District 8 Solvers Forum -- February 2016

    by Kimmel Jones, Euless TX


Happy February to all my District 8 friends. You’ll be pleased to know this month’s column is being written by a brand-new Platinum Life Master, as I ascended to that lofty plateau at the recent Houston TX regional. There, I also met one of our most distinguished panel members, the Harold Feldheim. I promptly misdefended a hand that he declared, but Harold has agreed not to tell anyone as long as I liberally quote him this month.

1. Matchpoints, NS vulnerable

Action  

 Score  

 Votes 

 % Solvers

3D

100

8 46
DBL

80

4 26
Pass

70

3 22
3H

50

0 6

  West   

  North  

   East   

  South  

  1NT Pass 2D*
Pass 2H Pass Pass
2S Pass Pass ???

   * Transfer

What is your call as South holding:  ♠7  QJ984  K1082  ♣952 ? 

First off, do we compete? Some say no.

NIEUWENHUIS: Pass. My partner always holds a minimum 4-2-3-4 in these situations. I'll take my chances on defense.

BRIDGE BARON: Pass. No sixth heart; no reason to bid 2NT when it's likely going down; no point in trying to find a minor suit at the three level, vulnerable, with only three clubs in my hand; no desire to double them in a 2S contract that's likely making anyway.

But most say yes.

SPEAR: Double. We are limited from our pass of 2H, so let partner decide what to do after our good description.

WARD: Double. I have to compete. I can hope if partner is 4-4 in the minors he will bid 2NT. If he passes, it may be our only plus.

The majority selected 3D for compelling reasons. Mainly, that a double will often lead to 470.

FELDHEIM: 3D. This seems clear and very descriptive. In matchpoints, pass is not possible and double seems too big a position.

GUTHRIE: 3D. Tempting to double, but your values are more offensive than defensive. Anyway, if partner is 4-4 in the minors, then diamonds will play better than clubs.

KAPLAN: 3D. Aack; so many choices could be right! 2NT is my second choice, but I decided to "bid where I live."

HINCKLEY: 3D. I likely would double if it was takeout, but it is penalty in Bridge World Standard. If 2NT was takeout, as it is in many of my partnerships, I would choose that.

Looking at this online BWS write up (http://tinyurl.com/jqynzdh), I don’t find this particular auction. They do now play that responder’s direct double of a 2- or 3-level overcall of a notump opening is for takeout, and in that spirit, they likely play double in this auction as takeout, too.

But it is not clear. In any event, this sure is a discussion all established partnerships need to have.

2. Matchpoints, none vulnerable

Action  

 Score  

 Votes 

 % Solvers

Pass

100

10 38
RDBL

80

3 25
2H

60

2 13
2NT

50

0 16
3C

30

0 3
3NT 20 0 5

  West   

  North  

   East   

  South  

Pass Pass Pass 1NT
Pass 2C Pass 2D
DBL Pass Pass ???

What is your call as South holding:  ♠AK   KJ10   Q762    KJ84 ? 

Usually, the 2C Stayman bid is made on hands with invitational or better strength. But when responder has a poor hand with some length in both majors, many pairs play that 2C can be Garbage Stayman (sometimes called Crawling Stayman) to allow an escape into 2H or 2S.

There are two varieties of Garbage Stayman. With a weak hand that's 4-4 in the majors (some play it can also be 4-5), you respond 2C and if opener rebids 2D, you bid 2H, which asks opener to pass or correct. With the other type of Garbage Stayman, you may have as few as three cards in both majors and at least four diamonds -- the "classic" hand is  ♠xxxx  xxxx  xxxxx  Void. If you're very weak, you try 2C with the intention of passing opener's reply. If opener's 2D reply happens to be doubled, this doesn’t affect the meaning of responder’s weak rebids.

GUTHRIE: Pass. Diamonds may be stacked, but pushing deeper into the mire is inadvisable opposite a typical Garbage Stayman effort -- for example,  ♠xxx  xxx  xxxxx  xx .

