TGIF February 2011: Scores
| 1. IMPs. None vul.
|
10
A Q
A K 10 9 7 6
J 10 4 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
1
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 9
| 100
|
|
2
| 7
| 80
|
|
3
| 2
| 40
|
|
1NT
| 0
| 0
|
|
Moderator: With 6-4 distribution, experts often rebid their six-card suit with a minimum, but rebid their four-card suit with a little extra. In this case, half the panel choose 2. Why?
Karen Walker: 3. Pretty close to a textbook bid. With a suit this strong, there's no need to mislead partner about suit quality by rebidding 2.
The Sutherlins: 2. Our minor-suit disparity is too much to bid 2. A 6-1 diamond fit will play better than a 4-3 club fit.
August Boehm: 2. I'm in between 2 and 3, so I'll settle for the 2 temporizing move and bid 3 next, if I get the chance.
Michael Dimich: 2. You can be descriptive or else fall prey to the Sooey siren song of the No Trumpers.
Eugene Chan: 2. Can this be anything other than 2?
Richmond Williams: 2. Don't mislead partner into thinking you have two spades.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2. Not good enough to bid 2 followed by 3. I'll bid 3NT over 3 new minor.
Larry Meyer: 2. Seems right to bid out my shape.
Martin Henneberger: 2. My hand isn't good enough for a 3 bid and bidding 2 doesn't tell the right story. 2 describes what I hold.
Stephen Vincent: 2. Having a few extras.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 2. With a maximum minimum, 2 is more enouraging than the alternatives.
Chuck Arthur: 2. If I get by this round, I should be in good shape.
Perry Khakhar: 2. As much as I would like to get the NT in from my side, I can't see that the distortion is worth it. Go with my best descriptive bid and see what happens.
Rex Tu: 1NT. Waiting for partner to make a response, or no hope for game.
Brian Zietman: 2. My hand has not improved after partner's bid. This is the time to show my hand and let partner make the next move.
Chris Diamond: 2. I really want to bid 3 since Q x and A gives us a play for game, but I don't have to push too hard nonvul.
Tim Francis-Wright: 2. In theory, it may be sounder to rebid 2 here, but after a 2 continuation by partner, I'd lose the club suit.
Amiram Millet: 2. Strong enough to bid 6-4-6. Better than 3.
Mike Roberts: 2. When followed by 3, this shows a good 6-4. Isn't that what I have?
|
| 2. IMPs. N-S vul.
| |
9 4 2
---
10 9 7 6 5 4 3
J 5 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
Pass
|
2NT
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
5
| 11
| 100
|
|
3NT
| 5
| 50
|
|
Pass
| 2
| 30
|
|
Moderator: Playing notrump, you might have a lot of diamond tricks for partner, or you may have none - it all depends on what he has in diamonds. The panel majority chooses to shoot it out in 5.
Steve Robinson: 5. A 5 call is the cheapest number of diamonds that I can bid. I can't see passing 2NT and bidding 3NT is a long shot.
The Coopers: 3NT. 3NT should make whenever North has three diamonds, including a low one.
Mike Lawrence: Pass. My hope is that 2NT goes down less than 5.
Michael Dimich: 5. Make the same bid as your opponent at the other table.
Eugene Chan: 3. Initiating a sign-off sequence hoping to end at 4.
Alan Kemp-Gee: 3. Transfer to minors.
Richmond Williams: 3. Minor suit Stayman then bid diamonds.
Aidan Ballantyne: 5. Going with probable majority. However, I believe computer simulation has a slightly higher chance of finding 3-card diamonds opposite rather than two which makes 3NT a reasonable alternative. Stayman to find the 4-3 spade fit is too esoteric.
Larry Meyer: 3. This hand is worthless unless diamonds are trump - playing SAYC, this is the only way to get there.
Martin Henneberger: 3NT. Well if I'm going to take a shot might as well be 3NT and hope pard has 3 diamonds. If not, 2NT probably won't make either, so I'm not going to pass. Contracting for 11 tricks (5) seems silly when 9 might be there.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. Diamonds will play better but with no way of playing diamonds below the 5-level, it's best to take your medicine.
Craig T. Wilson: 3. Transfer to clubs, then I bid diamonds showing a weak hand.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 3. Wouldn't it be fun to bid 3 puppet stayman and cunningly right-side the contract (or else find out about partner's hearts)? BBS/AFRO doesn't assign a meaning to 3, but that's rarely stopped the panel before.
Judi Carter: 4. Assuming 4 is to play.
