TGIF April 2012: Scores
| 1. IMPs. None vul.
|
A 3
Q 7 6 4
10 7 2
K Q 6 5
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1
|
1
|
Dbl
(1)
| |
|
Pass
|
2
|
2
| ? |
| (1) Negative.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 12
| 100
|
|
3
| 4
| 70
|
|
4
| 2
| 60
|
|
2NT
| 1
| 50
|
|
3NT
| 0
| 20
|
|
Dbl
| 0
| 20
|
|
Pass
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: The gist of this problem seems to be ascertaining whether partner's 2 bid is a true reverse. All but one of the 3 bidders say no, or express some uncertainty.
Allan Falk: 3. No, 2 was not a reverse and did not show extra values - that's how partner bids with 4-5 in the minors or even 4-4 with better clubs. Missing a non-vul game is the same as bidding game and going down when it's our hand for a partscore.
Jeff Meckstroth: 4. I don't think 3NT will make with only one spade stopper.
The Sutherlins: 3. Slam is certainly possible. 3 feels like the best bid to move forward.
Don Stack: 3. . . forcing. This is an excellent hand after a reverse and we plan to cuebid 3 after partner bids 3 or 3, and will pass 3NT if partner bids that.
Paul Sontag: Dbl. Jumping to 4 doesn't feel right. A second double followed by an appropriate club raise seems accurate.
Stephen Vincent: 3. Even if we are in rather murky waters, this can't be too far off the mark.
Martin Henneberger: 3. The consensus at the top is that 2 is not a reverse, a concept I have never understood. I feel I need to force this auction with a spade control and club support, so I will try a 3 cue and have another decision next round.
Larry Meyer: 3. Asking pard to bid 3NT with half a spade stopper (e.g. Q x x).
Eugene Chan: 3. 3NT might play better from the other side.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 3. 3 is too aggressive in my book. The auction suggests partner will not have both spade and heart stoppers.
Aidan Ballantyne: 4. Pard's bidding shows extras so surely this is forcing. We have enough for game (or slam). A 3 cue will never allow a description of the essence of my hand which is superb support for first bid suit. Happy to answer BlackWood or cue bid 4 over pard's 4 cue.
Bob Kuz: 3. This should be a reverse from partner.
Mike Roberts: 3. I don't know if 2 is a reverse for us or not (I say yes), but 3 seems easy.
Chris Diamond: 3. Freely bid 3 should show about this much. Nonvul, so not pushing too hard.
David Gordon: 2NT. The standard bid with this hand. I play that 2 by partner in this sequence is nonforcing.
Tim Francis-Wright: 3. Partner does not need extra values for the 2 bid, so I can only get so excited.
Amiram Millet: Dbl. Competitive. On 3 by partner I will go to 3NT.
John Gillespie: 3. All I'm worth if pard doesn't move.
Brian Zietman: 3. I need more information. Are we headed for game in NT or game or even slam in clubs?
Perry Khakhar: 3. We may have a skimpy 9 trick game! Risking a part score negative swing for a game bonus.
Plarq Liu: 3. Keep the bidding going.
Beverley Candlish: 3. I don't know where to go. I could bid 2NT but it is dangerous. It appears we don't have a long suit to run so bidding 3 seems to be the bid.
Kf Tung: 3. If pard is minimum, 3 is your last plus score. If pard has extra he would move towards 3N or 5.
|
| 2. IMPs. N-S vul.
| |
A K Q 7
Q 6 5 3 2
A Q
J 4
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
2
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2NT
| 17
| 100
|
|
2
| 1
| 60
|
|
Dbl
| 1
| 50
|
|
3NT
| 0
| 30
|
|
Moderator: All but two of the panelist opt for 2NT.
Barry Rigal: 2. Marshall Miles would have no trouble with this one. We expect heart ruffs in dummy even facing a 3-1-4-5 pattern. I could even imagine making 4 on a 4-2 fit here!
