TGIF August 2011: Scores
| 1. Matchpoints. None vul.
|
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A 8 7 6 4 3 2
A J 10 3
K 4
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| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
1
|
Pass
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 13
| 100
|
|
4
| 2
| 70
|
|
2
| 2
| 60
|
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Dbl
| 1
| 50
|
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Moderator: A majority of the panel chooses 3 to describe this highly distributional hand in the balancing seat. Despite the ratty quality of the heart suit, there are seven of them, which has to count for something, right?
Allan Falk: Dbl. Not happy about this, but the only real alternatives are 3 or 4, and with such a moth-eaten suit, that seems silly to me. If partner leaves this double in, we'll get a decent score.
Betty Ann Kennedy: 3. I'm setting the trump suit and indicating a hand that can play at the three level.
Mike Lawrence: 3. Double goes against the grain since we may end up defending 1 doubled for plus 300 when we are cold for a grand slam. 4 is a very sane second choice.
Jeff Meckstroth: 4. I have too good a hand to consider stopping below game. I would also like to force a spade rebid from West to come at the four level.
The Coopers: 2. The hearts are poor and it is matchpoints. Partner likely has enough to bid 2NT or 3NT, then we can correct to 4. If we get passed in 2, we rate to make it.
Aidan Ballantyne: 3. Intermediate values with playing strength. If pard bids 3NT I'll have another problem.
Martin Henneberger: 3. A re-opening jump in pass out seat isn't weak. 2 seems a bit timid and distorted.
Larry Meyer: 2. Choosing a simple overcall so I can hear what pard has to say.
Eugene Chan: 2. 3 would suggest a similar hand with a better trump suit.
Stuart Carr: 2. I could bid 3, but my spots are so bad.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 3. The K x and 'solid' heart spots convinced me not to simply blast out 4 here.
Mike Roberts: 3. Intermediate. It actually feels like I'm a bit strong for this bid, but if I double it might be 3 when it gets back to me.
Perry Khakhar: 2. I am going to show a strong Michaels. I do have 11 cards in 2 suits! I will raise 3 to 4. If partner inquires about the minor, I will bid 3 to show the extras with extra heart length.
Chris Diamond: 3. I'd like a better suit, but 3 at least makes it harder for them to find a club fit if they have it while getting my general hand type across.
David Gordon: 2. Give partner a chance to make a constructive call. Not right to dbl without clubs.
Chris Buchanan: 2. Even if partner is trapping here, I would prefer to look for game in hearts.
Tim Francis-Wright: 3. I suppose I could bid 4, but there are enough misfit hands where 3 is the limit. Dbl followed by hearts risks trading +420 for +100 or +300.
Amiram Millet: 2. We might have a game, so punishing a spade contract isn't enough here.
Joel Forssell: 4. If I double pard might convert it to penalties.
John Gillespie: 4. Might make this with 3 trump losers when pard won't cooperate.
Brian Zietman: 2. Nice hand but not strong enough to double and then bid hearts.
Beverley Candlish: Dbl. I will double first and then bid hearts. My high card points only add up to 12 but the 7 card heart suit and the void in spades makes my bid worth 17 or 18 points. I want my partner to know I have a very good hand.
Kf Tung: 4. Best chance for your side for a good score and maximum pressure on the opponents.
|
| 2. Matchpoints. N-S vul.
| |
K J
9 8 4 3 2
A 7 3
Q 9 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
2
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Dbl
| 12
| 100
|
|
2
| 5
| 80
|
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2
| 1
| 50
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Moderator: The majority of the panel sees 10 points and doubles; the minority sees 10 points and takes a free bid.
Steve Robinson: Dbl. Looks like a four-card heart suit. Hand not quite good enough to bid 2.
Karen Walker: 2. Had to count it twice, but there are five hearts and 10 points, which is just what this bid promises.
Mel Colchamiro: 2. I've been doing this more and more with good results. K-J must be as good as x-x-x.
