MAR 2005    ALBERTA BIDDING CLUB

 

 

Problem #: 1;   Scoring: IMPS;   Vul: None;   Dealer: South

   

3
AJ83
AQ83
AQ64

North

East

South

West

 

 

1♦

Dbl

1♠

2♥

?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kiz Fung

 

P   I always get these hands in IMPs.  In matchpoints, I would fasten my seat belts and double, in IMPs, my best shot at a plus is defending.

 

Duncan Smith

 

Dbl   Penalty double. Happy to be unencumbered with "support double". Would then have to pass & pray pard reopens with double.

 

Tom Gandolfo

 

P   Wait and see if pard has enough to reopen.

 

RAYMOND GRACE

 

3C I don't like x with me sandwiched between the Hearts and I can bid 3N over 3H easily and Hit 4H.

 

Doug and Lorna

 

P   Going to give them a little rope. Looks like defending is the best spot for us on this hand.

 

Vince Nowlan

 

P   Partner won't sell out if it's our hand.

 

Doran Flock

 

P   Panel will double, I choose pass and hope for small plus. Basically I am not willing to gamble that we have a (decent) fit in the minors. Also, although not likely, partner is allowed to bid again.

 

Vince Lambert

 

Dbl  I don't play support doubles, this is penalty, someone is stretching and we are about to find out who.  If it is partner this will be pulled

 

3♣   The opponents have mapped out a stiff heart in partners hand. If partner has clubs and too weak to re-open , we can be cold for an 11 trick club game. Q109xx x xx Kxxxx  We “know” partner has 6 cards in the majors. The 7 cards in the minors is a mystery but it makes a 3♣ bid pretty safe. Might push them up to 3♥ where we can do some damage.

 

VOTES: P (5)          3♣ (2)       Dbl (2)

 

 

 

Problem #:   2;   Scoring:   IMPS;   Vul:   Both;   Dealer:   South

   

KJ
74
AKQ93
KJ76

North

East

South

West

 

 

1♦

1♥

Dbl

3♥

4♣

Pass

4♠

Pass

?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kiz Fung

 

5C   This can't be natural, and must therefore be a cue bid in support of clubs. However, partner bypassed the 4 heart cue bid so it looks like neither of us has a heart card.  

 

Duncan Smith

 

4NT   4 spades can't be to play ( no 1 spade bid on last round). If pard has clubs (think he does) I'll bid 6 clubs. If he bids 5 diamonds , that will also get raised to 6. 4nt must be asking pard in which minor he is coming. Yup , 4NT gives partner a chance to bid 6 with a heart control & 5 without. 4NT says “still interested partner”.

 

Tom Gandolfo

 

5C    Four spades is mild slam try q-bid.

 

RAYMOND GRACE

 

5 C   I do not believe that partner has S good enough to play opposite KJ at the 4 level and still make a negative double. IF this was my regular partner - 4C was RKC C and 4D is 3 no Queen. 5 C still appears to be the correct bid.

 

Doug and Lorna

 

5C   Partner is showing a good hand and is cue bidding the Spade Ace, but I suspect we're off two Heart tricks.

 

Vince Nowlan

 

5C  Partner can't have 5 spades, so is suggesting a Moyseian. I'd rather play in our better minor. 4NT may be ambiguous, but 5 clubs should work.

 

Doran Flock

 

5C  Ptnr has a big club fit and the spade Ace and no heart control. If ptnr had a stiff heart they would have bid 4 hts and I would have bid Blackwood ... but they didn't.

 

Vince Lambert

 

5C   Partner is looking for a heart control and has a club fit.  If he had long spades he would not have started with a negative double.

 

4NT Blackwood is silly as a 5♦ response would get us passed our 5♣ game therefore 4NT has another meaning. A partnership like Meckwell probably have a Q bid defined for it ( a heart control ?) but we mere mortals play the bid as I have extra for either minor so I am still interested. Both 5♣ and 4NT deny a heart control but one bid shows more values than the other. We are not 100 % sure that partner has clubs in mind as he would bid the same way with a diamond fit.  5♣ should be the weaker of the two bids. With both a spade and a heart control,  partner would bid spades first but its best to assume no heart control for now.

