District 8 Solvers Forum

June, 2011

by Tom Dodd, Branchburg NJ
 

Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends! By popular request we now continue combining bridge with rock 'n' roll, counting down the Top 25 greatest rockers. Our last shout out was to Bruce Springsteen at #14, and the process continues this month starting with:

#13 - Aerosmith (1970-current)

Fronted by Steven Tyler, perhaps the most flamboyant vocalist in rock (now a judge on American Idol!), Aerosmith has been rocking its millions of fans throughout the world for 40 years. The band's tumultuous history includes numerous break-ups and reformings, but of all the groups in the list they are the only band other than U2 that retains all of its original members.

From soaring power ballads to intense guitar and vocal fueled rockers, forays into rock/rap and gritty blues, Aerosmith continues to rock stadiums and large venues today. The band was inducted into the Rock Hall of Hame in 2001 and opens its next tour in South America this fall.

You, South, hold A   J3   K10642   QJ876

What's your call?

SOPER:  "3C. I never miss an opportunity to go set when vulnerable in teams."

This comment pretty much sums up my thoughts on this difficult starting hand. I have a sneaking suspicion the panel vote (and the solvers, too!) would look a lot different if the conditions had been anything else.

MERRITT:  "3D. I have too much not to advance facing a vulnerable 2-level overcall, and 3D seems to situate me better for bidding 4C next."

FELDHEIM:  "3D. I've no idea where this hand is going but I'm too good to pass. Presumably this is forcing. Things should clear up with North's rebid."

SPEAR:  "3D. Too much to pass. I hope to bid clubs next [perhaps 3D, 3H, 4C], which would describe my hand pretty well."

KESSLER:  "3D. Not proud of this, but pass is not an option. Game is possible in all five strains. If partner has Kxx of hearts, it would take the HQ lead to beat 3NT from south probably. Go figure.

Assuming we don't get too high, we may already be at the last makeable contract, since without a minor-suit fit, this hand will not play well at all. But I, too, was seduced by the prospect of a vulnerable game. Some other views:

MATHENY:  "3H. This may "wrong side" 3NT if partner bids it but I'm not courageous enough to bid NT myself. I will pass 3S and raise a minor suit bid. This may get us too high but don't want to risk missing a vul. game."

FEILER:  "2NT. Ok, so my heart stopper is a bit tenuous, but East didn't raise NV vs. Vul, which makes me think the hearts are 6-3-2-2 around the table. My other possible bids aren't jewels of perfection either."

PAOLO:  "3C. I intend to pass if partner rebids 3S, so I can't bid both my suits. If partner could introduce diamonds or raise clubs, it would be fine."

With apologies to the passers, that was my close second choice, but with everyone else advocating a forward move, pass had to be downgraded in the scoring, attractive though it might be.

BRIDGE BARON:  "Pass. With the misfit, and only because of the misfit, just barely short of a new-suit bid in a minor. Can't bid 2NT without a heart stopper."

Unless you're a staff member, then such trivial things like a stopper can be downplayed:

WALKER:  "2NT. Ugh. Too strong to pass and too soft to plan to bid both minors and take the auction into the stratosphere. Partner is a favorite to hold something like Kxx of hearts (no white-vs-red "auto" raise from RHO), so this is my best guess. At least it limits my hand."

# 12 - The Doors (1965-1971)

The Doors one of the most influential and controversial bands of the late 1960s counterculture era. All were incredibly talented musicians and songwriters, and in this writer's humble opinion, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore are among the best ever.

Their soaring talents were often overshadowed by the antics of legendary frontman Jim Morrison, who became a rallying cry for anti-establishment views and Vietnam war protests. Morrison's split from the band in 1971, followed shortly thereafter by his mysterious death in Paris, brought an end to an era, though the surviving band members still perform to this day.

The Doors were inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame in 1993.

2. Matchpoints, Nobody Vulnerable

You, South, hold 9   AKQ1098   QJ83   63

What's your call?

