TGIF October 2025: Scores
| 1. Matchpoints. None vul.
|
J 10 3
K 10 8 6 4 2
K Q 8 6
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| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
1
| 9
| 100
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Pass
| 5
| 80
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2
| 2
| 70
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|
Moderator: We begin as always with a hand that took place in real life, this time at the recent Santa Clara Regional. While it does not satisfy the Rule of 20, the majority choose to treat this as an opening hand.
Amber Lin: Pass. I've been raised in the school of bridge where we don't like 'flawed' preempts (outside of first seat favourable at matchpoints). This one has a bad suit, three spades and a side void. This hand is likely to play better in a different strain if it's our hand.
Daniel Korbel: 1. Yeah it's light, but this is kind of gross for a 2 opening. You could play in 2 cold for a diamond slam on a bad day. Picture: A K x A J x x x x x x x x for example.
Michael Dimich: Pass. Chaos Matchpoint style is to open 2. Nah.
Larry Meyer: 2. I've got a 6-card suit that should be OK for partner to lead, and less than opening values.
Christopher Diamond: Pass. Too many things wrong for any opening.
Robert Sauve: Pass. Rule of 15.
Paul McMullin: Pass. Would be hard to describe how playable this hand is if I preempt.
Allan Simon: 2. That's my style at matchpoints. Sometimes an undisciplined weak 2 works out, sometimes it doesn't.
Lars Erik Bergerud: Pass. Not quite good enough for 1, but very close. Weak 2 with 3 possible trump suits including a weak 6-card suit is not ideal either.
Louk Verhees: 2. Between 1 and 3. Taking the middle of the road.
Perry Khakhar: 2. Sometimes there is no trick to a hand!!!
Bob Todd: Pass. Wrong for a weak 2 and not quite good enough for a first seat opener.
Kf Tung: 3. Pass if vulnerable, 3 if not.
John McAllister: Pass. Old man.
|
| 2. IMPs. None vul.
| |
4
A K Q J 10 8 6 4 2
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A 7 4
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| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
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| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 14
| 100
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1
| 2
| 60
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4
| 0
| 10
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Moderator: Only 14 HCP? No problem says an overwhelming number of panelists.
Janice Molson: 1. I recently held a hand like this and opened 2. My partner wasn't in on the idea that with 10 tricks in my hand, I thought it compensated for lack of high cards. The opponents interfered and by the time it got back to me, partner had bid 4 over their 4 bid. Did not work out well. I bid 1.
Josh Donn: 1. True story, the last time an opponent of mine opened 2 with nine hearts, the bidding continued 3-Pass-7 back to him. He had to bid 7 and went down. So based on my sample size of one, I will start with 1.
Barry Rigal: 2. ... then 4 shows something like this hand. I've no objection to 2-2; 2-2; 4. Maybe that is more on point. Never open one of a suit if you have no rebid over any simple response.
Michael Dimich: 1. Maybe 4NT specific ace asking with transfers? Nah.
Larry Meyer: 2. I've got no imagination.
Christopher Diamond: 1. I have a story about opening 2 with this hand against Dimich when I first started playing. He said it wasn't a 2 opener. He might have been correct.
Stuart Carr: 4. Namyats.
Paul McMullin: 2. With ten tricks in hand, it seems right to treat this as a 'strong' hand, even though it has very little defensive strength.
Allan Simon: 1. Not enough defense for 2. At matchpoints I might open 6 but at IMPs I prefer a more scientific approach.
Lars Erik Bergerud: 2. At least in a peaceful auction your system will let you show long solid hearts and 10 top tricks.
Bob Zeller: 2. Too good for 1.
Louk Verhees: 2. Not even sure of it is allowed, but that is the value of your hand.
Perry Khakhar: 1. The hand has just enough defence that I don't want to preempt.
Bob Todd: 1. 1 will never get passed out. I will get my suit in first. 2 is OK but might get preempted.
Kf Tung: 1. 10 tricks. Don't worry, it won't be passed out.
John McAllister: 6. Young man!
|
| 3. IMPs. Both vul.
| |
A 7
8 4 2
Q 9 8 3
Q J 9 5
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| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
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1
|
Pass
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1NT
| |
|
2
|
Pass
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 10
| 100
|
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3
| 3
| 70
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Dbl
| 3
| 70
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2NT
| 0
| 30
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Moderator: Despite holding half the deck or more, a majority of our panelists choose to pass.
Larry Cohen: 3. Yes, partner might have only three clubs, but the odds favour he has more.
Roger Lee: Dbl. . . though I have no problem with passing.
Sheri Winestock: Pass. I'm not too worried about protecting with this meager hand; we are not even guaranteed to have a club fit. We are vulnerable and so is the player who bid 2. He knows what he's got; I don't know about us.
