TGIF June 2009: Scores
| 1. IMPs. None vul.
|
---
A J 9 4 3
8 6 5 2
K 10 3 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
1
|
Dbl
|
4
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
5
| 9
| 100
|
|
4NT
| 6
| 70
|
|
Dbl
| 1
| 50
|
|
Pass
| 1
| 40
|
|
Moderator: Nine experts heard their partner double, saw they had five hearts and felt they knew what to do. Six panelists chose a route to find the best playable strain. Either way, the majority felt that 4 was likely to make, and bid on.
Bridge Baron: Pass. I am used to playing with humans who usually overbid.
Allan Falk: 4NT. Sometimes North does not have a four-card heart suit and my five-card heart suit is getting tapped early and often. North is sure to have at least one four-card minor, and now the tap does no harm.
Jeff Meckstroth: 5. This seems clear to me. I suppose we might belong in a minor, but I don't know how to find out scientifically.
Steve Robinson: 4NT. I want to play in partner's best suit.
Eugene Chan: Dbl. Take my plus. Only NV game at stake. Partner needs a huge hand for us to miss slam.
Stephen Ottridge: 4NT. Any suit you like partner.
Aidan Ballantyne: 4NT. Intended as general take-out. If pard interprets this as minors, we still have a good chance of landing on our feet.
Mike Hamilton: Dbl. We hold about half the deck, a DSIP situation. I’m asking partner to pass with a suitably defensive hand or to bid otherwise. Partner should declare hearts to protect the diamonds. Will he read all these tea leaves? A good test for the partnership.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 5. With reservations... partner's double has a wide range, so I am forced to guess. We have no sensible means to find a penalty double outside of hand signals, so defending has a limited upside. So bid on and hope we can make 5 (or they can make 4).
Martin Henneberger: 4NT. I certainly won't sell out to 4, and I would need a crystal ball to envision slam, so 4NT pick a place to play stands out to me.
Larry Meyer: Dbl. Ask pard to decide if we should declare or defend.
Mike Roberts: 5. It's going to go 5 - P - P, and I won't know what to do. But I can't see anything else.
Kees Schaafsma: 4NT. 5 may provoke 5 and clubs may play better than hearts.
Brian Zietman: 5. Partner pick your slam.
David Gordon: 5. Partner asked for your longest suit. Bid your longest suit.
Vlad Lenin: 4NT. Pick a game.
Leo Weniger: 4NT. After pard picks minor, would bid 5 to show a better hand than 5 direct.
Chris Diamond: 5. Ok, I'll bite.
Tim Francis-Wright: 5. *&^#! kids and their newfangled pre-empts.
Amiram Millet: Dbl. Take out on this shape, but, consulting with partner.
|
| 2. IMPs. None vul.
| |
K 8 3
A 7 6
A
A K 8 7 5 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
1
|
1
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 5
| 100
|
|
2NT
| 4
| 90
|
|
3NT
| 3
| 80
|
|
3
| 3
| 70
|
|
2
| 2
| 50
|
|
4
| 0
| 30
|
|
2
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: A good problem is one that has at least three possible answers. This one has five. You have a six-card club suit and extra values, but there are flaws with all the possible calls.
Don Stack: 2NT. This is the same bid I would have made if right-hand opponent had passed. If I had one less club and one more diamond, this would be a picture-perfect bid. If we have a club slam, we might still get there.
The Colchamiros: 3NT. What is Hamman's Rule? Oh yes, if 3NT is a possible contract, bid it.
Richard Freeman: 2. Let's hear what partner has to say. You are too good for 3 and it's the wrong hand for 2NT.
Jill Meyers: 2. If partner has a spade stopper, I want the lead coming to her hand.
Eugene Chan: 1NT. With anything less I can pass.
Stephen Vincent: 3. Premature to bid NT, particularly with a stiff ace in partner's suit.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2. Show good hand now, allow room to explore. Try to get to 3NT from other side if pard has Qx or Jxx of spades.
Mike Hamilton: Dbl. I want a descriptive bid from a partner who didn’t show a 4-card major at his first turn. East’s spade overcall following a passed partner sounds like noise. This hand likely plays in a no-trump game, but maybe with my top cards, a club slam is on.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 2NT. The diamond suit is irrelevant. 3NT has good chances if partner has as little as xxx in spades or Qx in clubs.
Martin Henneberger: 3NT. This hand is too good for 3. False reversing into hearts leads to nothing but trouble, so I bid the practical trick taking 3NT.
