TGIF March 2009: Scores
| 1. Matchpoints. None vul.
|
7 6 3
K J 7 4
5 4
J 10 3 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
1
|
Pass
| |
|
1NT
|
Dbl
|
2
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 9
| 100
|
|
2NT
| 7
| 80
|
|
Pass
| 2
| 30
|
|
3
| 0
| 10
|
|
3
| 0
| 0
|
|
4
| 0
| 0
|
|
Moderator: There are many distributions that North could have, that don't include four hearts, and a 4-3 fit may not play well. 2NT was chosen by seven experts as a 'safer action' than the majority choice of 3.
Barry Rigal: 2NT. Pick a suit partner. It clearly is not natural. If you can't bid 1NT on the first round, you can't bid 2NT now (as a natural bid). I'd expect partner to bid the longer of his clubs or hearts. If he bids 3, I'll pass.
Steve Robinson: Pass. Partner has made a strength-showing double, but that doesn't promise four hearts. Bidding anything is too dangerous. To avoid this problem, you should make a negative double on the previous round.
The Sutherlins: 3. We would have taken some action over 1 with most eight-point hands, so partner should play us for values about like what we have.
Stephen Vincent: 3. Try and push them up a bit. I didn't double 1 so partner won't take me too seriously.
Aidan Ballantyne: Pass. I would have stretched to double first time. Having passed, will stick with conservative view. Pard's double is a takeout of spades. With a really good hand, pard can double again. Then I will have to come alive.
Martin Henneberger: 2NT. When both opponents bid using 2NT to find the right place to play is essential. I will pass 3 by pard and correct 3 to 3. Since this contest is sayc standard I'm expecting a low score using 2NT for this purpose.
Mike Hamilton: 3. Partner wants me to bid, but am I strong enough to join this auction at the 3-level? East is showing a playable hand in spades and -110 is never a good match-point score, so at this vulnerability, I’ll compete.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 3. They rate to make 2, so down 1 doubled should be fine.
David Breton: Pass. If I was going to bid at all, it would have been a neg X on the first round.
Larry Meyer: Pass. Too weak and flat to bid at the 3-level.
Mike Roberts: 2NT. It's important to play our best fit. If double is penalty, then 2NT is takeout. If double were takeout, that would be best.
Perry Khakhar: Dbl. We may make 3. But that same hand gets us 300.
Paul Mcmullin: Pass. Yes, we have more points than they do. I'm not looking for a round suit fit on the three level, and I don't have any trump tricks to try doubling them.
Chris Buchanan: Pass. Nope, no gun to my head...Partner can reopen with another double if they like.
Brian Zietman: 3. Must push opponents to the 3-level.
Chris Diamond: 3. I really want to bid 2NT for takeout as I think it's kind of useless as natural, but I'm not sure that's allowed here.
Tim Francis-Wright: Pass. While I know we have a heart fit, my hand is not good enough for 3.
Amiram Millet: 3. Even if west has: K x 8 x x K J T x x K x x we may have at least 4.
|
| 2. Matchpoints. N-S vul.
| |
A Q 8 4 3 2
J
A K 6 3
3 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
2
|
Pass
|
2
| |
|
Pass
|
3
(1)
|
Pass
| ? |
| (1) Not forcing.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 14
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 2
| 40
|
|
3NT
| 1
| 10
|
|
4
| 1
| 10
|
|
3
| 0
| 0
|
|
Moderator: When you have a good hand and partner has shown a long suit, raising on a singleton honor is acceptable.
Kerri Sanborn: 4. The J has grown pants. I have a decent hand for partner and who knows what will make?
The Coopers: Pass. At IMPs we would raise, but let's pass and try to win the board that way.
Stephen Vincent: 4. All cards working so an easy 4 call. Give partner a perfect hand and slam might make but it's way too dangerous to investigate.
Aidan Ballantyne: 4. No guarantees but we must be close to game which, if on, would likely be in hearts.
Martin Henneberger: 4. I have a good enough hand to be in game so 4 seems like the game to bid. I'm certainly not guessing to pass.
Mike Hamilton: 4. Partner is showing an offensive hand in hearts. His hearts are better than my spades. I have a trump filler and 3 or 4 side-suit tricks in a heart contract.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Pass. Aim for down 1 and beat anyone in 3NT down 2 or 3.
