TGIF April 2013: Scores
| 1. IMPs. E-W vul.
|
K 7 5 4
A J 7 3
6
A J 10 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
1
|
Dbl
|
Rdbl
(1)
|
2
| |
|
Pass
|
Pass
|
3
| ? |
| (1) Doubleton heart honor.
|
Do you agree with 2?
| | Votes | Award
|
|
Yes
| 16
| 50
|
|
No
| 3
| 25
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
Pass
| 19
| 50
|
|
3
| 0
| 25
|
|
Moderator: While there are three who think the free 2 was a bit of an overbid, the panel passes in harmony at their next opportunity.
August Boehm: Pass. If East had passed, 2 is fine to confirm four. As it is, any spade bid should show four and 1 is enough. I may have trouble ruffing out my hearts without an overruff.
Larry Cohen: Pass. I am tempted to bid on, but partner might have four --- even five --- diamonds. Likely, 3 (if the defense leads trump) has no chance, so I don't want to lock in a minus score.
Dianne Isfeld and Martin Henneberger: Pass. We could have bid 3 or 4 with strength.
Brad Bart: Pass. 2 should show a 'normal' raise, like had the auction gone 1-1-2.
Gilbert Lambert: Pass. I have already overstated the value of my hand. Let pard decide.
Lisbet Soda: 3NT. E-W is vulnerable. Let them see how far they want to go with the heart contract. It is redoubled, and I have a great hand in hearts.
Martin Henneberger: Pass. I like 2 here as it doesn't show extras. 3 or 4 would be a good hand. This bid cuts off vital room for the opps. After their side bids 3 I feel like I'm all in now so I will pass.
Chris Diamond: Pass. Almost agree, want more meat. It accelerated an auction where we have the boss suit and they're hot.
Bill Angus: 3. My 2 was weak for what could be a strong playing hand if we have complementary fit. Having bid 2 I will now use the available heart cue-bid to invite game. Partner (who has at most a 2 card heart suit) can place the contract in 3 or 4.
Steve Ottridge: 3. I would have bid 3, not 2.
Larry Meyer: Pass. Yes because in support of spades, I am a king better than minimum. Pass because partner passed my jump.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Pass. The singleton diamond factored into my original jump response. Taking action here would be bidding the same values twice.
Aidan Ballantyne: Pass. Give pard a chance. According to the system, I should have bid 1 so I have already overbid slightly.
Bob Kuz: Pass. Seems I have bid my hand. Partner may double and I am happy.
Perry Khakhar: Pass. Of course I'd pass the first time as well. The real question now is what are you going to do after 4 comes back to you? You created it by bidding 2! Your hand is amazingly bad for defending despite 2.5 QTs.
Brian Zietman: Pass. Why not 1 with a minimum opening (or even pass)?
Timothy Wright: Pass. 2 is an overbid but it's not horrible. Unfortunately, it limits what I can do here.
David Gordon: 3. My trumps are weak so I want to ruff diamonds in my hand and will make a belated game try.
Amiram Millet: Pass. For partner's decision.
John Gillespie: Pass. A stiff in pard's likely length is no reason to upgrade this hand or overbid it yet again.
Plarq Liu: Pass. Disagree with 2, too strong. Choose not to rebid, no extra values to bid.
Beverley Candlish: Pass. I agree with the the 2 bid. I need to let partner know I have 4 spades. I am minimum in count so will pass and see what partner does.
Kf Tung: Pass. You want to play 2, defend 3, double 3 if the bidding comes back, and let pard bid 3 if he wants to do so.
|
| 2. IMPs. E-W vul.
| |
A
A 3 2
A 8 5
K Q 7 5 3 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
2
|
4
|
4
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4NT
| 12
| 100
|
|
5
| 2
| 70
|
|
6
| 1
| 70
|
|
5
| 4
| 60
|
|
Moderator: Many of the panel have aspirations for a grand slam.