BRIDGE BARON: Pass. Partner, RHO and I all want North-South to play a diamond contract. We outvote the opponent.

MILLER: Pass. Don't need to redouble, as this will be plenty if we make. Even if we're down 1, we should be able to play it a trick or two better than the other tables who aren't doubled.

Some chose to follow the theory that if you don't know what's going on, you'd better bid again:

PAULO: 2H. I'm wondering what North's last pass meant. Anyway, I bid my longest major. 

Others got greedy:

SPEAR: Redouble. Top or bottom time if partner is willing to sit with 3+ diamonds. Six defensive tricks may be hard to find for the opposition. I would like better diamonds, but a good partner would have some help.

I actually expect my partner to have four diamonds, Jack, but he may not have any high cards. If 2D doubled makes, we ought to have a top anyway. Now at IMPs, maybe a redouble could win you a bushel!

WARD: Redouble. I'll admit I don't know what this is in BWS. Hoping partner passes.

FELDHEIM: Pass. Partner must have real tolerance for diamonds, possibly 4 cards. Redouble is both greedy and might be misunderstood. Making 2D doubled should be a super score.

3. IMPs, NS vulnerable

Action  

 Score  

 Votes 

 % Solvers

5H

100

8 35
DBL

80

3 32
Pass

70

3 18
4NT

60

1 12
5D 30 0 3

  West   

  North  

   East   

  South  

  1D 4S ???

What is your call as South holding:  ♠Void   AJ8753   J95   ♣K632 ?

I see when I first answered these problems last month, I was a doubler, but that might have been before I reviewed Bridge World Standard to see that double is not negative. Today it seems like taking a stab at 5H is the thing to do with a long suit and really good controls.

WARD: 5H. They preempt, we guess.

NIEUWENHUIS: 5H: Trying for the vulnerable game bonus. May go horribly wrong.

KNIEST: 5H. I don't know BWS anymore, so if double is for takeout, I choose that. If it's for penalties, I'm a 5H bidder. 4NT (two places to play) is tempting.

Tom, here’s your homework assignment before next time: http://tinyurl.com/jqynzdh

WALKER: 5H. This could be grisly, but I just can't pass. 4NT would be takeout for clubs and hearts, but I don't see the point when I'm 6-4 and the long suit is the major. Is anyone really wanting to play in 5C or 5D?

There’s always somebody, Karen.

KAPLAN: 4NT.

Three panelists chose to go quietly, with justifications ranging from some science to a sigh:

BRIDGE BARON: Pass. Expecting to score -148.1 on average for defending 4S undoubled as opposed to -299 for defending it doubled. The simulation rejects 5H out of hand. Negative doubles are on only through 3S in Bridge World Standard.

MILLER: Pass. Hope partner can reopen. If we're fixed, oh well.

The case for double:

GUTHRIE: Double. Competitive. A bit weak, perhaps, but partner might hold  ♠xxx  KQxx  Axxx  Ax .

SPEAR: Double. Not passing, and not bidding 5H, so a negative double will have to do. Good luck to us!

Going forward, Jack, KNIEST will be informed enough to tell us that we play negative doubles just through 3S.

4. Matchpoints, both vulnerable

Action  

 Score  

 Votes 

 % Solvers

2C

100

9 65
1NT

80

4 10
3D

60

1 3
DBL

50

1 21

  West   

  North  

   East  

  South  

    1D ???

What is your call as South holding:  ♠K8  Q102   QJ   ♣AKQ987 ? 

Here, I’m guessing the player who submitted this hand missed a game because their partner overcalled 2C, and they had Txx of diamonds and a couple major-suit cards, and therefore missed getting to 3NT. Or maybe their partner overcalled 1NT, got raised to 3, and they lost the first five diamond tricks. Or maybe partner doubled and they got too high? It’s clearly partner’s fault.

KNIEST: DBL. Double and rebid clubs unless pard jumps in hearts or bids any number of notrump.

HINCKLEY: 2C. Especially with the trend towards overcalls having a higher upper limit these days. This hand is good, but isn't good enough to risk doubling and having partner bidding lots of spades.

