TGIF November 2011: Scores
| 1. IMPs. Both vul.
|
A Q
K 7 5 4 2
9 7 4
K Q 10
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
1
|
Pass
|
1
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 8
| 100
|
|
2
| 6
| 70
|
|
Dbl
| 4
| 50
|
|
Moderator: Because of its flat distribution and poor heart suit, almost half the panel opted not to barge into a live auction with this hand.
Jeff Meckstroth: Dbl. Our most likely game is 4. However minus 200 when we can make 130 in clubs is almost as costly as missing a game.
Barry Rigal: 2. Please hide my answers from actual/potential partners. I know how unsound this is, but when people play support doubles, they tend not to be able to penalize you here. If you are going to bid, now is the moment. It is much more dangerous later.
August Boehm: Pass. Even with the decline of penalty doubles, 2 is asking for trouble, such as minus 300, when they can only make a partial. And minus 800 is possible if East balances with a double and West leaves it in.
Eugene Chan: Dbl. Too good to pass. Treat hearts as a 4-card suit. Voila! a near perfect takeout double.
Larry Meyer: Pass. Can't bid that ratty heart suit at the 2-level.
Aidan Ballantyne: Pass. I would not bid 1NT even if it were natural since I don't have the points and lack a diamond stopper. 2 overcall is nuts.
Martin Henneberger: Pass. The easiest pass in the world. Those who bid in between two opponents in a live auction with 2-5-3-3 shape and an anemic suit don't understand risk/reward ratios. I predict a unanimous panel vote not wanting to go for a number vs a partscore.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Dbl. With the ongoing trend towards pre-balancing, I wouldn't be surprised to see the panel vote for double on this mouldy collection.
Mike Roberts: 2. In the era of support doubles, this is less dangerous than it used to be, and it stifles a 2/2 rebid by opener.
Plarq Liu: Pass. Hiding your strength. If they bid game, they don't know your hand; if they stop at the two level, double.
Beverley Candlish: 2. I have 14 points and 5 hearts and I am showing at least 10 points.
John Gillespie: 2. Ugly but it's now or never if I pass and they go on to 2.
Brian Zietman: Dbl. Most flexible. Partner may have good clubs and a weak heart. I don't want to cause him to have a heart attack by bidding 2. Pass at IMPs could be good too in this position.
Amiram Millet: Pass. No need to jump into trouble with a flat hand.
Chris Diamond: Pass. 2? If I won't bid it, it's got to be horrible.
Tim Francis-Wright: Dbl. My hand is marginally better with the spade response.
Kf Tung: Pass. Let them find their feet if they can. The last thing you want is to lead against 3NT and then find out that the game is cold from East. Anything you do say will be noted down and ... may be used in evidence against you.
|
| 2. Matchpoints. N-S vul.
| |
A Q 9 3
A J 3
10
K Q 6 4 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
Pass
|
2
| |
|
2
|
Pass
|
5
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 8
| 100
|
|
6
| 4
| 70
|
|
5
| 3
| 50
|
|
5NT
| 2
| 40
|
|
Dbl
| 1
| 20
|
|
5
| 0
| 10
|
|
Moderator: Those annoying opponents and their annoying diamonds! If they just stayed out of the auction, we'd know where we belong, but now it's nothing but a guess. Or is it?
The Gordons: Dbl. Partner's pass of 2 is telling. We can't have that great a fit, and things will break poorly. We will take the plus.
Larry Cohen: 5. I don't see why I should choose to defend when holding only one diamond. Sure, we might be missing a slam, but maybe 680 will beat the pairs who collect only 300 or 500.
Allan Falk: 5NT. If North comes back with 6, I'll bid 6 (since partner did not raise to 3 when he was free to do so, I'm not playing in that suit).
Betty Ann Kennedy: 6. I'm much too good to bid 5 and not good enough to bid 6 missing two aces.
Jill Meyers: Pass. Then I'll bid 5 over partner's expected double (under the assumption that pass and pull is better than bidding 5 directly).
Eugene Chan: 6. Assuming sound opening bids at adverse vulnerability, I expect this slam to have fair play.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. Must be forcing.
Larry Meyer: 6. Pard's points are likely outside diamonds, so his K, K Q, and A should give a good play for 12 tricks.
Aidan Ballantyne: 5. I have enough to follow through with my presumed original plan to make a 2 over 1 and then raise hearts. It is not clear that pass is forcing and shows heart support. May get us to a good slam.
Martin Henneberger: Pass. This is a forcing pass in 2/1 and should be in sayc as well. If over my pass partner doubles, I will pull to 5 as a pass-and-pull slam sequence. Any other action and we will be slamming.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Pass. Forcing pass and then pull any double to show my extra playing strength.
