Contest conducted by Marc Smith
We are two-thirds of the way through the 2026 annual competition, and the contenders are jostling for places. As a testament to the high quality of our competition entrants, we still have 18 competitors who are averaging in excess of 70/80. ‘Chapeau’ to all of them.
The world championships in Katowice, Poland are now well underway. The Open and Women’s Teams will be in the knockout stage by the time you read this, but we already have one panelist with a medal from this event. Playing with Bart Bramley, Zia Mahmood averaged an impressive +0.95 IMPs/board in the Butler rankings. His team defeated Poland in the semi-final, but suffered a 21-IMP loss to a strong American team in the final. In the Mixed Teams, there were no panelists still standing at the semi-final stage, but we did have a serious cheerleader in action, as one of Simon de Wijs’ 20-year-old daughters, Lotte, earned a silver medal.
This month’s guest panelist is the solo winner of the June competition, a tough set on which USA’s Jim Streisand outscored the entire panel with his 79/80. Jim is a long-time participant in this competition. A 69-year-old from Wayland, MA, he rarely plays live bridge these days, favouring online tournaments with robots. He last led the field with a perfect 80/80 score in the October 2023 competition.
Five of this month’s hands come from the recent European Championships in Riga, Latvia, so provide a chance to compare your choices with those made at the table by some of Europe’s best players. The other three were sent to me: Hand 1 came from England’s Patrick Shields, Hand 3 from Canada’s Babs Giesbrecht, and Hand 8 was submitted by Larry McMahan from California, USA. Thanks to all of them. If you have a hand that you think would make an interesting problem for the panel to discuss, please send me the details.
The panel produce a majority vote on four hands in this set, but they offer at least six different choices on each of the remaining four.
The most popular action chosen by the competition entrants scores ‘10’ on only two of the eight hands, and voting with the largest group of competitors this month scores a creditable 65/80 (up from 55/80 in July). The average score this month is 52.58 (down marginally from 52.88 on Set 26-07). Let’s see what the panel have to say about this month’s hands…
|
ACTION |
MARKS |
PANEL |
Competitors' |
|
5NT |
10 |
5 |
6 |
|
6♣ |
10 |
5 |
5 |
|
4NT |
7 |
1 |
52 |
|
5♥ |
7 |
2 |
2 |
|
4♠ |
5 |
3 |
8 |
|
Pass |
5 |
4 |
7 |
|
5♣ |
5 |
1 |
5 |
|
6♥ |
2 |
0 |
7 |
|
5♦ |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
6NT |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
6♠ |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
5♠ |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Competition Entrant Average Score: 6.02
What is going on here? The panel offer seven different solutions, but there is a majority (13-to-8) in favour of at least looking for slam (5NT, 6♣, 4NT and 5♥) compared with those who settle for game in some denomination or other. More than half of competitors move ahead with what most of them presumably think is Blackwood. What they plan to do next is anyone’s guess and, with no suit agreed, are we certain that partner will not take 4NT as natural here? Let’s start with the pessimists…
SARTAJ HANS: Pass. I hope to secure a plus score in an awkward auction.
PAUL MARSTON: Pass. I believe it was Norman Squire who said, “If 4M can be natural, it is.” (The Theory of Bidding 1957.) I will quote him if it all goes wrong.
Certainly, 4♥ is natural, but is it the right contract?
P.-O. SUNDELIN: Pass. It’s hard to guess whether he has A/AJxxxx/Kx/Jxxx or x/AKJxx/Kx/Jxxxx, I’ll hope for the first one and pass, reluctantly, hoping for bad splits.
Perhaps he would prefer 4♥ rather than 4♣ with that one, though?
ZIA MAHMOOD: Pass. Is partner 5/5? Can he even be 6-4? He seems to have at most one spade. I need something like x/AKQxx/Qx/Jxxxx to make 6♣ clubs, and then a few breaks.
And, if you don’t fancy game in hearts…
JOEY SILVER: 4♠. Being old and cowardly obviously influenced my call. If partner doesn't have both major-suit aces, slam rates to be a poor proposition (unless he has shortness in diamonds, and if he is 1-6-1-5 he might find a bid over 4♠).
PIERRE SCHMIDT & JOANNA ZOCHOWSKA: 4♠. It is difficult to know if partner has the good cards for us. Maybe Jx/AKQxx/x/Jxxxx, but maybe also A/KQJxx/Jx/Jxxxx.
JIM STREISAND: 4♠. I am going low, as the hand won't play well when partner has short spades and two or three small diamonds.
…Or in clubs…
LIZ McGOWAN: 5♣. A very slow call! I am mystified by the 4♣ bid; I guess it has to be natural? So, partner has opened lightish on a distributional hand. Slam is still possible but, if her assets include a diamond honour, it needs to be played from her side...
Some were a little more ambitious…
MATS NILSLAND: 5♥. If partner has a small singleton spade, I hope he has a diamond honour. If he only has 5-5, we may be in trouble.
CATHY BALDYSZ: 5♥.
The rest are all willing to commit to slam: the only question is the denomination…
ALAN MOULD: 5NT. Pick a slam. I cannot think of anything more intelligent.
JILL MEYERS: 5NT. Pick a slam.
ROB BRADY: 5NT. There are definitely hands where slam doesn't make, something like x/AKQJxx/xx/J109x, but partner doesn't have to be minimum. At least we always get to the right strain with this bid.
Do you? Are we sure that partner will choose clubs when he has ♣J-x-x-x-x and ♥A-K-Q-x-x?
SALLY BROCK: 5NT. I have no idea what’s going on, so I’ll ask partner to pick a slam.
LARRY COHEN: 5NT. I am not really happy taking the high road here, but I'd be less happy taking a low one.
The other half of this group make the decision themselves…
ANDREW ROBSON: 6♣. Such a nebulous auction, and partner can just have a minimum 6-5. Still, even then 6♣ should have a shot. Partner will not have introduced ♣J-x-x-x here, so he'll have five, hence why I prefer 6♣ to 5NT.