David Breton: 4. NT is out because of the lack of communication. I rate to have more help for hearts than partner has for spades.
Larry Meyer: Pass. Misfit calls for a downgrade.
Mike Roberts: 4. Putting on my big boy underwear.
Perry Khakhar: Pass. All these match point gambles! At IMPs I bid 4 and like my chances. At match points I would like a plus.
Chris Buchanan: 4. Forcing or not, my call stays the same. I am too good to pass, but Q-bidding would be a massive overbid.
Brian Zietman: Pass. After partner's nonforcing bid I have nothing to add.
Chris Diamond: Pass. Good cards and would likely bid 4 at IMPs but will take a plus at MPs.
Tim Francis-Wright: Pass. If it was right not to bid 3 last round, it certainly is not right to bid 4 now.
Amiram Millet: 4. Prefer 3 on my second bid.
|
| 3. Matchpoints. None vul.
| |
Q J 9 5 4
9 5 4 2
K 7 5
8
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
1
|
1
|
Dbl
(1)
| ? |
| (1) Negative.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 13
| 100
|
|
3
| 3
| 50
|
|
2
| 2
| 30
|
|
4
| 0
| 10
|
|
1
| 0
| 0
|
|
Rdbl
| 0
| 0
|
|
Moderator: Thirteen experts made a preemptive 3 bid, even though the South hand is not that weak. What was their reasoning?
Larry Cohen: 3. This is a flawed problem in that there are so many different methods being used by players on this auction. I won't bother bidding spades now that East has four of them.
Jill Meyers: 2. I have too much to preempt and bid 3, not enough for a 3 mixed raise because of the position of the K. I will content myself with 2 and later compete to 3.
Lynn Deas: 3. This will put maximum pressure on the opponents, and tells partner about my fourth trump, the highlight of my hand.
Aidan Ballantyne: 3. When in doubt, preempt. Maybe they'll lose the club suit.
Martin Henneberger: 3. Even though this hand isn't really weak, I still choose to preempt this auction. 3 will cause a lot of problems for the opponents.
Mike Hamilton: 1. Defensive bidding against a negative double includes a lead-directing raise of partner’s suit, and I have just enough to make that bid here. West and partner are going to slug this one out.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 2. 3 is tempting, but no need to show weakness when they don't have a game. If I compete over 3, it may not be doubled.
David Breton: 3. Preemptive, all my HCP seem wasted.
Larry Meyer: 3. With half my HCP in opp's suit, not bidding 2 to show limit raise in support.
Mike Roberts: 3. This might be too good for a weak raise, but the highcards are weak.
Perry Khakhar: 2. There aren't too many 4 card trump support hands that I don't like. But this one sucks! I need to take away an easy 2 of a minor bid, so I will reluctantly make a simple raise.
Chris Buchanan: 4. Mini-splinter anyone? OK, fine then I will preempt this to game and let the opponents do the guessing from there.
Brian Zietman: Pass. Opponents may have slam in diamonds and I will be happy to let them play game in spades.
Tim Francis-Wright: 2. So I have spades. So what?
Amiram Millet: 3. It might be the first step for a sacrifice.
|
| 4. Matchpoints. E-W vul.
| |
Q 10 9 4
A 9 6 3
6 5 3
9 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
1
|
Dbl
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 17
| 100
|
|
1NT
| 1
| 30
|
|
Pass
| 0
| 0
|
|
Moderator: The panel was almost unanimous in choosing to bid 2. Only the Colchamiros disagreed.
The Colchamiros: 1NT. Partner does not guarantee four cards in hearts. The minimum high-card points for a 1NT advance to a takeout double goes down as the rank of the suit being doubled goes up. Over 1NT, if it goes 2-Pass-Pass, we can back in with 2.
Stephen Vincent: 2. Even if I had a 4 card minor rather than hearts, I'd prefer to bid the minor.
Aidan Ballantyne: 1NT. You need good 7 HCP for this bid but I like my 9's and pard may not have four hearts.
Martin Henneberger: 2. To me 2 is a stand out call. If you delay showing hearts now and the auction gets competitive you may have to introduce them at a higher level with no guarantee partner has four. I avoid torturing myself later with an immediate 2.
