[Walddk]

8 problems from a bidding contest in a British magazine. I have submitted my answers, so your choice will not affect my decisions. What would you do?

1.

Scoring: IMP

---

1♦ - 2♣*
?

* F1 (not game forcing)


2.

Scoring: IMP

---

You are South again, and LHO opens a weak 2♠, pass to you. What is your bid?


3.

Scoring: IMP

---

East (RHO) opens 1♠, you double and West bids a pre-emptive 3♠. Back to you. Now what?


4.

Scoring: IMP

---

West opens a Multi 2♦ (weak with 1 major or strong balanced), and your dear partner overcalls 2♥. East passes, and now it's your turn.


5.

Scoring: IMP

---

1♥ - 1♠
4♦* - ?

* Splinter agreeing spades.


6.

Scoring: IMP

---

You open 1♦, 2NT by West (5-5 in clubs and hearts), partner passes, and RHO jumps to 4♥. Your bid.


7.

Scoring: IMP

---

1♠* - ?

* 4-card majors


8.

Scoring: IMP

---

East opens 2NT and is raised to 3NT. Your lead?

Roland

[Poky]

1) 2♦
3♦ would be a bad bid because my suit is not so good and I have very good club support. No need to hurry.

2) 3♥
Very tough problem. Double is out of question. I am too weak for 4♦ (plus, this bid wrongsides 4♥ and makes impossible to play 3NT). So, 3♥ gives most chances to play the right game from the right hand.

3) 4♦
Having an ace, partner will raise. Without ♦A, 3NT has no chances.

4) 2♠
Natural, constructive, 9-13. Playing in spades or clubs is surely better than hearts. With a good hand I expect partner to rebid 2NT - so I will follow with 3♣.

5) 4NT
Checking if we can make 7♠ (5NT answer= 2 KC plus ♦void)

6) Double
Take-out. Good hand with diamond and spades. Says nothing about heart holding.

7) 2♣
At least, this bid can prevent the most dangerous lead against 3NT. In other cases, I will have spade support.

8) ♠K
Preventing a blockage when partner has ♠xxxxx and hoping to pin ♠Q singleton. Alternatives are: ♠9, ♠J, ♠2 and ♥A (in this order).

[sceptic]

hand 1 = 2 spades (a bit of a lie but certainly will move you in the right direction)

thinking about the rest of em

p.s. do intermediates have to hide their answers?

[Echognome]

1.

Scoring: IMP

---

1♦ - 2♣*
?

* F1 (not game forcing)

Would like some more info. Is 2♦ forcing or non-forcing? In standard american a 2/1 promises a rebid. In Acol, it does not (thus 1X - 2Y - 2X is NF) and I cannot bid 2♦. If that is the case, then I rebid 3♦. Not ideal, but we won't play in a ridiculous contract.


2.

Scoring: IMP

---

You are South again, and LHO opens a weak 2♠, pass to you. What is your bid?

Again, more info would help. Are we playing leaping Michael's or if I double and partner bids 3♣ can I remove to 3♦. I will make whatever bid shows my 2-suiter. I know that ♥ are horrible, but I must protect partner.

3.

Scoring: IMP

---

East (RHO) opens 1♠, you double and West bids a pre-emptive 3♠. Back to you. Now what?

When I doubled initially, my plan was to bid NT next to show a hand too good for a direct 1NT overcall. Now I double again. I understand that partner will not read me for this shape and can imagine many hands where pass is my only chance to go plus now and it is my second choice. By doubling, I hope that partner leaves it in a fair proportion of the time and we collect 200 or 500.


4.

Scoring: IMP

---

West opens a Multi 2♦ (weak with 1 major or strong balanced), and your dear partner overcalls 2♥. East passes, and now it's your turn.

I pass now. Partner may very well be playing in LHO's 6 card suit, but at least he is behind him and we are playing undoubled. If LHO doubles showing a big balanced hand and it comes back to me, I will XX for rescue.