HANOI RONDON: 6♣. I have great trumps
MARTY BERGEN: 6♣. I think partner has at least something like A/AQ10xx/xx/Jxxxx.
DAVID BIRD: 6♣. Partner is likely to hold five clubs, particularly as he is jack-high at best. I will bid the slam on general values.
BRIAN GLUBOK: 6♣. The bidding is odd - even a club holding of five to the jack-ten isn't really good enough to justify a 4♣ bid by partner. 6♣ should be a playable spot, which is more than can be said for any other guess I might make.
There is logic in Simon’s solo effort. However, with no suit specifically agreed, are we 100% sure this is Blackwood and not an attempt to play here?
SIMON DE WIJS: 4NT. With my clubs, partner surely has five, so I am committed to playing clubs and will check for key cards just in case.
South’s pre-empt created this problem in a number of matches in the English National League. Partner had A/AKJxx/xx/J109xx, so both 6♣ and 6♠ were excellent contracts (and, with both black suits breaking, 7♣, 7♠ and 7NT were all easy makes). However, many pairs ended in 4♥, 4♠, 4NT or 5♥. I estimate that more than half of the panel got to a making slam.
|
ACTION |
MARKS |
PANEL |
Competitors' |
|
3♠ |
10 |
12 |
7 |
|
2♠ |
7 |
4 |
42 |
|
1♠ |
6 |
3 |
29 |
|
Pass |
5 |
2 |
17 |
|
4♠ |
2 |
0 |
3 |
|
1♦ |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
2♦ |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Competition Entrant Average Score: 6.29
The panel provide a clear majority view on this one and, as we shall see, their choice was also the most popular when the hand occured in the Open Teams in Latvia last month. It is curious that competitors are attracted to three other actions in preference to the panel’s clear choice. I included the footnote in an obviously forlorn attempt to stop people opening 2♠ and claiming it showed spades and a minor. Let’s start in the twilight zone…
JOEY SILVER: 2♠. Just your typical weak two bid. Zia would approve.
So it seems!
ZIA MAHMOOD: 2♠. Works for me... I can bid diamonds when I get another go.
JIM STREISAND: 2♠. This is unlikely to end the auction, and I'll certainly bid 3♦ next if I get the chance. The question may be whether to introduce diamonds at the four-level.
At least Larry acknowledges that this is against all the basic principles of pre-emptive bidding…
LARRY COHEN: 2♠. I am likely to show my diamonds next (don't tell my students that I am pre-empting and then bidding again).
Andrew sums up the majority view of this hand.
ANDREW ROBSON: 3♠. 2♠ is too little, but 4♠ is too much...
P.-O. SUNDELIN: 3♠. This hand is too good for a weak two. 4♠ is tempting, but I will settle for opening at the three-level.
PAUL MARSTON: 3♠. I think leading from the front is a winner, but I would pass against weak opponents.
LIZ McGOWAN: 3♠. This seems about right... (I confess to prior knowledge of the hand)
DAVID BIRD: 3♠. Bidding 3♠ rather than 2♠ may assist us, whether it is our hand or theirs.
ALAN MOULD: 3♠. This seems to be what everyone has these days... The only alternative for me is Pass. I certainly would not open 2♠.
ROB BRADY: 3♠. It's fashionable to open extra shape a level higher. Indeed, 4♠ is even in the picture, but I'd like better suits for that (e.g. KQ109xx/none/QJ98x/xx).
HANOI RONDON: 3♠. I learned early that being short in the other major granted me the power to exaggerate by one level. I'll follow that idea.
CATHY BALDYSZ/SALLY BROCK: 3♠.
PIERRE SCHMIDT & JOANNA ZOCHOWSKA: 3♠. We see no reason to pre-empt higher than this. If the opponents bid 4♥, our partner will judge.
SIMON DE WIJS: 3♠. I will use my extra playing strength to increase the pressure on the opponents. In real life, very often they will overcall 4♥ and partner will be able to double. I'll happily pay some for an extra undertrick sometimes to make this happen.
There were a couple of minority positions…
MATS NILSLAND: Pass. There is no hurry to bid on this hand.
JILL MEYERS: Pass. This hand is too good for 2♠, but not quite good enough for 1♠. I have the boss suit, so I hope I will be able to express my hand later.
SARTAJ HANS: 1♠. The playing strength more than compensates for the lack of high cards, in my view.
BRIAN GLUBOK: 1♠. The footnote notwithstanding, I don't care for a 2♠ opening with this hand.
MARTY BERGEN: 1♠. For me, this is much too good for 2♠. However, I am sure that almost no one else will make this bid. FYI: Kaplan count says this is definitely strong enough to open at the one-level. FYI #2: If my majors were reversed, I'd definitely open 4♥.
At the 30 tables in the Open Teams in Latvia, the voting was 3♠ 12, Pass 5, 4♠ 3, 1♠ 2, and 2♠ 8 (6 of those showing ♠+minor and twice via a Multi, showing just spades). Partner had void/Jxxx/109xxx/KQJx so opponents can make 4♥ but 5♦-doubled is a cheap save (-200 played by West, and -500 from the East seat as South can lead three rounds of trumps). I am delighted to see that the whole panel avoided the 4♠ opening that inevitably resulted in at least -1100.
When we get to Hand 7 in this set, we will discover what chaos the 3♠ opening caused.
Pierre Schmidt provides a computer simulation of this problem. “We can imagine that some will open 4♠, but we found that to be an exaggeration. After all, we are in first seat with 8 HCP, so the remaining points rate to be distributed such that on average our side has a combined 18-22. Our partner is also favorite to hold 4+♥. So, a 4♠ opening will often be a phantom with the opponents able to make nothing.
