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NOV 2004 ALBERTA BIDDING CLUB
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Problem #:
1; Scoring: IMPS; Vul: None; Dealer:
North
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North
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East
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South
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West
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1♣
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1♥
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?
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Raymond Grace
2D 2
Diamonds They have at least 9 Spades unless partner is 65. The disadvantage
of bidding 2 Diamonds is you are under strength defensively and point HCP
wise to leave a double of 2 Spades in. I will retreat to 2NT over a double
of 2 Spades. Partner can pass or correct. 2 S stoppers with KJ of D will
lead to 9 tricks in NT. The upside is they may never get to mention Spades.
Partner raises Diamonds They play in Hearts Partner has magic Axxx x KJx
AJxxx and 5-6 Diamonds rolls
Tom Gandolfo
2D Just a
little lie...sorry. have to do something.
Doug Deschner
2D I have
forward going hand with working cards.
Vince Lambert
2D The
opponents have at least 8 spades, will try and buy the contract. If partner has a decent hand we may not
get overboard. Good bet here that partner has a diamond fit or a long club
suit. We could be making 5 of
either minor.
Doran Flock
1NT 1NT is
right on points and hearts, a bit soft in spades and a bit heavy in
diamonds. The alternative, 2D, doesn't work for me due to weakish diamond
suit and the fact that it is forcing.
I hate 2♦ also .
Vince Nowlan
2D Makes it
harder for West to show Spades; shows 10+ HCP which is close enough when
limited by next bid
Duncan Smith
2C 1NT
absurd . Not good enough for 2 diamonds. 2 Clubs , not perfect , but a
trump shy.
Kiz Fung
2D Yuk!!
I don't play this bid as game forcing, but even still, this is the minimum
that I would have to make the bid.
Moderator is by himself in this hand . I make a
negative double. OK up on my soap box here . I think a negative double
showing 4 spades after a heart overcall is silly. A negative double
should mean you do not have a natural call available. The spade suit
is the boss suit so why not just bid it after a heart overcall ! The
negative double should be reserved to show suits under the rank of
the heart suit and no other bid available.
Bridge is a game of suits. Bidding 2♦ & then 3♦ non forcing should
show a hand like xxx xx AKQxxx xx not all your points scattered elsewhere.
People who insist on having 4 spades for the negative double are just plain
wrong. There are bids like support doubles & redoubles that tell you if
partner has 4 spades or not . You do not need to tell partner as he rarely
raises with 3 trump anyway. In the Red Deer regional my teammates missed a
cold vul game because one of them had QJx of spades and around 10 HCP so he
passed rather than make a negative double ! RHO raised hearts and they
missed their cold vul game which was reached by the other table ( they made
a negative double ) . A one heart overcall actually pre-empting an
expert partnership out of their vul game !! No more proof is needed after reading the contortions that
this panel went thru to come up with a bid. After your negative double and
the expected spade response you can bid 1NT. Partner can infer diamonds or
mild club support and you do not have to distort your hand. You did not bid 1NT freely as you have a
flaw ( probably very short in spades ) & partner can act accordingly.
VOTES: 2♣ (1) 2♦ (6) 1NT (1) DBL(1)
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Problem #:
2; Scoring: IMPS; Vul:
N/S; Dealer: South
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North
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East
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South
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West
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Pass
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3♦
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Dbl
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Pass
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?
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Raymond Grace
P PASS
This is a common match point problem. It is harder at IMPS but the premise
is the same. How are we going to go plus? Yes there is a down side that
this contract may make but we are in the 500-800 range if we bid the wrong
suit. We are looking at +100 most of the time here against -200.
Tom Gandolfo
3H Match
points I would pass and pray. Definitely a match point
gamble.
Doug Deschner
4C Don't
know any better. Why should I bid anything other than my longest suit ? A
major will induce shortening the long trumps and I'm not brave enough to
try 3NT
Vince Lambert
3H With a
weak hand I will leave max room for partner or the opps to bid again. If
partner raises game may not be hopeless.
Good point . Never thought of the giving the
opponents room to bid again angle.