Mike Roberts: Pass. Almost worth 6, but the diamond singleton isn't as useful as you might think. I'll pull a double to 5 as a slam try.
Plarq Liu: 5. It is worth a 5 over 5 call, red vs white.
Beverley Candlish: 5. Opponents will likely go down in 5 doubled. N/S will have to set them down four to have a good score when N/S can likely make 5.
John Gillespie: Pass. . . forcing and pull a double to 5.
Brian Zietman: 5. Well East has thrown a spanner in the works by his outrageous leap. Partner's pass after 2 suggests no extra values but I cannot be quiet with my 16 points and a singleton in the opp's suit.
Amiram Millet: Dbl. If it was IMPs I'd prefer 5.
Chris Diamond: Pass. Forcing pass then 5 invitational over double.
Tim Francis-Wright: 6. While 6 might go down, I fear that partner will pass 5 with some minimum openers that generate 12 tricks.
Kf Tung: 5. You are on borderline for a slam. Lose a diamond and then you have to take care of the holes in all the other suits. Partner passed on his second turn so a slam is dangerous when 5 is playable.
|
| 3. IMPs. Both vul.
| |
9 3
A Q 7 6 4
9 7 2
10 7 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
1
|
Pass
| |
|
1
|
Dbl
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
1NT
| 12
| 100
|
|
2
| 4
| 50
|
|
Pass
| 2
| 30
|
|
1
| 0
| 10
|
|
Moderator: After squirming a bit, most of the panelists choose to bid 1NT with this unfortunate collection.
The Joyces: 1NT. This keeps us at the 1-level, although 2 could be a better contract.
Mike Lawrence: Pass. It looks odd, however if they are using support doubles, East has two hearts. If my partner has two hearts, West has four and will probably run. I do not like my chances of getting away with 1NT or 2.
Kerri Sanborn: 2. While my hearts are poorly positioned, I might get away with passing. LHO might not be able to stand the pressure.
Eugene Chan: 1NT. Not perfect but reasonably descriptive. Sitting 1-X is rarely to your advantage.
Stephen Vincent: 1NT. Not happily. 2 could well be a better spot but if you bid it now and get viciously doubled your options are limited.
Larry Meyer: 2. Tell pard that I prefer diamonds over spades.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2. Take out the take out doubles. A refrain that never seems to score points in this contest.
Martin Henneberger: 2. Pard asked me to pick a suit so I will. At first glance I wanted to bid 1NT, but by doing so I am inviting the opps to double us and any future runout as well. Bidding 2 right away forces the opps to compete to at least 3 and makes it harder to double.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 2. Toughest question of the set. Everything seems stacked against us so the issue is to find the bid least likely to be doubled (or re-doubled). This type of competitive decision would be easier if we played sandwich NT.
Mike Roberts: 2. Originally, I bid 1N, but I think (hope) this is more discouraging.
Kees Schaafsma: 1NT. Opps are likely in a 4-3 heart fit, we may survive opposite 4-1-4-4 or 4-1-5-3.
Plarq Liu: Pass. Collect what you have. 1NT is a stretch.
Beverley Candlish: 2. I would bid 2. I have the hearts but my hand may not be strong enough to leave the double in at the one level. I don't know the strength of my partner's double.
John Gillespie: 2. I don't think I'm beating 1 but this could be worse.
Brian Zietman: Pass. Partner wants my better of the unbid suits. Both are awful so I will just let the opps struggle in 1 doubled. They probably won't make overtricks and they may even go down.
Amiram Millet: Pass. Can't see something better.
Chris Diamond: 1NT. A whole range of scores available but 1NT's hard to defend if that's where we play and I don't really want to defend 1.
Tim Francis-Wright: 1NT. I would rather bid 1NT here than 2. Passing is asking for trouble.
Kf Tung: 1NT. . . the safest bid. It could well be what pard wants for him to bid 3NT comfortably.
|
| 4. IMPs. None vul.
| |
8 4
K 8 6
A Q 9 5 3
K J 10
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
2
(1)
|
Dbl
|
3
|
Pass
| |
|
Pass
|
Dbl
|
Pass
| ? |
| (1) Weak.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 15
| 100
|
|
4
| 2
| 30
|
|
4
| 1
| 20
|
|
4
| 0
| 10
|
|
Moderator: A majority of the panel are simply hoping for a plus score as they pass partner's reopening double.
Karen Walker: Pass. With a minimum and no good fit, I'll take the sure thing. I expect at least plus 300.
The Coopers: 4. This should play well in the 4-3.
The Sutherlins: 4. Passing when the opponents have 9 or 10 spades doesn't appeal to us.
Eugene Chan: 4. Take my chances in a Moysian game. Optimum conditions for Moysian, short trump holding has ruffing value.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. You have nowhere to go and reasonable defensive prospects.