The simulation concludes that 4♠ will make 40% of the time, and N/S will make 4♥ 45% (rounded figures). When we open 3♠, partner will raise on a good percentage of the boards where we can make game. And, if the opponents bid 4♥, our partner has a chance to judge whether to defend or bid 4♠.”
|
ACTION |
MARKS |
PANEL |
Competitors' |
|
Pass |
10 |
14 |
35 |
|
4♦ |
7 |
3 |
34 |
|
3♠ |
6 |
3 |
16 |
|
Dbl |
5 |
1 |
14 |
|
3♥ |
2 |
0 |
3 |
Competition Entrant Average Score: 7.60
A big majority vote from the panel, and when this many of them opt for the conservative action, you have to take them seriously. Competition entrants are almost split, with just over a third voting for each of their two most popular choices.
LIZ McGOWAN: Pass. Proudly wearing my WIMP badge. I have no reason to think we have a fit.
LARRY COHEN: Pass. I have the wrong minor-suit length to get active.
ANDREW ROBSON: Pass. It's all about the diamond holding, and you can't get much worse (for bidding) than Q-x-x. I suspect we'd be walking into a minefield.
JILL MEYERS: Pass. I have too many diamonds, and I don’t have enough values to show both majors with 4♦.
PAUL MARSTON: Pass. The length in diamonds is a turnoff. I expect partner to be gung-ho with a shortage in their suit.
SALLY BROCK: Pass. I hate it but, presumably, partner also has some diamond length.
JOEY SILVER: Pass. If partner could not take action with short diamonds, I do not want in, and if he has diamond length, I also don't want in. Ain't bridge easy?
CATHY BALDYSZ: Pass.
MARTY BERGEN: Pass. A "go with the field" conservative pass.
SIMON DE WIJS: Pass. Let's go low for a change. Showing both majors is too rich with this hand, and just randomly guessing one of them feels wrong. Maybe they have a big misfit and we are supposed to defend here.
JIM STREISAND: Pass. I'm not willing to guess a major at the three-level, so it's 4♦ if I'm going to bid, but I'm a wimp. There is too much risk of going -200 even if we find a fit.
DAVID BIRD: Pass. Yes, it's matchpoints, where you can afford to take risks. We are still well short of the values needed for either 3♠ or 4♦, particularly at this score.
SARTAJ HANS: Pass. At matchpoints, the biggest swing moment in competitive auctions is the one that involves our score shifting from minus to plus or vice versa. Considering how pessimistic my view is, I'm glad we are playing matchpoints here. Bidding something (what?) would be indicated at IMPs.
ROB BRADY: Pass. Once you start to think about good hands partner can hold, for example Kxxx/Kx/x/AJxxxx, game our way is quite poor, so I grudgingly pass rather than try 4♦. If Double asked partner to pick a major, I would do that, but we all know 5♣ will be coming back to us if we go that route.
There were a few brave souls…
ALAN MOULD: 3♠. At IMPs, I would be tempted by 4♦. At matchpoints, stretching for games is not a winning strategy. That partner hasn't doubled is worrying, but passing out 3♦ looks like losing bridge.
P.-O. SUNDELIN: 3♠. Pessimistic and ashamed, but I cannot bring myself to commit us to the four-level.
BRIAN GLUBOK: 3♠. Pass could easily be right. Partner figures to have at least two diamonds, but you don't win pairs events by passing out 3♦ openings with hands like this. I do not care for 4♦ at all.
The award for “Comment of the Month” goes to…
PIERRE SCHMIDT & JOANNA ZOCHOWSKA: Dbl. The difference between the most stupid bid of the year and the most brilliant bid of the year is just a matter of the end result.
MATS NILSLAND: 4♦. What else?
HANOI RONDON: 4♦. I have both Majors and a strong desire to play in our best fit.
ZIA MAHMOOD: 4♦. Let’s do it and pray.
Partner had J10x/Q10xx/Ax/Q10xx so 4♥ was a decent proposition, essentially needing the spade finesse into the pre-empter. At the table, regular competition entrant Babs Giesbrecht from Canada’s beautiful west coast held the hand, and her ambitious 4♦ resulted in a splendid +620.
|
ACTION |
MARKS |
PANEL |
Competitors' |
|
Pass |
10 |
10 |
7 |
|
Dbl |
8 |
4 |
11 |
|
4♠ |
7 |
3 |
9 |
|
5NT |
6 |
1 |
1 |
|
5♥ |
6 |
0 |
11 |
|
4♥ |
5 |
3 |
49 |
|
6♥ |
3 |
0 |
7 |
|
3NT |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
4NT |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Competition Entrant Average Score: 5.59
Big majority votes from both the panel and the competition entrants on this one, but not for the same action. When the deal occurred at the table in Riga, not a single West player in the Open Teams passed, and yet the panel think that is clearly the best way to start. Let’s hear why…
HANOI RONDON: Pass. This is forcing, so let's see if partner has anything useful to say.
JILL MEYERS: Pass. What a gnatty bid 3♠ is! Pass is forcing, so I’ll go with that and see what partner does. I really don’t want to put all my eggs in any one basket yet.
SALLY BROCK: Pass. For the moment. I’m not sure this is the right stage of the auction for the problem, as I can’t see why I would do anything else for now.
ANDREW ROBSON: Pass. I'm going to end up deciding where we go, but I want to conserve space so that I can glean as much information as possible before I have to commit.
Some tell us what they plan to do next…
SARTAJ HANS: Pass. I am intending to bid 4♥ over partner's default double. I think this shows flexibility about strain whereas an immediate 4♥ would not do so.
Neither David nor Zia think 4♥ is enough, so...
ZIA MAHMOOD: Pass. Maybe he bids clubs and we can make a LOT. If he bids diamonds, I will bid 5♥.
LARRY COHEN: Pass. I have too much for only 4♥. Rather than guess now, I'll see what partner does. If he bids 4♣, I'll raise to 7♣ – it’s nice to dream.
CATHY BALDYSZ: Pass.
MARTY BERGEN: Pass. A forcing pass looks clear to me. I may not know what to do later, but it can't hurt to learn something about partner's hand. By the way, in my opinion, playing "2♦ waiting" as opposed to 2♦ = GF and 2♥ = bust is absurd.