WALKER: 1NT. A choice between showing just the clubs or showing a balanced(ish) 15-17. Partner would probably appreciate the latter, and I expect to make it. This hand isn't strong enough for a takeout double and club freebid.

BRIDGE BARON: 2C. Nowhere near strong enough to double first. QJ tight is not a holding in RHO's suit that cries out for a creative 1NT overcall.

The best justification for 1NT comes from our former guest columnist from Quincy IL:

CUTHBERTSON: 1NT. Right on strength, will run to 2C if doubled. OK ... I'll have to explain to partner that I'm color blind and had a club mixed in with my diamonds when I go down in 3NT.

Clay, I’ve used that logic many times over the years.

NIEUWENHUIS: 2C. Lots of points, but a horrible hand. Unless partner can act, this is enough and takes away a whole level of bidding. My problem comes when 2D gets back to me. Might be a nice one for the next Forum.

And now for something completely different!

FELDHEIM: 3D. Here's hoping we're on the same page. For me, this would be asking partner to try 3NT with a diamond card. (A seventh club would be nice, but . . .)

Yeah, the partner probably held  ♠QTxx Jxxx  Kxx  Jx  and needed to be playing with Harold.

5. Matchpoints, EW vulnerable

Action  

 Score  

 Votes 

 % Solvers

3S

100

5 32
3C

90

5 30
3NT

80

3 18
2S

70

1 7
4S 60 1 8
2NT

50

0 4

  West   

  North  

   East   

  South  

  1D    Pass 1S

2C

2D *

Pass

???

   * Denies 3+ spades

What is your call as South holding:  ♠AKJ953   Q4   54   ♣K92 ?

Let’s see. Do we have enough for game? Check! Am I the partner with the stopper in the opponent’s suit? Check! Okay, 3NT! Who agrees with me?

KAPLAN: 3NT. Seems like our best shot at game. It gives away less info to the defense if I just bid it.

WARD: 3NT. Hoping I can run one of the pointed suits.

Oh, just us three. At least Bud likes us if he can’t join us:

HINCKLEY: 3C. Although I have admiration for 3NT bidders going for the gusto.

Actually, 3C, the ambiguous cuebid, always rates to score well on a deal like this.

MILLER: 3C. We'll see what partner says on the way to 3NT. Works great, right up until partner bids 3H and RHO doubles with the heart honor and ♣Jx.

So why not just bid 3NT directly instead?

NIEUWENHUIS: 3C. And over partner’s answer, I will bid 3S. I think this hand is good enough to insist on game (direct 3S would be invitational ?). If partner bids 3NT, I will pass.

Ig is cuebidding to show a game-going hand with six spades. He won’t get to 3NT from his side. His thinking is more in line with the robot:

BRIDGE BARON: 4S. Game strength, even under the 2C overcall, and a glittering AKJ9xx 6-card suit.

Everyone else thought this 13-point hand and its glittering suit wasn’t enough to insist on game:

GUTHRIE: 2S. Sufficient unto the day.

PAULO: 3S. Invitational, showing six spades.

SPEAR: 3S.  This hand may not be as good as I first thought. It is matchpoints, so missing a game is not the end of the world, and partner's 2D denies running diamonds. We may score 140 on a problem hand where the king of clubs is not worth much.

FELDHEIM: 3S. Possibly an underbid, but there are a lot of pitfalls. With North holding two or fewer spades -- and my not holding a diamond honor -- a notrump bid seems dicey. Of course, North could hold something like  ♠x  Kxx  AKQxxx  ♣xx , in which case, 3S is disastrous, but hey, it's matchpoints!

Okay, now I see why this hand was included:

WALKER: 3S. Only because it's matchpoints and I wish I'd chosen this underbid at the table. The good spades notwithstanding, this hand is looking like a 10-count.

