TGIF November 2012: Scores
| 1. Matchpoints. None vul.
|
K 8 7 6 4 2
A Q 3
10
Q 10 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
4
|
Pass
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 10
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 8
| 80
|
|
Dbl
| 0
| 10
|
|
Moderator: 10 experts readily accept the opponents' 4 transfer to 4 with this thoroughly moth-eaten holding and more high-card points in the enemies' suit than in our suit.
Allan Falk: 4. I think everyone will bid 4. Some days we'll catch a suitable dummy; other days we'll look silly. Yes, we'd all like better spades and less stuff in hearts, but those drawbacks notwithstanding, the player with 6 spades is the one who has to bid them.
Jeff Meckstroth: Pass. It is tempting to bid 4 but the combination of good hearts and weak spades makes defending the best option.
Stephen Vincent: 4. So often it's right to bid 4 over 4. I seem to recall this quote from someone famous.
Norm Tucker: 4. A must bid and double if they go to the 5 level.
Martin Henneberger: 4. Guess to pass or guess to bid. I'm a bidder.
Chris Diamond: 4. Something good might happen.
Larry Meyer: Pass. With the hearts behind me, a flimsy suit of my own, and a passing partner, I'm not bidding.
Eugene Chan: 4. Balancing 4 should be a near unanimous decision.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Pass. This one seems too obvious. I look forward to being proven wrong.
Laurence Betts: Pass. Tougher at IMPs.
Aidan Ballantyne: 4. 4 is a transfer to 4. It's a bidder's game. A few more cliches would support this bid also.
Mike Roberts: 4. No, this may not work, but life didn't come with a guarantee.
Perry Khakhar: Pass. Some times the preempts just work! I don't need to snatch defeat out of the jaws of an average result! Ratty suit and no action from partner tells me to subside.
David Gordon: Pass. Partner might stretch to bid when short in hearts. Try to take a plus.
Tim Francis-Wright: 4. Accepting the transfer. I really don't need a ton from partner to make game here.
Amiram Millet: Pass. Not enough for anything else.
John Gillespie: 4. This may not end well.
Brian Zietman: Pass. A bit of a wimpish response but 4 could cost heavily. Cannot double because partner will take out probably to diamonds.
Paul Hardy: 4. When you're wrong in matchpoints it's only one board, just don't be wrong too many times.
Plarq Liu: Pass. No need to compete with a sloppy suit.
Beverley Candlish: 4. If I double, it is for takeout and I don't have tolerance for the other suits.
Kf Tung: 4. There are more good things that could happen than bad ones. Your 4 makes; they go to 5; they let you play 4; they double your 4 but it is a good save.
|
| 2. Matchpoints. None vul.
| |
K Q 8 5
Q J 9 7 6 3 2
3
9
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
4
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 15
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 3
| 60
|
|
Dbl
| 0
| 10
|
|
Moderator: More aerial antics. This time we have shortness in their suit and extra length and a little bit more body in our suit. What we lack in HCP we make up for in distribution, right?
Steve Robinson: 4. When short in the opponents' suit, be aggressive. I know partner might expect more, but a good partner will give you leeway and when in doubt, go conservative after a preempt.
The Joyces: Pass. We would like to bid, but we probably can't stop low enough if partner has enough for us to make 4. The auction isn't over yet, and hopefully, we will still get to choose offense. We would certainly bid 4 in the pass-out seat.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. Much as I'd like to bid 4 here, I don't think I can. Partner will never play you for this hand type and while it might work, it'll be destructive for partnership confidence in the long run.
Norm Tucker: Dbl. If partner bids diamonds bid 4.
Martin Henneberger: 4. A huge overbid on values but pard may not be able to balance. With a 7-4 offensive type hand bidding has to be right.
Chris Diamond: 4. Something good might happen. I hope pard is a wimp.
Larry Meyer: Pass. Not enough to bid over a pre-empt with such a weak hand.
Eugene Chan: Pass. Partner is going to expect more and may get us overboard. Call me a wuss.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Pass. If I bid 4 and partner has enough to make 4 then we probably won't be playing 4.
Laurence Betts: 4. Pre-balancing.
Aidan Ballantyne: 4. I can overbid with shape. Got to get in. Two-way bid. We may bid too much but it could be a save.
Bob Kuz: 4. Only fearing partner's double later in the hand.
Mike Roberts: Pass. If I bid 4, the only auction I'd like is if it went all pass.
Perry Khakhar: 4. I may be missing our best location (4), but I can't stand partner converting the double.
David Gordon: Pass. Not enough stuff.
Tim Francis-Wright: 4. We could miss our spade fit, but much of the time hearts and spades will play the same. I'm more worried about a 5 raise by West--bidding hearts makes partner's response easier much of the time.
