TGIF October 2023: Scores
| 1. Matchpoints. Both vul.
|
K 10 8 6 4
10 6 4
A K 10 9
9
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
1
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
Pass
|
2
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 12
| 100
|
|
2
| 0
| 50
|
|
Dbl
| 2
| 50
|
|
Moderator: With shortness in the opponent's suit, we strive to bid, right? Do we look to see if LHO is drooling before trying again? The majority suggest to sit this round out.
Mel Colchamiro: Pass. My moderatre points and no bids from lefty or partner make me believe lefty has a spade stack and I have escaped the hammer. Colour me grateful. And chicken.
Josh Donn: Dbl. Overbidding, but I am short in clubs, so I feel compelled to fight for the contract.
Michael Dimich: Dbl. Cannot sit for 2.
Nicholas Adamski: Pass. Not going to rebid on 10 pts even if the distribution is nice.
Christopher Diamond: Dbl. There's something happening here. What it is ain't exactly clear.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. Partner's pass is ominous. So is LHO's.
Larry Meyer: Pass. To bid again would show at least opening hand strength, which I do not have.
Perry Khakhar: Dbl. Seems like the most flexible action.
Paul McMullin: Pass. I have already bid my 10 points; no sense looking for trouble. Sometimes you just defend partscores.
Hendrik Sharples: Dbl. Seems sensible to bring hearts into play, if partner is passing we have adequate defense.
Kf Tung: Pass. East may have bid a friendly 2, when West had his axe ready.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: Dbl. Worth competing and this is the most flexible. Don't really have the points, but the downside is 2 making, so I'll risk it.
Louk Verhees: Dbl. Tough problem in a way. We have a minority of HCP. Partner maybe endplayed into passing sometimes. But they are too low. Bidding is dangerous, so is passing. I venture a Dbl.
|
| 2. Matchpoints. N-S vul.
| |
8 6 5 3
A K 9 8 7
Q J
10 5
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
2
|
3
|
3
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Dbl
| 11
| 100
|
|
4
| 0
| 60
|
|
4
| 2
| 60
|
|
4
| 1
| 50
|
|
5
| 0
| 40
|
|
Pass
| 0
| 30
|
|
Moderator: The problem: How to get that heart suit in? It's helpful that Bridge Bulletin Standard plays responsive doubles through 3.
Larry Cohen: 4. Let's see how I feel about this partner when he tables the dummy. And let's hope he is understanding if he has short hearts.
Steve Robinson: Dbl. I have enough to compete, and double says 'partner, you help me decide'. If I had to guess, I'd expect partner is 1-2-6-4. Double helps us get to 3NT if partner has a spade stopper, or 4 if partner has three hearts. I expect we will end up in 4 unless partner has a good hand.
Michael Dimich: 4. 4 at IMPs, 4 at Matchpoints.
Christopher Diamond: Dbl. Probably going to 5 but if hearts is available maybe we can find out. It is responsive, right?
Stephen Vincent: 4. Partner, with at most one spade, should have something in hearts. If not it's only matchpoints.
Robert Sauve: Dbl. Responsive.
Larry Meyer: 4. Partner's bid of 3 transformed my diamond holding from trash to treasure.
Perry Khakhar: Pass. Vulnerability is all wrong to compete with this hand. But it will get interesting if partner reopens.
Paul McMullin: 4. Lots of potential, and I will push to slam if partner bids 4 or a minor suit again.
Hendrik Sharples: Dbl. Feels like I'm being stolen from. I'm hoping I've guessed well and pard doesn't hang me when I bid 4 over 4 of a minor.
Kf Tung: Dbl. Collect 300. Partner may still make another bid.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: Pass. It might go down. I think it is the best chance for a plus.
Louk Verhees: Dbl. I am clearly not passing. Choices are Dbl or 4. 4 may be really bad if partner has only 2 (1-2-6-4 or so). Dbl is more flexible.
Bob Todd: Dbl. 4 is right if partner has three hearts. Diamond slam is still in the picture after double.
|
| 3. IMPs. Both vul.
| |
A 7 3
K J 10 9
A 10 7 6 5 4
---
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
1NT
|
Pass
|
2
| |
|
Pass
|
2NT
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 7
| 100
|
|
3
| 5
| 80
|
|
Pass
| 2
| 60
|
|
3NT
| 0
| 40
|
|
Moderator: The panel are split between a retreat to 3, or a push to game with 3.
Amber Lin: 3. This is a weird auction. Partner did not invite the first time, but now that I have shown six diamonds, they do want to invite, so they must have a lighter invite with a fit, maybe honour-doubleton because they didn't raise to 3. I don't think my diamond suit is really what they're looking for so I will just sign off in 3.
Zachary Grossack: Pass. Is partner 3-3-1-6? Is 2NT forward-going? It's not clear. Partner could have bid two of either major as a good raise in diamonds with a stopper in that major. I will pass and hope partner finds eight tricks, though it could be right to go back to 3.
Barry Rigal: 3. I'm prepared to try for game, and 3 looks the most sensible way. I will bid 4 over 3 or 3NT and hope for the best, but bid 5 over 3.
