TGIF February 2009: Scores
| 1. IMPs. Both vul.
|
10 9
Q 6
K Q 8 2
Q J 8 7 6
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
Pass
|
Pass
| |
|
1
|
Pass
|
1NT
|
Pass
| |
|
Pass
|
Dbl
|
2
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2NT
| 6
| 100
|
|
2
| 5
| 90
|
|
3
| 3
| 70
|
|
Dbl
| 0
| 60
|
|
Pass
| 2
| 60
|
|
3
| 1
| 40
|
|
3
| 0
| 10
|
|
Moderator: Partner could have a strong hand with no convenient action at his first turn. Because of that, South must show some values. Bidding either 2 or 2NT does that.
Grant Baze: 3. Too many high cards to go quietly. A 2NT bid might not be understood, so I choose 3.
Eugene Chan: 3. KISS principle applies here. If opponents keep bidding, I'll whack them!
Stephen Vincent: 3. Despite the soft values, let's try and push them up a bit. LHO didn't bid over 1NT so we're likely to have a minor fit of some sort.
Stephen Ottridge: 3. Have at least 4-4 fit in diamonds and have K Q rather than Q J.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2NT. Hmm. LHO is light & shapely, RHO has weak 7-shooter & couldn't open 3. Pard is pretty loaded. Not a believable problem! 2NT ostensibly for minors, pard can play there or 3NT with good majors. Close to calling their bluff & bidding 3NT myself.
Martin Henneberger: 3. Whats pard's double? This is usually a light takeout of spades, however looking at 2 small myself leads me to believe it's penalty. Either way I have a happy 3 bid.
Mike Hamilton: Dbl. Until a fit is found, doubles are for takeout or clarification. Since neither side has yet found a fit, this auction should suggest that I can support either unbid suit to at least the 3-level.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Pass. A 3 bid is tempting at matchpoints. At IMPs there is more to lose and less to gain.
David Breton: 2NT. With East running, it sounds like partner made a trap pass. I hate to bid 2NT when it seems no one has a fit but I don't think I can double with only 2 trumps and I want to show strength as we might still have game.
Larry Meyer: Dbl. Ask pard to pick a minor.
Mike Roberts: 2NT. I can't pass; we could be defending a 9 card fit. Partner's double is penalty; this is minors.
Perry Khakhar: 2NT. Well, clearly Partner was trapped and it is our hand. They have wiggled off the hook. I think we can play this in his best minor for a potential double part score swing.
Chris Buchanan: 3. Appears to be a good time for a Lebensohl agreement. 3 would show values here. Partner is showing a trap in spades as opposed to a takeout so doubling hearts here should be for penalty.
David Gordon: 3. Your partner has spades and semi-balanced. 2NT is also interesting for minors.
Brian Zietman: Pass. With all due respects to partner's double, at IMPs I cannot risk a disaster at the 3-level.
Chris Diamond: 2NT. I'd like this to be takeout but even if it's not it could be right.
Tim Francis-Wright: 2NT. Partner ought to take this as both minors (it cannot be right to play 2NT as natural here).
Amiram Millet: 3. We might have even 3NT...
|
| 2. Matchpoints. Both vul.
| |
9
A K 7 5 2
A K Q 4
Q 8 5
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
Pass
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
1
|
4
|
4
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
5
| 10
| 100
|
|
5
| 4
| 70
|
|
Dbl
| 2
| 50
|
|
4NT
| 1
| 30
|
|
Pass
| 0
| 20
|
|
6
| 0
| 0
|
|
Moderator: It's not a question of whether to bid again, but what to bid. The majority bid 5 because they are continuing to 5 anyway.
Grant Baze: 5. I want the diamond lead.
Eugene Chan: 4NT. RKCB. Not sure what to do afterwards. Anticipate opponents will bid 5. At least partner will know this is our hand!
Stephen Ottridge: 5. Cue bid slam try.
Aidan Ballantyne: 5. At Mpts, will pass 5 and hope to beat it. 5 now will help them more than us as pard is a passed hand and unlikely to press on whatever I call. 5 is only right if we have 6 save, not good odds at Mpts.
Mike Hamilton: 5. Pard and I have similar distribution in the majors. With a stronger hand, pard would have kept the bidding lower. Still, I have top-card sequences. I’ll show diamond control, denying club control by inference, on the way to at least 5.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 5. The opponents have bid well. Defending 4 will not get a good score, even if it goes down. Bid 5 and hope.
David Breton: 5. 4 is making, perhaps with an overtrick. There's no need to tell anyone I have good diamonds.
Larry Meyer: 5. Lead directing on the way to 5.
Mike Roberts: 5. Depends on partner's minor shape. This might help if they bid 5.
Perry Khakhar: 5. Slam is out of the question and I can barely see beating them 1 if partner has a club card (which makes 5 odds on). Allows for a better lead and more informed decision by partner in case they bid 5.
