TGIF December 2011: Scores
| 1. IMPs. Both vul.
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A J 9 7 4 3
Q 10 8 6 3
A 6
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| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
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1
| |
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Pass
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1
|
Pass
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2
| |
|
Pass
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3
(1)
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Pass
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3
| |
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Pass
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3
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Pass
| ? |
| (1) Possibly artificial.
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Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
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3NT
| 8
| 100
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4
| 8
| 100
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4
| 1
| 40
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4
| 1
| 40
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4
| 0
| 10
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Moderator: The moderator wonders why they were forced into 3 showing a fifth diamond instead of 3 showing a sixth heart. The panel are split between 3NT and 4 in this 'best of a bad situation'.
August Boehm: 4. I can hope for better heart support than I have for his spades.
Don Stack: 3NT. What an ugly hand this has become! I cannot raise to 4 with a void, and we have already described this red-suit distribution. 3NT seems to be all that's left to bid.
Stephen Vincent: 3NT. Shows the club stopper and should have a dampening effect on the auction, which is not developing in the way that I had hoped.
Susan Peters: 4. I think 3 over 3 is a better bid than 3.
Martin Henneberger: 3NT. I personally don't like the 3 bid. I think emphasizing a desire to play a heart contract overrides the 3 bid, which may only be a default bid anyway. Now I'm endplayed into bidding 3NT.
Larry Meyer: 4. Let pard know that a doubleton heart would be adequate trump support.
Eugene Chan: 4. Now partner knows I am 6/5 in the reds and the rest is up to him/her.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 3NT. The problem with game-forcing misfit auctions is that even when 3NT is making, partner won't stop there. I might mastermind a pass at matchpoints, but at IMPs I'll go (down) with the field.
Aidan Ballantyne: 3NT. End-played.
Mike Roberts: 4. It's this, or 3NT, and I can't see this hand playing well in 3NT.
Chris Diamond: 4. Could bid 3NT, but looks wrong. Pard can show honour-doubleton of hearts or he can try 4NT.
David Gordon: 3NT. Might as well show your club card and intolerance for spades.
Amiram Millet: Pass. This might be the last makeable contract.
John Gillespie: 4. Pattern out, hope for the best.
Brian Zietman: 3NT. I was taught that with misfits, one should stay as low as possible. I guess parnter was looking for a stopper in clubs for 3NT so here it is. This is not looking good!
Beverley Candlish: 3NT. Sounds like a misfit. By not bidding NT immediately after partner's 3 bid, I have described my hand, but just in case partner really does have clubs, he can leave it in 3NT.
Kf Tung: 3NT. Pard is interested in 3N or 4. Your combined strength is good for 3NT, and pard has not shown you any advantage to play in 4.
Dennis Caswell: Pass. . . and hope you can make it.
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| 2. IMPs. None vul.
| |
K Q J 7 2
K 10 7 6 5
9 3
K
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| West |
North |
East |
South |
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3
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Pass
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Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
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3
| 8
| 100
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4
| 8
| 100
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Dbl
| 2
| 40
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Pass
| 0
| 30
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Moderator: Almost half the panelists choose to make a Michaels call with this hand while almost half elect to enter the auction with a 3 call, feeling the cuebid is too rich.
Mike Lawrence: 4. . . a huge overbid, but one that will get us to the right major. We might be minus 500 instead of minus 800, but there is a fair chance of this working well.
Jeff Meckstroth: 3. While I would love to bid Michaels at a lower level, I don't think my hand is good enough to bid 4 to show both my suits here. We need to stop below game. At least spades is my best suit.
The Coopers: Dbl. While 4 is tempting and pass is cowardly, if partner has a diamond stack, double is the winner. Double also has the advantage of stopping in three or bidding a major suit game. If partner bids 4, we can bid 4 showing majors with no extras.
Stephen Vincent: 3. Awkward. 3 may lose the heart suit but does keep 3NT open and allows us to stay low if necessary.
Martin Henneberger: 4. I like 2 possible actions here. The one I don't care for is double. 4, although a slight overbid, could very well be right. Balancing in 4th chair can be made with a king less than direct seat. Picking one major could miss a fit in the other.
Larry Meyer: 3. If pard responds with 4 of a minor, we have an easy 4 rebid.
Eugene Chan: Pass. Easy pass. -110 (hopefully) is much more palatable than potential -1100.
Stuart Carr: Dbl. If partner bids 4, I plan to bid 4.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Pass. No matter what I bid, it will be hard to stop at the 3-level. Credit partner with 2 of the missing 4 aces and I still don't like my chances of game.
Aidan Ballantyne: 4. At least we'll get to our best major, possibly too high.
Mike Roberts: 4. Get to the right major at the expense of being too high.
Chris Diamond: 4. Clearly imperfect, but at least we'll find the right suit.
David Gordon: 3. Your partner can still have an opening hand.
Amiram Millet: 4. Asking partner to bid a major.
John Gillespie: 3. Dangerous, but so is double. East could have almost anything.
Brian Zietman: Dbl. The most flexible.
