TGIF May 2009: Scores
| 1. IMPs. Both vul.
|
5 3
A 9
A Q J 10 9
A K J 9
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
Pass
|
1
|
Dbl
| |
|
4
|
Pass
|
Pass
| ? |
Do you agree with South's double?
| | Votes | Award
|
|
Yes
| 12
| 50
|
|
No
| 6
| 35
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 8
| 50
|
|
Dbl
| 7
| 45
|
|
4NT
| 3
| 25
|
|
5
| 0
| 10
|
|
Moderator: Bridge players hate to double 1 of a major with a doubleton in the other major, but your hand is so strong that the majority of the panel felt that the initial double was best. But when West ups the ante with 4, there is no clear cut action.
Steve Robinson: Pass. I try not to double when I don't have support for an unbid major. I would have overcalled 2. At my second turn, I can't double because partner might bid hearts. I can't bid 4NT because partner will bid clubs with equal length in the minors.
Kerri Sanborn: Pass. An overcall is insufficient with this hand. It is good enough to double and then bid diamonds, especially because my suit has texture. Now, Double is unattractive because partner could easily pull with a long heart suit.
Lynn Deas: Dbl. I don't like doubling with shortness in the unbid major, but I do have 19 high-card points. I double at my second turn, aware of the dangers. Partner should be flexible and bid 4NT if he is going to pull.
Eugene Chan: Dbl. Partner should not pull this double without a 6 card suit and spade shortage.
Stuart Carr: Dbl. Playing mini-max 2NT, an early 2NT bid gives opportunity to show hand, and later double would be clearer.
Stephen Vincent: 4NT. Partner rates to have a stiff spade and so, unless he has exceptional length in hearts, 4 cards in one of the minors. The worst case is a a 2-5-3-3 hand in which case we're going for a number. Maybe we're going for a number anyway.
Aidan Ballantyne: Dbl. Pard should only pull with shape which would suit me fine (even a pull to 5 might work out if pard has 6-cd suit). They may make 4 doubled if left in but can't afford to give up. May try 4NT w/ 4-5 minors but not 5-4 (pard will bid 5 with 3-3 minors).
Martin Henneberger: Dbl. My 1st double I agree with is takeout or big hand. Well I have a big hand. Doubling the 2nd time is good for many reasons. If pard pulls, they better learn 4NT scrambling and not blast 5. A flatter hand will pass for a plus.
Mike Hamilton: Dbl. My two doubles should show a strong hand and a willingness to defend. If partner pulls this, I expect to make our bid. On this auction, this looks like our best path to a plus score.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 4NT. The strength & shape of the hand could also be expressed with unusual 2NT followed by a cue-bid, but the disadvantage that it essentially shuts out 3NT if partner has Kx(xx) in spades (a bigger problem at MPs than IMPs).
David Breton: Dbl. Game requires cards to be well placed AND entries into pard's hand. 4-X is likely to yield a (possibly sizeable) plus score even when pard fails to produce an entry. It seems bidding on works only when YOU are sacrificing against a making 4.
Larry Meyer: 4NT. Too strong to double, ask pard to pick a minor.
Mike Roberts: 5. If partner has a stiff spade, he might pull a double to 5. This is a safe bid; I can't bid 4NT because partner will bid clubs with 3-3.
Joel Forssell: 4NT. Pick your longest minor partner.
Kees Schaafsma: Pass. Lacking hearts I can't very well double again, can I? North probably hasn't enough entries to survive in 5 or 5.
Bob Todd: Dbl. I'm hoping partner bids 4NT. A direct 4NT is too strong of a position.
Chris Buchanan: Dbl. Too much to pass. Generally not a fan of the first double however you simply have too much for an overcall.
Brian Zietman: 4NT. The chances are that partner would bid hearts which is exectly what I do NOT want. I would bid 2NT (which like Michaels I play strong or weak) and now I have to bid 4NT for minors.
Chris Diamond: Dbl. 1st dbl makes 2nd dbl necessary.
Tim Francis-Wright: 4NT. Double is fine. But another double is not. Pass could work, but 4NT is the best description of my hand.