Larry Meyer: 4. By elimination: not Pass - no trump tricks; not 3N - no stopper; not 4 - no suit; not 4 - not enough trump support.
Aidan Ballantyne: 4. Too close to pass. Maybe pard has a 5-card heart suit, if not the Moysian may play well.
Martin Henneberger: Pass. Partner's second double announces ownership of the hand. This leads me to believe they don't have 5 or more hearts and max values else a 3 bid over 2. For this reason I'm unsure if we can make game anywhere and am now looking for 100-500.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 4. I don't see many viable alternatives here.
Mike Roberts: 4. If they had hearts, and we had spades, I'd bid 4 as a choice of games. Here, this is my best guess.
Plarq Liu: 4. Heart is implied I guess.
Beverley Candlish: Pass. It would appear that N/S is much stronger in HCP's. Both sides are vulnerable and N/S has not identified a suit as yet and likely has only 4 hearts. I would leave the double in and collect a nice score.
John Gillespie: Pass. No other plus score comes to mind and they are not making this without unlikely distribution.
Brian Zietman: 4. I don't know where partner wants to take me. I don't have a spade stopper for 3NT, I don't have 4 hearts so this is the best I can do. Over to you partner.
Amiram Millet: 4. I'm not looking for slam.
Chris Diamond: Pass. Please God, down 1.
Tim Francis-Wright: 4. It sounds like partner is 1=4 in the majors; this has to be a playable spot.
Kf Tung: Pass. Pard would have find other bids if he wants to try 4 / 5 / 5. He is now interested only in 3NT or 3-X. With two Kings on the unbid suits and a relatively balanced hand, it would be better to defend at this level.
|
| 5. IMPs. N-S vul.
| |
A 10 5 3
---
Q J 10 9 8 5 4
10 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
2
|
Dbl
|
5
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
6
| 11
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 5
| 60
|
|
5
| 1
| 20
|
|
Dbl
| 1
| 20
|
|
5NT
| 0
| 10
|
|
Moderator: Another auction that got awfully high awfully fast. Since partner made a takeout double instead of a 2NT overcall, it's entirely possible that partner has the magic cards (i.e., no spade wastage) required for a diamond slam.
Don Stack: 6. Again, the opponents think that we have a slam, so we will bid the long suit and ignore the spades as we are expecting a sacrifice at 6. If the sacrifice comes, we will not continue to 6.
Steve Robinson: Pass. When the opponents are saving, my pass becomes forcing. If partner has a minimum takeout double, he will double again. If partner has a giant hand, he'll know that I have some values. If partner does bid, I'll know whether he has four spades.
Mel Colchamiro: 5. 6 is too much, pass is too little and double is too weird. Maybe 5 will work out.
Eugene Chan: 5. Very tempting to shoot out 6 but taking the middle road usually brings better results.
Joel Martineau: 5. 6 - 4, bid more. Wait a minute -- I'm 7 - 4.
Robin Hart: Pass. Forcing.
Stephen Vincent: 6. At least we won't have to worry about bad trump breaks or getting forced in hearts.
Larry Meyer: Pass. Unless pard can freely bid again, we don't belong in this auction.
Aidan Ballantyne: Dbl. Need to show something. Not enough points for 6, not enough spades for 5. Doubling is flexible as pard can leave it in with a defensive hand.
Martin Henneberger: 6. Freak hands need to be bid as such. I'm bidding my long suit at the 6-level with confidence and hopefully they will make the last wrong guess.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 5. This could fail due to entry problems, but I don't feel I am strong enough for 6 directly.
Kees Schaafsma: 6. Since 5 may be on, I must bid and 6 may even make opposite K J x x 3 2 A K x x A x x.
Plarq Liu: Pass. Don't bid slam now with current holding. Partner will redouble and you can think about pulling.
Beverley Candlish: 6. East could have bid 4 with a good supporting hand or 4NT to try for slam. With a 5 bid, I think he is looking to steal the contract.
John Gillespie: 6. I gain a tempo on a heart lead and the diamonds may be useless or trumped in a spade contract.
Paul Erikson: 6. 6 over 6.
Brian Zietman: 5NT. Partner's double suggests spades. If partner bids 6 I will bid 6 to show my shape.
Amiram Millet: 6. Can't see a better way to find the right contract.
Chris Diamond: 6. They're afraid of us making something. Maybe they're right.
Tim Francis-Wright: 5. At least I won't be putting a 7-card side suit down as dummy.
Kf Tung: 5. You are on borderline for a slam. You have no loser in hearts, but you need reassurance for the other 3 suits. Bid 5 and you will be happy whether pard passes or gives you 6. Bid 6 and get ready for the ambulance when pard bids 7.
Paul Hardy: 5NT. Correcting 6 to 6.
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