Amiram Millet: 4. Settling for possible best contract.
John Gillespie: 4. This may not end well either.
Brian Zietman: 4. Too weak to double and bid 4 when partner bids diamonds. So have to give up on the spade option.
Paul Hardy: Pass. Don't pre-empt a pre-empt.... someone told me that 30 years ago.
Plarq Liu: 4. This time I want to compete with my hearts.
Beverley Candlish: 4. Not Vulnerable. How bad can it be?
Kf Tung: Pass. If you enter the bidding you will overheat the auction. It is better to pass now and then act later if pard can bid.
|
| 3. Matchpoints. None vul.
| |
10 9 6 3
A K Q 7
K 8 2
A K
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
Pass
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
1
|
2
(1)
| ? |
| (1) Natural.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 13
| 100
|
|
3
| 4
| 70
|
|
3
| 1
| 50
|
|
2
| 0
| 30
|
|
2NT
| 0
| 20
|
|
3NT
| 0
| 20
|
|
Dbl
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: A few see the 2 bid as a boost, a few consider it may be a harbinger of a 'ruff', but most ignore it and bid what they would have bid had there been no 2 bid at all.
Karen Walker: 4. . . the same bid I would have made if East had passed. The overcall didn't make my hand significantly better or worse.
The Gordons: 3. Sure, we were going to bid 4 in an uncontested auction. But the 2 bid makes us interested in possibly playing notrump if partner has Q x (x).
Stephen Vincent: 4. What I'd have bid anyway. Tempting with those controls and well-placed K to cue bid but partner would probably place you with a more distributional hand.
Norm Tucker: 4. Should make if pard has any spade honour.
Martin Henneberger: 4. I have 18-19 balanced with spades. Is this a trick question?
Chris Diamond: 2. I guess you're supposed to make a cute Q, but I'll bid the suit I would have opened. I should be showing something like this since I clearly don't have long diamonds.
Larry Meyer: 4. My K seems well-placed, and I have a ruffing value in clubs, so bid the likely game.
Eugene Chan: 3. Showing enthusiasm for partner's suit never hurts. Maybe a laydown for a grand.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 4. East's bid warns of a potential bad spade break, which is possibly good news because any finesses will be onside.
Aidan Ballantyne: 4. 3NT and 3 are master mind bids.
Bob Kuz: 4. I actually think this is a picture bid.
Mike Roberts: 4. I don't get it.
Perry Khakhar: 4. I can't really see 300 at the 2 level, so bid what we should make. Maybe partner is alive and visualizes a slam. I would be happy to cooperate.
Paul Mcmullin: 4. K appears to be in the right place.
David Gordon: 4. Just make your natural rebid.
Tim Francis-Wright: 4. What sort of flawed diamond preempt does East have? It's easy to picture here with 5 diamond tricks and a spade trick, so doubling is inferior to bidding game. 4 is superior to 3NT because we won't have 9 tricks off the top much of the time.
Amiram Millet: 2. Hope we play support doubles.
John Gillespie: 2. A reverse on the way to 4 may excite pard.
Brian Zietman: 4. Up to partner to make a move to slam.
Paul Hardy: 3. Most people think the K is now worthless, too many times I have seen this not to be the case.
Plarq Liu: 3. Cuebid, strong and support.
Beverley Candlish: 3. . . showing my strong hand. I don't know how strong my partner's hand is.
Kf Tung: 4. Tell pard that you have a playable 4 opposite a minimum 1 response.
Bob Todd: 4. The correct bid is 3 I think, but accidents happen.
|
| 4. Matchpoints. Both vul.
| |
K
10 8 7 4
A Q J 8 3
Q 4 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
1
|
Pass
| |
|
1
|
Pass
|
1
|
Pass
| |
|
Pass
|
1NT
|
Pass
|
Pass
| |
|
2
|
Pass
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 6
| 100
|
|
2NT
| 6
| 90
|
|
Dbl
| 5
| 80
|
|
3NT
| 1
| 50
|
|
3
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: Forced to pass three times in this auction with what many may deem an opening hand, almost two-thirds of the panel chooses to defend - six passively, by passing, and five aggressively, by doubling.
Steve Weinstein: Dbl. I lead the K and expect this 4-4 fit won't play well for them. I would have bid 3NT over 1NT before I would pass.
August Boehm: 2NT. Too much stuff to pass. Double would be attractive if I knew what to lead.
Jill Meyers: Pass. Odd that partner bid 1NT. I think I would pass and lead the K.
Steve Robinson: 3NT. If partner could balance with 1NT and I have this hand, I think we could easily make 3NT, which I would have bid over 1NT.
Kerri Sanborn: 2NT. I don't like letting them play in their 8-card fit at the 2-level. Lefty is likely short in diamonds, and attacking trumps is awkward. I have a source of tricks, so I will try for the best plus possible.