Aidan Ballantyne: Dbl. Maybe something good will happen. Second choice is a sneaky 2 raise.
Martin Henneberger: 2. This is a great problem. If I start with a negative double and pard retreats to 2 do I have enough to bid 3? The alternative is to force the auction by bidding 2 with this anemic suit. I like the K J and A, so overbid slightly with 2.
Larry Meyer: 2. Doubleton honours are as good as 3-card support.
Eugene Chan: Dbl. Expect this to be a near unanimous choice.
Stuart Carr: Dbl. Looks like a 4 card heart suit.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Dbl. It's a tough choice between double and 2. On this hand, I prefer to understate my strength rather than over-emphasizing my weak suit.
Mike Roberts: Dbl. 1. Might right-side the NT. 2. Might stay low. 3. I can claim I missorted my hand, and put down 2-4-4-3 as dummy.
Perry Khakhar: 2. I hate my suit quality but in all other aspects, I have a classic 2 bid. If partner makes a move towards game, I am going to suggest NT game!
Chris Diamond: Dbl. Could lose a 5-3 heart fit this way but spades may be ok and I can't bring myself to freely bid this suit.
David Gordon: Dbl. This is a minimum 2 call but will downgrade to a dbl because of the poor suit.
Chris Buchanan: Dbl. I am not keen on bidding such a trashy suit. If partner bids clubs I have no problem converting back to spades.
Tim Francis-Wright: 2. I'm more than happy to force for one round here. Double shows a weaker hand.
Amiram Millet: 2. Preferable over 2 or double.
Joel Forssell: 2. 2 8-11 5+ hearts non-forcing? I still bid it even if it's forcing.
John Gillespie: 2. Yuk but I feel better if pard bids 2 now instead of over a negative double.
Brian Zietman: Dbl. The most flexible - I can always bid no trumps later.
Beverley Candlish: 2. I would bid 2 with my 10 points and 5 hearts. My partner could bid 2 and I will go to 4. If he bids 2NT I will bid 3NT.
Kf Tung: 2. If pard bids 2, pass.
|
| 3. IMPs. E-W vul.
| |
A 6 5
K 8 4 3
A 9 5 4
6 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
Pass
|
Pass
| |
|
1
|
Dbl
|
1
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 7
| 100
|
|
2
| 5
| 90
|
|
2
| 3
| 70
|
|
1NT
| 1
| 60
|
|
Dbl
| 2
| 50
|
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Moderator: Twelve panelists choose bids that show a hand at the top of the passed-hand range.
August Boehm: Dbl. Our notes specify that low-level doubles are for takeout, so I'll make the systemic bid. But I don't believe it. Classically, this double shows 4+ spades - a useful weapon against a psych. I'd prefer an immediate 2 cuebid, invitational to game.
Larry Cohen: 3. No need to force game at these colours, especially if partner has only three hearts. I could double or cuebid, but that complicates matters when I have a relatively straightforward description available.
Steve Robinson: 2. I'd like to have five hearts. Unless partner has four hearts, 2 would get us too high.
Kerri Sanborn: 2. An easy cuebid looking for the heart fit. Many people play a 2 bid as natural. Second choice is 3, but we might be in a 4-3 fit there.
Stephen Vincent: 2. At the vulnerability it seems unlikely the opponents are fooling around. Downgrading the hand due to poor intermediates and flat shape.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2. Enough for the weaker of two cue bids.
Martin Henneberger: 2. Playing Billy Miller's recent curly cue bid column this would be a 2 cue showing limit plus in hearts. Let's go with that and hope the panel read it too. By the way who passes this hand in the modern world in 2nd chair white?
Larry Meyer: 3. Tell pard about my values and my 4-card major.
Eugene Chan: 3. Build in a little caution as partner's double might be light due to favourable vulnerability.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 2. We probably have a game here, so go slow. If the opponents bid again then we will nail them.
Mike Roberts: 3. Many people would have opened this hand. I think 2 is the cue, and 2 natural.