Alan remembers the hand…
ALAN MOULD: Pass. I know this hand. If you choose 4♥, that ends it (although perhaps it shouldn't) with 6♣ and 6♥ both excellent and 7♣/7♥ cold on the lie. Settling for 4♥ just feels too committal to me.
The doublers are of similar view, although I cannot really see any advantage to a double rather than a pass. Indeed, is there not a danger that partner will pass with some 3-3-3-4 shape? Will you be happy then?
MATS NILSLAND: Dbl. Partner may have clubs.
JIM STREISAND: Dbl. I don't expect partner to pass this take-out double. It will be easy to bid a slam if we get lucky and partner bids one our suits. Over the expected 4♦, I'll try 5♥, hoping partner reads this as a flexible hand with secondary clubs.
SIMON DE WIJS: Dbl. I will start with double and rebid 5♥ over partners likely 4♦. Pass and pull to 4♥ still doesn't tell partner anything about my alternative strain, and also doesn't quite do justice to this monster.
JOEY SILVER: Dbl. I will bid 7♣ over 4♣, but will have a long think, and then guess what to do if my ox bids 4♦, as expected. (Still thinking…)
There is some agreement with the largest group of competition entrants…
P.-O. SUNDELIN: 4♥. I am prepared to take all blame.
BRIAN GLUBOK: 4♥. We might miss a cold small or even grand slam, but I can't imagine bidding more than 4♥ with this.
Paul at least offers a valid reason for his choice…
PAUL MARSTON: 4♥. I do not want to Pass and hear 4♠ on my left.
How about advancing with a cue bid?
ROB BRADY: 4♠. As little as four low clubs gives us decent play for a slam. I'll bid 5♥ over 5♦ and force to slam over anything else.
DAVID BIRD: 4♠. An immediate 5♥ would not be enough. Pass and then 5♥ would show more, but I prefer 4♠ (and then 5♥) on a hand this strong. Once in a while, we might find a club fit instead.
LIZ McGOWAN: 4♠. I will raise 5♣, and convert 5♦ to 5♥. What can go wrong?
The French were willing to commit to slam, but keeping open the chances of playing in clubs.
PIERRE SCHMIDT & JOANNA ZOCHOWSKA: 5NT. We will pass 6♣ and bid 6♥ over 6♦. Let's be optimistic for a while.
On this deal from the Open Teams in Latvia, some West players bid 4♥, ending the auction. Sometimes 4♥ was followed by 4♠-5♥-Pass, giving West a second chance. One West simply jumped to 6♥. At other tables, West chose 4♠ and heard Dbl-Pass-Pass. 5♥ sometimes ended the auction now, and sometimes got a raise from East. The most successful choice in Riga was double, which went 4♠-5♣-Pass and West now raised to 7♣. Curiously, no one in Riga chose a forcing pass.
A couple of N/S pairs took the save in 7♠, which was either 1400 or 1700. Partner had Jx/xxx/Kxx/J10xxx and, with hearts 2-2, 13 tricks were available in clubs, hearts and NT, but 6♣ and 6♥ are clearly the optimum contracts looking at just the E/W hands.
It’s hard to blame partner for not raising if West bids 4♥ over 3♠, and no one did at the table (unless North advanced to 4♠).
|
ACTION |
MARKS |
PANEL |
Competitors' |
|
4♥ |
10 |
5 |
24 |
|
5♣ |
9 |
4 |
19 |
|
6NT |
8 |
3 |
6 |
|
6♦ |
7 |
4 |
7 |
|
5NT |
7 |
3 |
1 |
|
4NT |
5 |
0 |
15 |
|
5♦ |
4 |
2 |
23 |
|
Pass |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
4♠ |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
6♣ |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Competition Entrant Average Score: 6.82
Let’s start with a look at what is happening here. Partner’s double of the Multi usually shows either a balanced 12-15 or a very strong hand. Our double of 2♥ is either hearts or a takeout of hearts, partner expected to work out which from his own hand and which suit opener shows. There is a suggestion that we should have just bid 3NT on the previous round, but that is clearly wrong – if partner has something like xx/AQxx/AJxx/Qxx, do you really want to play 3NT off the first six spades or the cold 4♥? East’s 3♥ cue-bid just asks for a heart stop, and you show one with 3NT. When partner then continues with 4♦, he shows a hand that was too strong to overcall 3♦ on the first round.
Certainly, something like Axx/A/AKJxxx/Qxx is possible, and bids such as 4♥ and 5♣ keep the grand slam in the picture. Playing matchpoints, committing to 6NT is also likely to score well, whatever partner holds. Is 4NT Blackwood now? I would suggest not, although that is something on which regular partnerships need to agree.
There is no consensus from the panel, and competition entrants are split between four options, although the largest group (just) comes away with top marks. Let’s start with the most pessimistic…
BRIAN GLUBOK: 5♦. Trying to play 4NT on this hand is inspired, but it's also a little much.
P.-O. SUNDELIN: 5♦. Lacking description of double and the difference between this way and direct diamond bids, and since apparently South is, with his "pass-or-correct", prepared to get to 4♠ if North had spades, maybe a better description is available.
The cue-bidders are all prepared to agree diamonds and show slam interest…
ANDREW ROBSON: 4♥. I've got loads of extras, and I like the way things are going.
JILL MEYERS: 4♥. Let’s start with a cue bid. I have too much to not show some slam interest.
ALAN MOULD: 4♥. Partner has shown a very strong hand. I will drive to slam (probably 6NT).
LARRY COHEN: 4♥. I'd prefer to have first-round control, but I have to make some big/strong bid here. We could easily belong in seven (e.g. AKxx/none/AKJxxx/Qxx).