 

VOTES:  5♣ (7)       4NT (2)        

 

 

 

 

Problem #:   3;   Scoring:   IMPS;   Vul:   None;   Dealer:   West

   

63
9754
AK2
8754

North

East

South

West

 

 

 

1♠

2♥

4♠

 ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kiz Fung

 

Dbl    My decision making at the five level is less than 25%.  If 5 hearts makes, then partner probably has at least one or two club cards, so 4 spades is going down.  

 

Duncan Smith

 

5H  Feeling bullied, but either contract(4s or 5h) could be cold. Hope to have the opponents guess wrong. My gut feeling is that double is right. No 5 diamond "lead director" for me.

 

Tom Gandolfo

 

5D  Lead directing in case they bid again. Pass could very well be right, Pard only made an overcall but if I bid it's five diamonds . You are very lucky as partner has x AKxxxx QJ10x Kx and 5♥X makes . They have a stiff diamond and 4♠ makes.

 

RAYMOND GRACE

 

Dbl   I have defence and Spade losers. I expect 5H to go down and 4S to fail losing 2D 1h and a C. I expect partner to run to 5 H with concentrated H values and no other defence. I have had 1190's before. :-)

 

Doug and Lorna

 

5D   On our way to 5 Hearts. If they bid 5 Spades, partner will know what to lead.

 

Vince Nowlan

 

P    Too much defence to sacrifice. Double is OK, but I don't expect to get rich.

 

Doran Flock

 

Dbl   I always find these hands tough, and they can lead to -590 ... but partner needs a good hand to bid 2H and I have 2 tricks so I double in case righty (or lefty) is robbing us. Anything ptnr has outside of hearts will be well placed behind opener. I wish I didn't have 4 hearts!

 

Vince Lambert

 

P    Partner likely has a stiff spade but that doesnt mean we can make 5 hearts, or beat 4 spades.  If partner has club cards a sacrifice might not be costly but it might be a phantom in that case.  With no one vul, the sacrifice is unlikely to be hugely profitable, so I will hope to beat 4 spades.

 

5♦    I wish a double would be D.S.I.P. showing hearts but it does not as I have not had a chance to show hearts earlier. Therefore , I must make an on the spot decision. The 4th heart sways me to crawl in . On this vulnerability I must have a trump fit to bid at the 5 level. I may push them to the 5 level and get partner off to the correct lead. Partner plays 5♥X quite well anyway. Poker anyone ?

 

VOTES: 5♦ (3)   5♥ (1)    P (2)     Dbl (3)     

 

 

 

Problem #:   4;   Scoring:   Match Points;   Vul:   Both;   Dealer:   West

   

♠1098
♥ AQJ73


KJ873

North

East

South

West

 

 

 

Pass

1♠

1NT

  ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kiz Fung

 

Dbl  I am going to pull 2 diamonds by opponents if they bid, but for now, I need to convey to partner that I have some stuff.

 

Duncan Smith

 

2NT    Probably an overbid. Will raise 3 hearts to 4, 4 spades over 3 clubs, 3 spades over 3 diamonds. Double , though possible , risks a huge disaster. Something like - 380.

 

Tom Gandolfo

 

Dbl    start with double.

 

RAYMOND GRACE

 

Dbl    - This is the only way to convey to partner that I have at least game invitational values. I expect a runout to D by one or both opponents but sometimes they cannot see your hand and play in 3H or 3C xed . I follow up the x buy either 2H forcing or 3S if necessary.

 

Doug and Lorna

 

2NT   I want to be in game, but am worried they can run a bunch of Diamonds. If partner can't support one of my suits, I will bid 4 Spades.

 

Vince Nowlan

 

Dbl    Not quite enough for a forcing 2NT. Is this a lead problem?

 

Doran Flock

 

Dbl   I start with a "forcing" bid. And when they bid the expected 2D, we will be in a good position to make a decision. My hand has grown way up behind the nt bidder ... My second choice is 4S.

 

Vince Lambert

 

Dbl   All bids over 1N show weakness so I start with a double to show strength.  If they can preempt violently in diamonds, at least we own the master suit.  It is quite possible that 1N is comic here and we can find out by starting with a double.