Chuck Arthur: Pass. I like to play a gadget that is perfect for this hand, but we're not, so...
Perry Khakhar: 5. Just in case we make. Tempting to try for a spade moysian, but what do you do after 3 - 3 - ?
Kees Schaafsma: Pass. Hope opps find a bid.
Rex Tu: Pass. No chance for game, and don't want opps find their heart contract.
Brian Zietman: 5. This is not a Yarborough! Lots of trick taking potential opposite 20-22 points.
Chris Diamond: Pass. If I knew the system there might be some way to wiggle out (e.g. puppet Stayman and a 3 reply, or a 5 card spade suit) but for now I'll play in a horrible contract undoubled.
Tim Francis-Wright: Pass. It would be great if I could claim that 3 here is a puppet that lets me sign off next round. But that's not in the system.
Amiram Millet: 5. The only possible game. We're Vul & it's IMPs.
Mike Roberts: 5. Might be cheaper than playing 2NT.
|
| 3. IMPs. Both vul.
| |
A 6 5
K J 10 2
A K 7 4 2
Q
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
1
|
Dbl
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2NT
| 13
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 3
| 30
|
|
1
| 1
| 10
|
|
2
| 1
| 10
|
|
1NT
| 0
| 0
|
|
Moderator: Bidding 2NT has two flaws: it is a slight overbid and you have a singleton club. Nevertheless, that's the choice of the majority.
The Gordons: 2NT. At matchpoints, we might roll the dice with a pass, but we think the more down-the-middle 2NT is called for at IMPs. What stiff club?
Larry Cohen: Pass. I pass because my partner recently tried this on an incredibly similar hand, and he was very right. The other benefit is that if this is a long match, my opponents are likely to keep in line if they know this sort of auction can occur.
Steve Robinson: 1. This is a good lesson hand where 1 shows exactly three spades with a hand unsuitable for bidding something else. With four spades and 11-14 high card points, bid 2. I expect a low score, but this is how one should respond to a negative double of 1.
Michael Dimich: 2NT. Be brave and invite game.
Eugene Chan: 1NT. Pretending my Q is worthless and bidding accordingly.
Anssi Rantamaa: 2NT. Too much chance of missing a game.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2NT. Don't tell me the 'winning' bid is to leave this in...
Larry Meyer: 1NT. Tell pard about heart stop. Stiff Q and hearts behind me prevent me from jumping.
Martin Henneberger: 2NT. Well I have a source of tricks in diamonds (hopefully) and extra values. Looks like a 2NT rebid to me. Stiff club? What stiff club? Who cares it's the queen and pard has me covered.
Stephen Vincent: 2NT. The practical bid.
Craig T. Wilson: 1NT. Gambling north has a club stopper.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 2NT. My heart holding gives me 2 likely stoppers in NT, but only 1 in spades.
Chuck Arthur: Pass. Anyone (other than me) open this hand 1NT?
Perry Khakhar: 1NT. Need 1.5 NT! Oh well, better to underbid when the hand sounds like it may potentially be a misfit. Too unilateral to pass and beat the contract 1.
Kees Schaafsma: Pass. Can't cost much, may gain a lot and alternatives are hard to find.
Brian Zietman: 3NT. Good heart stoppers, a good diamond suit, support for partner's spades. Clubs .. ? Well you can't expect everything.
Chris Diamond: 2NT. Too hard to defend 1, and pard is still unlimited and badly defined.
Tim Francis-Wright: 2. Annoyingly, they only overcalled at the 1-level so I can't leave it in. So, I'm kicking the problem back to partner.
Amiram Millet: 3NT. It has a great probability now.
Mike Roberts: 2NT. I'm trying to put in a spade with my clubs, but it's difficult on a computer screen.
|
| 4. Matchpoints. N-S vul.
| |
A J
A 5 2
A 10 7 3
A K 7 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
Pass
|
2NT
| |
|
3
|
4
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
5NT
| 10
| 100
|
|
5
| 4
| 80
|
|
4
| 2
| 20
|
|
4NT
| 1
| 10
|
|
Pass
| 1
| 0
|
|
Moderator: Ten experts bid 5NT to get partner to pick a slam.
Allan Falk: 5. Let's agree that 4 is Stayman, not a transfer. Partner could have bid 3 forcing, so he rates to have only a four-card spade suit. I can be certain, therefore, that he has at least one four-card minor, so I'm going for the gusto.