Larry Meyer: 3NT. Bid the most likely game.
Mike Roberts: 3. I considered 2, but didn't see what it would accomplish. The stiff A is bad.
Brian Zietman: 2NT. Partner if you have more than 6 points then bid 3NT please.
David Gordon: 3NT. Too good for 3.
Chris Diamond: 2. I need to know a lot more. Hope pard can tell me something.
Tim Francis-Wright: 3. I would love to have a better suit than this, but I also want a pony from Santa this year.
Amiram Millet: 2NT. Closest to honest.
|
| 3. IMPs. Both vul.
| |
8 5
K 8 5 3
4
A Q 8 7 5 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
Pass
|
Pass
|
3
|
Pass
| |
|
Pass
|
Dbl
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 5
| 100
|
|
4
| 5
| 90
|
|
4
| 4
| 80
|
|
3
| 3
| 70
|
|
5
| 0
| 40
|
|
Moderator: You have a nice hand, but partner is a passed hand. How hard do you push?
Barry Rigal: 4. This is a horrible bid for a horrible problem. The heart fit might be 4-3 or splitting badly. I can envision 4 going set and 6 making. But the balance of probability is to head for the major and not the minor.
Karen Walker: 3. I can't see game, but partner rates to be 4-4 in the majors to bounce back in at these colors, so 3 should be a decent spot.
The Coopers: 4. Let's make the safest bid. We open aggressively, so cannot construct a passed hand where game is very good.
Eugene Chan: 4. Despite my 9 HCPs opposite my partner's passed hand we are contracting for 10 tricks. Nasty surprises in store for heart contracts and I am retreating to the relative safety of my 6 card suit.
Stephen Vincent: 4. The absence of any wasted values in diamonds, and the failure of West to bid 3NT with presumably a 10-11 count and 3 including a high card, suggests that partner's values are prime.
Eurydice Nours: 4. If pard bids 4, I can bid 5.
Stephen Ottridge: 4. 10 tricks easier than 11.
Aidan Ballantyne: 4. Tough one. I choose this approach as I may bid 4 over their possible 4.
Mike Hamilton: 4. Two passed hands, a vulnerable pre-empt, and I’m looking at only 9 HCP? Both first and second seat sat in the weeds with near-opening bids. It’s time for the safest bid, not a search for a tenuous heart fit with the suit possibly breaking badly.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 4. There's something fishy here... after pass-pass-preempt, shouldn't I at least have an opening hand? Unless he has found an ace lying on the floor it looks like partner is hanging me. With limited entries to setup the clubs I'm not going to gamble on 3.
Martin Henneberger: 4. This problem is from another bidding contest. If I remember correctly the winning vote was 4.
Larry Meyer: 3. Pard did good by balancing - don't hang him.
Mike Roberts: 3. I'm not going to punish partner for balancing, and majors first always.
Kees Schaafsma: 3. Pard should be 4432 exactly.
Brian Zietman: 4. Partner is a passed hand so I can't risk bidding hearts.
Bob Todd: 4. I'll bid 4 over 4.
David Gordon: 4. Just looking for the safest spot.
Chris Diamond: 4. Was just going to bid 4 but if pard bids 4 he may have only 3, and he'll let me play 5.
Tim Francis-Wright: 3. 4 could be better, but partner is likely to have real hearts on this auction.
Amiram Millet: 4. Will change 4 to 5. Very pure.
|
| 4. IMPs. None vul.
| |
K 10 8
4
A K J 3 2
A Q 9 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
2
|
Dbl
| |
|
4
|
4
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 13
| 100
|
|
4NT
| 0
| 60
|
|
5
| 3
| 60
|
|
5NT
| 1
| 30
|
|
5
| 0
| 30
|
|
5
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: Most of the panel choose to pass. You have a nice hand, but only three-card spade support. Also, partner acted under pressure, so he has a wide range of hand values. While there are dreams of slam, it's important to secure your sure game at IMPs.
Don Stack: 5. I think this hand is worth a bid. 5 shows both minor-suit aces and a heart control. This leaves the final decision on slam up to partner who should focus on good trumps.
Kerri Sanborn: Pass. The double preempts have done their damage. I'm not sure whether partner has a good hand or bad. We could miss slam or be in danger if I bid on.
Eugene Chan: Pass. I am content if partner makes 4! Highly unlikely to miss slam.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. Can't expect partner to be able to fill all the holes.
