| West | North | East | South |
| Pass | |||
| 1S | 2H | Pass | ? |
What is your call as South holding: S-A643
H-J5 D-A1093 C-J93
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To get the correct answer to this problem, we need look no further than problem 3, where you were going to protect partner in balancing seat with a double in case he was trapping. Well, RHO is an unpassed hand; unless you huddle with this hand, LHO is going to reopen most of the time.
Since this is matchpoints, this must be the right approach: you have a big upside and it's not clear what to bid since you have no known fit. RHO must be looking at dreck, and he may bid at the 3 level! At IMPs, however, I'm a 2S bidder, since game is still possible, while not probable. Supporting me:
MARCIN SZUMOWSKI: "Pass. At IMPs I'd consider 3 alternatives, none of them good: 3H lies about a heart, 2S suggests heart support, and in 2NT, Axxx isn't my choice of stoppers. I'll take my plus, and also, the spade bidder may balance, in which case I can make an optional double."
For the majority:
KENT FEILER: "2NT. Either 3H or 2NT could be right. I'll go with 2NT because it's more flexible. We can get back to hearts or even diamonds, but if I start with 3H."
MARK KESSLER: "3H: "Bad spade spots for 2NT, probably the majority bid. Aces seem to play better in suits."
They're also good for defense, Mark.
NATE WARD: "2S: "I'd prefer to have 3 hearts, but Jx will have to do. 2NT with only one spade stop is not too attractive. Partner can always give me 3S when 3NT is going to be right."
I find it illuminating that 94% of the solvers knew enough not to raise to 3H with 2-card support. Partner's hand wasn't provided, but I wish it had been for this one.
| West | North | East | South |
| 3S | DBL | Pass | ? |
What is your call as South holding: S-KQ4
H-AJ2 D-AJ103 C-Q73
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I gave 3NT and 4NT both the highest score. 4NT got 100 because a majority of the panel was willing to go beyond 3NT, but I also gave 3NT the highest score because at least those folks knew what they were doing.
The 4NT bidders had three definitions for their bid: Blackwood, unusual, and quantitative. How nice that 4NT quantitative would be an excellent description of this hand; unfortunately, folks, it's Blackwood, and you will ALWAYS hear how many aces your partner has. You will find this a useful bid when you are dealt something like x, AQJxxxx, KJxx, x.
MARK KESSLER: "4NT. I play 4S for aces, so 4NT is quantitative."
How nice for you Mark. With my regular partners, I play 4S is for minors on this auction. That's why we use BWS for the column.
KAREN WALKER: "4NT. 'Practice' Blackwood, as we'll probably end in 6NT, but sometimes partner will have both aces and a powerhouse."
LISA BIEVENUE: "4NT. Asks partner to bid his best minor. If it is diamonds, you can raise; if it is clubs, you can bid 6NT. And if he had a big double in hearts, you can bid 6H."
I don't understand that answer; she expects partner to know that 4NT asks for his best minor, yet is ready to raise a heart response. I can just see a puzzled look on partner's face who just showed 2 aces!
From our take-no-prisoners panelist from Texas:
K.C. JONES: "6NT. A value bid."They don't need Blackwood down there.
JACK SPEAR: "3NT. Color me yellow and pay me the money. (Oh, sorry; this isn't rubber bridge?)"
My own choice was 3NT. That's why preempts, especially in spades, are so successful. Would any of you make a takeout double over 3S with x KQxx Kxx KJxxx? While this is a minimum hand, you will go down in 3NT on some days. FEILER made the point that there are some hands with 7 HCP where he would be endplayed into bidding 3NT; therefore, this hand merits bidding onward. I go with the theory that the less I have on these hands, the more for partner to have, and maybe he'll cover me with an 18-count when I have the weaker hand.
| West | North | East | South |
| 1C | |||
| 2H | Pass | 2S | Pass |
| Pass | 2NT | Pass | ? |
What is your call as South holding: S-A54
H-76 D-K983 C-AQ83 ?
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What's going on here? The majority of the panel, including me, thinks partner has the minors hand with some heart length -- a hand that didn't want to bid 1NT or make a negative double.
2S by RHO apparently wasn't forcing, so he must have a weak 2 type of hand, and yes, the opponents have a spade fit, but they probably aren't going to bid any more based on what's happened so far. I'm playing partner for x Qxxx QJxxx Kxx or similar.