Mel Colchamiro: 5NT. . . pick a slam, but not spades. With spade support, I would bid 5. Partner is a lock to hold at least one minor.
Michael Dimich: 5. I may as well make the most powerful slam approach bid in the limited context of my 2NT. bid.
Eugene Chan: 4NT. 4 should be Stayman. 4NT denies 4 spades. Will raise any minor to six.
Aidan Ballantyne: 5NT. If pard bids a minor I am raising to seven, believing 4 to be a slam try. I can probably make 6 if pard was transferring to spades.
Larry Meyer: 5. Pard made a cue bid with no aces, so let's play a slam in his best minor.
Martin Henneberger: 5. Whatever partner is up to I like it, and will tell them so by bidding 5. I don't see any reason to bid 4 or 5 of a minor and blasting 5NT pick a slam is too space consuming.
Stephen Vincent: 5. Love those controls.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 4NT. This caters to most of the possible meanings of partner's cue bid.
Chuck Arthur: 4. I assume 4 in a transfer to 4, or is that not allowed here?
Perry Khakhar: 5NT. 4 and 4 feel like natural and forcing. 4NT is for the minors. So, this must be a slam try in spades. Well I have the Aces and the bonus J. What better hand can he possibly want?
Kees Schaafsma: 4NT. Diamonds and/or clubs may break badly, along with a heart (or spade) loser 6-of-a-minor seems too risky.
Rex Tu: 4NT. Ask partner to bid 4-card suit.
Brian Zietman: 6. Showing my best suit and forcing to slam.
Chris Diamond: 4. I assume a transfer until told otherwise. If he bids again I'll raise it to confuse him too.
Tim Francis-Wright: 5NT. Partner's bid is Stayman(ish) and shows the values for 4NT. I don't know where to play this, but I have a bonanza here, so she gets to pick a slam.
Amiram Millet: 4NT. On the way (at least) to 6NT now.
Mike Roberts: 5NT. Pick a slam?
|
| 5. IMPs. None vul.
| |
A 5
Q
6 5 4 3
K Q 6 5 4 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
4
|
Pass
|
Pass
| |
|
4NT
(1)
|
Pass
|
5
(2)
| ? |
| (1) Two-suiter.
| | (2) Pass or correct.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
5
| 7
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 6
| 90
|
|
Dbl
| 5
| 50
|
|
Moderator: This problem produced three choices, each earning about the same number of votes.
Jeff Meckstroth: Dbl. They may not stay here, but you never know!
Jill Meyers: Pass. I have no idea if I can beat anything including a slam. I'm concerned if I double 5, I'll get a club lead when I really want a spade lead.
Kerri Sanborn: 5. Double won't do any good when West gets his next bid to show the red suits. Let's make him decide now whether he wants to force to the six level.
Michael Dimich: Pass. Double is equivalent to breaking wind at the table. You want partner to lead spades. If West is short in spades and ends up in a diamond contract then one tap may take trump control away from them.
Eugene Chan: Dbl. If playing Namyats, 5 might be the right call. Unfortunately, we are left guessing. I will double first. Guess later.
Aidan Ballantyne: 5. If I pass they will find their fit and probably make 5 or 6. If I bid now it may derail them completely.
Larry Meyer: Dbl. Not interested in bidding at the 5-level - let pard know that he can safely lead clubs.
Martin Henneberger: 5. With partner opening 4 our side is well placed in the info exchange department. The opps are both in the dark as to the others holding. Make them completely guess.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. Best to avoid the reflexive lead-directing double, as a club lead is unlikely to be advantageous.
Craig T. Wilson: Pass. I will bid 5 if West corrects.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Pass. Doubling for the lead is more likely to help declarer than partner.
Chuck Arthur: Dbl. ... then bid 5 when this gets corrected to 5 of a red suit.
Perry Khakhar: 5. They are on their way to 5 and I will want to bid 5 then! So, we may as well cut out any further communication and bid 5 now.
Kees Schaafsma: Dbl. What meets the eye, passing seems pretty pointless.
Rex Tu: 5. Make opp guess at 6 level.
Brian Zietman: 5. Have to show partner I have competing values.
Chris Diamond: 5. Since you know they're going to bid a red suit, pre-empt it in case they have a big fit. I think pard can probably muster 9 tricks.
Tim Francis-Wright: Dbl. Telling partner where my values are can't be wrong here.
Amiram Millet: Pass. Should bid (at least) 5 instead of pass before.
Mike Roberts: 5. The big advantage of this bid is that they can't find their heart fit now (presuming LHO has the reds).
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