 

2NT  Experts make use of idle bids. A 2NT bid showing values is silly when they overcall 1NT as a double is the bid of choice. Therefore 2NT is defined as a two suiter and forcing to game. The Deschners & Duncan Smith explain the bid well .

 

VOTES: Dbl (6)      2NT (3)    

 

 

 

 

Problem #:   5;   Scoring:   Matchpoints;   Vul:   N/S ;   Dealer:   East

   

5
K6
AK86
A109765

North

East

South

West

 

1♠

2♣

Pass

Pass

2♠

 ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kiz Fung

 

P      My partner heard my vulnerable 2 level overcall.

 

Duncan Smith

 

2NT     Might as well show long clubs with secondary diamonds. Pass not unreasonable.

 

Tom Gandolfo

 

P    West was prob. hoping for a reopening dbl. Club suit pretty bad.

 

RAYMOND GRACE

 

P    I bid my hand already. No one has raised S or C . Are the S 6511 or 7231 and they missed game. The C are too bad to bid again and 3D is just asking to play in a 7 card fit. Partner heard you bid C. SHE maybe able to double or bid something else.

 

Doug and Lorna

 

2NT    I want to get Diamonds into the picture.

 

Vince Nowlan

 

P     West could have a penalty double of clubs. When I bid 2NT, my partners show up with a 4522 yarborough. Terrorists never hold cards J

 

Doran Flock

 

2NT  At imps I pass. At matchpoints I gamble 2nt, asking ptnr to choose between my longer clubs and 4 card diamonds. as with any gamble, there is no certainty of favorable outcome! 

 

Vince Lambert

 

2NT  I like to play this as showing a 6-4 with a desire to compete.  It could be hearts or diamonds but partner will assume diamonds unless I correct. I can't have the values to bid 2N on this hand so it is better to play it this way. At least that is what I keep telling my partner!

 

2NT   As said in the previous problem , experts make use of idle bids. 2NT can not be natural as we could have overcalled 1NT earlier and did not. 2NT shows a 6-4 in clubs and diamonds. If partner does not have clubs ( say a stiff ) this hand fits like a glove with a diamond fit. xxxx Axx xxxxx x  with perfect breaks +1370 in diamonds makes !

 

VOTES :   P (4)       2NT (5)    

 

 

 

Problem #:   6;   Scoring:   IMPS;   Vul:   None;   Dealer:   East

   

KQ
A432
AK10752
A

North

East

South

West

 

1♣

Dbl

1♥

2♠

3♣

 ?

 

 

 

 

Kiz Fung

 

3D    I had decided to double and bid my suit so I am now bidding my suit. 

 

Duncan Smith

 

3D   A clearly forcing 3 diamonds seems too obvious. If not correct , I'm willing to learn why it isn't.

 

Tom Gandolfo

 

4S   Hope pard has at least jack sixth.

 

RAYMOND GRACE

 

P  PASS I hate this problem. I would have bid 1D , not doubled. This would have solved a lot of problems. Where are the Hearts likely 5431 and the S 5422 the D 6332 or 6431. What does one bid over 3H or 4S dummy is going to be a disappointment. Maybe partner can help me with another bid.

 

Doug and Lorna

 

3D   There's a lot of bidding going on. 3 Diamonds is a bit of an underbid, but it's important to know if pard has Diamond support.

 

Vince Nowlan

 

3D  It appears there are too many points around the table. I must trust partner in a bidding forum; I also trust him to treat 3D as forcing!

 

Doran Flock

 

3D   Show my hand, forcing. 2S is constructive, the very least ptnr can do is retreat to 3S. There is way too many bids in deck, perhaps ptnr has long spades, perhaps they will raise diamonds!

 

Vince Lambert

 

3D   Bob, where do you keep getting these 50 point decks.  Double and bid shows a good hand, let partner figure out what to do next is my motto.  No reason we cant make 6 diamonds or spades on this hand so this bid gets diamonds into the picture. No 50 pt deck just with you in the auction it appears that way J

 

3♦  . This problem is just one to identify whether partner “owes” another bid or not. When partner makes a constructive bid like 2♠ , he owes one more bid. Yes Duncan, 3♦ is absolutely forcing and is the point of this hand . The panel did very well.