Mike Hamilton: 2. I’m being asked to bid my best suit. I should show a major in preference to notrump whenever possible. Unless his double is the first bid to showing a strong hand, my partner will have the other major when doubling a major-suit opening.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 2. This seems obvious. What am I missing?
David Breton: 2. I'm betting I can take at least one more trick in hearts vs NT.
Larry Meyer: 2. Pard asked if I had 4 hearts - tell him the good news.
Mike Roberts: 2. Yes, 1NT is attractive. But I might be able to ruff something in my hand.
Perry Khakhar: 2. What is the issue here? Surely no one is going to be tempted into passing!
David Gordon: 2. What's the problem?
Chris Buchanan: 2. Partner has asked for hearts and we have them. I can bid NT later if partner gets carried away.
Brian Zietman: 1NT. I need another spade to leave the double in.
Chris Diamond: 2. Can't even think of another bid.
Tim Francis-Wright: 2. I'm not supposed to bid 1NT with this if I want to keep partner happy and sane.
Amiram Millet: 2. With partner holding: 2 K J T x A J x x A K Q x there is even 4.
|
| 5. IMPs. None vul.
| |
Q 10 7 5
10 8
A 5
K Q J 9 8
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
4
|
Pass
| |
|
Pass
|
Dbl
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 12
| 100
|
|
5
| 3
| 70
|
|
5
| 1
| 20
|
|
Pass
| 1
| 20
|
|
5
| 1
| 10
|
|
4NT
| 0
| 0
|
|
5NT
| 0
| 0
|
|
6
| 0
| 0
|
|
Moderator: Another near majority for our expert panel. This time they go for the most likely game with 4.
Grant Baze: 5. Trump quality versus loser count. I have so many high cards, in 5 I expect to be able to hold down the loser count.
August Boehm: 5. I am not expecting many panel points. Both 4 and 5 risk missing slam to accommodate the balancer, but 5 looks less susceptible to bad splits. If West competes to 5, I can bid 5, perhaps backing into slam or the best game.
Betty Ann Kennedy: 5. Let's let partner choose. Preempts have once again created a problem.
Jeff Meckstroth: 4. This seems automatic to me. I expect this one to be unanimous.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. Take the money. I can't safely investigate the correct strain or level. Partner's showing values primarily and doesn't guarantee four spades.
Aidan Ballantyne: 4. Another where I would have chanced a double first time. Now I have to stay conservative. Sigh.
Martin Henneberger: 4. Partner's hand has an extremely wide range here. I've learned to go middle of the road with these hands, especially when the 5-level isn't safe to explore. Keep balancing partner: I won't hang you!
Mike Hamilton: 5. Partner’s optional double promises spades. He was prepared to defend 4, so he should have minor-suit control cards. This unusual jump sets our trump suit, shows 2 losers in the opponent’s suit, and invites partner to bid on if he can.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 5. This hand can make slam opposite a decent 16 pointer with a stiff heart. Not enough bidding room for science, but worth a quantitative invite.
David Breton: Pass. I'll take my plus. On a good day, east will only get 7 heart tricks for -500.
Larry Meyer: 4. Pard asked if I had 4 spades - tell him the good news.
Mike Roberts: 4. So much for the big boy underwear. I don't want to punish partner, and we might not beat 4* enough.
Perry Khakhar: 5. I hate to push for a nonvul slam, but most hands that I can visualize are a lay down if partner has 2nd round heart control. So ask!
Paul Mcmullin: 5. Should ask partner to bid six with a heart control.
Chris Buchanan: Pass. I have good lead and we have the majority of the high card. Partner is allowed to be simply card rich and doesn't promise any suit. I will collect my plus here, whether it is bigger or smaller than bidding.
Brian Zietman: 4. Tough choice between 4 and 5. We may even have slam and 5 could be the best bid but what if partner then bids diamonds?
Chris Diamond: 4. Most likely game and pard may be stretching a bit. Someone will mutter something about total tricks but there may be a double fit.
Tim Francis-Wright: 4. Lots of black-suit calls could be right, although slam needs partner to have extras. I hope I can bid this in tempo, so partner can make a slam try with extra values.
Amiram Millet: 4. If partner is stronger than A K x x K x Q J T x x A x, he'll go on.
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