Paul Hardy: Dbl. I like double better than 4, dbl keeps partner in the decision. Pass is the glass half empty.
Beverley Candlish: 4. I am not vulnerable so how bad can it be? I would bid 4.
Kf Tung: Dbl. A minimum reopening with double. If pard passes, his diamonds are well placed. If pard bids 4 he would be happy with dummy. If he plays 4, hopefully your K 10 x x x can cope. He is expected to settle for 3 / 3, but not 4 in the part scores.
Dennis Caswell: 3. After partner's 4, go 4 to give him a choice.
Bob Todd: 4. I hope this doesn't promise strength.
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| 3. IMPs. None vul.
| |
8 6
Q 6 4
A J 10
A J 10 3 2
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| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
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1
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Pass
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2
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Dbl
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Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
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3
| 7
| 100
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3
| 6
| 90
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2NT
| 2
| 50
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3NT
| 2
| 50
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4
| 1
| 50
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5
| 0
| 10
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Moderator: The majority of the panel is split between a 'go-low' 3 bid and a hyperaggressive 3 call. Various numbers of notrump and Rigal bring up the rear.
Barry Rigal: 4. I'm glad you didn't make me overcall 2, though I admit it might have worked out just fine today. As it is, showing clubs and extras looks fine. Would 2NT have been lebensohl here? I think it should be, so this is stronger than other sequences to 3.
Steve Robinson: 3. I like to use my -when-everyone-is-in-the-auction-it's-usually-a-partscore-hand rule.
Kerri Sanborn: 3. Over the expected 3, I want to bid 3NT. This should show some doubt as to the final strain. If partner has the weak 4-4-4-1, she might pull now. It is very likely we can make 5 and not 3NT, but not if my partner has a doubleton heart.
The Sutherlins: 3NT. We have too much to bid 3 and 4 makes it hard on partner, not to mention that it takes us past 3NT.
Karen Walker: 3. I'm not sure if it's BB Standard, but I think most experts would take 2NT as a scramble. If partner is 4-2-4-3, he'll rebid 3 and that will be a new problem.
Joel Martineau: 3. Hopefully 2NT is Lebensohl, making 3 a slight underbid, with which I am comfortable.
Stephen Vincent: 3. Hoping partner may be able to bid 3NT with K x.
Martin Henneberger: 3. Playing a lebensohl type agreement would work well here to show values. Partner's double in my partnerships are only a pre-balance, and do not promise values, merely shortness. The opponents have both bid so I will settle for 3 only.
Larry Meyer: 3. Wishing that I overcalled 2 on the previous round.
Eugene Chan: 3. Expect to pull partner's expected spade bid to clubs as further description.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 3. Show game interest first. I will rebid 4 over the expected 3 response.
Aidan Ballantyne: 3. I believe them. Pard is light. If we missed a non vul game it's not the end of the world.
Mike Roberts: 4. Really, this depends if partner is from Ottawa. If so, 3 is probably too high.
Chris Diamond: 3. Could bid 3NT but if I want pard to come in light with shape I can't hang him nonvul at IMPs.
David Gordon: 3. Show your opening hand and follow up with 4 if partner does not bid 3NT.
Amiram Millet: 3. I'd overcall 2 immediately.
Joel Forssell: 3. 2NT is lebensohl so the direct 3 should be positive.
John Gillespie: 3NT. Anything else may give pard a huge problem, especially if they would have doubled on Problem 2.
Brian Zietman: 3. Partner must have spades so the doubleton there is not useful. The Q is not worth much either. So anything higher may be expensive.
Paul Hardy: 3. Ask for a stopper seems resonable here, over 3, I bid 3N hope for that J x.
Beverley Candlish: Pass. Partner should have spades and tolerance for all three unbid suits. I have diamonds and clubs. What does E/W have? They should go down plenty.
Kf Tung: 3. You do not have a trap pass over 1 so you need one more push from pard before you bid 3NT. Usually you find pard with 4=2=3/4 and 3 is the par contract. Pard has saved you from an awkward delayed 3 overcall.
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| 4. IMPs. N-S vul.
| |
K 9 8 7 5 3
4
A K 4
A K 6
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| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
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Pass
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Pass
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Pass
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1
| |
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Pass
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1NT
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
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2
| 12
| 100
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3
| 5
| 70
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2NT
| 1
| 50
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3NT
| 0
| 30
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3
| 0
| 20
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3
| 0
| 20
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2
| 0
| 10
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Moderator: Another hand with the values to jump, but not the suit quality.
Allan Falk: 2. Aren't we tired of this umpteenth variation on a theme? I'm in the group that believes that if we survive this round of bidding, we'll be in good shape.
Betty Ann Kennedy: 3. If my suit was solid, I would choose 3NT.
The Joyces: 2NT. Nothing is perfect. We are still hoping for game.
Martin Henneberger: 3. I can't bid anything less than 3, can I? Even though this suit is suspect I want to invite game and hearts aren't an option so I'm inviting 3NT or 4. This is not the time to temporize with 2.