Doran Flock
P Of
course this could be wrong ... and is a bit of a gamble. But I am thinking
that a 3 ht bid could lead to places I don't want to go and going to the 4
level in my 4 bagger is not my cup of tea. Obviously I am hoping my heart A
and spade Q will work on defense.
Vince Nowlan
4C Pard can
still bid a 5-card major, which I will pass, since he should expect me to
hold 6 - 8 HCPs. If I pick a major we'll likely play in a 4 - 3 fit.
Sometimes clubs is the right suit.
Duncan Smith
3H
Admire the pass , 4 clubs sucks. 3 hearts a good middle-of-the-road
action. Yes , the pass
shows more guts than I have.
Kiz
Fung
3H No
other choice.
Moderator bids 3♥.
There are many good reasons to keep the auction at the 3 level. Partner
will choose a double with all NT hands that he is loaded with the majors
rather than overcall 3NT. KQxx AKx
AQ KQ10x and by you keeping the
auction at the 3 level it makes it easy for him to bid his 3NT. If you bid 4♣ is 4NT natural ?
Should be but he has to play it a trick better. 2nd reason is Tom and I
play minimum equal level conversion. What this means is that as long as we
switch suits at the same level it shows no extra values. Partner doubles
with AJxxx KQx x AQxx and pulls 3♥ to 3♠ and you happily bid 4♠. Of course partner may have 4 spades and 5 hearts
for his double and you have hit a home run. Passing the double is not for
IMPS as it is way too swingy.
VOTES: 4♣ (2) P (2) 3♥ (5)
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Problem #:
3; Scoring: Matchpoints; Vul:
NS; Dealer: South
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North
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East
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South
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West
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1♣
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2♦
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2♥
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5♦
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?
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Raymond Grace
5S 5
Spades Is this a Pass and Pull situation? YES NO Maybe. PASS and pull will
work fine but it puts a lot of pressure on a partner who was only
competing.5 Spades Keeping the Spade suit, the Heart suit and Club suit
open as playing options. 6C is too unilateral opposite xxx KQJxxx xx Qx
This must suggest the Hand that I hold.
Tom Gandolfo
P Pass and
pull to six clubs. Might make seven. Pard might bid seven. Yes , good hand for the “pass & pull” of forcing pass
theory.
Doug Deschner
P And then
6C over the likely double hoping that shows some Heart tolerance. I'll bid
6 over 5 Hearts. I kinda like 5NT (pick a slam) but maybe should have 1
more heart. Yes , I considered 5NT
also and rejected it for your reason.
Vince Lambert
P Should be
forcing. Will raise 5 hearts to six and pull a double to show interest in
more. This hand is too control rich to just bid 5 Hearts.
Doran Flock
5S 5S is
natural, shows at least 6 clubs and implies a minor heart fit. Well how
about that, that is pretty much exactly what I have. HMMM Butcher at the
other side of the screen just gave the opposite interpretation of the
bidding than you did.
Vince Nowlan
P Pass
(forcing) with the intention of pulling a double to 6C, or raising 5H to
6H Good man !
Duncan Smith
5S
Forcing pass ok , but dubious follow-ups. Bid where I live.
Kiz Fung
P This
must be forcing since we are vul against not and have shown more than half
the points.
Moderator passes. If
there ever was a hand for the "pass & pull" aspect of forcing
pass theory this hand is it.
With normal breaks
you just need Kxxxxx of hearts and
Axx of clubs from partner for a
cold 7 clubs. KQJxxx of hearts and Ax of clubs for a cold 7 hearts. Pass
and pull is the strongest sequence of forcing pass theory so I pull his
double or bid to
6♣ . This sequence of forcing pass theory is obviously a grand
slam try . Looking at the club Ace and good hearts should clue partner in
to bid seven.