6. IMPs, NS vulnerable

Action  

 Score  

 Votes 

 % Solvers

Pass

100

7 48
4H

80

3 8
3NT

80

3 26
4C

70

2 2
4S

40

0 14

  West   

  North  

   East   

  South  

  1C 2D* DBL**
3D 3S Pass ???

  * Preemptive    ** Negative

What is your call as South holding:  ♠1096   AQ106   107542   ♣A ?

Let’s see. Do we have enough for game? Check! Am I the partner with the stopper in the opponent’s suit? Check! Okay, 3NT! Who agrees with me?

NIEUWENHUIS: 3NT. 4-3-0-6? I think 3NT will play better than a major suit. If partner corrects to clubs, we are probably in a better contract (and partner may have a 4-3-1-5 pattern).

GUTHRIE: Pass. 3NT may be playable opposite  ♠Axxx  Kxx  Void  ♣KQJxx. With 4 hearts, partner will correct to 4H.

Oh. Just us three.

You cannot get to 3NT or 4H if you pass over 3S. Remember partner should have 13 or more high-card points outside of diamonds. While Nigel's example hand has only 12 cards, a thirteenth card could give you an overtrick in 3NT. There’s a bonus for bidding game, folks.

RABIDEAU: Pass. A brutal set of hands. My head is swimming! We all hate to miss vulnerable games, but a) It's hard to come up with layouts that produce 10 tricks, and b) An expensive penalty double is a real possibility. I'd guess that 5C has better chances.

It’s not hard to come up with nine tricks.

WARD: Pass. I don't see how 4S could be right. Our most likely game is probably 4H, but other than bidding it right now (or making a massive overbid with 4D), I think I am done.

PAULO. Pass. It's possible to scramble nine tricks; I hope so.

KAPLAN: Pass. Who made a negative double with this? Not I. Now passing seems my best shot, hoping that partner can scramble 140. What else is there?

Well, pard freely bid 3S. It’s reasonable to assume he has extra values. What bids on the four-level are there?

SPEAR: 4C. Partner is marked for 4-3-0-6, so I will bid his hand for him. I hope he considers 4H if he bids again.

MILLER: 4C: Unless partner's spades are AKQJ, that tap at trick one is going to get ugly quickly. There is still a chance for partner to find the right 4-3 fit in hearts.

KNIEST: 4H. I think pard might have jumped to 4S with a 6-5 hand. A heart contract gives me control over the diamond tap.

HINCKLEY: 4H. Why did I make a negative double with five cards in RHO's suit and shortness in partner's suit? I can't leave partner in spades when he'll be immediately tapped in his Moysian fit with likely 4-3-0-6 shape. I won't be surprised if 4C or 5C is better.

So Harold, what do you think of my argument for 3NT?

FELDHEIM: Pass. Another matchpoint special! 3NT would be silly and we're getting tapped in either black suit. Hopefully, we'll be able to scramble enough tricks for a possible +140.

Did I mention I just made Platinum LM?


This was a most difficult set of problems, with many interesting solutions. A large number of readers, however, turned in high scores, led by Bob Bernhard of New Smyrna Beach FL and Bob Sievers of Champaign IL with 570. Close behind with 560 were Sandy Barnes of Wildomar CA, Jim Heller of Springfield IL and Pete Petillo of Lawrence KS. All five are invited to join the April  panel.

If you'd like to receive an email notice when new problems are posted, please send your request to kwbridge@comcast.net .

I hope you'll give the April problems a try (see below). Please submit your solutions by March 31 on the web form.