Aidan Ballantyne: 4NT. A bit agressive, but sometimes pard has a good hand and you get to a grand. Playing pard for at least a 5-cd spade suit.
Mike Hamilton: 5. Partner will have spades for his free bid. I likely hold our side’s control in hearts, so trump quality and the filler-cards to my minor-suit holdings are the keys to slam. I’m asking partner to take another look at his trumps (and his minors?).
Andrew Krywaniuk: Pass. Don't risk a cold game for an outside chance at slam.
Martin Henneberger: Pass. Wow this is a bidding problem? Ok uh pass and hope partner makes it.
Larry Meyer: 5. Tell pard about my strength.
Judi Carter: 5. How come I can't double?
Mike Roberts: Pass. I don't have THAT much extra, and partner can be very wide range. Preempts work.
Kees Schaafsma: Pass. Is partner supposed to pass on Qxxxx/xx/Qxxx/Kx?
Brian Zietman: 4NT. Partner made a free bid. Slam looks on if we are not missing 2 aces.
Bob Todd: Pass. Partner may already be removing some of the pressure.
Chris Diamond: 4NT. RKC, and hope. Could be cold for 7 could go down in 5. Guessing to go.
Tim Francis-Wright: 4NT. Even if partner is joking here, a 5-level contract would still have play.
Amiram Millet: Pass. Might have more, but, it's a guess now.
|
| 5. Matchpoints. E-W vul.
| |
J
7 6
Q 10 9 8 5
K 8 6 5 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
Pass
| |
|
2
|
Dbl
|
3
|
4
| |
|
4
|
Pass
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 11
| 100
|
|
5
| 3
| 60
|
|
4NT
| 1
| 30
|
|
Dbl
| 2
| 30
|
|
Moderator: Even though you may have pushed the opponents to a game they weren't bidding, the majoriy spurn the temptation to make up for that and pass over 4.
August Boehm: Dbl. Partner's live-seat double shows extra values, and because I have the diamonds locked up, what will they find for tricks?
Larry Cohen: 5. I fear this may be down one and they're down one, but I'm bidding. I tried to buy it for 4 and am reconsidering. I feel like I may have pushed them into a making 4, and now they are pushing me around!
Mike Lawrence: Pass. Didn't I bid 4 already? Partner does not promise four-card club support. He is likely to have 2-5-3-3 distribution with good values.
Lynn Deas: Pass. If I was going to bid one more, I would have done so after 3. I've shown my hand.
Brad Bart: 5. If partner hitched over 4, this might not stand up in court.
Eugene Chan: Pass. It is not clear who can make what. I will take my chances defending.
Stuart Carr: Pass. If I bid 4 on last round, I could bid 5 now. Or I could bid 3NT to show both minors (as previous pass denied values).
Stephen Vincent: Pass. Having basically pushed them into game we must be consistent and defend.
Gilbert Lambert: Dbl. . . and lead spades.
Aidan Ballantyne: Pass. Pard heard my free bid and knows I don't have heart support but could not double. No reason to go higher. I give.
Mike Hamilton: Pass. Partner asked me to bid after I had passed and I did, freely at the 4-level at that. Now he has passed quietly. Suits are breaking badly, so best to defend. I hope we pushed them one too high and we beat a borderline game for a plus score.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Dbl. It looks we have pushed the opponents into a game they would not otherwise have bid. I'm not very confident we can set 4, but now I'm forced to double on principle.
Martin Henneberger: 5. Tough problem at first glance, however breaking it down became easier. I envision partner's hand something like 2 A K x x x K x x A J x x which has a play for 5 and when the opps have short diamonds opposite short clubs, a play for 4. 2 way action.
Larry Meyer: Pass. Choose to defend when the deal is a misfit.
Mike Roberts: Dbl. Matchpoint insanity, but I don't think I'm getting many if they make this, and I think we're plus in 4.
Kees Schaafsma: Dbl. Lead: 7.
Brian Zietman: Pass. I have nothing to bid if partner cannot raise to 5 then maybe they go down.
David Gordon: 4NT. Enough shape to compete to the 5 level.
Chris Diamond: Pass. Could X for 200, or 790, but maybe 4 wasn't making and plus 100 is good.
Tim Francis-Wright: Pass. Sticking my neck out with 4 was enough, thank you.
Amiram Millet: Pass. Tempting to bid 5 but accept partner's decision.
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