VOTES: 5♠ (3) P (6)
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Problem #:
4; Scoring: IMPS; Vul:
Both; Dealer: North
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North
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East
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South
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West
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1♥
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2♣
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2♥
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3♣
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4♥
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Pass
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Pass
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5♣
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Pass
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Pass
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Raymond Grace
5H 5
Hearts Partner's pass is forcing. It is up to me . Defending seems to be
dangerous if we have no Heart tricks. I expect Partner to be 6331 or
6421. Right on the money !
Tom Gandolfo
5H 4
heart bid makes pards pass forcing. Three club bidder is obviously sacking.
5 hearts should make. Yup
Doug Deschner
5H I like
my hand better for declaring 5H than defending 5C. Both might make. 1 might
make and if both are 1 down not the end of the match. Taking out insurance.
Vince Lambert
5H I have
a maximum on the bidding and will accept partners invite. I could bid 5D to give partner a lead
option if they bid 6C but I dont really expect that to happen.
Doran Flock
5H My
partner has made a forcing pass so over to me at the 5 level. I'm not sure
of what to do, so I'm bidding 5 hts. Bottom line, my 4th heart and stiff
club made me do it. Experience tells me that one does not get rich doubling
5C on auctions like this. Maybe we are saving!
Vince Nowlan
Dbl Don't
want to encourage North; hope he intends to pass and pull (I'll pass
5H) Sneaky
Duncan Smith
P Never
abstain , but prefer 3 clubs on round 1 . If partner erroneously thinks his
pass is forcing , he's in for a rude surprise. Should have bid other than 4
hearts if he needs my input. Double is too speculative , 5 hearts is flying
solo. This is a party to which I wasn't invited.
Kiz Fung
- Abstain
Panel did a very
good job on this one. The point here is this a forcing pass auction ?? The
Bridge World experts said forcing passes were turned on by the actions
of the opponents. They had no intention of bidding game until we did so
they are sacrificing. Partners pass is therefore forcing and
inviting you to the party. Bidding 5♥ is clear ( reasons given by the panel ) when partner invites you to do so.
VOTES: 5♥ (6) Abstain
(1) P (1) Dbl (1)
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Problem #:
5; Scoring: Matchpoints; Vul:
E/W ; Dealer: West
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North
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East
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South
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West
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Pass
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Pass
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1♣
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Pass
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1♠
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Pass
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Pass
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?
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Raymond Grace
2C 2 Clubs (natural)I would have bid 1
Diamond over 1 Club. PASS is bad.
Pass of 1 Club leaves partner hanging. Consider the auction 1c 1d 1s
x Now you are pleased to bid 1NT or 2C and partner now knows both of your suits.
Tom Gandolfo
2C i
wouldn't have this prob. would have bid 1nt or one diamond going
in..matchpoints. Diamonds are prob the best spot I should be able to make
2c.
Doug Deschner
2C
Interesting problem. No number of NT seems right. Must I have a trap
pass of 1C? No I may be balancing. I'll bid 3 NT if partner peeps.
Vince Lambert
2C
Natural, double here would show a flawed takeout with hearts but not
spades as opposed to a hand that was trapping with clubs. Agreed . 2♣ is stronger than a double.
Doran Flock
2C Third
seat 1C opener could have anything. Anyway, I'm bidding what I have ... a
good club suit, a decent hand. By the way, this is always natural in this
position.
Vince Nowlan
2D No
idea where this auction is going, but 1S won't be worth much for us. 2C is
the main alternative, but makes the next round too tough.
Duncan Smith
3NT
Bidding what I think I can make, Important not to double , which
incorrectly brings hearts into the picture. This bid has merit as you bidding the entire table.
Kiz Fung
1NT I am
tempted to pass since E/W are vul, but I don't know if I can beat 1 S. If
they bid again, the next card on the table will be double (I love
matchpoints!).
Again the moderator deviates from most of the
panel . I bid 1NT . Yes , it is a
clear underbid and I blow all chances of getting to game but it is
matchpoints and NT scores better than clubs. In IMPS I bid 2♣ as that leaves the door open to get to
game ( partner now knows I trapped big time ) . Once in a while you should surprise partner by making an
underbid !! Keeps him off balance J
VOTES: 3NT (1) 2♣ (5) 2♦ (1) 1NT
(2)
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Problem #:
6; Scoring: Matchpoints; Vul:
Both; Dealer: East
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North
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East
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South
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West
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1♣
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Pass
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1♥
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2♦
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2♠
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?