Perry Khakhar: 4NT. I would love to go back and bid 2NT followed by double which might get us to 5 or 6 of a minor or +800 or better intelligently, but if we don't have this option available, we are stuck with 4NT (and a potential minus score) now!
Amiram Millet: Pass. Not sure how to find the right minor - if there is one. No Dbl playing IMP.
|
| 2. Board-a-Match. None vul.
| |
8 3
K Q J 9 7 4 2
Q 2
8 5
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1NT
|
Pass
|
4
| |
|
Dbl
|
4
|
Pass
|
Pass
| |
|
4
|
Pass
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
5
| 15
| 100
|
|
Dbl
| 3
| 30
|
|
Pass
| 0
| 0
|
|
Moderator: Your hand is 7222 distribution, and that says don't go higher, but partner failed to double 4, which says bid more. Because the South hand offers no defense, most of the panel elect to bid on, even though they expect a minus score.
Barry Rigal: Dbl. If we cannot make 5, and I don't think we will, then double may be our last plus score. My side-suit pattern suggests that we can't make 5 unless partner had bid it at his turn.
Larry Cohen: 5. If partner couldn't double 4, I'm afraid they are making it.
The Sutherlins: 5. Partner isn't loaded on defense or he would have doubled. Our best chance to be plus seems to be on offense. Maybe we'll have a shot to double 5.
Eugene Chan: Dbl. Don't like my chances at the five level. Hope to score a plus.
Stuart Carr: 5. I expect only 300 on the double, so let's hope we make 5.
Joel Martineau: 5. I trust that partner's 4 bid showed hearts and denied a diamond control.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. Too many losers to bid 5. Not enough defense to double, even if we have most of the points. Hope to beat it a trick.
Aidan Ballantyne: 5. 7-2-2-2 is bad for going higher but I have no defense and pard's pass encourages more bidding.
Martin Henneberger: 5. When I ask myself if they could realistically make 4 or could we realistically make 5 the answer is yes to both questions. That makes me a bidder. West has shown diamonds and spades and pard couldnt hit 4. Classic 3 way shot!
Mike Hamilton: 5. Partner’s well-defined hand is not a clear-cut double. If he needs a little help defending a spade contract, I have none, but I do have an extra heart. If we lose the board because the other table wasn’t pushed beyond game, then kudos to West.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Dbl. I'm not going to bid 5 with two quick spade losers. With no extra values on offense or defense, I'm not confident we can set 4, but at BAM scoring it's too risky not to double.
David Breton: 5. A game theory problem. Since pard couldn't hit 4 we are losing the board now unless 5 happens to make. But bidding 5 is wrong when it goes down and our teammates also found the 4 sac...
Larry Meyer: Dbl. Our hand, but unsafe at the 5-level.
Mike Roberts: 5. We're in a forcing auction, and I have no defence at all. Pass might be right, but it's anti-partnership.
Joel Forssell: 5. Zero defensive tricks.
Kees Schaafsma: 5. Just bidding 15 total losers.
Bob Todd: 5. Who knows whose hand this is?
Chris Buchanan: Dbl. Well this may make, but I am more certain that 5 will not. Trying to collect the largest plus possible.
Brian Zietman: 5. Partner made a forcing pass of 4 and I have no defence so I must bid 5.
Chris Diamond: Pass. Balanced with nothing extra so pass.
Tim Francis-Wright: Pass. it would be good if we had an agreement over the double, but I have neither the defense to double nor the shape to bid 5.
Perry Khakhar: Dbl. Do Some thing Intelligent double. Our Texas showed no real defence. Q x is some defence. Let partner decide!
Amiram Millet: Pass. I've told my story already. My hand is weaker now.
|
| 3. Board-a-Match. N-S vul.
| |
A K J
9 8 5
J 8 7
K Q 9 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
Pass
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
1
|
Dbl
|
Rdbl
(1)
|
1NT
| |
|
Pass
|
Pass
|
2
|
Pass
| |
|
Pass
|
Dbl
|
Pass
| ? |
| (1) Maximum pass.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 11
| 100
|
|
2NT
| 7
| 80
|
|
Moderator: Your side has the majority of the points and you have good trumps: that argues for passing 2 doubled. You may only set 2 one trick and can make more declaring a partscore: that argues for bidding.