ROB BRADY: 4♥. I'm not sure that 3NT at our second turn really did our hand justice, but we have another chance. Partner has a monster hand with a long diamond suit. 6NT is surely cold, but I'm still thinking about a grand if we have all the keycards. Unfortunately, I would assume 4NT is a slam reject rather than Blackwood here, or else I'd bid that. Hoping partner will give us room with a 4♠ cue or bid 4NT themselves but, if not, I'll just jump to 6NT at my next turn.
Some prefer to show their club control.
PAUL MARSTON: 5♣. Partner seems to have a strong hand with diamonds. I have a good supporting hand with a club control. (That’s my story.)
MATS NILSLAND: 5♣. No meaning to cue bid hearts, and I think I am too good for 5♦.
CATHY BALDYSZ: 5♣.
LIZ McGOWAN: 5♣. It would help if I had details of our defence to the Multi... for me double is 12-15 balanced or very strong, so I would bid 3NT over 2♥ (double would be takeout). I hope she recognises this as a cue for diamonds.
Some just settle for the small slam in partner’s suit.
SALLY BROCK: 6♦. I’ve no idea what’s going on, but I have a decent hand.
JOEY SILVER: 6♦. I am a 3NT bidder over 2♥ - double would not have entered my mind, since it accomplishes nothing except to lead partner into error. (Or, perhaps, into 4♥! MS) Stuck with this auction, and not being able to bid scientifically at this level, I give it my best guess.
The double of 2♥ was presumably intended to show hearts, assuming that opener would bid 2♠. See above for why I think 3NT on the previous round is just wrong.
MARTY BERGEN: 6♦. Partner's pull of 3NT at matchpoints should show an awesome hand. Even seven might be cold. I'm worth 5♣, but might that not show a 2-4-1-6 hand?
Isn’t it too late for that now, having bid 3NT rather than 4♣ on the previous round?
DAVID BIRD: 6♦. So, partner has a great hand with diamonds. We cannot investigate a grand slam with any certainty, so I will continue driving down the centre of the road with 6♦.
The 5NT bidders are not unanimous about their objective…
ZIA MAHMOOD: 5NT. I can’t see how to bid seven, but clubs may be better.
SARTAJ HANS: 5NT. I am trying to get to 6NT. I will convert partner's 6♣ to 6♦ and hope he gets the message.
SIMON DE WIJS: 5NT. I have enough extras to commit to slam. Let’s try to give partner an alternative contract (6NT).
…whilst some just commit to what rates to be the best matchpoint six-level contract…
JIM STREISAND: 6NT. There's no easy way to invite slam in NT, as 4NT could be bid on a lot less and 5NT is pick a slam rather than invitational in NT. It's possible that 6♦ could play better than 6NT, but right-siding the hand and matchpoints dictates the practical 6NT bid. Without a way to ask for keycards, I don't see how we can explore a potential grand.
HANOI RONDON: 6NT. Let me right-side and play slam in the best scoring denomination.
PIERRE SCHMIDT & JOANNA ZOCHOWSKA: 6NT. A spade ruff could be our twelfth trick, but matchpoints is matchpoints
In the final of the Mixed Pairs in Riga, Latvia’s Ivars Rubenis claimed all the matchpoints with his jump to 6NT. Partner had AKxx/x/AKJxxx/Qx, so that was +1440. Making +1370 in 6♦ was worth around 70%. I’m sure some of the panel would also have landed in the top spot. After 4♥, partner will presumably advance with a 4♠ cue and, having agreed diamonds, you can certainly now Blackwood yourself there. Of course, dummy’s ♣Q is gold dust!
|
ACTION |
MARKS |
PANEL |
Competitors' |
|
1♠ |
10 |
7 |
25 |
|
3♦ |
9 |
6 |
11 |
|
1♥ |
8 |
5 |
29 |
|
2NT |
6 |
1 |
1 |
|
2♦ |
6 |
1 |
15 |
|
Pass |
5 |
1 |
9 |
|
Rdbl |
0 |
0 |
8 |
|
1NT |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
2♠ |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Competition Entrant Average Score: 7.22
There is no majority vote from the panel, but there are strong feelings in more than one camp. I allocated marks on this one in a way that reflects the voting, even though I personally think that 3♦ is clearly the best bid. I get little support for that view from the competition entrants, with the two largest groups supporting the other two of the panel’s three most popular actions.
Aaron Jones, the conductor of What’s My Call in the ACBL Bulletin joined Rob for his YouTube discussion of this month’s problems. Aaron’s view was that this was a joke problem. He said, “If I gave this to my panel, I’d get 19 votes out of 20 for 1♥, and 18 emails asking why I was wasting their time.” I have dared Aaron to give the hand to his panel to test the accuracy of that prediction.
ROB BRADY: 1♥. I am intrigued to hear from the three or four members of the panel who choose something other than the obvious 1♥. Partner can definitely hold xx/AKxx/AQxx/xxx.
LARRY COHEN: 1♥. What I would have bid if South had passed. Yes, I see (and likely will read about) all the things that might go wrong, but why can't partner have, something like Kx/A10xx/AQxxx/xx?
An astute observation from both Hanoi and Brian.
HANOI RONDON: 1♥. Perhaps we can steal their suit.
BRIAN GLUBOK: 1♥. This might be our best suit, and it might be their best suit. We'll be happy to support diamonds later, although 2♦ right now is not a terrible idea.
Jim’s prediction of what was likely to happen proved to be off the mark…
JIM STREISAND: 1♥. I see no need to do anything unusual, perhaps leading to missing a 4-4 heart fit. Directing a spade lead at this point in the auction seems unnecessary as we can outbid their potential club part score with diamonds.
Some prefer to bid a suit rather than a waistcoat…
JOEY SILVER: 1♠. I cannot bring myself to bid these hearts, so I will bid where I live.
PIERRE SCHMIDT & JOANNA ZOCHOWSKA: 1♠. 1♥ would be the book bid, but sometimes you don't want to follow the book.
PAUL MARSTON: 1♠. In the likely event that partner is on lead, I do not want a heart lead.
CATHY BALDYSZ: 1♠.