The answers to this problem baffle me, to say the least. Perhaps I'm just getting old. In any other position, this would be a non-problem. But in the closeout spot at pairs, 80 percent of the panel (and over half the solvers) decided they would show their fear of the unbid spade suit by preempting. Two showed the ultimate "respect" for the boss suit:

GRANDE:  "Pass. With little or no defense, it seems that passing at matchpoints is the best bid to prevent a minus score. The possibility of missing a heart game is of more concern at IMPS. Even so, it might still be a good idea to pass at IMPS because the opponents could be cold for 4S."

MERRITT:  Pass. This would be an even easier decision if we were playing weak NTs or my partner was known to be an aggressive opener, but with a lack of defense, this looks like bidding puts us in -50 or -110 land. I don't know how many other 5 loser hands I have ever held that I didn't open..."

To be honest, I would have to say zero in my case. I'll let the panel blather on about whether it's better to open this hand with a weak two or an even weaker three:

MATHENY:  "2H. Every time I do this, the opponents outbid me in spades. Maybe this is the argument for 3H?"

SPEAR:  "2H. I have a maximum for this bid, since I would have opened 1H in any other position. I may bid my diamonds next over 2S by the opposition."

RABIDEAU:  "3H. Seems about right. Partner will throw away his quacks, be unconcerned about short hearts, and upgrade everything else."

KESSLER:  "3H. If my suit were spades, I would open two."

PAOLO:  "2H. This is not a preemptive bid; it tells partner I have six hearts and an opening hand."

FEILER:  "3H. I think a 4th-seat preempt is supposed to be a hand where you expect to make the contract."

SOPER:  "3H. The heart suit looks like a seven-bagger to me and anything less lets the opponents find their spades. Of course, Pass stops the opponents from finding their spades, too, but I paid my entry to play!"

NELSON:  "2H. This hand was designed in fourth chair to open a weak two showing this type of hand...why else would I open it up for opponents."

I may be missing something, but doesn't a weak-two scream out to East-West that "I DON'T HAVE SPADES!" A simple one-bid says nothing of the sort. I have to confess that if someone put a gun to my head and said I couldn't open 1H on this hand, I'd pass. Three of a major is about as fun to play at pairs as 2NT or 4 of a minor. Go set and you'd have been better off passing, make an overtrick or two and wonder how bad your board score will be you open the slip. A simple one-bid says nothing of the sort.

FELDHEIM:  "4H. A pragmatic bid. My hearts are good enough opposite a singleton, and keeping the opponents out of the auction seems like the right thing to do."

In case you missed it, East-West were ready to take a no-score on the hand and take their chances. My only supporter has the last word, and his comment sums up my thoughts here:

DIEBEL:  "1H. Too good for 2H. Might easily miss a game. If the opponents have spades, so be it."

#11 - Creedence Clearwater Revival (1966-1972) and Jimi Hendrix (1965-1970)

CCR and Hendrix have nothing in common beyond the fact they both performed at Woodstock and had short-lived times in the spotlight. However, when populating the list, I realized that the top 25 had become 27, and so I lumped them together at #11.

CCR is best known for the creation of "Swamp Rock," a sound often imitated but never challenged thereafter. John Fogerty's distinctive vocals and guitars made the sound instantly recognizable and Creedence albums still produce significant sales and airplay four decades after they last played together. After numerous fights that later spawned dozens of lawsuits, Fogerty left the band in 1972 for a sporadic yet successful solo career and still performs his Creedence hits today.

Jimi Hendrix has been heralded by numerous publications as the #1 electric guitar player of all time. With his band The Jimi Hendrix Experience, he toured Europe and the US to screaming throngs who often lined up for days to buy tickets. The guitar intro to Purple Haze has been voted by fans as the number one intro of all time. Hendrix's influence on rock guitarists is still felt today, more than 40 years after his death.

Both CCR and Jimi Hendrix are in the Rock Hall of Fame.

3. IMPs, Both Vulnerable

You, South, hold A982   KJ76543   Void   AJ

GUTHRIE:  "2H. No obvious alternative."

KESSLER:  "2H. I'm getting old. What is the problem?"

FELDHEIM:  "2H. Is this a problem?"

NELSON:  "2H. I don't understand the problem on this one.....I would never consider bidding anything other than 2H."