Perry Khakhar: 2. Why did I not open with this favourable vulnerability and 2.5 QTs? I will try catching up with a cuebid. Maybe the hand is better for 3NT from partner's side.
Chris Diamond: 3. I know nobody plays a double here as penalty anymore but even if it's responsive I don't have 2 places to play. The spade bid makes it less likely pard's only got 3 hearts.
David Gordon: 3. Make the standard value bid.
Chris Buchanan: 2. A free bid here shows 8-10 or its equivalent. No need to get too high.
Tim Francis-Wright: 2. With any luck, I'll know better what to do when the bidding comes back to me.
Amiram Millet: 3. Not shapely enough for a direct jump to 4.
Joel Forssell: 2NT. Asking pard to choose game; he could still bid 3 then I'd bid 3.
John Gillespie: 3. Pard knows I can be this strong as a passed hand in our style.
Brian Zietman: Dbl. I want partner to know that I have points and can compete for the partscore or double the opponents if they get too high.
Plarq Liu: 2. Free bid to show extras.
Beverley Candlish: 3. With 11 points, I would jump in hearts. My partner must have hearts with his double.
Kf Tung: 2. Confirm the trump suit before deciding on how much you can make as the auction develops.
|
| 4. Matchpoints. None vul.
| |
A K Q
A J 9 6 3 2
7 5 4
K
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
1
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 8
| 100
|
|
2
| 3
| 70
|
|
3
| 3
| 60
|
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2
| 2
| 50
|
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2
| 1
| 40
|
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3
| 1
| 40
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Moderator: This is a standard bidding problem in which every rebid is flawed. The panel chose 3 on this occasion.
Jill Meyers: 2. Were this IMPs, I would bid 3.
The Coopers: 2. This hand is too good in spite of the stiff king to raise to 2 or rebid 2 so we lurk with this phony 2 bid. We are hoping for 2 from partner so we can bid 2, showing support with extras.
Don Stack: 3. Because more than half my high-card points are in spades and my hearts are so poor, I will opt to bid 3. I've seen this problem a dozen times, and the three-card raise has never gotten the top score. Will this problem stop the streak?
The Gordons: 3. This hand and its cousins have shown up in bidding contests since before we were born. What do you do with such a flawed hand? Underbid with 2 or 2? Jump to 3 with only three? We choose the boring, mainstream 3.
The Joyces: 2. Would like to jump, but this hand has too many flaws.
Stephen Vincent: 3. Not pretty but the alternatives are worse.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2. Should be well placed if the auction carries on, particularly if pard preferences to 2. If it goes all pass, it could be right.
Martin Henneberger: 2. A bid that will not win the contest but hopefully has 1 vote. Bidding 2 will work out poorly when passed out but gain huge when pard takes a false preference back to hearts or makes any other call. I will be well placed to pattern out and show my strength on the next round.
Larry Meyer: 3. Tripleton honours are as good as 4-card support.
Eugene Chan: 2. Raising with the 3 biggest honours always merits consideration. Jumping to 3 flawed by broken heart suit.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 3. The spade suit blockage and lack of outside entries makes my hand unsuitable for play in spades (unless partner has 5 of them). I would like to bid 2.5.
Zoran Peca: 2. Probably an underbid.
Mike Roberts: 3. I can't claim the missort on this one, but I've owed partners trumps before.
Perry Khakhar: 3. Awkward hand! I would like to suggest some strength without committing the hand to a strain or a level. Give partner an easy 3 bid with 5+ spades if he has that. Granted, I might end up going down in 3 and 2 might make, but which game if any?
Chris Diamond: 2. The nightmare hand strikes again, they never tire of never getting a right answer. It would be nice to have an artificial 2 as a 1 round force. If the bidding ends here we could be ok.
Chris Buchanan: 2. 3 is a bit too much for this hand and 2 seems a little light. At matchpoints I choose the passive route.