August Boehm: Pass. Anyone who doesn't convert this cooperative double is forever labeled a chicken.
Karen Walker: Pass. After passing 1NT, the double is penalty. I'm happy to be loaded in spades.
The Coopers: 2NT. Bidding 2NT is looking for a better plus score than plus 100.
Eugene Chan: Pass. It is BAM. If 2-X makes, the sun will still rise tomorrow.
Gilbert Lambert: Pass. I have described my hand. Pard is in charge now.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2NT. Have a terrible hand and expect to go down but this call makes my J worth something.
Martin Henneberger: 2NT. Pard's a passed hand but has asked me to not defend 2 unless it's right. I can't imagine more than 6 defensive tricks at best for 100. If 2NT is passed fine, if not I will play a 3 level suit contract.
Mike Hamilton: Pass. I have shown a balanced hand below a 1NT opening and where my strength lies. It looks like West is a little light for his overcall and partner is willing to play our no-trump contract on defense. Let’s see what West does now.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Pass. This is a penalty double of West's psyche/feather-light overcall. Having already shown values in two suits, partner can't expect me to compete in a third suit at the 3 level.
David Breton: Pass. A BAM double. Partner thinks it's our part score (he was ready to compete to 2, passed 1N and is now doubling). So now we must double them and hope for 2 down (or 1 down when we were getting +90)
Larry Meyer: Pass. With 4333 shape, not going to the 3-level.
Mike Roberts: Pass. Why not? It's only a board, and I have nothing to say...
Joel Forssell: Pass. Probable psychic 1; in limited aution pard's X must be for penalties.
Kees Schaafsma: 2NT. T/O else would have passed the double.
Chris Buchanan: 3NT. We are not going to get rich in 2-x and 3NT should have a real good play. The vulnerability makes me bid 3NT.
Brian Zietman: Pass. Surely we have good defence here.
Chris Diamond: Pass. If we can make 2NT we may beat 2 two tricks so pass.
Perry Khakhar: Pass. If you have to trust your RHO or your Partner (both showing max passed hands), decision should be easy.
Amiram Millet: Pass. Hope to find partner with: 9 8 x A J x x Q x x J T x. A trump lead will set the contract.
|
| 4. IMPs. Both vul.
| |
Q 5
9
A J 10 9 6 4
K 9 4 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
3
|
Dbl
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
5
| 14
| 100
|
|
3NT
| 2
| 40
|
|
4
| 2
| 30
|
|
Moderator: The panel majority saw a good six-card suit with some values and bid 5.
Richard Freeman: 5. I don't have the courage to try 3NT against a vulnerable preempt.
Mike Lawrence: 3NT. Where is Hamman when you need him? This is a guess. A 3NT contract makes opposite a lot of North hands when 5 or 5 doesn't.
Eugene Chan: 5. Might make 4 or 5 or 6 or even 7! Who knows?
Aidan Ballantyne: 5. Have too much for 4 (though that might be right). 4NT and 3NT and Pass are too esoteric.
Martin Henneberger: 5. Well middle-of-the-road Martin says, 3NT is for cowboys, 4 is wimpy, 6 of anything is rosey, that leaves a value bid of 5.
Mike Hamilton: 5. Partner needs a good hand to double a 3 opening. I have 8 working HCP in the minors plus credit for diamond length. A simple response of 4 could be made on much less, so a jump bid here is the way to show a suit and values.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 5. Where are the hearts? The fact that partner didn't bid 4 directly implies enough minor suit values to make 5 a possibility.
David Breton: 5. Once again the preempt causes trouble. Who knows where we belong? I have a strong preference for diamonds so I'll set the trump suit with one bid.
Larry Meyer: 5. Show my suit and my strength.