The Sutherlins: Pass. The points are about equally divided. We are unlikely to have an 8-card fit and trumps are not splitting for the opponents.
Don Stack: Dbl. The matchpoint possibility of plus 200 is too hard to resist. Partner has 4 trumps and we will lead the K. Partner doesn't have to pass the double if he has an unusual hand or cold feet.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. Let's not hang partner for pushing them up a level.
Norm Tucker: 2NT. Should be our board.
Chris Diamond: Dbl. I think we have the HCP, not so sure about a fit so try for 200 if pard can handle it.
Larry Meyer: Pass. This looks like a very dangerous auction to enter at the 3-level.
Eugene Chan: Pass. We have no apparent 9 card fit that justifies competing to the 3 level.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Dbl. Double here should show an initial trap pass of diamonds with spade shortness and club tolerance.
Aidan Ballantyne: Pass. Dbl may turn good board into a top, but they could run to NT. Let sleeping dogs lie.
Bob Kuz: Pass. If my clubs were K x x, I might offer up the Kuz double. (That means they will make.)
Mike Roberts: Dbl. It's matchpoints, and they have no tricks. I'm leading the K.
Perry Khakhar: Dbl. Balance of power 200/500. They are in for a big surprise.
David Gordon: Dbl. Partner will pass with good spades.
Tim Francis-Wright: Dbl. They are in so much trouble.
Amiram Millet: 2NT. Would bid 3NT if it was IMPs.
John Gillespie: Dbl. Cards seem well placed for +200.
Brian Zietman: 3. This must be natural as I passed the 1 opening. Partner can now decide if he wants to bid 3NT.
Plarq Liu: 3. We may have diamond fit, this is natural.
Beverley Candlish: 3. 2NT is too risky with my singleton K. If I have 12 HCP's and partner bids 1NT, we have the balance of the points.
Kf Tung: Dbl. Spades are 4441 and pard is likely to hold 4 clubs. You are much more likely to get +200 than -670.
|
| 5. Matchpoints. E-W vul.
| |
Q 5 4
A 4
A J 10 5 4
A 6 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
1
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
1NT
| 16
| 100
|
|
2
| 2
| 60
|
|
Pass
| 0
| 50
|
|
Dbl
| 0
| 20
|
|
Moderator: With a hand that every strong notrumper would open 1NT, the panelists emphatically favor carrying that thought process forward and overcalling 1NT when RHO opens 1.
Barry Rigal: 1NT. We can't tell if we should be coming in or not, but faint heart never won fair lady. Nor, as I recall, did he go for 500 against nothing!
The Gordons: 2. Not beefy enough to bid 1NT with this kind of stopper. We would pass at different vulnerability, but here we chance 2 so at least partner will play us for some cards.
Stephen Vincent: 1NT. A little shaded but the aces and good diamonds compensate.
Gilbert Lambert: 2. 1NT is tempting, but my holding in both majors is flimsy!
Norm Tucker: 2. Overcall in diamonds safer than 1NT.
Martin Henneberger: 1NT. Overcalling 2 distorts your hand description not to mention potentially removing your side from any further action. 1NT will allow partner to compete properly or place the final contract accurately.
Chris Diamond: 2. This just doesn't feel like a NT overcall. If I don't call 2, I'll probably have to bid 3 and I can suggest NT if pard shows some life.
Larry Meyer: 2. Make the natural bid.
Eugene Chan: 1NT. Textbook 1NT overcall. Runout suit available if I get doubled.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 2. This hand is too flawed to bid 1NT or 2 or pass, but those are the only reasonable choices. Non-vulnerable, 2 seems like the best lie.
Aidan Ballantyne: 2. We can get into NT if right. Like to have one-and-a-half spade stoppers to overcall 1NT. If pard has a semi-spade stopper, it's better from other side.
Bob Kuz: 1NT. 3 possible places to land.
Mike Roberts: 1NT. I'd like the J as well, but I don't have it.
Perry Khakhar: 2. What's the problem?
David Gordon: 1NT. You would like a better spade stopper but you only live once.
Tim Francis-Wright: 2. I could bid 1NT but this spade stopper isn't the kind I feel really good about.
Amiram Millet: 2. Too light for 1NT.
John Gillespie: 1NT. When I'm not sure I go for the higher scoring strain.
Brian Zietman: 2. Not strong enough for a big double.
Plarq Liu: 2. No need to bid 1NT with half a spade stopper.
Beverley Candlish: 1NT. This bid will show my point count. 2 only promises 10 plus points.
Kf Tung: 2. If they have 2 or 2 you will not be hurt by bidding 2. If you have 3NT then the 2 bid will be an important first step.
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