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Raymond Grace
Dbl Double
and lead a trump DOUBLE Shows a hand that could not bid over 1C.They do not
appear to have any tricks you control C and Hearts - Partner must be able
to control Diamonds with your Q. Pass might work but I think that West is
bailing out over 2 Spades. Pass will also make it difficult for partner who
may be light to leave in any subsequent double.PASS IS BAD You have the best hand at the table and
failed to bid 1 Heart over 1 Club. Is 2S a reverse? Is it forcing? Count
the points East 17+ West 5+ North 11+ South 13 for a minimum of 46 HCP
Tom Gandolfo
Dbl Don't
know who is lying but I have a good hand and their suits..
Doug Deschner
Dbl And
start a trump. East is probably 6-5 and I have the clubs wired. Don't see
where they'll get any more the their 5 spade tricks.
Vince Lambert
P Why
would I want to do anything, the opps are in a forcing auction and are
about to get too high. Not sure where they are getting their values but I
will be doubling later. Let them hang themselves
but if LHO passes , partner may hang you later (after the game ) J
Doran Flock
Dbl I'm
not counting on my partner for much, but hopefully they can pass 2S
doubled. I figure to come out way ahead with my natural trump lead and
oodles of tricks. If partner bids 3D, which would not surprise me, I think
I must pass.
Vince Nowlan
P E-W
aren't finished bidding; expect my last bid will be double Let the poker game
begin !
Duncan Smith
P They
don't know it , but they are in trouble. West won't pass 2 spades , so
double is premature. Double next round feels like the winner. Agree
Kiz Fung
Dbl I am
leading a trump.
This kind of problem is becoming more and more
common. A 50 point deck because opener and responder are bidding on
nothing. When this happens , I use
the same type of defense as I do against psychers. I let them trap
themselves. LHO is not privy to the same information I have . I know opener
has a distributional dog but LHO does not know that. He may play opener for
14-19 HCP instead of the 10 HCP dog he really has . I am going to gamble that
this auction is not over and pass. Why double at the two level when
you may get them at the 3 or 4
level ?
VOTES: P (4) Dbl
(5)
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Problem #:
7; Scoring: IMPS; Vul:
none; Dealer: West
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North
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East
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South
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West
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Pass
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1♦
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Pass
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1♥
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Pass
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1♠
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Pass
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2♠
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Pass
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4♦
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Pass
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Raymond Grace
4S 4
Spades Running from partners who make bids like this. What is the point of
preempting your own auction? Opponent aid? This bidding makes no sense.THIS
would be RKC for Diamonds for me!! :-) so I answer 4NT. This bidding in
standard or 2/1 shows a 6-4 with solid Diamonds. As I have the King partner
is confused or mis clicked. If he is stressing the need for a Club or Heart
control I do not have one.
Tom Gandolfo
5D I like
my hand with no available q-bid.
This should tell pard that.
He is likely 4162, 4171. ??
Doug Deschner
5S Not
for club control as I would cue 4H first. Should show this hand, good
spades and a high Diamond and let partner worry about losers Actually if partner interprets your bid to mean bid 6♠ with good spades and 6♦ otherwise , it would be
perfect.
Vince Lambert
5D Partner
is 6-4 with good diamonds, my king fills in the suit but I have no controls
in the side suits. This should tell
partner that. At IMPs we can always
play diamonds instead of spades if partners spades are weak, although I
doubt that they are.
Doran Flock
5D I'm
going to 6. My hand is perfect for partner. The question is, does 5D trap
ptnr who cannot bid blackwood now? I don't think so and unless partner
passes 5D I'm going to bid 6D anyway over 5hts or 5 spades. Partner can
choose suit, maybe they are 7/4.
Vince Nowlan
6D Too much to invite slam since I hold 2
more key cards for partner than I might have. I expect diamonds to be
solid, and may play better than spades. Pard will correct with KQJx of
spades.