Steve Robinson: 6. I would hate to see a diamond lead, but partner could be 2-8-1-2. I'd expect to have a good play for 6 with a spade lead. I wouldn't expect partner to have a preemptive heart hand plus the A.
Geoff Hampson: 4NT. This looks like a job for Roman Key Card Blackwood. If they don't find a diamond lead, I will probably make a slam if we are only off one key card. I might even make it if they find the diamond lead.
Dianne Isfeld and Martin Henneberger: 5. I can count 13 tricks if partner has the A. A 5 cue will allow me to find that out.
Barry Rigal: 5. Because 6 looks likely to be a cheap save, I'm going to try to buy the hand in 5 or 6 by going slow. 4NT key card for hearts might work also.
Adam Melzak: 4NT. Not supposed to preempt a preempt, so is 4 a splinter? So RKC, maybe if pard shows 2 with the queen assume hearts are trump and bid 7 and if 2 w/o assume clubs and bid 7.
Stephen Vincent: 6. They'll probably bid 6 over this anyway, but I don't want to embark on a sequence that will make it easier for them to find a diamond lead.
Eurydice Nours: 4NT. Key card, asking.
Martin Henneberger: 5. There will be 13 tricks if pard has as little as K x x x x x x and the A. 5 will invite partner to cue their A to then bid a hopefully cold grand. Any other action is purely pessimistic.
Chris Diamond: 4NT. 7 still very much in play.
Bill Angus: 4NT. If pard bids 5 to my keycard 4NT, I bid 5NT to investigate grand slam - else we settle in 6.
Steve Ottridge: 6. Bid what you think you can make.
Larry Meyer: 6. Great controls, a great trump suit, plus a potential source of tricks equals slam.
Stuart Carr: 4NT. If partner has K Q A, I'll bid 7.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 4NT. 4NT should be RKCB here. The blockage in the heart suit is a little worrisome.
Aidan Ballantyne: 6. What I think I can make (on a spade lead).
Bob Kuz: 4NT. If blackwood were invented for a hand, this seems to be it.
Mike Roberts: 4NT. Seems easy, although I'm worried it pinpoints the diamond lead.
Perry Khakhar: 4NT. What is a pre-empt over a pre-empt these days? No matter, if partner is K Q x x x x x x x and out, we should still have a play for 6 (I know 5 may go down with a diamond lead!). If he can show the A, we can try 7.
Brian Zietman: 6. Ready to double their 6.
Timothy Wright: 6. If I knew partner would know what I meant by 4NT, I might use it here.
David Gordon: 6. I expect partner to have K-Q 7th or 8th of hearts. I hope they do not find a diamond lead.
Amiram Millet: 4NT. There might be at least small slam.
John Gillespie: 5. Six may fail or seven may not.
Plarq Liu: 4NT. Lucky shot Blackwood, hoping we can find A or K.
Richmond Williams: 4NT. Keycard time.
Beverley Candlish: 6. My partner likely has 7 or 8 hearts and I will gamble that we can make 6.
Kf Tung: 4NT. Show your slam interest. Very well if this is RKCB, expecting to end in 6. You still have a chance to play 5 in case pard has a weak hand with long hearts.
|
| 3. IMPs. E-W vul.
| |
9 3
A 10 6 5
Q 7 6 5 3
7 3
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
Pass
|
Pass
| |
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
Pass
| |
|
3
|
3
|
3NT
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 13
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 3
| 70
|
|
5
| 2
| 60
|
|
4
| 1
| 50
|
|
Dbl
| 0
| 50
|
|
Moderator: Most of the experts choose a simple raise to 4.
Steve Robinson: 5. I'm not sure how many club winners West has, so I can't take the chance that they could make 3NT. I wouldn't be happy defending 5 so I might as well bid 5.
Karen Walker: Pass. I don't see us making 5, and I think we're beating 3NT. I'm not sure enough to double, though, and I don't want to scare them into running.