5.

Scoring: IMP

---

1♥ - 1♠
4♦* - ?

* Splinter agreeing spades.

If 4♥ is last train I bid that, otherwise I punt at 6♠. In order for partner to splinter (and force to game) without any spade honours, he must have all the other suits stacked well. My doubleton club looks to be helpful.


6.

Scoring: IMP

---

You open 1♦, 2NT by West (5-5 in clubs and hearts), partner passes, and RHO jumps to 4♥. Your bid.

Very tough call. I think I will bid 4♠ at a total guess hoping that partner has a string of spades as we know he has little in way of values. This can be well and truly putting my neck on the block, however pass has the opportunity to lose us a double game swing.


7.

Scoring: IMP

---

1♠* - ?

* 4-card majors

Again, methods would help here. I agree that 2♣, 2♦, 2♥ and 2NT (if a spade raise) are all distortions here. At the table I might bid 2♥ and then spades and then NT. I want partner to value his fitting ♥ honours most.


8.

Scoring: IMP

---

East opens 2NT and is raised to 3NT. Your lead?

I have all the assets of our side. That much is pretty clear. Although I hate doing it, I'm going to lead the ♥A (with the probable intention of continuing hearts. Not because I think it's going to help our side develop tricks, but because I don't want to be stuck with the heart later.

[Walddk]

Echognome, on Sep 28 2006, 12:11 PM, said:

1.

Dealer: South Vul: E/W Scoring: IMP

♠ K82 ♥ A ♦ AQ9643 ♣ KQ3

1♦ - 2♣*
?

* F1 (not game forcing)

Would like some more info.  Is 2♦ forcing or non-forcing?  In standard american a 2/1 promises a rebid.  In Acol, it does not (thus 1X - 2Y - 2X is NF) and I cannot bid 2♦.  If that is the case, then I rebid 3♦.  Not ideal, but we won't play in a ridiculous contract.

Good point. No, since we are in Britain (read my first post), responder does not promise a rebid if opener shows a minimum. The system is Acol (not modified where a 2/1 response is forcing to at least 2NT).

Roland

[Walddk]

Echognome, on Sep 28 2006, 12:11 PM, said:

2.

Scoring: IMP

---

You are South again, and LHO opens a weak 2♠, pass to you. What is your bid?

Again, more info would help. Are we playing leaping Michael's or if I double and partner bids 3♣ can I remove to 3♦. I will make whatever bid shows my 2-suiter. I know that ♥ are horrible, but I must protect partner.

The panelists don't get this much detailed info. I would assume that 4♦ is leaping Michaels and that double followed by a pull of 3♣ to 3♦ would show the red suits.

I'm not certain, maybe it just shows a single suiter, too good for a 3♦ overcall. I have raised those issues myself in my replies to the moderator.

Roland

[Walddk]

Echognome, on Sep 28 2006, 12:11 PM, said:

3.

Scoring: IMP

---

East (RHO) opens 1♠, you double and West bids a pre-emptive 3♠. Back to you. Now what?

By doubling, I hope that partner leaves it in a fair proportion of the time and we collect 200 or 500.

Why would your partner leave your take-out double in? Aren't take-out doubles meant to be taken out? I fear 4♥ now; don't you?

Roland

[MickyB]

This is a disgusting set of problems, in stark contrast to the set that I've just done that I suspect are from the current issue of the same magazine!

1. 3♦. 2♦ and 3♣ are NF, so it's between 2♠ and 3♦. If my spades and clubs were reversed I'd try 2♠ here, but with only Kxx in spades I think 3♦ is a better initial description here. If partner rebids 3♥ or 3♠ I think I am ok; If partner rebids 3NT I am on a nasty guess, given that partner could have anything from a decent 3334 9 count to a 3316 with something extra. I'm finding it much easier to construct hands where we belong in a minor than hands where we belong in 3NT on this auction, so I think I'm content to rebid 3♦ and pull 3NT to 4♣. Hopefully partner won't care greatly whether I am 3-1 or 1-3 in the majors; if he did, he might well have tried 3M over 3♦. QJx QTx x AJTxxx makes 6♣ a better contract than 3NT.