MARTY BERGEN: 1♠. I'm not a big fan of introducing worthless four-card majors.
JILL MEYERS: 1♠. I plan to bid some number of diamonds at my next turn.
LIZ McGOWAN: 1♠. I recognise this one too, sadly: not a good time for pre-emptive action
Most of the rest prefer to ‘support with support’… but how many diamonds?
MATS NILSLAND: 2♦. Support is good. Not 3♦, because I want to see what happens.
ANDREW ROBSON: 2NT. I assume this shows a good four-card raise. This is a bit of a system situation, as it's a bit more dubious making such a supporting bid within, say, a Better Minor structure. But if in doubt, support.
I’m not sure exactly what 2NT shows without discussion. Yes, probably some sort of diamond raise, but is it stronger, weaker, or different somehow to 3♦? Personally, I play it as pre-emptive with both minors. Something for regular partnerships to agree on.
SALLY BROCK: 3♦. Anything could be right. When in doubt make the pressure bid.
SARTAJ HANS: 3♦. A good old-fashioned value bid.
ZIA MAHMOOD: 3♦. Let them screw up, hopefully. Although I understand 1♠ too.
ALAN MOULD/P.-O. SUNDELIN: 3♦.
DAVID BIRD: 3♦. Responding 1♠ is five times better than 1♥, as I see it, but South may well hold four cards in both majors. It looks best to show my diamond support.
Simon is flying solo on the same route chosen by the English West in Latvia.
SIMON DE WIJS: Pass. Good problem. I really want to bid, but bidding four small I don't want to do and skipping a four-card major also isn't attractive. So, I will pass first and hope to takeout double their club bid.
Are you going to save in 5♦ when the auction continues 1♥-2♣-4♥- back to you?
The auction began this way at 18 tables in the Open Teams in Riga. Remarkably, West players there chose eight different actions: 1♥ (6),1♠ and Redouble (3 each), 3♦ (2), Pass, 2♦, 2NT and 3♣ (1 each). Partner had xx/x/AKxxx/QJxxx and some pairs were allowed to play peacefully in 2♦ (+110), mostly at those tables where West had picked off the opponents’ suit with a 1♥ bid.
North had 109x/QJxx/Qxxx/Kx. Most (but not all) bid 2♥ over 1♠ or 2♦ and were raised to game. (Regular partnerships should make sure that they can double to show this hand after 1♦-dbl-1♥-?) An immediate 3♦ (or 2NT) gives West the best chance of buying the hand cheaply.
Back to the question posed above – are you saving when South bids 4♥? At all but one table, N/S could make only nine tricks in hearts, (a very clever play by Boye Brogeland was needed to persuade the opponents to allow ten tricks to make) but a number of pairs bid 4♥. More than half of those against whom 4♥ was bid took the phantom save in 5♦ for -500 (sadly, including the English West who passed at his first turn).
|
ACTION |
MARKS |
PANEL |
Competitors' |
|
4♣ |
10 |
7 |
14 |
|
3NT |
9 |
6 |
25 |
|
Dbl |
7 |
3 |
44 |
|
4♥ |
6 |
1 |
1 |
|
4♠ |
6 |
1 |
1 |
|
Pass |
5 |
3 |
14 |
Competition Entrant Average Score: 7.55
I rarely use two hands from the same deal, and Liz is the only panelist to spot that this is the hand sitting over Hand 2 from above. That the panel’s most popular choice there (3♠) creates a serious problem for the player on their left is illustrated by the division amongst both the panel and the competitors on this hand. Whilst nearly half of competition entrants opt to double, the panel are split between 3NT and non-leaping Michaels despite being a heart short…
PAUL MARSTON: Pass. Why should I take a wild stab at a contract when I have them in trouble?
ZIA MAHMOOD: Pass. I have no idea… Maybe 4♥ is the winning bid.
P.-O. SUNDELIN: Pass. If I bid, partner will have xx/xx/KJxxxxx/xx. If I pass, on the other hand, he will turn up with x/J10xxx/Qxxx/Kxx. Such is life!
More optimistically…
ANDREW ROBSON: Dbl. Passing could be best, and the odd-looking 4♥ could also work, but doubling has only one bad outcome.
JIM STREISAND: Dbl. 3NT is clearly an option, but I like my chances better in a round suit. If we don't get lucky with partner bidding one of my suits, I'll bid 4♥ over 4♦ and hope partner reads this as a flexible hand with the round suits since we didn't bid 4♥ directly over 3♠.
Yes, the real danger is that partner jumps to 5♦!
LARRY COHEN: Dbl. I wish correcting diamonds to clubs wasn't going to be so difficult. There is too much potential here to start with anything else (partner would pass a 3NT overcall with hands where 7♣ is laydown: imagine something like xx/Jxxxx/xxx/KQx!)
Willing to risk that…
SALLY BROCK: 3NT. Obviously, this could be wrong, but it’s my best guess.
ALAN MOULD: 3NT. What can I do? I won't mention Hamman.
ROB BRADY: 3NT. Pre-empts work, and our first objective is to try to go plus rather than worrying about missing slam. I could see Pass as a serious contender, but I think partner is unlikely to reopen, so I'll take a shot at game. The auction doesn't always die here, and we could stumble into 6♣ if partner has the right hand: something like x/x/KQxxxx/Kxxxx (3NT-4♠-6♣).
The eternal optimist…
LIZ McGOWAN: 3NT. I know this is the companion to Hand 2. So, I know an alternative works better, but I’ll stick to my guns. This time they will lead the ♣K and I will make 3NT. I was one of the few in the Women’s Teams in Riga to get the killing diamond lead.
SARTAJ HANS: 3NT.
JOEY SILVER: 3NT. Playing with a junior, I would consider passing, but with someone more my age I'll have to do my own dirty work.
The largest faction on the panel decide that they have a spade mixed in with their hearts…
BRIAN GLUBOK: 4♣. Showing at least 5-5 in clubs and hearts. Second choice 3NT.