Michael Dimich: 3. Can't play in NT with a void so 3 (game try in diamonds).
Nicholas Adamski: Pass. Partner probably has 5-6 clubs and 9-11 points. Bidding on seems dangerous.
Christopher Diamond: Pass. Horrible but the only game I can see is a Moysian 4 on a crossruff.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. How are you going to make 8 tricks, let alone 9?
Larry Meyer: 3NT. Games that are a bit under 50% to make should be bid at IMPs when vulnerable.
Perry Khakhar: 3. Expect that partner is 3-3-2-5 (or 3-3-3-4) 11-count. I think we play where it feels safe.
Paul McMullin: Pass. Even if partner is maximum with a diamond honor, I am not trying for a magical 22 point 3NT.
Hendrik Sharples: 3. Partner certainly doesn't hold the hand that makes 3NT. Maybe we could make 4, but if partner doesn't fit we will be way too high.
Kf Tung: Pass. Vulnerable game is lurking. But the diamonds are pathetic for 3N.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: Pass. I'm not bidding more.
Louk Verhees: 3. We might miss a sexy game opposite x x x A x x K x x Q J x x, but we might also get way overboard. I will take it slow.
Bob Todd: 3. Let's get to the best game.
|
| 4. Matchpoints. E-W vul.
| |
9 5
6
10 7 5 4 3
A K Q 6 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
2
|
Dbl
| |
|
4
|
Pass
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 7
| 100
|
|
Dbl
| 5
| 80
|
|
4NT
| 2
| 60
|
|
Moderator: Pass may be the sensible action, but is it the winning one?
Steve Weinstein: Dbl. We should either be bidding to make, sacrificing or doubling them. The shape is right here to double and keep all of those options in the picture. We'll see the problem I gave partner in next month's edition.
Daniel Korbel: Pass. Probably we have a better spot than this, but I am not convinced we will find it.
Kerri Sanborn: 4NT. I'm in.
Michael Dimich: 4NT. Partner didn't Dbl so they don't have A K A. E/W are vulnerable so a freak distribution is likely.
Nicholas Adamski: Dbl. Let's try it again.
Christopher Diamond: Dbl. Guessing there's a better spot for us than 4 undoubled.
Stephen Vincent: Dbl. With misgivings.
Robert Sauve: 4NT. Pick best minor.
Larry Meyer: 4NT. At these colors, down 3 doubled would be better than them making 4.
Perry Khakhar: 4NT. Partner would have bid 4 with a good suit. So let's play in one of my suits.
Paul McMullin: Pass. MAYBE I can get two clubs and partner can find two tricks, but I am not betting the farm on doing so.
Peter Qvist: 4NT. Minors.
Hendrik Sharples: Pass. Likely that even if I could look at partner's hand it wouldn't be clear what to do here. I certainly don't want to take a phantom and unlikely we can make anything.
Kf Tung: Dbl. Get 200 or 500 for a top score.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: Pass. Nope. I have a good lead to see the table and then decide on a second card.
Louk Verhees: 4NT. Another tough one. They seem to have big heart fit. If partner has 4-card minor you'd really like to bid. But it's unclear. 4 could be right, but with good spades they may go down too.
Bob Todd: Dbl. This could work out badly but at least I am on lead if it gets passed.
|
| 5. Matchpoints. N-S vul.
| |
A K J 9 4 3
J 10 9 4
6
J 7
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
Dbl
|
Rdbl
|
1NT
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 7
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 6
| 90
|
|
2
| 1
| 50
|
|
Dbl
| 0
| 50
|
|
Moderator: Scorer Karen Walker dislikes the opening 1, preferring a weak 2 instead. So goes the modern trend.
August Boehm: 2. A classic. Acting in front of the redoubler shows a minimum with no interest in defending.
Jeff Meckstroth: Pass. This shows a minimum, but I don't want to bid and give up on a penalty just yet.
Michael Dimich: 2. You are in a forcing auction and have opened light. Bid 2 to warn partner.
Nicholas Adamski: 2. I'm happy to play spades sitting behind the other person with spades.
Christopher Diamond: 2. Bidding my weak 2 at my second chance.
Robert Sauve: 2. Indicates weak hand with spades.
Larry Meyer: 2. I don't have the HCP strength implied by my opening bid, so I don't want to defend.
Perry Khakhar: 2. I don't think I'd open this hand. But now that I have, I need to show my most prominent feature.
Paul McMullin: 2. Bidding here should warn partner that I opened something light and distributional.
Hendrik Sharples: Pass. If you think this is a 1 opener then it's consistent to pass to see what partner has to say.
Kf Tung: 2. Grab the 2 spot before they find their feet on 3 or 3.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 2. What's weaker, passing or bidding? In my book it's walking away from a possible penalty.
Louk Verhees: 2. I am not defending. Unclear again what is best bid: 2/2. If partner redoubled with 1-2-5-5 then 2 won't be a big success. Generally if partner doesn't have 4 hearts it seems better to bid 2.
Gareth Birdsall: Pass. Had to change one of my bids to take the chance to pass on every hand.
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