2. 3♥. Double then 3♦ will be a strong single-suiter, I suspect.

3. 4♦, second choice pass. I'd expect partner to act aggressively with short spades, so I don't think he has much over there, but 5♦ has reasonable-to-good chances opposite some pretty weak dummies.

4. 2♠, although I haven't yet decided whether this is natural or a Rubens advance showing clubs

5. With nothing to cue, I may as well just try keycard (assuming 4♥ isn't last train)

6. Double. They could be stealing from me if I pass, and I think double has to be better than 4♠ here - if partner passes it then I'm quite content, we must have a club trick or two on the way.

7. 2♥, 2♦ 2nd choice. If partner is 53(41), hearts could well be better than spades, especially if partner has extras giving us time to get minor suit losers away on spades - AQJxx KJx x Axxx anyone? Depending on our style, I might land up in 4♥ opposite some 4333s (unless these might be bid 1♠:2♥, 2N:3N, P?), hopefully I'll survive with our combined 28+count. If partner just raises to 3♥ I'll jump to 4♠.

8. Small club. If I play for partner to have nothing, then in the end I'll probably get endplayed or squeezed into providing a 9th trick. A♥ is probably best at MPs but too negative at IMPs for my liking. No reason why partner can't have the J♣.

[paulg]

MickyB, on Sep 28 2006, 02:17 PM, said:

This is a disgusting set of problems, in stark contrast to the set that I've just done that I suspect are from the current issue of the same magazine!

Not the same magazine and, frighteningly, I am on the panel for these. At least that should guarantee me some marks

BTW, I do not think Leaping Michaels is likely to be part of the standard system.

Paul

[whereagles]

> 1.
>

Scoring: IMP

---

> 1♦ - 2♣*
> ?
> * F1 (not game forcing)

I take it 2♣ could be 4 cards, in which case I'm endplayed into bidding 3♦. If 2♣ promisses 5 cards, 4♣ would be clear.


> 2.
>

Scoring: IMP

---

> You are South again, and LHO opens a weak 2♠, pass to you. What is your bid?

Dbl, and follow-up with 3♦.


> 3.
>

Scoring: IMP

---

> East (RHO) opens 1♠, you double and West bids a pre-emptive 3♠. Back to you. > Now what?

4♦.


> 4.
>

Scoring: IMP

---

> West opens a Multi 2♦ (weak with 1 major or strong balanced), and your dear
> partner overcalls 2♥. East passes, and now it's your turn.

2♠.


> 5.
>

Scoring: IMP

---

> 1♥ - 1♠
> 4♦* - ?
> * Splinter agreeing spades.

Took me some time to sort this one out. I'd prefer to have pard ask for aces but the only way I have to do it is to make a fake heart cue. I don't think I should do that, so I'll just ask for aces myself. 4NT.


> 6.
>

Scoring: IMP

---

> You open 1♦, 2NT by West (5-5 in clubs and hearts), partner passes, and RHO
> jumps to 4♥. Your bid.

We take 3-4 tricks on defense, and lose 3-4 tricks on offense. Very difficult call here, with probabilities close. I'll just take the aggressive stance and bid 4♠.


> 7.
>

Scoring: IMP

---

> 1♠* - ?
> * 4-card majors

Obvious 2♣ bid, no?


> 8.
>

Scoring: IMP

---

> East opens 2NT and is raised to 3NT. Your lead?

♣2. Pard's ♣J is a smaller prayer than ♠Q.

[Apollo81]

1.

