District 8 Solvers Forum -- April 2013

What is your call as South holding   872   KJ9765   A4   AK ?

I wanted to invite game with 3H, and several of the Solvers who chose that bid commented that they meant it as invitational. As did this panelist:

ENGEL:  "3H. Intended as a generic game try, not a blocking bid."

But in Bridge World Standard, 3H is just a space user designed to make it more difficult for the opponents to balance. It's not a game try and promises nothing more than a minimum with a sixth heart.

Too bad, as all other tries leave something to be desired. I changed my vote to 2S anyway. The plurality of the panel also chose 2S, but weren't thrilled with it. 

HINCKLEY: "2S.  Help-suit game try. But note that even  xxx  Axx  Kxxx  xxx  will make game often and partner will never accept a try with that spade holding."

KESSLER: "2S. If partner bids 3H, I will pass. At IMPs, I'd just bid 4H."

3D and 2NT also make sense as game tries.

MATHENY: "3D. It's worth a try. I will pass a 3H rebid."

KAPLAN: "3D. Close, but seems deserving of one try. Not sure, however, that this is the best one!"

WARD: "2NT. I need a lot to make 4S, but not a lot to make 3NT. If partner has some red fillers, this could work out well."

WALKER: "2NT, asking for general strength. It's pointless to make a 'help-suit' try in an xxx suit, as partner will stretch to bid 4H with Qxx or J10xx. If partner raises 2NT to 3NT, I'm passing."

RABIDEAU: "2NT. But I'll pull 3NT to 4H."

That was the middle ground. The rest of the panel had different ideas about their prospects, evaluating this as everything from a minimum opener to game force. In general order of their optimism:

MERRITT: "Pass. I'm sure game can make on some hands. but I'm happy enough with my plus at matchpoints."

PAULO: "3H. With six trump cards, I try to construct a blockade designed to keep the opponents from entering the auction."

DODD: "4H. I'll probably bid this anyway if North retreats after a 'help-suit' suit 2S, so why pinpoint a possible lead for West?"

SIEVERS: "3NT. If partner has honor-third of hearts and an honor in spades or diamonds -- and more than a doubleton spade -- 3NT always will always score better than 4H."

That's a lot of "ifs" for 3NT! Wonder what the percentage is that you'll get that dummy?

5. Matchpoints, both vulnerable

What is your call as South holding  Q6   AQ753   Q102   KJ5 ?

This problem divides the panel into two groups: Those who overcall 2H and those who don't.  The 2H bidders knew the dangers, but felt compelled to charge in anyway:

KNIEST: "2H. It only hurts for a minute and it's losing matchpoint strategy to pass."

SIEVERS: "2H. I wish my heart intermediates were better, but this was the hand I was dealt."

The rest of the panel was pretty vocal about their opinions regarding a 2H overcall. The general tone was "not with a gun to my head".

HINCKLEY: "Pass. Even at matchpoints, I'm not tempted.  But if a 2S raise is passed back to me, I'll wish I had overcalled!

DODD: "Pass. Ugh. This is the kind of hand where one often goes set a telephone number instead of setting 3NT. That happens a lot more often than winning a partscore battle."

MERRITT: "Pass. I don't see where our side is going, and overcalling in these situations often leaves partner on the defensive more than the opponents."

PAULO: "Pass. With a  quack in every suit, my hand doesn't look strong enough to enter the auction."

KESSLER: "Pass. This is not a 2H bid at any vulnerability. Double is okay, but loses the 5-card heart suit. Certainly, double is better than 2H."

The takeout double is the compromise that gets you into the auction with a little more safety. You do have a 15-count, soft as it is, and support for unbid suits, so five panelists chose that route.

KAPLAN: "Double. The 10 of diamonds swayed me.  I'd rather be aggressive getting in now than balancing later. And 2H is too dangerous!"

WALKER: "Double. I would overcall 1NT before bidding a red 2H with a suit this awful."

WARD: "Double. Not bidding that suit at the two- level."

BRIDGE BARON: "Double. Swayed by three-card support for each minor. Can clarify the long hearts later."

The only problem with the takeout double is that partner will never hear about your fifth heart. Despite Bridge Baron's hopes of showing that suit later, your hand isn't nearly strong enough to double and then bid hearts.

A two-level overcall with this suit comes with risk and benefits, and it can be considered a partnership style. My style is to get in there with 2H. Like SIEVERS, I really wish my suit had higher spot cards, but it's only matchpoints.

6. IMPs, NS vulnerable

What is your call as South holding   Q4   AK8   AK1076   963 ?

The panel's and Solver's choice was a conservative offer to play 4S. They are basically giving up on slam unless partner bids again. 

PAULO: "4S. According to his own hand, partner can pass or correct to 5D."

RABIDEAU: "4S. A 5D contract could be right but a 10-trick game and protecting partner's club holding is persuasive.  Knowing I have only 2-card support, partner will correct with bad spades."

SIEVERS: "4S. If partner's spades are good enough for us to make 5D, we shouldn't get tapped out in 4S. It seems more odds on to make than 5D."

ENGEL: "4S. It sounds like partner has two losing clubs, as he could have cued 4D with a singleton."

Others weren't willing to give up so easily. They temporized with 4D and hoped to hear something helpful from partner. 

KNIEST: "4D. Denies a club control and leaves further room."

HINCKLEY: "4D.  If my hand wasn't this good with some slam interest, I'd simply bid 4S."

KESSLER: "4D and see what partner does. If he can't cuebid clubs, I settle for 5D. If I had no interest in slam, I could have bid 5D."

Others tried 4H to send a stronger message, They were hoping partner could show a club control and that slam would have a good play. 

WARD: "4H. Good hand, and don't need much for slam. Need to give partner a chance to show me a club control. Over 5C, I'll give him a choice with 5NT."

MERRITT: "4H. This surely makes my sequence pretty clear. The question is if I am supposed to pass over partner's 4S or bid 5D?"

KAPLAN: "4H. Could partner be 6-4 with a stiff club? I'm going to give it one more try -- and hope that we are on the same wavelength."

I agree that 4H gives partner better information than 4D, but only if he gets that wavelength thing right. The danger is explained by:

WALKER: "4S. You can't safely bid 4H, as partner will take that as natural in an auction where you haven't agreed on a major or notrump. How else would you bid a hand with 6 diamonds and 5 hearts?"

Thanks to all who sent in answers and comments to this tough and low-scoring set. Topping all Solvers with a 570 was Roger Sokol of Minooka IL, followed by Adam Miller of Chicago and John Seng of Champaign IL. All three are invited to join the June panel.

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

     June moderator:  Tom Dodd  fieldtrialer@yahoo.com