Tim Francis-Wright: 4. Here's an ad for 3 (jump reverse) to show 3=6 in the majors here. With that unavailable, I will go with the least unpalatable lie.
Amiram Millet: 3. Describing my hand. Will bid 4 over 4m from partner.
Joel Forssell: 3. Fooling opps and wanting more info about pard's hand. If he raises clubs I can safely bid 4.
John Gillespie: 3. Anything could work except a 4-3 spade fit. I'll risk missing a 5-3.
Brian Zietman: 2. New minor forcing.
Plarq Liu: 4. Splinter.
Beverley Candlish: 3. I would jump to 3. I don't know the strength of my partner, only that he has 5 spades and 6+ points.
Kf Tung: 2. If pard passes 2, +140 or +170 would be a good score.
Bob Todd: 3. Yuch! There is no correct bid for this hand.
|
| 5. IMPs. Both vul.
| |
A Q J
8 7 4
K J 7 6 4 3
J
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
Pass
|
1
|
1
| |
|
2
|
Pass
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Dbl
| 11
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 6
| 80
|
|
2
| 1
| 60
|
|
Moderator: To reopen or not to reopen?
Barry Rigal: Dbl. The textbook hand for a double. Anyone who bids 2 might well deserve to buy a 5-3-1-4 dummy.
The Sutherlins: Dbl. We would like to have a better hand, but we must fight for a partial. Partner can easily have a five-card major, 8 HCP and unable to force with 2 or 2.
Karen Walker: Pass. I have nothing extra for my vulnerable overcall and with partner unable to scrape up a bid, I'll go quietly. We might lose a few IMPs for minus 90, but we won't lose a bundle for minus 500.
Mark Eddy: Pass. I wish I could bid 2 here, only because I made that call on hands 1 thru 4, but even I can't stomach that here.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. Partner, holding some values, was unable to bid over 2 in a very safe auction. It seems very likely he has clubs.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2. Close to passing as pard could not act over 2. This is a pretty poor hand, certainly not good enough to reenter with a double.
Martin Henneberger: Dbl. Partner could easily have a 5 card major and an 8 count without diamond support that could not bid freely at the 2 level fearing a misfit. A penalty double isn't out of the question either. Backing in with shortness raises partnership confidence.
Larry Meyer: 2. The extra diamond lets me make an extra bid.
Eugene Chan: 2. It is IMPs so no great urgency to balance. However, pass seems too wimpy.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Pass. At MPs the only question is 2 vs. Dbl. At IMPs, there is more to lose and less to gain. East could easily be 4-4-2-3 with no convenient bid over 2.
Mike Roberts: Dbl. I think the disciplined call is pass, and the net effect of not passing will probably be to turn -110 (in 2) to -110 (in 3).
Perry Khakhar: Dbl. If they have a fit, we have a fit! Right? Partner may have a 5 card major without the values for bidding. If he converts, I have what he expects in tricks.
Chris Diamond: Dbl. Seems automatic.
David Gordon: Pass. Dbl at matchpoints.
Chris Buchanan: 2. What? Where did the majors go? I suspect partner has them but not enough for a responsive dbl. Let's try and get them up one more level.
Tim Francis-Wright: Dbl. The only hand for partner that scares me is 3=3=3=4, but I would rather do that than bid 2 and see partner's 5=3=1=4.
Amiram Millet: Dbl. Most flexible. We might have a game in 4M.
Joel Forssell: Dbl. Take-out; ostensibly looking for a major fit.
John Gillespie: Pass. No responsive double or support from pard = no offence.
Brian Zietman: Pass. I hate to sell out on the 2 level but further action - like 2 - could prove very costly.
Plarq Liu: 2. Try to get the contract.
Beverley Candlish: 2. I would compete to 2 showing my 6 card suit. My partner doesn't know I have a real diamond suit.
Kf Tung: 2. Pard is expected to pass, but you can accept his 2 / 2 if he wants to bid his 5- or 6-card suit.
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