TGIF March 2025: Scores
| 1. IMPs. N-S vul.
|
J 10 7
A K Q
A 9 4
A 9 8 6
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
1
|
1
|
Dbl
(1)
| |
|
3
|
4
|
4
| ? |
| (1) Three-card heart support.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
6
| 6
| 100
|
|
4NT
| 3
| 80
|
|
5
| 0
| 60
|
|
5
| 2
| 60
|
|
5
| 1
| 50
|
|
Dbl
| 2
| 50
|
|
Pass
| 2
| 40
|
|
Moderator: Brad Theurer rejoins the panel for the next 3 months. We start with a hand in the slam zone.
Amber Lin: Dbl. A frequent saying of Michael Rosenberg is, 'Double when they're favourable. They're likely to be out of line.'
Daniel Korbel: 6. The only thing I know is that I can't pass. I'm guessing partner didn't need all this to make exactly four. I think the opponents are going to be sorely tempted to bid 6 over 6 since they already saved over 4.
Steve Robinson: 5. I want to make a forward-going move to show extra values. 5 could be a choice of suits and passable. 5 would not necessarily show extras. Because 5 would not be a place to play, it must show extra values.
Jill Meyers: 4NT. If partner can bid 4 at unfavourable vulnerability and I have this hand, partner has lots of hearts, high-card points on the side; plus the auction tells me partner is short in spades. So I am key-carding.
Zachary Grossack: Pass. When I first looked at this problem, I just thought it was a 'shrug, double' hand. But with the opps being a passed hand facing a weak 3 bid, pass here by me must logically be forcing. So even though partner's 4 was just competitive and they may not have a strong hand, they are obliged to double 4 if they don't want to bid 5. Pass offers the most flexibility.
Michael Dimich: 6. Three spade leads and we get 500. I think 1430 is a better result.
Anssi Rantamaa: Pass. This would be a forcing pass.
David Waterman: 5. Worth one try along the way.
Nicholas Adamski: 5. I assume this asks for a first round control in spades.
Larry Meyer: Dbl. They can not play 4 undoubled. With 4333, suggest defending.
Joel Forssell: Dbl. Barry Crane rule.
Paul McMullin: 5. I am sure I was supposed to double to take the plus score at IMPs.
Bruce Rogoff: 5. An unmistakable slam try. 5 should be an offer to play.
Lars Erik Bergerud: 5. Slam-positive, probably without spade-control since Pass (forcing) sounds like it's forward-going with spade-control. Pard has to have good minor fillers but his weak heart suit may cause him some worry about our slam prospects.
Perry Khakhar: Pass. I'm going to put partner in an awkward forcing pass sequence. Pass and pull would show my values. Or, I can shoot it out at 6 if I don't trust partner.
Kf Tung: 6. An effective way to buy 6.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 5. The vulnerable game bonus is too hard to resist.
Louk Verhees: Pass. Interesting. Pard has very few keycards, yet still bid 4. Obviously he has most of the outside honors besides spades. Several ways to go. If you believe their bidding partner has 0-1 spades. Forcing pass and see what partner does. You may belong in clubs.
John McAllister: 5. Not sure pass is forcing.
Hendrik Sharples: 5. Bluhmer.
Mike Roberts: Dbl. I don't think this is pure penalty; it just says I have a lot more points than you thought.
Bob Todd: Pass. Pass then pull to 5 showing a good hand for hearts.
|
| 2. Matchpoints. E-W vul.
| |
J 10
---
9 4 2
A K Q 10 7 5 3 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
1
|
2
| |
|
2
|
Pass
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
5
| 10
| 100
|
|
3
| 1
| 60
|
|
3
| 1
| 60
|
|
4
| 1
| 60
|
|
4
| 1
| 60
|
|
3
| 1
| 50
|
|
Dbl
| 1
| 50
|
|
3NT
| 0
| 30
|
|
Moderator: The vast majority go directly to 5. Others try more subtle approaches.
Josh Donn: 5. I think I will be practical instead of a bid like 4 to look for a perfecto slam. The plan would be 4 by me, 4 by partner, 4 by me, 4 by partner, 5 by me --- then blame partner when they guess wrong whether to bid slam.