The Coopers: 2NT. What else?
Mel Colchamiro: Dbl. If partner bids 2, I'll bid 3. If 3 or 3, I'll bid 3NT. If 2NT, then I'll bid 3 (though pass could be the winner). If 3 then 4. And if 4, then 5.
Paul Sontag: 2. 2NT a close second. 2 isn't perfect but points to the most likely game.
Stephen Vincent: 2NT. About right in values, if a little skewed in shape.
Martin Henneberger: 2NT. This hand although a bit off-shape looks like a 2NT overcall to me. Pard can still Stayman to find spades. Starting with double will lead to a misdescription later.
Craig T Wilson: Dbl. Prepared to bid NT if partner bids clubs.
Larry Meyer: Dbl. Too strong to overcall, plus I want to keep the spade option open.
Eugene Chan: Dbl. With possession of 4 spades, double is far superior to bidding some number of NTs.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 2NT. East can't reasonably have both AK of hearts and an entry.
Aidan Ballantyne: Dbl. Find our spade fit if we have one. If pard bids a minor it's sure to be a long one given presumed shortness in hearts. Need to show points. Trapping is out at this vulnerability.
Bob Kuz: Dbl. Good enough for game if partner bids anything else but 2NT. I hope he has 5 or 6 card suit if he is weak.
Paul Mcmullin: 2NT. Double is too likely to get us to a 4-2 minor suit partial.
Mike Roberts: 2NT. A 4-3 spade fit could play VERY well, but I'll just be boring.
Chris Diamond: 2NT. About right on values and we can still get to spades.
David Gordon: 2NT. I am downgrading this hand.
Tim Francis-Wright: 2NT. Yes, it's an 18-count, but it's not a fully healthy 18-count. I would rather show 15 to 18 here, which does not shut out spades if partner has spades and a decent hand.
Amiram Millet: Dbl. . . to show later a strong hand. Even a spade slam is possible.
John Gillespie: 2NT. Pard likely has the shape to remove this but do they have any values?
Brian Zietman: Dbl. If partner bids a minor I bid NT. Too dangerous to pass - it may be passed out.
Perry Khakhar: 2NT. Don't want to miss any vulnerable games!
Plarq Liu: Dbl. Hope we find spade game or slam.
Beverley Candlish: Pass. Where can I go? I can't dbl and bid. I don't have a long suit. I don't have tolerance for all three unbid suits. I would pass and see what West does.
Kf Tung: 3NT. You have the best hand round the table. 3NT is the likely game for you. 4 may or may not be the correct spot, but you cannot arrive at 4 played by you.
|
| 3. Matchpoints. E-W vul.
| |
A K 10
K 3
7
A K J 7 5 4 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
1
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
2
| 13
| 100
|
|
3
| 4
| 70
|
|
4
| 1
| 60
|
|
2
| 1
| 50
|
|
3
| 0
| 50
|
|
4
| 0
| 50
|
|
4
| 0
| 30
|
|
2NT
| 0
| 20
|
|
3NT
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: The weight of the panel fakes a reverse with 2. The danger is minimal - if partner can raise hearts, then they must have a 5-card spade suit which you can correct to.
Larry Cohen: 4. Reversing into my singleton or doubleton scares me. This jump is forcing and shows good long clubs, enough for game, and four-card spade support. If you slide the club deuce into the spades, I've described my hand.
Betty Ann Kennedy: 3. Certainly, I have extra values. But I cannot bring myself to splinter, which shows four spades, or to commit this hand to spades ignoring my 7-card suit.
Mike Lawrence: 2. Perhaps it's better to bid 2. Whatever the winning bid is, it rates to be one of these two since it creates a force which will gain you enough time to straighten things out.
Kerri Sanborn: 2. A vile bid, to be sure. But if partner has hearts, she will also have 5+ spades, and we are safe.