Chris Buchanan: Dbl. There is no safety at the 5-level, but at the same time, we may not beat this. I still need to show my good hand so I double.
David Gordon: 5. Get your partner off to the right lead against 5.
Brian Zietman: 5. We may lose a spade and 2 or 3 clubs but, in that case, they probably make 4 - just losing a couple of diamonds.
Chris Diamond: 5. Assuming only black suit losers, either they have a double fit or pard may help our club suit.
Tim Francis-Wright: 5. Partner should have something for the 4 call, and often enough we are making 11 tricks that I want to force to 5, but I might as well show an alternative suit to lead.
Amiram Millet: 5. If they go on to 5, a diamond lead might be best, plus showing my hand if 5 is better.
|
| 3. IMPs. None vul.
| |
Q J 10
K 5
A J 10 9 2
9 8 7
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
Pass
|
Pass
|
1
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 16
| 100
|
|
2
| 1
| 40
|
|
Moderator: The panel almost unanimously chose pass.
Grant Baze: Pass. It would not occur to me to bid.
Eugene Chan: Pass. Easy pass. Would not overcall 2 even at matchpoints.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. Not even close. I don't see why this is included in a set of bidding problems.
Aidan Ballantyne: Pass. Too flat to overcall, bad spade holding, and don't mind a heart lead. At Mpts, or white vs. red, more argument for 2 to suggest that lead against LHO's possible 3NT since I have the entries.
Martin Henneberger: Pass. Extremely easy pass for me. Feeling a need to enter these auctions with a broken 5 card suit and defensive spade length is asking for trouble. One of my dreams is that all overcallers with these hand types go for 1100 every time.
Mike Hamilton: 2. Modern bidding is competitive and I have just enough to make this overcall, not vulnerable. I’m risking disaster if partner is weak and East is holding a powerhouse; however, East is equally probable to be either minimum or light in third seat.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 2. . . constructive & lead-directing. 3 is also possible if you are feeling mischievous/brave.
David Breton: Pass. What am I supposed to do here, try to go for a number against a partscore?
Larry Meyer: 2. Show a sign of life.
Mike Roberts: Pass. I have no possibility of game, poor offence, good defence. Pass is CLEAR.
Perry Khakhar: 2. Not the best hand ever, but still worth competing!
Chris Buchanan: Pass. While I do like to bid a lot, this is not the time. Holding 3-card spade suit is bad news and a lack of a 6th diamond leads me to the green card.
David Gordon: Pass. Partner is a passed had so game unlikely. Come in later with this hand.
Brian Zietman: Pass. Can't risk a diamond stack on my left. Even NV 4 down doubled is 800 - and that is a lot of IMPs.
Chris Diamond: Pass. Too balanced/weak to bid and I rate to be on lead anyway. Maybe I'll get a second chance.
Tim Francis-Wright: Pass. Bidding 2 here is asking for trouble.
Amiram Millet: 2. Better than pass.
|
| 4. Matchpoints. Both vul.
| |
6
A J
Q 4 3 2
A K J 7 6 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
Pass
|
2
| |
|
2
|
Pass
|
4
|
Pass
| |
|
Pass
|
4NT
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
5NT
| 7
| 100
|
|
5
| 5
| 80
|
|
5
| 4
| 70
|
|
5
| 0
| 60
|
|
5
| 0
| 40
|
|
6
| 0
| 40
|
|
Pass
| 1
| 40
|
|
6
| 0
| 20
|
|
6NT
| 0
| 10
|
|
Moderator: Partner couldn't bid before and he can't double 4. Now he's bidding 4NT. What's going on?
Grant Baze: 5. Sounds like partner is trying to bring diamonds into the picture - fine with me.
Eugene Chan: 5. 5 would be my choice over 4 so I will bid 5 here. Did South just have a senior moment?
Stephen Vincent: 5. I just don't see, given my hand, how 4NT can be natural so we're left with RKC. Prepared to add this to a long list of bidding disasters.
Eurydice Nours: 5. I do not believe partner wants to play 4NT, I'd answer 3 key cards.
Stephen Ottridge: 6. Partner must have 4 good diamonds.
Aidan Ballantyne: 5. Playing 4NT as takeout with club tolerance, I have more and better clubs than I might have. Thinking that if 5 is right, the reopening should have been 5, not 4NT.
Martin Henneberger: 5. 4NT is pick a place to play. Considering pard couldn't act over 2 he probably only has 5 hearts, moderate club support and no guarantee of a 4 card diamond suit. I will take the low road and bid only 5.