DAVID BIRD: 4♣. Non-leaping Michaels seems fine, even with only four hearts. 3NT would paint a hopeless picture and is more likely to miss a slam.
MATS NILSLAND: 4♣. Not perfect, but you cannot always ask for that
CATHY BALDYSZ: 4♣.
SIMON DE WIJS: 4♣. Showing clubs and hearts. Yes, I am lacking a fifth heart, but the alternatives are all worse.
HANOI RONDON: 4♣. Non-leaping Michael's stands out as a good description of the hand.
JILL MEYERS: 4♣. Ugh, these are tough this month. I play 4♣ as clubs and hearts here. If that’s not an option in the panel’s system, I guess I would have to Pass and see what partner does.
There were just a couple of mavericks…
MARTY BERGEN: 4♠. Treating this as if my ♠7 was a heart. After all, opposite a rockcrusher like x/xxx/xxxx/Jxxxx, 6♣ rates to be cold. After 4♠, I expect partner to bid 4NT to let me show my minor. In my own methods, I could overcall 4♣ to show a game-forcing hand with hearts and clubs.
You can here, too, Marty.
PIERRE SCHMIDT & JOANNA ZOCHOWSKA: 4♥. 3NT, 4♥ and even Pass can be right. Let's take a (small chance) that partner has the good cards for a slam and can bid. If our slam is in clubs, though, we can't see how to bid it.
See above.
At the 12 tables in the Open Teams in Riga where South opened 3♠, the West players offered six different solutions: 3NT (6 times), Double (2), Pass, 5NT, 4♥ and 4♣ (1 each). Partner had xxx/109xxx/AKx/xx. You can make 4♥ but the 4-0 heart break beats 3NT in theory although, as Liz mentioned, a club lead lets it through.
Pierre also produced a simulation of this one. “If you bid 3NT or 4♥, you will make your contract 70% of the time, so your average score would be more or less + 400. If you Pass, you will beat 3♠ by three on average (+300). You can also make 6♣ on 30% of the boards.” Based on that, it would seem that 4♣ rates to be the winning option most of the time you can make either 4♥, 5♣ or 6♣, which is quite a high percentage of the time.
|
ACTION |
MARKS |
PANEL |
Competitors' |
|
4♠ |
10 |
16 |
28 |
|
6♦ |
7 |
3 |
5 |
|
4NT |
5 |
1 |
16 |
|
5♦ |
5 |
1 |
24 |
|
4♥ |
2 |
0 |
17 |
|
5♣ |
0 |
0 |
5 |
|
6NT |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Pass |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
5NT |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Competition Entrant Average Score: 5.49
When I first sent out this problem, there was no note about the forcing nature of 3♦ as I simply assumed that everyone played it as natural and game-forcing. However, a number of early responses from panelists questioned the meaning of 3♦, hence the clarification. That left most of the panel with what they thought was a clear choice. The largest group of competition entrants (just) agrees with them, although almost a quarter settle for a raise to game whilst most of the panel are at least looking for slam.
ALAN MOULD: 4♠. I seem to have a. good hand.
JOEY SILVER: 4♠. A safety play in case we have a diamond slam.
DAVID BIRD: 4♠. We can surely make a diamond game, and I will invite a slam in that suit on the way.
ANDREW ROBSON: 4♠. We could easily have a diamond slam here.
MATS NILSLAND: 4♠. I could have had a much worse hand.
ZIA MAHMOOD: 4♠. This hand is worth a noise, or more.
SIMON DE WIJS: 4♠. Let's agree diamonds and see if partner can cooperate one time.
Jill makes a significant point in favour of the majority choice.
JILL MEYERS: 4♠. Partner has shown an enormous diamond suit. Let’s start with a 4♠ cue bid. Ideally, partner will be able to Blackwood and we might even manage to get to a cold grand.
PIERRE SCHMIDT & JOANNA ZOCHOWSKA: 4♠. It’s the least we can do. The real problem may be our next bid.
HANOI RONDON: 4♠. I don't know where we will get to, but this seems like the right place to continue the journey at this moment.
MARTY BERGEN: 4♠. Partner bidding 4♦ rather than 3♠ (asking) is very significant.
PAUL MARSTON: 4♠. Partner should be in control here.
CATHY BALDYSZ: 4♠.
ROB BRADY: 4♠. Maybe partner and I need to have a keycard discussion, because I'm again worried 4NT won't be taken as keycard for diamonds. Partner's failure to bid 3♠ or 4♥ suggests long, strong diamonds with no heart support. I expect something like xx/none/KQxxxxx/KQJx. I'm not stopping below slam, and I am hoping that partner will cooperate in the hopes of finding a grand if they do hold first round heart control.
SALLY BROCK: 4♠. Partner has ruled out 3NT, so I’m happy to cooperate with a 4♠ cue bid.
LARRY COHEN: 4♠. I'll show my spade control and see if partner can bid a slam.
Is 4NT Blackwood here, or might it not show a wish to play there?
SARTAJ HANS: 4NT. I like my partners to make bids like 3♦ here aggressively, without waiting for the perfect hand for a game-forcing bid. And, in return, I try not to push too hard with the other hand to cater to the pressure partner was facing when entering the auction. This hand, however, is way too strong to give up on slam. If slam goes down because partner doesn't have very much, I will be the one to apologise.
Perhaps Brian would have bid more had he known that 3♦ was game-forcing.
BRIAN GLUBOK: 5♦. We need a footnote to tell us whether 3♦ is forcing.
Some decided that they had already heard enough.
JIM STREISAND: 6♦. I don't want to direct a club lead by cue bidding 4♠. We might miss a grand, but even if we trot out Blackwood (are we sure 4NT is Blackwood?) in hopes of finding all the keycards and the ♦Q, we still can't bid 7♦ safely with the potential for bad breaks
P.-O. SUNDELIN: 6♦.
LIZ McGOWAN: 6♦. Your guess may be better than mine. P.S. Is it just me, or were there too many freak hands this month?