Me neither, and we're all getting old Mark! Good that we fogies can get a breather like this for a change. For what it's worth, in my opinion, the hearts and overall strength aren't quite good enough for 3H, and a reverse invites real trouble later on. 2D promises another bid, at least according to the system we're playing so why would you consider anything else? Only a few dissenting voices could be heard-

DIEBEL:  "2S. Between 2H and 2S. 2S paints a clearer picture."

BRIDGE BARON:  "3H. Partner, who bid 2D instead of doubling, really shouldn't have four spades. We don't penalize ourselves for the void in partner's diamond suit when we have such a long major, so we qualify for a three-level rebid. We're likely to end up in 4H."

WALKER:  "3H. Partner's 2-over-1 in competition doesn't promise another bid. I can't bid a passable 2H with a 7-card suit and a 5-loser hand -- especially since 2H could be a gun-to-my-head rebid with something like AQJ  KQxxx  xx  xxx. As little as K10x 10 Axxxxx xxx from partner gives me a play for game."

If partner chirped out 2D on that pile of garbage, we're in for a long day. And if he did, who's to say he won't pass 3H?

MERRITT:  "2H. I don't see the problem here. If partner has the KJT of spades, and AQ bare of hearts, a singleton club with nothing in diamonds -- and if we play in 2H making 7 -- I guess that would be really bad luck. On any other hand, I will get a chance to suggest a little extra later."

FEILER:  "2H. I dunno whether 2S would be a reverse and 3H would certainly be game-force. This is one of those hands where you say, "If I get another bid, I should be okay."

2S here is a reverse, and if it goes 2H-All pass, the bar had better be open because I am not coming back!

#10 - Sir Elton John (1969-current) and Simon & Garfunkel (1963-current)

Another tie. Elton John and Simon & Garfunkel are also members of the Rock Hall of Fame. Each successfully bridged the gap between pop and rock music, Elton with his piano and his edgy falsetto, Simon and Garfunkel with acoustic guitar and tight rich vocal harmonies.

Their songs resonate even in today's world, two generations later, and their concerts are legendary. Elton's concerts with his band are not-to-be-missed events and his duo concerts with Billy Joel were among the most memorable I've ever attended.

Simon & Garfunkel's 2004 concert in Central Park was believed to have attracted more people than any other concert in history at that time.

You, South, hold Void   Q10752   A10983   AKQ

My scoring of this problem may be in violation of unwritten rules for the forum (more votes=bigger score), but then the plurality call here is a violation of system, so I'd say the two violations cancel. In Bridge World Standard, a Michaels cuebid shows either a weak hand or a very strong one -- in fact, that is the original definition of the convention, and for good reason. It pains me to see expert players trotting out Michaels here. The problems they create for themselves, even if not on this particular hand, will surely carry over the next time the convention is used.

RABIDEAU:  "2S. I'd prefer less defense (all those points in my short suit!), but in anticipation of a spade barrage, I like the idea of revealing the general shape of my hand. I'll double 4S+ if partner has passed."

WALKER:  "2S. Gets both suits into the picture and is about right on strength for a red Michaels call. Not strong enough to double and bid hearts. This mediocre heart suit is the argument against restricting Michaels overcalls to strong or weak hands."

MERRITT:  "2S. If you start now with 2H, 2S or Double, you are going to have trouble on your next call. I would prefer to get most of my shape out there now, and then try and find a way to show good values later."

FEILER:  "2S. I could double, but I'm worried about those annoying opponents bidding more spades. At least this way I'll have managed to get the heart suit on the track."

Trouble is, you've already misled your partner about your hand strength. Unless you've trained him to accept Michaels cuebids of any strength, he'll assume you're either weak or very strong and act accordingly. Yes, 2H or double here has flaws, but Michaels is not a convention of convenience to be used whenever you please. The "trouble" you save yourself this round of bidding is only going to be magnified when poor deceived North has to find something to say later in the auction. OK, enough ranting, let's hear from the panel:

KESSLER:  "2H. I have enough to bid a second suit or double at my next turn."

FELDHEIM:  "Double. There's a risk of partner passing 1S doubled, but if he does, it may be right. If North bids a red suit, I'll cuebid."