Scoring: IMP

---

1♦ - 2♣*
?
* F1 (not game forcing)

2♠.
I don't know Acol, but the internet suggests that I can't bid 2♦, 2NT, or 3♣, since any of these would be NF. Thus this seems like this is a choice between 2♠ and 3♦. I prefer 2♠ as partner now has room to bid a forcing 2NT, 3♣, 3♦. Slam will be mnuch easier to find if it is on after an auction like 1♦-2♣-2♠-2NT-3♣. If partner raises to 3♠ I will bid 3NT, and if partner raises to 4♠ I will let him play there.

---

2.

Scoring: IMP

---

You are South again, and LHO opens a weak 2♠, pass to you. What is your bid?

Double then 3♦ if this shows "red suits"
3♥ otherwise (if the above sequence would be strong)

---

3.

Scoring: IMP

---

East (RHO) opens 1♠, you double and West bids a pre-emptive 3♠. Back to you. Now what?

4♦.
In the US, people usually have a 9-card fit when they bid this way. I suspect that at least one (maybe both) contracts rate to make, and neither would be down more than one.

---

4.

Scoring: IMP

---

West opens a Multi 2♦ (weak with 1 major or strong balanced), and your dear partner overcalls 2♥. East passes, and now it's your turn.

2♠.
*sigh* What can I say, I'm an optimist. Hopefully we won't get doubled. If 2♠ is some sort of cuebid I guess I'd pass.

---

5.

Scoring: IMP

---

1♥ - 1♠
4♦* - ?
* Splinter agreeing spades.

4NT.
Even if partner has near-perfect cards, grand may not make on bad splits, so I will settle for 6.

---

6.

Scoring: IMP

---

You open 1♦, 2NT by West (5-5 in clubs and hearts), partner passes, and RHO jumps to 4♥. Your bid.

4♠.
I don't think that double should be takeout here since there is only one unbid suit and you have an easy way to get partner to pick a pointed-suit game.

---

7.

Scoring: IMP

---

1♠* - ?

* 4-card majors

Pass (if RHO has opened)
2♣ if partner has opened, unless I can bid a natural, forcing 2NT.

---

8.

Scoring: IMP

---

East opens 2NT and is raised to 3NT. Your lead?

♠K.
It probably doesn't matter which spade we lead if partner has nothing in that suit. The ♠J caters to ♠Qxx in dummy and partner holding ♠Axx, which seems farfetched here. More likely is, as has been pointed out, dummy having something like 1-3-6-3 or 1-3-5-4 with the stiff ♠Q.

Second choice is a small club.

-Noble

[awm]

1. Problems like these make me glad I don't play ACOL (2♦ is an easy temporizing bid in most methods where 2♣ promises a rebid). I'll go with 2♠ for the actual hand and methods in use, because I don't want to jump the auction to the three level on a complicated hand. Yeah on a bad day partner raises the spades, but this actually indicates a good chance at a club slam (won't partner bid 1♠ initially with 4-4?)

2. Easy problem if double then 3♦ shows red suits. Assuming not, I will bid 3♦ here. Bidding hearts on five small is a bit rich, especially since a bad break is not unlikely and partner may raise on some hands with doubleton.

3. 4♦ looks good. Sure I'd like to have a six-card suit, but we almost have to have a fit if the opponents have nine spades.

4. I'll bid with this hand -- it's quite unlikely that hearts is our best spot. If 2♠ is natural I'll bid that, if it would be some kind of cue I'll go with 3♣.

5. Keycard. Slam looks likely opposite as little as Jxxx AKQxxx x Ax and partner could have more. Usually it takes a pretty good hand to splinter with weak trumps.

6. 4♠ seems the best of bad options. With 20 hcp RHO must be bidding on a fit, so I'd think partner will have short hearts and some pointy cards.

7. Pass if RHO opened. Otherwise 2♥. This will help partner make the right evaluation for a spade slam. I can correct hearts to spades at the three level if partner raises. In the worst case partner will raise to game, but if partner has four hearts this is fine and if not the 4-3 fit may actually play well as any ruffs will be in the short hand (compare to the possible 5-3 spade fit with no ruffs in the short hand).