Mike Roberts: Pass. In my youth I would have bid 3NT. In my middle age I would have bid 4. Now, I'm old, and pass.
Joel Forssell: 3NT. Have half stopper, 3NT possibly better when pard has hearts.
Kees Schaafsma: 5. Value bid.
Chris Buchanan: 5. 4NT is a possibility however if partner is 3-3 in the minors I want to be in diamonds. I would expect on this auction, 5 and 5 will be the same contract anyways.
Brian Zietman: 5. Hope we don't have a slam on here. These preempts are so effective.
Chris Diamond: 5. 5 will probably go down but 4 is insufficient, wish I had the nerve to bid 3NT.
Tim Francis-Wright: 3NT. My only worry is that East has K x and partner has something like 9 x A Q x x K x x A Q x x with 5 almost laydown.
Perry Khakhar: 4. My all-in bid! On a good day, small slam is possible in one of the minors. Maybe partner will punt with K T x and bid 4NT. Pass what ever Partner chooses to do.
Amiram Millet: 4. If there is more, partner has his bid yet.
|
| 5. IMPs. Both vul.
| |
A Q J 8 5 4 2
J 10 7 3
A
8
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
2
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 14
| 100
|
|
4
| 3
| 30
|
|
4
| 1
| 10
|
|
4
| 0
| 10
|
|
3
| 0
| 0
|
|
3
| 0
| 0
|
|
Moderator: Responding 1 with the south hand seems normal enough. After North's 2 rebid, however, you have to bid 3 as 4th-suit forcing. Most of the experts did just that, but didn't like it.
Barry Rigal: 3. Where was my 2 jump at my first turn? Strong jump shifts make these deals rather easy. Now, I have to bid 3 to set up a game force and take it from there.
Eugene Chan: 3. Reluctant FSGF. Life is so much easier with initial strong jump shift to 2.
Stephen Vincent: 3. A jump shift on the first round would have made life easier.
Stephen Ottridge: 3. Don't want clubs led wherever we end up; new minor forcing too.
Aidan Ballantyne: 3. Force to game, raise hearts next and probably blackwood to follow.
Martin Henneberger: 3. Well thanks for the 1 forced call, now I've endplayed myself into when can I show hearts and force at the same time puzzle? So I guess I have to try to untangle this future convoluted auction with 3 forcing clubs.
Mike Hamilton: 3. Jump in spades, jump in hearts, or 4th-suit forcing? This one depends on methods. The forcing bid in BBS is the 4th suit and this is the only bid that keeps slam possibilities open. Partner can show or deny spades and I can show my heart support.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 3. I might have tried a 2 bid initially if playing strong jump-shifts. If I bid 4 or 3 now, partner won't know just how close to slam we are. So I bid an ambiguous 4SF, hoping partner will return to hearts or spades.
David Breton: 3. You found a 9-card major suit fit before your first bid: make a freaking game forcing raise before you go horsing around for god sake. How about: 1-J2N-3*-4-4-KeyCard-etc or even 1-3!! (splinter on your 7-bagger to let pard Q-bid the A)
Larry Meyer: 3. 4th suit forcing to game.
Mike Roberts: 3. This is a sick way to bid this hand, but I'm too strong for 4, and anything else is masterminding. Actually, if 2 wasn't strong, I might have bid 2NT over 1.
Kees Schaafsma: 3. If pard bids 3NT, I bid 5.
Chris Buchanan: 3. What? No first question if you agree with 1? I wish I had not backed myself into this corner. Well let's put the game force on for now.
Brian Zietman: 4NT. Time to roll out the old Black and see how high we go.
Chris Diamond: 3. 4th suit forcing to look for slam but this, unfortunately, is the most space consuming auction.
Tim Francis-Wright: 3. You know, a first-round 4 would have solved this, but we do what we have to.
Perry Khakhar: 3. My first bid is insane with such a powerful hand for hearts! What was wrong with a club splinter? Oh well, I am stuck with the ridiculous 4th suit and trying to catch up at the 4 level.
Amiram Millet: 3. 4SF. It might help them find a save, but we may belong in grand slam.
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