MATHENY:  "Double. We may miss a 5-3 heart fit, but I'm not overcalling in that suit."

SOPER:  "2H. I hope to bid 3D on the next round. If I bid 2S now, I won't know what to bid on the next round."

That last sentence illustrates why you can't Michaels with an intermediate hand. Partner can (and will) misread your hand as very strong if you freely bid something over his forced reply.

PAOLO:  "2H. My hand is neither weakish nor very strong, so, according to BWS, I must bid hearts and hope."

GRANDE:  "2H. Bad suit, but the extra values make this hand relatively safe. This hand is too good for a 'bad' Michaels cuebid. The poor suit quality of the two main suits preclude making a 'good' Michaels cuebid."

#9 - U2 (1976-current)

U2 has been the most listened to and influential group of all the post-70s bands. They are perhaps known by today's generation more for their philanthropic enterprises, but their live concerts still pack the stadiums 30 years after they burst onto the American music scene.

Between Bono's distinctive and powerful vocals, The Edge's crisp and gritty guitar, and the precise rhythm of Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, U2 is an experience like no other, both on the CD or DVD player or most importantly, live. U2 was inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame in 2005, their first year of eligibility.

5. Matchpoints, North-South Vulnerable

*weak 2-bid

You, South, hold KQ9   6   AKQJ854   K2

I promise I'm through ranting for this month ... maybe. Predictably, this problem generated a number of different answers, primarily because most were unsure about whether 4NT was Blackwood. BWS is silent on this, but I would agree with the panelists who say it isn't.

KESSLER:  "4NT. Whatever asks for aces would be good, although I'm not sure what that is. This at least is a forward move -- one that likely shows very good diamonds."

FEILER:  "4NT. Why is there never an ace-asking bid around when you really need one?"

NELSON:  "4C. I almost passed, but I think I will give it one shot with a Gerber bid of 4C. If partner does have two aces, I'll bid 6."

WALKER:  "4NT. My partners know this is Blackwood. I hope Joe the Forum Partner does, too. I can't see any accurate way to find partner's aces if you bid 4D here."

I'm glad one of us knows this is Blackwood. Maybe both. Although 4NT garnered the top score, I don't have the same confidence that partner knows this call to be ace-asking. A good-sized portion of the panel decided to probe:

MATHENY:  "4D. Trying to find a diamond slam. A raise in notrump might work better, but I worry about partner holding QJx in hearts and the two black aces."

DIEBEL:  "4D. It's a stretch, but partner might easily hold two aces, and 11 tricks in notrump shouldn't be a problem. I'll let him know I am interested."

SPEAR:  "4D. I will probably drive to 6D, but would like to ask for aces on the way. 4D-4H-4NT or 4D-4S-4NT would be Blackwood, but otherwise, I will just bid 6D and hope it makes. I have too much to expect pard to be able to bid it."

Then we had those who just threw caution to the wind. Not my cup of tea, but if you believe there is no way to ever sneak in a request for aces, this could work:

MERRITT:  "6D. Preempts are effective sometimes. We are now on a guess. 4D seems like it is destined for a tortured auction later. 4NT seems too soft, and while 6NT might take everything, it also goes down extra if it doesn't. This would be a good time to be one of those people who always plays 4C as Gerber."

Finally, we have those who chose to stand pat. Again, not my cup of tea, but not awful, as it is matchpoints and notrump is far preferable to 5D at this form of scoring.

GUTHRIE:  "Pass. You hope partner lacks two aces. 4NT is an alternative, but somebody is stretching and it may well be partner."

BRIDGE BARON:  "Pass. Isn't 3NT what we hoped partner would bid? Sure, you can construct a worst-case hand for partner where 3NT is down one, and you can construct a perfecto for partner where a slam makes, but the vast majority of the time, we're exactly where we want to be."

#8 - The Who (1964-current)

Together with The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, The Who formed the triad of the British invasion of the 1960s. With the synergistic combination of Roger Daltrey's impassioned vocals, Pete Townshend's powerful guitar, Keith Moon's slam drumming and John Entwistle's second-to-none bass, The Who secured its place in rock legend.

