standard, but it is common among experienced partnerships.
Barry Rigal: 3. Minors are for children --- but if they double me, I will run.
Michael Dimich: 3. Diamonds and hearts outbid clubs. Partner can't bid in direct seat. Maybe I'll find 4 or 5 spades in pard's hand . . . Whoopie!
Christopher Diamond: Pass. Anything could work. Including pushing them to a makeable slam. Guessing to not expose bad breaks.
Gabor Sandi: Dbl. Probably pass any response by pard.
Larry Meyer: Dbl. 6-5 come alive.
Allan Simon: 3. I can't pass! 6-5, come alive!
Hendrik Sharples: Dbl. −1100 is good for the soul.
Paul McMullin: Pass. Am I ALLOWED to stay preempted?
Earle Fergusson: 4. See answer on #3.
Lars Erik Bergerud: Pass. If you want to compete with a hand without defense here, it is best to start with a Pass on the first round.
Perry Khakhar: Dbl. Too much shape to sit idle!
Kf Tung: Pass. Let them bid and dream. Don't cry before you are hurt.
Louk Verhees: 4. I assume 3 is forcing. There are 2 ways to go. Pass and over the likely 4, bid 4 in rebound (shows for me spades and clubs and obviously not strong enough to act directly). You can bid 4 right way which has the advantage you show blacks before they bid 4.
Timothy Wright: Pass. No intervention looks remotely appealing.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: Pass. Nope.
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