8. I'll go with a low club. Don't want to give the opponents more than I have to, and partner needs less for this to be right. Sure a spade lead could be a spectacular success, but more often than not RHO has AQ. Partner's marked with at most a queen or so anyway, and dummy probably has fewer spades than declarer.

[pclayton]

1. I'm guessing 2♦ isn't forcing so I'll try 3♦. Over the likely 3N I'll bid 4♣.

2. 3♥. Hurts to even type this...

3. 4♦. Pard has a valuable yarb over there. I need to start de-emphasizing hearts, so I won't double a 2nd time. The 3N bidders should be taken out and shot.

4. Pass. The table will have a good laugh. Maybe LHO pulls to 2♠; yum.

5. 5♠. AKQ of trumps MUST make a slam try in these auctions. 5♠ shows excellent or horrible trumps (with a lot of side suit controls).

6. 4♠. Continue the theme of 'trusting the opponents bidding'.

7. Is 2N natural? If yes, thats my call. If no, 2♣.

8. Low club. I can't see beating this if pard doesn't have the ♣J. My hand is going to be crushed if they can cash 4♥.

[Apollo81]

pclayton, on Sep 28 2006, 01:12 PM, said:

....The 3N bidders should be taken out and shot.

How about "blasted into space" ?

[mikeh]

1. I gather 2♦ is NF, but surely, surely 3♣ is F1??? Please tell me it is. If it is not, then 3♦, a grotesque bid, is my reluctant choice. 2♠ might be better, but a 3♠ raise would add too much complication.

2. 2N. The fastest route to the most probable game, from the correct side, and we can (maybe) get back to a 9 card ♥ fit if it exists. This is NOT the type of 5 card ♥ fit we want for a 5-3 contract, and any bid that suggests a minor is misdirected.

3. 4♦... 3N cannot be right and doubling again confirms legitimate ♥: double is the bid I'd make with 1=4=4=4 16 and that ain't this hand. It is not partner's pass I'd be worried about: if I am laying this hand down asa dummy in a ♥ contract, I want partner to bid ♥s without thinking I have a lot of them.

4. 2♠: is there any other call? Multi has its drawbacks, but creating this kind of auction is one of the compensating features... for the multi bidder


5. 4♥ if understood as last train, but I sort of doubt it, so in the context of a panel, 4N: ugly and I'd really like to know partner's style. Playing opposite me, 4N is safe. My gf splinters are full value.

6. Pass: isn't this a lead problem? TD means Tournament Director, not Takeout Double, and without that distinction, double announces transferable values and hand ownership. Partner will usually pass. Consider AKxx QJx AKJxx x: this is a double of 4♥.. if partner has nowhere to go, we rate to beat it: and if he runs (he won't/can't run to ♣), we're happy as well.

7. If partner bid the 1♠, then 2♣.

8. ♦Q. We are on our own with respect to hcp: even hoping for the ♣J seems overly optimistic. Let's hope the ♦Q gives nothing away and that opener has a hand on which he flails away, trying every finesse available, into my hand. I could be talked into a deceptive ♦J, but somehow my cute plays always blow up.

[Flame]

1. 2♦
2. double
3. double
4. pass
5. 4♥
6. double
7. double
8. spade

[Walddk]

mikeh, on Sep 28 2006, 08:01 PM, said:

1. I gather 2♦ is NF, but surely, surely 3♣ is F1??? Please tell me it is.

No it's not! We are an Acol-land, Mike

Roland

[mikeh]

Walddk, on Sep 28 2006, 01:57 PM, said:

mikeh, on Sep 28 2006, 08:01 PM, said:

1. I gather 2♦ is NF, but surely, surely 3♣ is F1??? Please tell me it is.

No it's not! We are an Acol-land, Mike

Roland

No wonder my parents took me and my siblings to the New World in 1967! They did not play bridge, but they may have anticipated my horror at this approach

[awm]

mikeh, on Sep 28 2006, 01:01 PM, said:

2. 2N. The fastest route to the most probable game, from the correct side, and we can (maybe) get back to a 9 card ♥ fit if it exists. This is NOT the type of 5 card ♥ fit we want for a 5-3 contract, and any bid that suggests a minor is misdirected.