I’m not sure I’d class 1♦-Dbl-? as a freak hand 😊. The problem, of course, is that most pairs will usually bid to roughly the right contract in an uncontested auction. It’s when the opponents pre-empt you out of bidding space that system gives way to hand evaluation and judgement. Those are the hands that many of our readers find the most difficult, hence why many of the auctions here feature inconvenient intervention from opponents.
On this deal, partner had x/A9/KQJxxxxx/xx, so 7♦ and 7NT are both easy makes. In hearts, even 12 tricks is a struggle. (North had a singleton diamond and the singleton ♥Q.)
It’s close at the top this month, with a trio of women’s world champions leading the way. Poland’s Cathy Baldysz heads the field with 76/80, and the podium is completed by England’s Sally Brock and USA’s Jill Meyers, both with 75/80.
One curio on this set is that Pass was an option on six of the eight hands, and passing throughout would have scored 40/80.
As always, thanks to all of our panel for their time and effort.
See you next month. Marc
|
Cathy BALDYSZ |
5♥ |
3♠ |
Pass |
Pass |
5♣ |
1♠ |
4♣ |
4♠ |
76 |
|
Sally BROCK |
5NT |
3♠ |
Pass |
Pass |
6♦ |
3♦ |
3NT |
4♠ |
75 |
|
Jill MEYERS |
5NT |
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
4♥ |
1♠ |
4♣ |
4♠ |
75 |
|
Rob BRADY |
5NT |
3♠ |
Pass |
4♠ |
4♥ |
1♥ |
3NT |
4♠ |
74 |
|
Alan MOULD |
5NT |
3♠ |
3♠ |
Pass |
4♥ |
3♦ |
3NT |
4♠ |
74 |
|
David BIRD |
6♣ |
3♠ |
Pass |
4♠ |
6♦ |
3♦ |
4♣ |
4♠ |
73 |
|
Andrew ROBSON |
6♣ |
3♠ |
Pass |
Pass |
4♥ |
2NT |
Dbl |
4♠ |
73 |
|
Hanoi RONDON |
6♣ |
3♠ |
4♦ |
Pass |
6NT |
1♥ |
4♣ |
4♠ |
73 |
|
Larry COHEN |
5NT |
2♠ |
Pass |
Pass |
4♥ |
1♥ |
Dbl |
4♠ |
72 |
|
Marty BERGEN |
6♣ |
1♠ |
Pass |
Pass |
6♦ |
1♠ |
4♠ |
4♠ |
69 |
|
Simon DE WIJS |
4NT |
3♠ |
Pass |
Dbl |
5NT |
Pass |
4♣ |
4♠ |
67 |
|
Liz McGOWAN |
5♣ |
3♠ |
Pass |
4♠ |
5♣ |
1♠ |
3NT |
6♦ |
67 |
|
Joey SILVER |
4♠ |
2♠ |
Pass |
Dbl |
6♦ |
1♠ |
3NT |
4♠ |
66 |
|
Paul MARSTON |
Pass |
3♠ |
Pass |
4♥ |
5♣ |
1♠ |
Pass |
4♠ |
64 |
|
Mats NILSLAND |
5♥ |
Pass |
4♦ |
Dbl |
5♣ |
2♦ |
4♣ |
4♠ |
62 |
|
Zia MAHMOOD |
Pass |
2♠ |
4♦ |
Pass |
5NT |
3♦ |
Pass |
4♠ |
60 |
|
Pierre SCHMIDT & Joanna ZOCHOWSKA |
4♠ |
3♠ |
Dbl |
5NT |
6NT |
1♠ |
4♥ |
4♠ |
60 |
|
Jim STREISAND |
4♠ |
2♠ |
Pass |
Dbl |
6NT |
1♥ |
Dbl |
6♦ |
60 |
|
Sartaj HANS |
Pass |
1♠ |
Pass |
Pass |
5NT |
3♦ |
3NT |
4NT |
59 |
|
Brian GLUBOK |
6♣ |
1♠ |
3♠ |
4♥ |
5♦ |
1♥ |
4♣ |
5♦ |
54 |
|
P.O. SUNDELIN |
Pass |
3♠ |
3♠ |
4♥ |
5♦ |
3♦ |
Pass |
6♦ |
51 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOP SCORE |
5NT/6♣ |
3♠ |
Pass |
Pass |
6♦ |
1♠ |
4♣ |
4♠ |
|
|
HAND 1: |
5NT/6♣ 10 |
4NT/5♥ 7 |
Pass/4♠/5♣ 5 |
6♥ 2 |
|
|
|
HAND 2: |
3♠ 10 |
2♠ 7 |
1♠ 6 |
Pass 5 |
4♠ 2 |
|
|
HAND 3: |
Pass 10 |
4♦ 7 |
3♠ 6 |
Dbl 5 |
3♥ 2 |
|
|
HAND 4: |
Pass 10 |
Dbl 8 |
4♠ 7 |
5♥/5NT 6 |
4♥ 5 |
6♥ 3 |
|
HAND 5: |
4♥ 10 |
5♣ 9 |
6NT 8 |
5NT/6♦ 7 |
4NT 5 |
5♦ 4 |
|
HAND 6: |
1♠ 10 |
3♦ 9 |
1♥ 8 |
2♦/2NT 6 |
Pass 5 |
|
|
HAND 7: |
4♣ 10 |
3NT 9 |
Dbl 7 |
4♥/4♠ 6 |
Pass 5 |
|
|
HAND 8: |
4♠ 10 |
6♦ 7 |
4NT/5♦ 5 |
4♥ 2 |
|
|
|
HAND 1: |
6.02 |
|
HAND 2: |
6.29 |
|
HAND 3: |
7.60 |
|
HAND 4: |
5.59 |
|
HAND 5: |
6.82 |
|
HAND 6: |
7.22 |
|
HAND 7: |
7.55 |
|
HAND 8: |
5.49 |
