TGIF April 2025: Scores
| 1. IMPs. None vul.
|
A Q J 10 9 8 5
K 10 8 6 4
8
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|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
1
|
1
|
3
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 6
| 100
|
|
6
| 5
| 90
|
|
5
| 0
| 70
|
|
4
| 2
| 60
|
|
3
| 0
| 50
|
|
4
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: The panelists keep it simple: support with support! Top marks go to those who take it slow with 4.
Larry Cohen: 6. Reckless and probably not the way to score well in IYC, but practical. Hoping partner has the A to begin with. Yes, if he has x x or x x x, I might regret this. Maybe they guess the wrong lead. No, 5 would not be exclusion keycard Blackwood.
August Boehm: 4. Maybe I'll learn something helpful. 6 looks too precipitous.
Steve Robinson: 4. I want to buy the hand at the lowest level possible. If the opponents bid 5, I will be pushed to 5. There is no reason to introduce my spade suit and there is no way to find out if partner has the A.
Michael Dimich: 3. Extremely difficult hand to try to reach a potential heart slam after West opens.
Nicholas Adamski: 4. Splinter asking about a spade control.
Eurydice Nours: 5. Exclusion key card.
Christopher Diamond: 3. The best bid is obviously 5 exclusion hoping to shake the diamond after a non-diamond lead, what I'd do in real life. But 3 here then 5 over the expected 5.
Larry Meyer: 6. This is not a time for science - this is a time for he who hopes he knows, goes.
Allan Simon: 4. Walking the dog. I expect to have an opportunity to bid 5 at my next turn.
Hendrik Sharples: 4. The real question is this a Ray Grace gang splinter or not?
Paul McMullin: 4NT. I am always getting to 6. Will going slowly prevent them from sacrificing?
Lars Erik Bergerud: 6. Pard may then raise to 7 with the right hand because he can trust that I won't jump to 6 opposite a 1-level overcall without at least two first round controls, very good trump support and a lot of tricks.
Kf Tung: 4. Slam interest, heart fit.
Louk Verhees: 6. I am going to bid a slam. It is just the matter of how. And I prefer to buy it in 6. Maybe if i jump to 6 they will lead a club.
John McAllister: 3. Walking the dog.
Perry Khakhar: 5. This must be exclusion right? I'm worried about 2nd round spade control, but the Lord hates a coward!
|
| 2. Matchpoints. E-W vul.
| |
Q 8 4
A J 9 6
8
Q 10 8 5 4
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
Pass
| |
|
Pass
|
1
|
1
|
Dbl
| |
|
2
|
3
|
4
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
5
| 9
| 100
|
|
5
| 4
| 80
|
|
Dbl
| 0
| 40
|
|
5NT
| 0
| 30
|
|
6
| 0
| 30
|
|
Pass
| 0
| 30
|
|
5
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: This problem was posed by yours truly after it came up in a casual game. After a strong raise by all three opponents, you might wonder if you pulled the cards from the same deck. The likely conclusion is that everyone is bidding on big fits and lots of shape: partner probably has a spade void and long clubs (not mentioned by the panel). The winning call at the table was 6, but none of the expert panel sussed it out.
Mel Colchamiro: 5. 5 seems unnecessary and potentially confusing about my heart length. Selling to 4 seems almost juvenile.
Kerri Sanborn: 5. I'm feeling that hearts may be 4-1, so the hand could fall apart in 5. Surely looks like partner has short spades, and if I double, I might pick off my trump holding. Must be some shape around the table.
Michael Dimich: 5. Plus for us is the double fit. Minus for us is the double fit for E/W. Could well imagine a low spade lead from East and a club return beating 6.
Nicholas Adamski: 5. Willing to sacrifice up to 6 I think. 5 seems the obvious play here with the double fit.
Christopher Diamond: 5. Who knows? But they likely have a double fit in spades and diamonds.
Larry Meyer: 5. Bid some more with a double fit.
Allan Simon: 6. Double fit hands = one more for the road!
Hendrik Sharples: 5. I certainly don't want to defend 4. I'll show partner where I am in case they bid 5.
Paul McMullin: 5. I am nervous about defending holding so many round cards (suggesting big double fits). Who knows, 5 may even make!
Lars Erik Bergerud: 5. A possibe double fit both ways will produce 10-11 tricks both ways.
Kf Tung: 6. Pass or correct.
Louk Verhees: 5. I am not defending here. Even though it's matchpoints, I prefer to be in clubs.
Timothy Wright: 5. We have to compete here. Whether we need to sacrifice over 5 is up to partner.
Perry Khakhar: 5. We may have a slam in clubs or hearts. But really, I can only let partner know that we have an offensive hand.
|
| 3. Matchpoints. None vul.
| |
Q J 6 2
K Q
J 2
K J 5 4 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
1
|
Pass
| |
|
2
|
Dbl
|
3
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3NT
| 6
| 100
|
|
Dbl
| 4
| 80
|
|
4
| 3
| 70
|
|
5
| 0
| 40
|
|
Pass
| 0
| 30
|
|
Moderator: A 3-way race, but the majority try to grab the brass ring: either a game bonus in 3NT or a large penalty defending 3.