The Joyces: 4. We believe the vulnerable opponents and think that we have a good save.
Adam Melzak: 4. Do they have 7 clubs, 1 diamond, 1 spade? Or is the spade stopper positional? I blink.
Stephen Vincent: 4. The hand has improved considerably. Bid 4 on the off-chance partner may be able to bid 6.
Martin Henneberger: 4. The A may be just enough to beat 3NT on a diamond lead, but there are no guarantees if they have 7 club tricks. Partner invited me to the party when they bid 3, so I will oblige by supporting them now with 4.
Chris Diamond: 4. Fairly easy pull and will probably bid 5 if I have to. Maybe I should bid it now.
Bill Angus: 4. Down 1 is good bridge?
Larry Meyer: Pass. East, a passed hand, has optimistically undertaken to win 9 tricks opposite a moderate hand with a club suit. Leading my 4th best diamond.
Stuart Carr: 4. I know you're not supposed to sack at IMP's, but this shouldn't be too bad, and 3NT seems highly likely to make.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 4. Assume 4 is -300 when they make 3NT and -100 when they don't. The break-even point comes when they make game 42% of the time. I'll take those odds (but I'm worried the panel will not).
Aidan Ballantyne: 4. Insurance.
Bob Kuz: 4. Insurance time?
Mike Roberts: 4. Cannot let them play 3NT at IMPs. If I thought 5 was sure to make, I'd bid 5.
Perry Khakhar: 5. I was tempted to try 4 on the way, but really you must get past the 5 (which appears to be better than 3NT) level quickly.
Brian Zietman: 4. The opponents probably can make 3NT.
Timothy Wright: 4. They have a decent shot at 9 tricks in 3NT and we're not going down too many.
David Gordon: 4. I wish I had more shape but If partner introduces a new suit at the 3 level I feel obligated to support it with 5 card support.
John Gillespie: 4. Doubling to hear 4 is a waste of time and they might make it.
Plarq Liu: 4. We save.
Kf Tung: 4. Bid 4 with or without the intervention from East.
Dennis Caswell: Pass. . . and lead a diamond.
|
| 4. IMPs. Both vul.
| |
A 10 9 8 6
A K Q J 7
10
7 2
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
|
|
1
| |
|
Pass
|
4
(1)
|
Pass
| ? |
| (1) Splinter.
|
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 9
| 100
|
|
4NT
| 7
| 90
|
|
5
| 3
| 70
|
|
5
| 0
| 60
|
|
Moderator: Nine panelists hear partner's shortness in their strongest suit and give up.
Jill Meyers: 4NT. I like to play that key card shows controls in the other suits. Regardless, I still bid key card.
Kerri Sanborn: 4. Splinters should be limited to a max of 13 HCP. Unless we are facing three aces or two aces and the right K-Q, slam is not a bargain. In my opinion, good support hands begin with 2NT.
Dianne Isfeld and Martin Henneberger: 5. I feel I need to make a move, and key-carding with two low cards in a side suit is ill advised.
Paul Sontag: 4. Splinter style is a factor here. 4 left no room so in theory a good fitting minimum should advance.
Craig T. Wilson: 4NT. 1430, it doesn't hurt to explore slam.
Eurydice Nours: 4NT. Key card asking.
Martin Henneberger: 5. I have enough to try for slam. Keycarding with 2 losers in a side suit is a common faux pas. A 5 cue will get my message across beautifully.
Chris Diamond: Pass. Held a hand like this once and made 7. There is a remote possibility of not making 5 so I am making the same (probably losing) bid.
Steve Ottridge: 4NT. Need to know the Ace situation.
Larry Meyer: 4. I would like to bid my diamond control, but control bids above game are first round controls.
Stuart Carr: 4NT. Optimistic, but if partner has all the keycards, 6 has a good chance.
Andrew Krywaniuk: 4. Slam could be on if partner has the perfect hand, but there's no safety at the 5-level here.