They are perhaps best-known for the creation of the first rock operas, "Tommy" and "Quadrophenia". Daltrey's performance in Love Reign O'er Me has been roundly acclaimed as the #1 rock vocal solo of all time.

Though their concerts brought notoriety from destroyed instruments to trampled fans, The Who has rocked packed stadiums for nearly 50 years. Moon and Entwistle have sadly passed on, but Daltrey and Townshend carry on The Who mantra of thrilling audiences while in their mid-60s. The Who were inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame in 1990.

6. IMPs, Both Vulnerable

You, South, hold AQ   K7542   974   KQ10

GUTHRIE:  "Double. When you go for 1100, it may be hard to explain to team-mates why you felt the need to charge into the valley of death. But if you do decide to act, then sooner seems safer than later, and double seems safer than 1NT or 2H.

GUTHRIE pretty much sums up my thoughts on this hand. At pairs, there is only one partner to answer to, and you can't really lose an event on one hand- teams on the hand there are as many as 5 players who may be wondering why you threw away a match on a whim. Alas, the majority of the panel decided action was better, so the pass falls a slot in the scoring despite getting the most votes. I'll let the panel jam on this for awhile before finishing up-

GRANDE:  "Pass. Could miss a part score or game if no action is taken, however, it seems to be a bit reckless to bid 2 hearts with such a bad suit and the hand does not have the right shape for a takeout double. It is just too dangerous to act in this live auction."

NELSON:  "Double. I like my hand, however I wished I had more values in the heart suit, but I don't so I will double first...maybe back into hearts. I think it is better than bidding 2NT without a Diamond stopper."

SOPER:  "Pass. OK, this time, I'll miss an opportunity to go set vulnerable in teams."

MERRITT:  "Double. I want to get into the auction, but bidding that Heart suit at the 2 level seems too aggresive for my tastes. The downside of getting into this auction is that if we don't buy it or push the opponents past their comfort zone, I may have just done more for them than I did for us."

FEILER:  "Double. What other stupid bid should I be considering?"

FELDHEIM:  "Double. A tough hand. The suit is too weak for a 2H call, the hand is too weak for 1NT, and Pass is not appealing."

SPEAR:  "2H. Passing and missing game is more dangerous than overcalling here. The popularity of support doubles make a 2H overcall safer than it used to be."

WALKER:  "2H, but only after I've peeked at their card and confirmed that they play support doubles. Second choice is a slightly timid but very sane pass. Double will make it impossible to find a 5-3 heart fit, which is the only possibility that justifies bidding here."

KESSLER:  "Pass. In most cases this is not our hand. Partner could not bid over 1D, and we do not need to battle over a partscore red at IMP's. All we are going to do by bidding is let the opponents know where the balance of the points are."

We must be getting old. I for one remember a few spirited team matches against KESSLER and mates where it seemed that Pass was a 4-letter word. And it's so much easier these days to chirp out a dangerous call, especially in online bridge. One can always say they clicked the wrong button if it doesn't work out!

That's all for this month, folks. I hope you've enjoyed the problems, learned a little something (about both bridge and rock 'n roll!), and most of all, had fun responding and comparing your scores to the panel's. In case you're wondering (and even if you aren't) how we're going to finish with seven spots left and only six problems per issue ... well, we'll manage somehow. I'm off to enjoy the summer now, but will be back with the next installment in December.

      ♠  June Panel and Solver Scores             ♠ August problems

Thanks to all who sent in answers and comments to this interesting set. Four Solvers tied for first place with an impressive 580: Bob Bainter, Dr. Warren Bosch, Mike Giacaman and John R. Mayne. All four are invited to join the August panel.

The six new problems for August are below. This is the fourth of the six sets in the 2011 Solvers Contest. Your annual score is based on your best three submissions, so there's still time to join in. Please send your solutions on the web form by July 31.

Note: Please post your bids through the web form and try to use the same email address for all submissions. After posting, scroll down the resulting page and look for a green "All answers posted okay" message. If there's a red error message instead, you can correct the problems (a missing bid or too-long comment) and resend.

    August moderator:  Kent Feiler   kent@kentfeiler.com  

Back to the Advocate Home Page