    April moderator:  Nate Ward    nate.ward@dsvolition.com

  How the Panel voted    

1

2

3

4

5

6

Score

  Bridge Baron software

Pass Pass Pass 2C 4S Pass 500

  Harold Feldheim, Hamden CT

3D Pass 5H 3D 3S Pass 560

  Nigel Guthrie, Glasgow, Scotland

3D Pass DBL 1NT 2S Pass 510

  Bud Hinckley, South Bend IN

3D Pass 5H 2C 3C 4H 570
  Peg Kaplan, Minnetonka MN 3D Pass 4NT 2C 3NT Pass 540

  Tom Kniest, Brentwood MO

DBL Pass 5H DBL 3C 4H 500
  Adam Miller, Chicago IL Pass Pass Pass 2C 3C 4C 500
  Ig Nieuwenhuis, Amersfoort, Netherlands Pass Pass 5H 2C 3C 3NT 540
  John Seng, Champaign IL DBL RDBL Pass 1NT 3C Pass 500

  Larry Rabideau, St. Anne IL

3D 2H 5H 2C 3S Pass 560

  Manuel Paulo, Lisbon, Portugal

3D 2H 5H 2C 3S Pass 560

  How the Staff voted

  Kimmel Jones, Euless TX 3D Pass DBL 2C 3NT 3NT 540

  Jack Spear, Kansas City MO

DBL RDBL 4NT 1NT 3S 4C 490
  Karen Walker, Champaign IL 3D Pass 5H 1NT 3S 4H 560

  Nate Ward, Champaign IL

DBL RDBL 5H 2C 3NT Pass 540

 Solvers Honor Roll   (Solver average: 408)

  Bob Bernhard, New Smyrna Beach FL

570

  Asher Axelrod, Jerusalem, Israel

530

  Bob Sievers, Champaign IL 

570

  George Hawley, Florissant MO

530

  Sandy Barnes, Wildomar CA 

560

  Dean Pokorny, Opatija, Croatia

530

  Jim Heller, Springfield IL 

560

  Jean-Christophe Clement, Vaucresson, France 

520

  Pete Petillo, Lawrence KS

560

  Amiram Millet, Tel Aviv, Israel

520

  Zoran Bohacek, Zagreb, Croatia

550

  Bill Walsh, Champaign IL

520

  Wally Hendricks, Winnetka IL

550

  Lee Baatz, Columbia City IN 

510

  Sam Needham, Martinez CA 

550

  Clay Cuthbertson, Quincy IL  510

  Larry Wilcox, Springfield IL

550

  Terry Goodykoontz, Champaign IL 

510

  Mary Lou Clegg, Fort Wayne IN  540

  Steve Harvey, Decatur IN

510

  David Drennan, Granite City IL  540   Jimmy Hubbard, Wills Point TX 510
  Micah Fogel, Aurora IL  540   Jim Hudson, Elmhurst IL  510
  Mike Heins, Cocoa Beach FL  540

  Sid Ismail, Benoni, South Africa 

510

  Bill Johnson, Farmington MO 

540

  Dave Bigler, Hobart IN 

500

  Leah Newell, Springfield IL 540   David Stevens, Charleston IL  500

Solvers Forum -- April 2016 Problems


1. Matchpoints, EW vulnerable           

  West   

  North  

   East   

  South  

    Pass 1S
Pass 4D * Pass ???

  * Splinter -- diamond shortness

What is your call as South holding:
Q98743   AJ   AQJ104   Void ?

2. Matchpoints, NS vulnerable           

  West   

  North  

   East   

  South  

  1S 2H 3D
3H 3S Pass ???

What is your call as South holding:
Void   K6  AQ108542   QJ96 ?

3. IMPs, NS vulnerable           

  West   

  North  

   East   

  South  

  1S Pass 2D
5C Pass Pass ???

What is your call as South holding:
A103   KQJ  Q1084   A102 ?

4. Matchpoints, both vulnerable           

  West   

  North  

   East   

  South  

      1H
3D 4C Pass ???

What is your call as South holding:
J65   AK954   A732   5 ?

5. Matchpoints, none vulnerable           

  West   

  North  

   East   

  South  

    Pass 1D
Pass 1S Pass ???

What is your call as South holding:
A4   Q9   AKQ53   K1042 ?

6. IMPs, NS vulnerable           

  West   

  North  

   East   

  South  

      1C
DBL 1S Pass ???

What is your call as South holding:
Void   J1097  KQ87   AKQJ7 ?

Thanks for the problems to Jack Spear (#3) and Dave Wetzel (#5 & #6).