Aidan Ballantyne: 4NT. I know, not pretty. But usually effective.
Bob Kuz: 4. I don't have a safe continuation AND I am never lucky in these situations. Give me my 50.
Mike Roberts: 4NT. 5 focusses on clubs, but could lead to a slam off two aces. 5 focusses on both minors, but without distinguishing. 4NT might result in a slam off two clubs, but at least I'll find out if 7 is on.
Perry Khakhar: 4. More may be available, but all of it is too risky from my hand. Show the wastage first and then cooperate as required.
Brian Zietman: 4. Partner's splinter does not help me with 3 losers in the minors.
Timothy Wright: 4. A complete guess. Partner is marked for cards in the minors, but which ones?
David Gordon: 5. You get 3 or 4 pitches on the hearts. Deny both minor suit Aces.
Amiram Millet: 5. Showing control on the way to slam.
John Gillespie: 4. I dislike splinters but if we belong in slam and pard doesn't move I detest them.
Plarq Liu: 4. If partner can cue-bid A, then slam, if not, forget about it.
Richmond Williams: 5. I think this tells pard I do have a slammish hand without controls below hearts.
Beverley Candlish: 4NT. What does it hurt to ask?
Kf Tung: 5. Let pard go to 6 if he is not afraid of a club lead.
|
| 5. IMPs. Both vul.
| |
10 9 8 5 4
J 9 5 3
K 6
9 5
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
3
|
3
|
Pass
| ? |
Your call?
| Bid | Votes | Award
|
|
4
| 14
| 100
|
|
Pass
| 5
| 80
|
|
Moderator: Not too many are willing to let go of the vulnerable game.
The Coopers: 4. We're not confident that this will make, but at IMPs one should bid vulnerable games even when your best guess is that it'll go down one.
Dianne Isfeld and Martin Henneberger: Pass. Although we have good trump support, the K and ruffing value, we just don't feel it's enough to warrant a raise.
Adam Melzak: Pass. Even vul at IMPs, lacking a double from partner I think 4 is too much.
Stephen Vincent: Pass. Partner's playing me for a random 7-8 count. I don't have it and the trump support isn't sufficient compensation on this flattish hand: the club holding is particularly bad.
Martin Henneberger: Pass. Would somebody please invent a simulator that would run 10,000 scenarios of possible hands partner could hold for this auction thus far, and how many will make game opposite my holding. My gut says pass and be happy with a plus score.
Chris Diamond: 4. Am I supposed to bid something else?
Larry Meyer: Pass. Partner is limited by his failure to double, so I doubt we can make game.
Andrew Krywaniuk: Pass. Partner's chances of making 3 will improve substantially if I pass.
Laurence Betts: Pass. 3 passes and 2RKCB are unlikely to prevail in a bidding contest.
Aidan Ballantyne: 4. Am I supposed to bid 5? Could be too expensive.
Bob Kuz: Pass. I have less than partner has a right to expect.
Mike Roberts: 4. I know I'm supposd to discount the first 6 points, but that 4th trump is huge.
Perry Khakhar: 4. It's IMPs and vulnerable! Maybe the doubleton K is well placed.
Brian Zietman: Pass. Tempting but not strong enough to bid game.
Timothy Wright: Pass. I think East missed an opportunity here. I have too many losers to expect 4 to make.
David Gordon: 4. 3 should be a good hand. Partner will almost always have 6+ hearts.
Amiram Millet: 4. Partner has a strong hand and a good suit.
John Gillespie: 4. I may well pass nonvul but it's not my problem anymore.
Plarq Liu: Pass. No need to compete right now.
Beverley Candlish: Pass. With my 4 points, I would be misleading my partner if I went to 4 and she could possibly think about slam.
Kf Tung: Pass. Lose 4 quick tricks and pard will be comfortable to bid 3 next time. Pard may be happy with one down in 3!
|
|