Michael Dimich: 5. My hand is all offense and E/W have bowed out. If pard is void in clubs, 3NT is a no-no. So 5 seems a good shot.
David Waterman: 5. Is 4 forcing? I am not sure.
Larry Meyer: 3. Game seems unlikely.
Paul McMullin: 4. 5 is too unilateral, any 3-bid doesn't show this playability.
Bruce Rogoff: 3. Trying to coax 3N out of partner. Please don't have a club void!
Lars Erik Bergerud: 5. The sequence is somewhat strange and you need to find pard with 4 cover cards for 6. 5 however seems like a reasonable shot, but on a very bad day you count 2 spade losers, 1 diamond loser and 1 club loser.
Perry Khakhar: 5. What do you call an 8-card suit? Trumps.
Kf Tung: 4. Void in hearts, at least can play 5. I have diamond support too.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 3. No need for more (yet), as partner has hearts.
Louk Verhees: 3. A tough one. Where are all the hearts?! Getting to 3NT if it's the right spot will be hard. At IMPs, I would always bid game. MPs? Unsure. I go low, probably the only one.
Hendrik Sharples: 3. . . followed by 4.
Mike Roberts: 3. Anything else just feels too unilateral. The auction ain't over yet.
Bob Todd: 3. Bidding 4 over 3N.
|
| 3. Matchpoints. None vul.
| |
A K J 8
K 9 5 4
A 7 6 2
6
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
3
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Dbl
| 8
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 7
| 90
|
|
4
| 1
| 50
|
|
3NT
| 0
| 40
|
|
3
| 0
| 40
|
|
3
| 0
| 30
|
|
Moderator: The panel are evenly split between Dbl, daring partner to bid clubs, and Pass, daring to miss a major fit. Colchamiro was the lone vote for the 4-4 Michaels bid.
Larry Cohen: Dbl. Too much to pass and 3NT just feels wrong. Maybe for once in my life, partner won't disappoint me. Thank you for not asking what I will do if he bids clubs.
Steve Weinstein: Pass. If partner, who is probably short in diamonds, can't act in the balancing seat, defending 3 might be right. If parnter passes it out and has a four-card major, I will wish I had doubled. If partner was going to bid clubs, drinks are on me at the bar.
Michael Dimich: Pass. No reason to bid unless partner reopens with a double or our opponents bid hearts.
David Waterman: 4. Go ahead and give me my zero points. This rates to be the long run winner.
Nicholas Adamski: Dbl. Two good options.
Larry Meyer: 4. Ask partner to bid his better major.
Paul McMullin: Dbl. Fingers crossed I do not have to decide what to do after a club bid by partner.
Bruce Rogoff: Pass. I'll wait for partner. Any direct action will be a distortion. I may have to guess how aggressive to be later.
Lars Erik Bergerud: Pass. Someone may consider Double as a long term winner, but Pass is better because pard will often reopen here when we have a reasonable contract. In addition, you avoid ending up in stupid club contracts.
Perry Khakhar: Dbl. Considered Michaels with 4-4, but I think I'll keep it simple.
Kf Tung: Dbl. Lesser evil than pass.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: Dbl. Do we have the agreement?
Louk Verhees: Pass. Close call between Pass vs Dbl. Over 1 I would certainly Dbl.
John McAllister: Pass. Third impossible problem.
Hendrik Sharples: Pass. My partners always bid clubs.
Timothy Wright: Pass. Double risks a club response. Sometimes preempts work.
Mike Roberts: 3NT. Yes, obviously double (or 4) could work. But I'm just dead over a club response to a double.
Bob Todd: Dbl. Have to do something.
|
| 4. Matchpoints. Both vul.
| |
Q
4 2
K J 8 6
K Q J 10 8 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
Dbl
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Rdbl
| 7
| 100
|
|
2NT
| 4
| 80
|
|
2
| 5
| 50
|
|
Moderator: The panel are in a three-way race between: showing values, showing a fit, and showing clubs. Maybe it's time to add fit-showing jump shifts to the system?
Kerri Sanborn: Rdbl. Possibly I should make some raise of diamonds, but that's not exactly what my hand is about.
Josh Donn: 2NT. Isn't this a system question rather than judgment? If 3 shows clubs and diamonds, then I choose that. If not, and if 2NT is a good diamond raise, I choose that.