Brad Bart: 3. Wish I had bid 1.
Michael Dimich: Dbl. Either 2NT or double.
Larry Meyer: 3. Support with support.
Christopher Diamond: Pass. I described my hand.
Paul McMullin: 3. Very tempting to pass at IMPs, but I can not imagine being doubled in 3, so risk is low.
Allan Simon: 3. I hate letting opponents play at the 2-level.
Lars Erik Bergerud: Dbl. Balanced upper limit with length in minors. Should preferably have 3 spades, but A x wil have to do here. And Pass? Will we become richer by leaving 2 alone? Maybe.
Louk Verhees: Dbl. For me Dbl is takeout. Partner can pass, bid 2NT (scramble) or bid 3. I could bid 3 myself but sometimes partner wants to pass the Dbl.
Perry Khakhar: Pass. Seems to be a theme! Too normal for a bidding contest.
Kf Tung: Pass. Double or 3 are not safe.
|
| 4. Matchpoints. Both vul.
| |
K 10 9 2
Q 9 6
2
K 10 9 8 4
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
1
|
2
|
Pass
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3
| |
|
3
|
Pass
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Dbl
| 9
| 100
|
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Pass
| 7
| 70
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4
| 0
| 20
|
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Moderator: Many of the doublers express that they wish they'd shown more values the first time around, but also have too much to pass.
Zachary Grossack: Pass. I may have bid more the first time (maybe I should try 2NT to hear if partner has clubs? And follow that with 3? It shows some values, which I do indeed have.) I have a rule: Make the first bold bid, not the last bad decision. Once I decided not to make a bold bid the first rime, I won't make the bad decision now!
Radu Nistor: Dbl. I would have bid 3 the first time if that showed values with a heart fit. I'll double now, but only because we're playing matchpoints.
Michael Dimich: Pass. If West can come in again at the 3-level you know they have a huge offensive hand. Partner did well to push them up and take away their descriptive bidding space.
Larry Meyer: Pass. Not enough values to bid over 3, and not doubling with the spades behind me.
Christopher Diamond: Pass. We could have a 10-card club fit. But probably we're in our best spot.
Paul McMullin: Pass. I am content to be defending here.
Allan Simon: Dbl. I smell blood, I hope it's not my own. Incidentally I would have bid 2NT on my previous turn.
Lars Erik Bergerud: Dbl. 3 shows nothing so I think the double should involve partner by both showing 3 hearts (preferably not 4) with some offense and some defense tricks. Ready for Sorry Partner.
Louk Verhees: Dbl. This mostly depends on how constructive 2 is. Probably I would have made an invitational bid. Now I am kind of stuck. Also partner could have clubs. Anyway I am kinda forced at matchpoints to Dbl.
Perry Khakhar: Pass. Nothing to do here except hope we beat it. Should have checked for the minor the first time.
Kf Tung: Pass. Mission accomplished. They have stopped at 3.
|
| 5. Matchpoints. E-W vul.
| |
J 9 6 3 2
K 10 9 6 5
A J
8
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
1NT
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 8
| 100
|
|
3
| 4
| 80
|
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2
| 4
| 70
|
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Moderator: The majority prefers to invite game with this hand, and there are two common ways to do this. One is to try 2, new minor forcing, while the other is 3, which many pairs play as showing a 5-5 pattern in the majors.
Josh Donn: 3. I mean if this is 5-5 invitational, that is what I hold. Clearly too strong to bid 2 and end the auction most of the time, in my opinion.
Jeff Meckstroth: 2. At pairs, I want the plus score. We might have a game, but I don't want to go minus.
Jill Meyers: 2. At matchpoints, it is tempting to just bid 2 and go for the plus score, but the fifth heart and my good diamond cards convince me to bid 2, and over 2 to bid 2. If my minors were reversed, I would just bid 2.
Michael Dimich: 2. The A J are a huge plus.
Aban S Gerrie: 3. Playing this auction as 5/5 invitational.
Larry Meyer: 2. Follow through with my original bidding plan.
Christopher Diamond: 2. Could even have a heart game if we have a great fit.
Robert Sauve: 2. What is the problem?
Paul McMullin: 2. I will correct 3 by partner to 3, and pass anything else.
Allan Simon: 2. It's close to initiating an invitational sequence via 2.
Lars Erik Bergerud: 2. . . asking for 2 (2-way new minor) and then bid 2. Game is still not out of question and an invite is almost for free.
Bob Zeller: 2. I play 2 as a one round force only, in these sutuations.
Louk Verhees: 2. This depends on your methods mostly. Probably I would invite. Just dunno how it works here.
Perry Khakhar: 2. Definitely the trick to this contest is that there is nothing exciting to do.
Kf Tung: 2. Older and wiser.
John McAllister: 2. Not sure what system we play. Intended as GF.
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