Larry Meyer: 2. Suit quality is poor, but even so, I have 6 of them.
Eugene Chan: 3. Would prefer a better trump suit but anything else is worse.
Stuart Carr: 4. Stretching a bit.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 3. Simple value bids will rarely lead you too far astray in this forum.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2. This is how BART was invented.
Mike Roberts: 2. I always wanted to try this. +190, here I come!
Chris Diamond: 2. 3 might be an option but 2 offers more options. Could be cold for a minor game.
David Gordon: 3. Not a great suit but the values are right and I like the 987 of spades. 2NT is my second choice.
Amiram Millet: 4. . . but 3 if not vulnerable (or MP).
John Gillespie: 2. If it doesn't go float I should like my next bid better than this one.
Brian Zietman: 3. The quality of the spades is compensated for by the singleton and controls in both minors. So, if partner has a doubleton honour in spades, game should make.
Paul Hardy: 2. Let's see what partner does.
Beverley Candlish: 3. I would bid 3 and hope my partner has two decent spades. I have 17 pts and a singleton in hearts and I know a heart will be led.
Kf Tung: 2NT. You have not opened 1NT because of 6133. Now you invite with 2NT. 3NT would be lovely if pard can accept, and if he bids 3 then you go to 4.
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| 5. IMPs. Both vul.
| |
K J 10 9
A
A Q J 9
A K Q J
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| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
Pass
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Pass
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3
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Dbl
| |
|
Pass
|
3
|
Pass
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4
| |
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Pass
|
4
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
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Pass
| 10
| 100
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4NT
| 3
| 70
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5
| 3
| 70
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5
| 1
| 50
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6
| 1
| 50
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Moderator: A goodly number of the panelists feel that by doubling then cuebidding over partner's forced, minimum bid, they've said their piece and pass, concerned that the five level - and even the four level, for that matter - might be too high.
August Boehm: 6. I can't do less - queen-fifth of spades gives us a decent play. We may not need the diamond finesse. 5 followed by 6 as a grand slam try is possible.
Jill Meyers: 4NT. I am giving this one last shot, realizing that we may be too high at the five level. My double and cuebid announced a good hand (although I would like to have a fifth spade).
Karen Walker: 5. The cuebid then raise should be a general try asking partner to bid on if he has something of value. If all I needed was one filler, I surely would have taken a stab at 6, so partner may be able to work out that he needs some helpful non-heart cards.
The Gordons: Pass. Yes, we are wimps, but this is a dangerous pattern in a dangerous auction. We don't think partner has the A and Q or the A and the K for his meek sign-off, which means slam is at best marginal and the five level could be at risk.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. The sort of hand that so often leads to a minus score at the table. Partner's limited his hand three times and could well have nothing.
Martin Henneberger: Pass. Neat problem. I break it down like this. Partner could easily have the right cards for slam, e.g., Q and K. They could also have a bust and/or a 3 card spade suit that has no play at the 5-level. I'm taking my plus score (hopefully).
Anssi Rantamaa: 5. Partner doesn't need much for slam - 5 is asking about trump quality.
Larry Meyer: 4NT. If pard can show either A or Q, then we can bid 6 confidently.
Eugene Chan: Pass. Likelihood of slam minimal. Partner has effectively denied the ace of trumps.
Stuart Carr: 4NT. If partner has spade honour(s) I'll bid 6 (maybe 7!).
Andrew Krywaniuk: 4NT. Use RKCB to find out partner's exact trump holding. If he has the A or Q then I'll take a stab at 6.
Laurence Betts: 4NT. There should be room to ask for Q over a zero keycard response.
Aidan Ballantyne: 5. One more try. If I cue bid clubs pard will think I need controls. A simple raise should get the proper message across.
Mike Roberts: Pass. I think the danger of going down in 5 (or 6) is far greater than the odds of getting to 6 successfully. Even if partner has, say Q + K, a minor ruff is more likely than usual.
Chris Diamond: Pass. Question: how little can he have? Answer: very little. With a diamond and spade honour he could have shown some life.
David Gordon: 4NT. I like to play if the queen ask is below 5 of the trump suit then I am allowed to be off a keycard to ask for it. The plan is to ask for keycards and if they show one keycard, I'll ask for the queen looking for 7. If zero keys partner will bid 5 without the Q and I will pass.
Amiram Millet: Pass. Unless you're looking for a new partner.
Joel Forssell: 5. Asking for trump suit quality.
John Gillespie: 5. Tough. Pard hasn't gauranteed a 4 card suit yet.
Brian Zietman: 6. Is there any way to find out about the A Q AND the K? We may have 7 but 6 seems the best practical bid.
Paul Hardy: 5. Glass is always half full for me.
Richmond Williams: 4NT. Find out if 7 is on 2 finesses.
Beverley Candlish: 4NT. I would bid 4NT as we have a slam or grand slam in spades.
Kf Tung: 5. You have prepared for this development. Pass 4 with 9+ tricks, bid 5 with 10+ tricks, and bid 5 with 11+ tricks. Now you can expect pard to bid 6 with A x x x x.
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