So how does partner show he was planning to pass a double of 2h? The
only way for him to show that now is to double, which says he has some
values and trapped in hearts, not that he has a spade stack. If you were
supposed to protect for
him, then why isn't he supposed to protect for you? If he has the hand
that some of the panelists and solvers think he has, 3NT will be no bargain,
and you will set him more than the partscore, and possibly more than the
potential game!
MARK BOSWELL: "3D. Partner must have short spades, long hearts, and balanced in the minors with longer diamonds than clubs."
LARRY MATHENY: "3D. Parter should have diamonds with a tolerance for clubs."
MICHELLE WETZEL: "3D. This 2NT should be unusual, showing a weak hand with long diamonds and decent club tolerance."
K.C. JONES: "3D. Partner should be something like 5-4 in the minors. By the way, the correct opening bid is 1D; let's teach our children well."
1D was the bid of choice in the "old days", but now seems to be a matter of style. Marty Bergen opens 1C with this hand, and he's enlisted a lot of converts.
JACK SPEAR: "3D. I like double to show a heart trap, and my expert partner should have figured that, so it's some sort of minor takeout, I figure."
Go figure, Jack. Not agreeing:
KENT FEILER: "Pass. He certainly has a heart stack and a spade stopper, but how good is his hand? He was planning to play in 2H doubled, so it can't be too bad and the hand looks like it's going to play really well. But, I have about what partner might expect and he might have been under pressure to bid with an 8 or 9 count. The feature of my hand that almost tips the scale in favor of bidding is that I have two hearts to finesse with instead of just one."
NATE WARD: "3NT. My hand makes me think this is a heart trap, as does the auction."
TOM DODD: "Pass. What's the problem? North trapped pass 2H and now invites game."
I just don't see this balance as a request for minors when partner couldn't
open his mouth the first go-around.
The solvers took the bid at face value by an overwhelming majority.
It does bring up a good area for discussion: when is an "unusual" notrump
bid for the minors?
| West | North | East | South |
| 3C | DBL | Pass | ? |
What is your call as South holding: S-6
H-K D-A109863
C-107542 ?
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I love this hand; I played it in the Blue Ribbon Pairs in St. Louis, and I'm sure knowing the other hands influenced the score I awarded for pass, but I think bridge logic should get you to the right answer, and that the score awarded for pass is much too high. I was the beneficiary of playing 3C doubled and went down one when they were cold for 6D. If they had merely been cold for 5D, I probably would have made 3C!
Remember that this was a vul. vs. not preempt, so you shouldn't expect any help in clubs from partner, and he might well try a tapping defense, not knowing how bad your clubs are. Your partner didn't Michaels, so you should expect good diamond support. He doesn't have to have ANY aces -- wouldn't you double with KQxx QJ9x KQxxx void? You won't beat 3C if partner has that hand!
MARK KESSLER: "5D, what I think I can make; if partner bids 6, I'm happy."
TOM DODD: "5D. I'll make the assumption partner has a bonafide takeout double and shoot out a game. If partner has extras to go with his likely club void, this call will not keep him from bidding a slam."
MICHELLE WETZEL: "5D. The clubs aren't strong enough to leave the double in, so I'm left to bid what I think we can make."
MARCIN SZUMOWSKI: "5D. If partner has one club, pass is likely right based on the law. Is 4D slammish or just a simple invite? Not sure. Pass and 4C are alternatives. I hope with a void and aces, partner will raise me to 6."
That's what he had, and that's what he'd do. And now for those who hope pard has Axxxx, AQxx, Kxx, J:
KENT FEILER: "Pass. 3NT could be right, but I'm worried that partner has some kind of major two-suiter and that he'll continue with 4C. Anyway, I like to double preempts at matchpoints."
LARRY MATHENY: "Pass. With such wild distribution, it's usually best to defend."
NATE WARD: "Pass. A very tough problem. The other choices -- 3NT, 5D, 6D, or 4C followed by diamonds -- leave you hoping partner has the right cards."
STEVE BABIN: "Pass. Partner has an opening hand and good majors, and will bid 3 of a major over 3D and get us into trouble with a misfit. It doesn't take much to beat 3C."
That's the beauty of bidding 5D, Steve. It keeps partner from bidding one of those annoying majors!
| West | North | East | South |
| 1D | ? |
What is your call as South holding: S-AKJ10976
H-K2 D-K7 C-J10
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I hated awarding 90 to 1S, but it drew 5 votes. I upgraded 4S because at least those bidders won't suffer that funny feeling in you gut when it goes Pass-Pass-Pass, even before seeing dummy. Then partner will put down an ace and a queen and you can write down "lose 10" without waiting to compare with your team-mates.