Paul Sontag: 4. Not perfect but gets the general nature of the hand across.
Stephen Vincent: 3. No doubt 2 will get the most votes.
Martin Henneberger: 2. Classic false reverse. This hand is way too good for 3, and raising spades now is just a pure guess. I can safely reverse into hearts knowing if partner raises they must have longer spades and can correct at any level.
Larry Meyer: 3. Tell pard about my length and strength.
Eugene Chan: 2. Temporize with an artificial reverse to extract more information from partner.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 4. It would be nice to have a 4th spade for a fit-showing jump, but no other bid makes sense.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2. Been der dun dat. Got to reverse to show strength. If pard has hearts he has 5 or more spades and I can keep correcting.
Bob Kuz: 4. Essentially a strong 6-4 (close enough).
Mike Roberts: 4. Sneak a club into the spades.
Chris Diamond: 4. Same problem, no right answer in Standard American. Pard rates to have 5 spades, hoping he'll take the push, but should probably bid it myself.
Tim Francis-Wright: 4. If I'm ever going to do this with 3 pieces, it's here. I really don't want to reverse into my 2-card heart suit.
Amiram Millet: 2. Better than 3NT or any rebid of clubs.
John Gillespie: 2. If pard raises they have 5 spades. If they pass I'll declare an emergency and let a sub play it.
Brian Zietman: 2. This looks strange but I am too strong for 3. If partner supports diamonds I will return him to spades.
Perry Khakhar: 2. If partner raises hearts, he has at least 5 spades! If partner bids NT, I may let him play 3NT. I am not happy to take our first tap in moysian spade contract with an honor.
Plarq Liu: 4. Splinter Happy Bid.
Beverley Candlish: 4. Splinter.
Kf Tung: 3. If pard bids 3NT so be it. If pard bids a new suit then support spades. If pard bids 4 then cuebid 4.
|
| 4. Matchpoints. None vul.
| |
J 9 2
K Q 3
A K 6 5 3
A K
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
1
|
Dbl
| |
|
Pass
|
2
|
2
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Dbl
| 7
| 100
|
|
3
| 4
| 80
|
|
2NT
| 3
| 70
|
|
Pass
| 3
| 70
|
|
2
| 2
| 50
|
|
Moderator: You started with a 20-count, but do you have 20 any more? Several panelists are still optimistic and double a second time.
Jill Meyers: Pass. I forced partner to bid. I have what looks like six tricks in my own hand. I don't see where we could have game so I am going to pass and take my plus score.
Mel Colchamiro: Dbl. It shows extras without 4 cards in clubs, which is what I have. Though 2NT is certainly possible here, I don't like that I lack the heart ace. So I'll try to beat 2 should partner pass, and I'll make the obvious trump lead.
The Joyces: 3. The diamond suit is deplorable, but at least we are showing a good hand.
Paul Sontag: 2NT. Despite the warning signs (blocked, inflexible clubs, poor diamond spots, as yet unstopped spades) this looks right. I want pard to count on 4 hearts for a second dbl.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. Fixed. For all its 20 points, where are you going on this hand?
Martin Henneberger: 2NT. I think double followed by 2NT shows this strength and shape. Spade stopper? Who cares?
Larry Meyer: 3. Following through on my plan to double and then bid diamonds.
Eugene Chan: Dbl. Double again provides more partnership options. Anything else has serious flaws.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Dbl. How else am I going to show my strength?
Aidan Ballantyne: Dbl. Show strength, for starters, with a re-take out that implies transferable values.
Bob Kuz: Dbl. High card double.
Mike Roberts: Dbl. Hate this, but hate everything else more.
Chris Diamond: 2. Don't really like the double and I don't have an answer now. I could double again, but I'm worried that shows more in hearts, not less.
David Gordon: 2NT. The quantitative rebid.
Tim Francis-Wright: 3. I hope that my plan was to double and bid diamonds.