 

VOTES : 4♠ (1)       P (1)      3♦ (7)    

 

 

 

 

Problem #:   7;   Scoring:   Matchpts;   Vul:   E/W;   Dealer:   North

   

♠J9853
976
AQ1074

North

East

South

West

1♥

Pass

  1♠

Pass

4♥

Pass

   ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kiz Fung

 

6H     I have control in the minors, I don't know how to convey everything in this hand. This is a hand that could make 3/4/5/6/7.

 

Duncan Smith

 

P    Switch the pointed suits & I'd bid. My 1 spade bid improved pard's hand. My spades are too weak to risk bidding , where a minus score could easily result. Plus scores at M-Ps are too valuable to compromise.

 

Tom Gandolfo

 

P     Was going to q-bid 5d but I think it might get us too high. If pard has a stiff diamond , a heart lead might beat four. Pluses are good at matchpts.. 

 

RAYMOND GRACE

 

5C    5C and then 6D - Expect partner to have a stiff or void in S otherwise why  force to game instead of bidding it.

 

Doug and Lorna

 

6H    Matchpoints.....taking a shot.

 

Vince Nowlan

 

P     No safety at the 5-level; could make 4,5,6, or 7! I'd bid 6 at IMPs.

 

Doran Flock

 

5H   Ptnr too strong for rebid of 3H, should have 7 or 8 tricks in hand. While I'm sure some will claim 5H shows both minor controls, I just don't want to pass 4 and claim 6. This is a stretch, I need the K diamonds with ptnr and a spade control (hopefully singleton).

 

Vince Lambert

 

P   Partners jump to 4 Hearts tends to be bid on distribution rather than high cards so I am bidding my diamond cards are mostly wasted.  Going plus at matchpoints is good.

 

5♥   Is a 5 level bid in partners major over used with too many meanings ? The original Bridge World thought not. Bobby Wolffe argued this way. It is silly when partner shows a good long suit to have 4♠ , 5♣ & 5♦ as natural . They must be Q bids in support of hearts. By failing to Q bid spades and inviting with 5♥ , Bobby Wolffe said that partner must have the minors under control and is asking for a spade control. Makes sense to me !

 

VOTES :  5♥ (2)       5♣ (1)    P (4)      6♥ (2) 

 

 

 

 

Problem #:   8;   Scoring:   Matchpoints;   Vul:   Both;   Dealer:   East

   

865
K92
J10843
98

North

East

South

West

 

4♠

Pass

5NT

Pass

7♣*

Pass

Pass

Pass

Pass

?

 

*  2 of 3 top spade honours

    What is your opening lead ?

 

 

 

 

 

Kiz Fung

 

S8  Partner can't double for fear they will run to 7 spades.  Hopefully spades are 7-3-3-0 or 8-2-3-0

 

 

Duncan Smith

 

S8  Best chance seems to be opps have 10 spades. If pard can't ruff spade on the go , don't see where we could possibly get a trick. Partner thinks I am good enough to not require a Lightner double,possibly sending them to a makeable 7 spades or 7nt.

 

 

Tom Gandolfo

 

S8  I think west is looking for a quick pitch on the spades so leading one could kill that if pard also has a stiff. West prob has the king or queen 

 

 

RAYMOND GRACE

 

H2  Sometimes the Grand leapers are off the AK of a suit and this is the most aggressive lead from this hand as we expect to find the HA on our left. :-)  Playing against Ray , yes that is a consideration J

 

 

Doug and Lorna

 

S8   I hope Spades are 2 - 0 - 8 - 3. 

 

 

Vince Nowlan

 

S8   A high spade to congratulate partner for not using a Lightner double.

 

Doran Flock

 

S8   Lefty has big hand with solid clubs. Righty has 7 or 8 good spades. I believe them, so I play lefty for 1 spade and lead spade to cut communications.

 

 

Vince Lambert

 

S8   Dummy will have a control in both red suits, and a likely singleton spade honor.  Partner therefore has two spades only and hopefully declarer has no side entry and one pitch is not enough.  If I lead a red suit they just win, pull trumps and run spades.

 

S8  “Killing the board” on opening lead. If declarer has a stiff spade honour , he has to play it prematurely without drawing trumps. If he has two spades , partner is ruffing. Panel did superbly on this problem.

 

VOTES : H2 (1)       S8 (8)