Interesting that you prefer a bid that misdescribes both the strength (isn't 2NT usually 15-18ish here) and the shape (isn't it usually balanced), while suggesting that bidding our longest/best suit is misdirected.

There is a general point about how to bid hands with a five card minor and four cards in the other major after a preempt. My feeling is that bidding the minor is the least of evils, and that partner should have a way to introduce the other major without promising a "good five card suit."

[mikeh]

awm, on Sep 28 2006, 03:51 PM, said:

mikeh, on Sep 28 2006, 01:01 PM, said:

2. 2N. The fastest route to the most probable game, from the correct side, and we can (maybe) get back to a 9 card ♥ fit if it exists. This is NOT the type of 5 card ♥ fit we want for a 5-3 contract, and any bid that suggests a minor is misdirected.

Interesting that you prefer a bid that misdescribes both the strength (isn't 2NT usually 15-18ish here) and the shape (isn't it usually balanced), while suggesting that bidding our longest/best suit is misdirected.

There is a general point about how to bid hands with a five card minor and four cards in the other major after a preempt. My feeling is that bidding the minor is the least of evils, and that partner should have a way to introduce the other major without promising a "good five card suit."

I disagree with you in terms of the strength range for a reopening 2N after a weak two followed by 2 passes. When playing 15-18 1N overcalls in direct seat, no-one I know uses that same range after 1♠ P P.

The analogy is obviously flawed, and I agree that we ought not to reduce the range in balancing seat too far: this hand is a minimum in that regard, but I would see this as (barely) in range.

As for being a misdescription: yes, it is. But all calls are going to be distortions to some degree.

Consider:

Double: if partner bids 2N lebensohl, we are screwed. We sure can't bid 3♣: he'll likely pass it. We can't bid 3 red, since that shows a hand utterly unlike what we hold, and even if we escape this horror, we are either not reaching 3N or we are seriously wrong-siding it. We are no further ahead if he bids 3♣, constructive. Don't tell me we then bid 3N: surely that sequence shows MORE than a 2N balance, not less.

Pass: no-one voted for this, altho it might be the only winning call

3♦: 'aim low, avoid disappointment' sometimes works, but 3♦ truly is aiming low. We may still reach 3N when right, and from the right side, but we are giving up on the ♥ suit entirely.

3♥: unless you are using the Reese-Shapiro method of holding one's cards, you are going to be very, very nervous awaiting the appearance of dummy if he passes this... not to mention that he may prefer to raise to 4♥ on hands on which 3N is best: say Jxx Qxx Qxx AQJx. The good news is that RHO, with AKJ10 of trumps will think he only has 3 tricks and may not double.

So 2N is a sort of least-of-evils assessment by me. It is misdescriptive but it positions the declarer play of notrump in the correct hand, it permits the discovery of a 9 card ♥ fit, I have a source of tricks to partially compensate for being a J short of normal strength and it is a level lower if it goes all change.

While I am usually vehement about not misdescribing one's hand in constructive sequences, I am also, I hope, a realist and a pragmatist on hands on which all calls are misdescriptive. Put another way, I believe that 2N affords more opportunity to end up in the correct spot than any of the alternatives, and that dictates my choice of misdecsription. It is also consistent with a rule that I really find to be useful: if you have a choice between misleading bids, choose the cheapest reasonable choice: it maximizes the bidding space in which your side can wriggle towards the best spot.