Duncan Smith
6D
Seduced by my 2 huge cards (spade ace , diamond king). A mediocre
solution to a possibly indifferent problem.
Kiz Fung
5D My
hand really went up in value, I have 2 key cards to partner's monstrous
6(7)/4 hand.
Panel did very well on this problem by showing
good hand evaluation. ( contrast
panels answers with the ten 4♠
answers by the readers ) There is a toy invented to ask partner to pick a
slam. When the auction dictates that 5NT can not be the Grand Slam Force it
says choose a slam partner. At first I was reluctant to use this bid
because I could not visualize a hand that 6♦
would be better than 6♠ . Yes
there is , if partner has bad spades and some heart cards . Kxxx AK
A10xxxxx void ( spade heart squeeze
for 7♦) and 6 spades might go down or KQxx K A10xxxxx A makes 6♦ cold
and 6♠ needs a 3-2 break. In fact
all good spade suit hands should be played in spades and you get pitches
from the diamonds. Hmm and Doug Deschner said he wanted to try the 5NT pick
a slam bid !!
VOTES: 5♦
(4) 5♠ (1)
4♠ (1) 6♦ (2) 5NT (1)
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Problem #:
8; Scoring: Matchpoints; Vul:
Both; Dealer: East
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North
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East
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South
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West
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Pass
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1♥
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Dbl
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2♥
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2♠
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3♣
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Dbl
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3♥
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Pass
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Pass
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4♠
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Dbl
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Pass
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Pass
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Pass
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?
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What
is your opening lead ?
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Raymond Grace
DA Ace of
Diamonds This is going to be close. I lead the DA and another D in the
hopes that this is where partner's tricks
live and that I may get a ruff.I eliminate a Heart as I hope to put
partner on lead with hearts after 2 rounds of Diamonds and Winning the first
S.I eliminate a Club because partner refused a game try in Clubs.I may have
a slow Club trick.
Tom Gandolfo
DA Looking
for three aces and a ruff...GOOD LUCK says Bob.
Doug Deschner
DA Looks to
me that partner has spade tricks. Maybe I can ruff my ace out of his way.
EG. KJT over Queen in dummy.
Vince Lambert
DA Partner
has cards outside of hearts, this works with king of diamonds or ace of
clubs, as well as various spade holdings.
Doran Flock
DA With a
poorly placed club Q, 6 hts missing the A and an opponent who has bid to
make I need to be aggressive on defense. It looks to me like we need either
a diamond ruff or club ruff to set 4S. If diamonds isn't right I can switch
to a club.
Vince Nowlan
C4
Partner's double after showing weak heart support indicates he wants
to score one or more ruffs. He is most likely short in Clubs.
Duncan Smith
C4 Suit
preference to partner's "Lightnerish double". No safety at 5 level
, so let's score 2 or 3 club ruffs to go with the pointed aces ,plus 200 or
plus 500.
Kiz Fung
DA Partner
said there is no help available in clubs.
Sounds like partner might either have the diamond king so I can get a
ruff, or the heart ace so I can get a ruff when I'm in with the ace of
spades.
The
original Bridge World panel did not do well on this problem either. The
first thing to get right is that this is not a lead directing
double. You made a game invite showing a good hand and partner rejected
your game try. Since he does not have enough to bid game but chooses to
double 4♠ , I think he must have 4 trump. if he has 4 trump
the opponents have bid badly and are in a silly Moysean. Following this
logic , the pumping defense stands out. Lead a heart to either pump the
board or declarers hand . if its the board , the trump will be very large so you are uppercutting partners
spade spots. The Bridge World gives the real hand . The board KQxx void K10x AJ1098x Declarer was a
smart Alec who bid 2♠ on Jxx xxxx Q98x Kx . Partner has 1098x Axx Jxxx xx . Every time you lead a heart it causes excruciating pain
for the declarer. A diamond lead
beats the hand also because you switch to a heart.
VOTES: DA (6) C4
(2) HK (1)
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