TGIF May 2023: Scores
| 1. IMPs. Both vul.
|
A 8 3
4 2
A K J 5
10 6 4 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
1
|
Dbl
|
3
|
Pass
| |
|
Pass
|
Dbl
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 7
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 5
| 90
|
|
3NT
| 2
| 60
|
|
5
| 1
| 50
|
|
4NT
| 1
| 30
|
|
Moderator: About a third of the panel go for a penalty and Pass. The rest seek safe harbour in 4.
August Boehm: Pass. Partner must be prepared for this and should hold some defense, not a moth-eaten 5-5.
Jeff Meckstroth: 3NT. Not clear what to bid here. It's easy to construct hands where we need to be in five of a minor or six of a minor, for that matter. But it also could be that 3NT is the only game that makes.
Kerri Sanborn: 4. Pass might work, but I hate defending a nine-trump contract at the three level. Call me wimpy, but don't call me minus 730.
Robert Sauve: Pass. Partner should provide 2 tricks.
David Waterman: 3NT. Pass is too dangerous.
Christopher Diamond: 3NT. Bob Hamman again.
Larry Meyer: 3NT. Show the spade stopper, deny 4-card heart suit.
Michael Dimich: 4. Stiff spade and 4 hearts in partner's hand. We belong in a minor game.
Gabor Sandi: Pass. There is no certainty to 5 or 3NT. The opponents will likely go down in 3.
Nicholas Adamski: Pass. Trust partner.
Paul McMullin: Pass. Possibly our last chance for a plus score?
Hendrik Sharples: 4. Hard to defend 3 when they have a 9- or 10-card fit. Probably right to Pass, but too much downside.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: Pass. I'm going to risk playing for 1 down, as I don't see a contract making our way.
Allan Simon: 4. I can visualize many hands where 5 of a minor makes but 3NT doesn't (eg x A K x x x x x K Q x x x). Harder to construct hands where 3NT is right.
Louk Verhees: 4. There are really 2 choices: Pass or 4. I am not a passer, but it could be right. Partner is 1-4-4-4 or 1-4-(5/3).
Miro Kovacevic: Pass. 4 is the other option.
|
| 2. Matchpoints. E-W vul.
| |
---
A J 5 2
A Q J 9 5 2
10 7 5
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
1
|
2
|
Pass
|
2
| |
|
Pass
|
2
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 15
| 100
|
|
3
| 1
| 70
|
|
3
| 0
| 50
|
|
4
| 0
| 40
|
|
Moderator: Despite the lopsided nature of the panel vote, there are some debatable issues. One is whether 2 showed a reverse, and whether 2 or 3 was preferable on the previous turn. Another is whether 3 does this hand justice on this turn.
Steve Weinstein: 3. Patterning out, leaving lots of room. 4 is tempting, but there's too much disparity between my clubs and my diamonds.
Kerri Sanborn: 3. If I bid 3, it could be a non-choice, forced-to-bid-something call. 3 gets my suit qualities more accurately when I later bid 4 over 3NT. This way, I paint a picture of my hand.
Robert Sauve: 3. Partner will know my shape.
David Waterman: 3. 2 was not a GF, so 2 is ambiguous. Best to bid out my pattern.
Christopher Diamond: 3. Pattern out. I can cue spades later.
Larry Meyer: 4. Buoyed by the void.
Michael Dimich: 3. Pattern out.
Gabor Sandi: 3. Show your length.
Nicholas Adamski: 3. Show good diamonds, expect to raise clubs next bid?
Paul McMullin: 3. Finish my hand pattern.
Hendrik Sharples: 3. . . the perfect I-hate-you-partner call.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 3. In my book 2 is a grievous overbid. I could have lived with either 2 or 3. Now that partner seems to want to go on I should at least mention my 3 clubs.
Allan Simon: 3. Partner probably has 4-card heart support, but he may have some other big hand since 2 was not game-forcing. I choose 3 rather than the equally reasonable 3 to preserve space.
Louk Verhees: 3. Where are all the spades?! It looks like partner has a lot of black cards. I am bidding a quiet 3. See where we go from there.
|
| 3. Matchpoints. Both vul.
| |
---
Q J 8
A K J 10 9 7 5
K 10 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
Pass
|
1
|
Pass
|
2
| |
|
Pass
|
2
|
Pass
|
3
| |
|
Pass
|
4
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
5
| 13
| 100
|
|
5
| 2
| 70
|
|
Pass
| 1
| 60
|
|
4NT
| 0
| 40
|
|
Moderator: An overwhelming majority favour the 5 cuebid, despite the void in partner's main suit.
Steve Robinson: 5. I can't bid 4 because it could show two spades. Partner could have all his values in spades.
Josh Donn: 5. I don't have a control for hearts, 4 is an offer to play, 4NT solves none of my problems and I have too much slam potential for 5.
David Waterman: 5. If partner has a heart control I want to be in slam. Bashing into 6 does not appeal.