Mike Hamilton: 5. Partner has taken charge of this auction. I am lucky I have a bid that can be interpreted as showing two aces if 4NT is Blackwood or a useful heart fragment if he is looking for that. I have shown good clubs, but have more than partner expects.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 5. Who knows what partner intended with his forcing pass and subsequent 4NT rebid. Conveniently, 5 can work as both an RKCB response in clubs or a simple heart preference. If 4NT was to play then too bad.
David Breton: 5. Pard would double or bid NT earlier with spades so 4N is not natural. He didn't bid 5 to show the reds either. So I'll suggest clubs as a place to play.
Larry Meyer: 6. Pard doesn't want to defend, and in context, we have good heart support and a potential source of tricks.
Mike Roberts: 5NT. Partner can't have clubs, so this must be a moderate red two-suiter; say 9 x K Q x x x A K x x 4 x. 5NT is pick-a-slam; partner can judge best.
Perry Khakhar: 6. Well, I can visualize 8 x K Q x x x A x x (x) Q x (x) as a minimum opener and a partner that has done a superb job of evaluating and bidding. If instead he has xx of clubs and AKxx of diamonds, he should pull to 6 (I hope!).
Chris Buchanan: 5. Partner likely has something like 2-5-4-2. They are giving me a choice of minors which leads me to believe that Diamonds will likely play better.
David Gordon: 5. Close to a 6 bid but I fear spades are 1-1.
Brian Zietman: 5. I don't quite understand partner's pass over 2 and then 4NT over 4. Must repeat my solid 6 card suit.
Chris Diamond: 5. First he passes 2 then bids over 4, HMMM??? I'll guess K x x x x x and A K x x, but let him make the final choice in case he has Q x.
Tim Francis-Wright: 5. I can think of four different things that 4NT could be (not including, I lost my mind when I passed last round instead of bidding something). Since 5 is both a 2-ace response to Blackwood and support of hearts, I will go with that.
Amiram Millet: Pass. Partner might have: A Q x K Q x x x J x x x 3
|
| 5. Matchpoints. N-S vul.
| |
A 8
A Q 7 6 4
9 4
10 9 8 5
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
1
|
Pass
| |
|
1
|
2
|
Dbl
(1)
| ? |
| (1) Three-card support.
|
Do you agree with South's pass?
| | Votes | Award
|
|
Yes
| 10
| 50
|
|
No
| 7
| 45
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 6
| 50
|
|
Rdbl
| 6
| 45
|
|
2
| 2
| 30
|
|
4
| 0
| 30
|
|
5
| 1
| 30
|
|
2NT
| 1
| 25
|
|
3
| 1
| 25
|
|
Pass
| 0
| 10
|
|
3NT
| 0
| 5
|
|
Moderator: The vote was close between pass and 1NT on the first round of the bidding. But after pass, the majority of experts feel the need to catch up, with either 2 or Rdbl.
Grant Baze: 2. I would have bid 1NT, and now, I have to show my power.
Eugene Chan: 2. . . a cue bid in support of clubs. With everybody bidding, I will try to slow down the auction to show strength.
Mark Eddy: Rdbl. I'd have called 1NT initially.
Stephen Vincent: 2. Don't agree with the first pass, especially at this vulnerability, as the intermediates are too soft. Now it's time to show some life.
Stephen Ottridge: 4. I dare them to bid again.
Aidan Ballantyne: Rdbl. Now the fun starts. Having passed, I can really bid em up.
Martin Henneberger: 2. I would have bid 1NT at first strike for this reason. Now I'm guessing how to catch up. Pard can never play a 3 bid as holding this much so I will trott out a 2 cue bid.
Mike Hamilton: Rdbl. I have club support, 10 working points, and a ruffing value.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Rdbl. An initial 1NT response might have helped to quiet down the opponents. Now that the damage is done, Rdbl and be ready to compete to 3.
David Breton: Rdbl. It's time to start showing my values.
Larry Meyer: 3. No, I would prefer to bid 1NT and describe my hand early. 3, seems right to support and compete.
Mike Roberts: 2. I would have just bid 1NT. 2 is the clear cuebid; 2 should be hearts.
Perry Khakhar: 2. If we belong in 3NT, it is best played by partner. This must indicate a trapped hand that found a Club fit.
Chris Buchanan: 2. I am looking for 3NT so I am going to show partner the suit I have controlled. I still need help from partner in the spade suit to make a try for game.
David Gordon: Rdbl. I need to slow the auction down to find out how high and if we play NT or clubs.
Brian Zietman: 4. Can I entice E/W to bid 4- if not then partner looks good in 5 with no losers in the majors and good ruffing power with my doubleton diamond.
Chris Diamond: 3. I have have hearts here so maybe pard can bid 3NT with a second spade. Can I pass 4?
Tim Francis-Wright: 2. No trump will look better if partner has a spade stopper (even Q x x) and can bid it, so it's more important to imply a heart stop here.
Amiram Millet: 5. They possibly have 4.
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