It's IMPs folks; it's too easy to lose a vulnerable game swing here by bidding 1S. 4S has a lot going for it, as it might end an auction where it's really their hand. However, I think double is the most flexible, and the fact that I have the master suit plus some defense swayed me. A few Solvers said they were hesitant to double because partner might pass it out. In my view, that would be wonderful! Lead a trump and prepare for a possible telephone number.
MARK KESSLER: "Double. Seems automatic; if they have a game, 4S won't stop them."
LISA BIEVENUE: "Double. You have a five loser hand and, sitting behind the opener, you feel pretty good about those two kings."
STEVE BABIN: "4S. Should make it hard for them to find a fit. The kings are well placed, so it shouldn't take much from partner to make."
KENT FEILER: "1S. I can't think of any other possible bids."
Oh come on Kent. Scratch your head, search your brain; unobtrusively glance at the bidding box ...
TOM DODD: "1S. I choose the simple overcall over the under-strength double and the misguided preempt. Could this be unanimous?"
KAREN WALKER: "1S. 4S is a close second. Highly unlikely, but the simple overcall could get us to a slam if partner has the right hand. The main benefit of starting low is when partner is broke. If LHO bids notrump or makes some bid to suggest he has the rest of the deck, I'll be glad I restrained myself."
Self restraint is such an anti-90's concept.
MARK BOSWELL: "Double, followed by 4S. Yes, once in a blue moon partner will be strapped for a call and will pass 1D doubled. 4S is not right because slam is not out of the question, and I don't expect to lose the boss suit."
Funny you should bring that up, because that's exactly what happened. I doubled, partner bid 4H, and now RHO bid 5C! We were cold for 5S, but would you bit it now? I doubled, collected +200 and lost 10 IMPs. These days, it seems you're always in danger of being pre-empted, even with a strong hand and the master suit! It's something to think about.
| West | North | East | South |
| 1H | Pass | 1S | |
| Pass | 2H | Pass | ? |
What is your call as South holding: S-AK732
H-Void D-K653
C-Q1072 ?
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This is really a tough problem. The majority call is certainly reasonable. Since it's matchpoints, I understand that pass could often be a big winner. And yet, if you're going to bid, I think 3C is the most flexible because you won't miss the right suit if partner has a weak 6-4 or 3-card spade support. This is the result of seeing many problems in the Bridge World where the expert panel agrees that with 3-6 in the majors, it's usually better to show your 6-card heart suit than your 3-card spade support.
MARK BOSWELL: "2NT. A very ugly choice indeed."
KENT FEILER: "2NT, what I bid at the table. Partner passed and put down a 1-6-3-3 eleven count. Hats off to anyone who passes 2H. Partner can 9 tricks by ruffing spades with his small trumps, but your LHO may even balance (!), in which case you write 1?00 on your scorecard and wait to fill in the other number."
NATE WARD: "2NT. Forcing to game is silly with no hearts, and passing is too unilateral a shot, even at matchpoints."
The 3C bidders seemed most concerned about losing a possible spade fit.
LISA BIEVENUE: "3C. Forcing, and allows your partner to show three spades. You're not looking forward to playing 3NT across from a minimum hand with six hearts, but maybe you'll find your spade fit."
The answer to those fears comes from:
KAREN WALKER: "2NT. 3C or 3D will power us into a game no matter what partner has, and with the void, I don't think this hand is worth it. If partner has three spades and a maximum, he'll bid 3S on the way to 3NT."
On this hand, his idea of a maximum and mine might differ. Still, this is a good agreement -- using opener's 3S as forcing, showing an acceptance of your game invitation with 3-card support. It's probably even "expert" standard.
Our passers wanted their plus score, and they wanted to shut partner up:
MARK KESSLER: "Pass. A plus at matchpoints is usually good."
STEVE BABIN: "Pass. If partner has decent hearts and a minimum, this might be our last chance for a plus score. If 2NT makes, we still might be able to make 3H for a good score."
MICHELLE WETZELL: "Pass. We should be making 2H, but a bid now rates to get us too high."
The best answer from anyone was DOUBLE from Hugh Williams. He's probably right about partner not making 2H, but when he substitutes a proper bid which will bar partner, he'll have to choose between 2NT (100) or Pass (80). So, I awarded him 90.
Back to Karen's Bridge Library