Christopher Diamond: 5. Easy. A natural 4NT? Unfortunately they won't let me say that and I don't think it is. 5 is aggressive with the misfit.
Larry Meyer: 5. Partner's spade values don't match up well with my void, so give up on slam.
Michael Dimich: 4NT. No cue bid outside of diamonds to offer, so I'll suggest we play in NT.
Gabor Sandi: 5. Without either the A or A, this is the best bid.
Nicholas Adamski: 5. Partner should have a good hand to invite with the misfit. I'd take the chance.
Paul McMullin: Pass. Who took away the 3NT button? Pard had stronger bids than 4 here.
Hendrik Sharples: 5. I've got plenty to cooperate.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 5. Enough for game, but don't see slam making.
Allan Simon: 5. No cue bid from me!
Louk Verhees: 4. I play 4 denies a club control. Not easy to see which way to go. 4 might mislead partner --- partner's very unlikely to bid slam with only one keycard anyway.
|
| 4. IMPs. None vul.
| |
Q 6
K J 8
A 7 5 4
A 9 5 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
Pass
|
Pass
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
2
|
Dbl
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 16
| 100
|
|
2NT
| 0
| 30
|
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3
| 0
| 30
|
|
Moderator: This problem was a dud. The only issue mentioned by the panel was whether or not East's pass of the Dbl was to play.
Larry Cohen: Pass. Who sent for me? East's pass should actually be 'to play' --- he could redouble to ask partner to choose a major. Still, this isn't my problem.
Robert Sauve: Pass. Let partner decide next action.
David Waterman: Pass. Why not? No point letting them off the hook, if that is where they are.
Christopher Diamond: Pass. I play he can whack one of the majors. Not getting in his way.
Larry Meyer: Pass. Partner has values in the majors, and so do I, so our best result may be on defense.
Michael Dimich: Pass. Partner asked for a say in their next bid, so cooperate.
Nicholas Adamski: 3. Partner is a passed hand so 3NT seems unlikely. With a third spade I might bid 2 to show a stopper.
Paul McMullin: Pass. I think that I am SUPPOSED to pass here unless I opened some sort of weak distributional freak.
Hendrik Sharples: Pass. I can't think of a reason to bid.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: Pass. Let's see where the bidding goes. This is not finished by a long shot.
Allan Simon: Pass. Partner has a penalty double of at least one major. Why get in his way?
Louk Verhees: Pass. Need to know what pass over Dbl means. But basically you pass or bid 2NT. However it is a crappy 14.
|
| 5. IMPs. E-W vul.
| |
K 7 3 2
Q J 8 5
J 8 5 2
2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
2
|
Dbl
(1)
|
Pass
| ? |
| (1) Three-card heart support and extras, i.e., not a minimum.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2NT
| 7
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 5
| 90
|
|
3
| 4
| 80
|
|
3
| 0
| 30
|
|
Moderator: This problem was submitted by yours truly. I was posed this problem from an IMP pairs game, and saw no great answer. The table action was Pass, which worked for +200. 3 would also work (10 tricks), but everything else would go minus. Partner's hand: x A x x A K Q x A x x x x.
Barry Rigal: Pass. Objection: No one plays support doubles beyond the two level in partner's suit. As it is, with no idea, I shall guess to pass and pretend in my explanation that I assumed the double was extra values.
Janice Molson: 3. Impossible hand. What is right depends on partner's clubs and hearts. In matchpoints, I would pass and move on to the next hand. Probably right here as well, but I can't stomach it with those spade spots. I would guess with 3, which allows partner to bid 3 if all they need is a spade stopper. I feel 2NT should be a bit better hand.
Mel Colchamiro: 2NT. I would love to pass, but ... even if I get a ruff, that's only two tricks, so I need for partner to have four tricks for a measly down one. I'm too old and my heart's too weak for that. Disgustingly difficult problem. At matchpoints, I would pass and pray.
Robert Sauve: 3. Best of all evils.
David Waterman: 2NT. At matchpoints I would pass, but too dangerous at IMPs.
Christopher Diamond: 2NT. Hate it. At least they are starting to quantify the dumb support double a bit. Not that it helps. Would he still make that call with a long strong club suit? Pass could be right but risky.
Larry Meyer: 2NT. Show mimimum responding hand, deny 5-card heart suit and show spade stopper.
Michael Dimich: 3. I do have a second 4-card suit and if pard has 1-3-4-5 distribution all is good. Pard can still ask for a spade stop.
Gabor Sandi: 2NT. Show spade controls, and a minimum hand.
Nicholas Adamski: 2NT. I have a stopper and I think partner should know that.
Paul McMullin: Pass. I do not like any of my choices.
Hendrik Sharples: 3. No pleasant choices.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: Pass. This is one of the reasons I loathe support doubles. I think the percentage action is pass, but won't be surprised to score a fat minus.
Allan Simon: 2NT. At matchpoints I'd pass!
Louk Verhees: 3. What a horrible problem. You could pass, but not my style. 2NT doesn't look right. I bid 3. If partner needs a spade stopper he can bid 3.
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