Daniel Korbel: 3NT. There are a lot of points in this deck! My first instinct was to bid 4, which is probably all we can make, but I might make 3NT opposite: - A x x x Q x x x x A x x x.
Jeff Meckstroth: Dbl. My double should be a penalty double.
Brad Theurer: 4. Almost sure partner is void in spades and could thus be doubling quite light. Might have speculated a double if they were vulnerable, but here I will push to a good fit. Maybe I'll get a chance to double 4?
Michael Dimich: Dbl. Hoping that partner is a greedy matchpoint oinker.
Nicholas Adamski: 3NT. Competitive NT bidding never goes wrong.
Christopher Diamond: 3NT. Make a choice, don't pass the buck.
Larry Meyer: Pass. Partner has succeeded in pushing them up a level. With this quacky hand, don't undo his good work.
Allan Simon: Dbl. At IMPs I'd be more careful but at matchpoints (in fact, imaginary matchpoints!) I am bold.
Hendrik Sharples: 3NT. I don't play Dbl is penalty here, and probably would bid 3NT even if I did.
Paul McMullin: Pass. Sometimes you defend part scores. What am I missing?
Lars Erik Bergerud: 3NT. If we belong in 3NT, I have to bid it now. And I do have opening values, trick potential in clubs and hopefully double stops in spades if needed.
Kf Tung: Dbl. Don't miss the boat.
Louk Verhees: 3NT. With short spades partner can be light. Both spades are onside and 3NT looks a good bet.
Timothy Wright: 3NT. This is not a lock, but if it's wrong partner may have another call.
Perry Khakhar: Dbl. If you think that this is some kind of esoteric takeout, then you have to pass. I don't think that is possible so I double.
|
| 4. IMPs. N-S vul.
| |
Q 5
A K Q 10 9
9 7 3
A J 6
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
1
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
1
|
2
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Dbl
| 8
| 100
|
|
3
| 2
| 70
|
|
2
| 1
| 60
|
|
2
| 1
| 60
|
|
3
| 1
| 50
|
|
Moderator: Oddly, this was a repeat problem from August 2023. The results were similar.
Josh Donn: Dbl. I can't go a month without doubling on some hand to show extras with no clear direction.
Barry Rigal: 3. I don't think double is this hand. I'd like it to be, but ... 3 and play game in a major maybe?
Michael Dimich: Dbl. Rescue me partner. Bid something that puts me on the right path.
Nicholas Adamski: 3. If partner doesn't bid 3NT, I'll probably play 4 with a 6-7 card fit.
Christopher Diamond: 3. Don't know what to do? Then cue bid. 'Tis the bidding contest way.
Larry Meyer: 2. It's only a 5-card suit, but it's chunky enough to rebid it.
Allan Simon: 2. I expect several experts will double and say it shows a strong hand, but after I've tanked partner has to pass. So I bid 2 ... short a spade but with extra strength.
Hendrik Sharples: Dbl. Good hand with no clear bid.
Paul McMullin: 3. I have enough to try for game, but do not know WHICH game.
Lars Erik Bergerud: Dbl. . . responsive, to show a good and flexible hand with tolerance for spades and clubs.
Kf Tung: Dbl. Q x only, but I have 16 points.
Louk Verhees: Dbl. Good hand no bid in my book.
Timothy Wright: 2. Nothing is perfect here but this is almost a 6-card suit.
Perry Khakhar: 2. Not great but too much to pass and I always get J x x in one of the opp's hands.
|
| 5. Matchpoints. None vul.
| |
A K Q J 6 3
Q 4
K J 10 3
10
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
Dbl
|
1NT
|
2
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 7
| 100
|
|
4
| 5
| 90
|
|
Dbl
| 1
| 50
|
|
3
| 0
| 40
|
|
3NT
| 0
| 30
|
|
2
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: A split race. Maybe they should allow you to bid three-and-a-half spades?
August Boehm: 3. Partner's free 1NT call shows some values. I'm closer to 4 than 2.
Steve Robinson: 4. All partner needs is the K and the Q to have good play for 4. Partner's 1NT usually has at least 8 points.
Michael Dimich: 2. It's almost an IMP overbid of 3. I will walk the dog up to the 3-level at matchpoints.
Christopher Diamond: 3. Two red aces and diamond length makes slam possible. Unlikely but possible.
Larry Meyer: 2. Bid out my shape to suggest more than a minimum opener.
Allan Simon: 3. Looking for a club stopper.
Hendrik Sharples: 2. Looking to show a good hand. In my youth I would have bid 4.
Paul McMullin: 4. If partner has no values in the red suits, this may go poorly.
Lars Erik Bergerud: 4. I think 4 most often will be a reasonable contract even if pard lays down a minimum.
Kf Tung: 4. They have hearts and clubs. 4 will play better than 3N.
Louk Verhees: 4. 1 useful card from partner and 4 is playable. 2 good cards and it's nearly cold. I assume 1N was natural?
Timothy Wright: 4. Partner has scattered values outside spades and that should be enough for game.
Perry Khakhar: 2. My style is to bid both suits with extras.
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