Barry Rigal: 2. I don't care if 2 isn't forcing. Someone will bid a major and I'll get both minors into play. As to whether it should be forcing, I couldn't possibly comment. Others may not be so restrained.
Michael Dimich: Rdbl. What else can you do with a flawed hand but some decent high cards?
Anssi Rantamaa: 2. Intending to support diamonds next round.
David Waterman: Rdbl. If we are at the 4-level on the next round I will bid 4NT to show my 6-4.
Aban S Gerrie: 2NT. Hopefully partner takes it as limit or better in diamonds.
Larry Meyer: 2. If we wind up defending, I want partner to know about my clubs.
Paul McMullin: 2. Sometimes you have to bid what cards you hold.
Bruce Rogoff: 2. Might as well start showing my suits as I'm not sitting for 1M doubled. I risk seeing all pass but that may not be a bad thing.
Lars Erik Bergerud: Rdbl. Support diamonds next round. There's no reason to wrongside notrump contracts by bidding 2NT (Limit+ with diamonds). Instead use 2NT as preemptive and 3 as limit.
Perry Khakhar: 3. Since you can see that you will be bidding slowly to 4 or 4, may as well get it rolling now with a splinter.
Kf Tung: 3. We have 110 or more.
Ig Nieuwenhuis: 2. . . and then support diamonds.
Louk Verhees: 2. Not redoubling with this hand. Taking the slow approach. If 2N was a limit raise, maybe it's also possible. Or maybe 2 nonforcing?
John McAllister: 2. Finally an easy one, thank you!
Hendrik Sharples: Rdbl. I can bid 4NT over the expected 4 or 4 by the time it comes around to me.
Mike Roberts: 2. They've probably got a good fit in the majors. 2, followed by 3/4N, seems about right.
Bob Todd: 3. Good hand for fit showing . . . even if not playing fit showing jumps.
Gareth Birdsall: Rdbl. I'd like to bid 3, or failing that a forcing 2.
|
| 5. IMPs. None vul.
| |
K Q 6 5 4
10 4 2
K 7 3
K 4
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
Pass
|
Pass
| |
|
Pass
|
2
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2NT
| 5
| 100
|
|
2
| 0
| 90
|
|
4
| 4
| 90
|
|
Pass
| 4
| 80
|
|
3
| 2
| 70
|
|
3NT
| 1
| 50
|
|
Moderator: The panel majority set game in their sights.
Steve Weinstein: 2NT. . . but it might be right to pass. If partner had opened 1, I would have a heavy Drury, so I owe them an invite. Because I assume most people would open my hand, they're likely to reach game at the other table if it's right --- or even if it isn't. So if 3 is going down, it will at worst be a push.
August Boehm: 3NT. Guard the kings. Partner is very sound in fourth seat.
Daniel Korbel: Pass. In my universe, a fourth-seat weak two says you need something special to make game.
Roger Lee: 4. No need to be delicate here. The opponents' silence makes 2-2 hearts or 3-1 onside a bit more likely than usual.
Jill Meyers: 3. Partner is showing an intermediate-type hand and should play me for about 11 HCP and three hearts.
Michael Dimich: 2NT. Awkward, awkward, awkward. 3NT maybe? 4 maybe?
David Waterman: 4. 3NT might work, but this is the percentage bid.
Larry Meyer: 3. Invite with an invitational hand. Expecting partner to have a 6-card suit, 12-14 HCP.
Paul McMullin: Pass. I do not think partner was asking me if I had an Ace-less 11 HCP.
Bruce Rogoff: 4. West's 3rd seat pass suggests most of the opposing strength resides with East, which is certainly good for my hand.
Lars Erik Bergerud: 4. A 2 opening in the 4th seat is constructive, say 10-12/13. I'm not entirely sure that asking will help so I just jump to 4.
Perry Khakhar: 4. No aces, but opposite many 4th seat 2 bids, this will make.
Kf Tung: 4. Good enough for 4 game.
Louk Verhees: 2NT. Mild game try. Partner probably has a light opening. Could pass too.
Mike Roberts: 4. 4th seat weak twos are still ill-defined, but I'll risk this. I think it's 12-15 or so.
Bob Todd: 4. Some cards should be onside.
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