Amiram Millet: 3. Showing a big double. NT will be best by partner.
John Gillespie: 2NT. Big flaw in spades but right on points. If RHO is 5-5 double = -470.
Brian Zietman: 2. We could play in NT or a minor. This is the best bid to show our strength.
Perry Khakhar: Pass. If getting a plus is your objective, PASS! Of course, partner might still get you, but at least the opponents won't.
Plarq Liu: 2NT. 20 HCP, balanced hand.
Beverley Candlish: 2. It is quite likely pard will have a spade stopper as west did not raise east's opening spade bid and east did not bid the suit twice. We could possibly reach a nice 3NT contract.
Kf Tung: Dbl. Show your extras with a double. Pard will know that you have ~20 points, no spade guard and strength in the red suits.
|
| 5. Matchpoints. N-S vul.
| |
J 5
K Q 3
Q 7 2
A K Q 10 6
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1NT
(1)
|
2
(2)
| ? |
| (1) 15-17.
| | (2) Natural.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
3
| 8
| 100
|
|
4NT
| 7
| 90
|
|
3
| 1
| 60
|
|
2NT
| 2
| 50
|
|
4
| 0
| 30
|
|
6NT
| 1
| 30
|
|
6
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: While the top score is awarded for a forcing 3, the secondmost popular choice was 4NT, following the same principles as a Lebensohl 3NT, but one level higher.
Steve Weinstein: 3. I assume this is Stayman without a stopper. Over 3NT, I am bidding 6NT. Over 4, I will bid 5, asking for spade control and guess to convert 6 to 6NT. If partner passes 5, at least I'm not doubled!
August Boehm: 4NT. I suppose partner might accept with 16HCP and a good 5-card suit, off the A-K. That's life.
Mike Lawrence: 4NT. Invitational with no spade stopper. A first time for everything.
Steve Robinson: 3. There is a chance that partner does not have a spade stopper and we belong in 5.
The Sutherlins: 2NT. . . an ugly value bid. We may not have many minor-suit tricks on defense.
Paul Sontag: 6NT. Playing east for precisely AK of spades is losing bridge.
Martin Henneberger: 3. . . natural and forcing. This will find out if partner has a spade stopper, although they might have only the Q which will lead to disaster when I raise to 6NT.
Anssi Rantamaa: 3. Western cue.
Larry Meyer: 4. Since pard can see my jump to 4 after he opened 1NT, this should be Gerber.
Eugene Chan: 5NT. 4NT is quantitative inviting slam. Hence 5NT is uber quantitative, inviting a grand slam.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 3. Playing Lebensohl, this is forcing and less ambiguous than 4NT.
Aidan Ballantyne: 3. Forcing, right? Bid out my hand. We may not have a spade stopper so need to explore other possible games as well as slam.
Bob Kuz: 3. Willing to play in 4.
Mike Roberts: 3. Dunno if there is bid that asks for spade control, but 3 has got to start the ball rolling.
Chris Diamond: 3. I'd like to bid 4NT invitational with no stopper. I could try 4, but is that Gerber? Transfers would work, but we're not playing them.
David Gordon: 3. Natural and forcing.
Tim Francis-Wright: 3. Double is unlikely to be profitable here. It's best to show the long clubs; fortunately, 3 is forcing.
Amiram Millet: 3. A game going hand with clubs. Slam is possible.
John Gillespie: 3. Forcing and hoping pard can bid a red suit or NT to right side my slam try.
Brian Zietman: 5. East cannot have more or less than the AK spades for his bid. It stands to reason that we have 2 losers in spades so despite all our points there is no slam.
Perry Khakhar: 3. Natural and forcing! What's the problem? No lebensohl available?
Plarq Liu: 3. It's forcing to game, we can explore slams later.
Kf Tung: 3NT. 3N is your MP choice for 9-12 tricks. Otherwise you will have to gamble for 6 or settle for a 5 with +600 and a poor score.
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