August guesses
A 4C. Bluhmer (length and zero strength in clubs) and game choice. 4D isn’t forcing, and I want to offer a choice between Ds and Ss since 10 tricks might be the limit. Hopefully partner also has the info he needs now to bid 6D if that makes sense.
B Dbl. 4C and 5C are the alternatives. 5C is more descriptive but may miss 4S. So I’ll let partner describe. I expect worst case if he passes is lose 3 (+500 vs +600), but I doubt he’ll pass.
C 3S. Lots of places to play, and I have enough to force to game. So I’ll ask partner to put us in the right game.
D 2C. We don’t have a hearts game, as partner didn’t double. I’d like to push them up one level and make sure partner knows what to lead. If 2D by them comes to me, I will double. Otherwise, I’m done.
E 4D I guess, but maybe double? 4H my third choice since this isn’t matchpoints. Double and then correct clubs or NT to hearts is also a consideration. In that case I can plan to bid six of something if partner shows values. If I start with a four-level bid, we might miss a slam.
F Double. If partner bids I’m not stopping below slam. I expect to collect 500 against no slam a majority of the time. At unfavorable I would have to bid, and I’m not sure what I would bid (which is why I settle for double here).
G 3D. If partner bids 3N it will play from the correct side.
H D10? Am I missing something? The auction and my hand seem to confirm their need for ruffs. The traditional lead of a trump against a grand looks very called-for here. I have tried to think of hands where I need to lead a major suit (probably a spade) to kill a squeeze by knocking out an entry, but I haven’t been able to construct any. I guess the one reason I can think of not to lead a diamond is that maybe I’d rather the declarer found out about the foul trump break later rather than sooner. In that case, a spade lead (which will encourage early ruffs in the long trump hand) might be better.
A. 4D. VVV’s 4C as a bluhmer would be good if interpreted that way, but could he think it is the club ace?
B. 4C. 2H denies 3 spades (unless a freakish hand)
C. 3C. Underbid, but anything more without knowing a club fit is an overbid
D. 2C When partner did not make a negative double, anything else is too likely to get us too high
E. 4D. Show both suits, since our LHO may be about to raise
F. 4S. At least we’ll be in the highest scoring (suit) strain.
G. 2N. Descriptive, despite risk of mis-siding.
H. D10. Let’s cut down ruffs.
Tough set. Lots of them I struggled and was not convinced in my choice even after deliberation.
A. 4 Spades. This what I would bid at the table. I think it won’t score that well as folks will come up with fancier bids.
B. 4 clubs.
C. 3 clubs, tough one. Picked the low road at MPs. The right min will produce game, but too many bad games if I bid more.
D. Double. 2H a close second choice.
E. 4 hearts. If I bid 4D, not willing to move over 4H by partner, and worried partner may not make right choice over 4S by LHO.
F. 4 spades. Another tough one. Double might be right, but feels like they can take eight trump tricks too often. With partner’s likely stiff perhaps she won’t sit that often and this will get to the better game, so perhaps double is right. Don’t see a way to investigate slam, so taking the low road again.
G. Double. Pass close second choice.
H. Spade king. Feels right, though I admit I cannot figure out why/what layout I am catering to.
A B C D E F G H
procrastinator 4S 4C 3C Dbl 4H 4S Dbl SK
oirg
SW 4D 4C 3C 2C 4D 4S 2N D10
ST 4D 4C 3S 2H 4D 5S Dbl D10
BTDT P 4C 3S Dbl 4D Dbl P SQ
NN
veni vidi vici 4C Dbl 3S 2C 4D Dbl 3D D10
Leading 4C 3S 4D D10
Just over 48 hours to go, and a leader on only 4 of 8.
A B C D E F G H
procrastinator 4S 4C 3C Dbl 4H 4S Dbl SK
oirg
SW 4D 4C 3C 2C 4D 4S 2N D10
ST 4D 4C 3S 2H 4D 5S Dbl D10
BTDT P 4C 3S Dbl 4D Dbl P SQ
NN 4S 4C 2C 2C 4H Dbl Dbl D10
veni vidi vici 4C Dbl 3S 2C 4D Dbl 3D D10
Leading 4C 3S 2C 4D Dbl Dbl D10
In principle, 24 hours to go, but I’ll likely submit around 6 PM Wednesday. In the absence of further votes or discussion, I’ll go with 4S on A. May be more likely to make than 5D, and unlikely to be much worse. So unless we want to cater to partner passing 4D, may as well go with 4S.
A B C D E F G H
procrastinator 4S 4C 3C Dbl 4H 4S Dbl SK
oirg P Dbl P 2C 4D 5C 3D D10
SW 4D 4C 3C 2C 4D 4S 2N D10
ST 4D 4C 3S 2H 4D 5S Dbl D10
BTDT P 4C 3S Dbl 4D Dbl P SQ
NN 4S 4C 2C 2C 4H Dbl Dbl D10
veni vidi vici 4C Dbl 3S 2C 4D Dbl 3D D10
Leading 4C 3S 2C 4D Dbl Dbl D10
Despite votes from oirg, still nothing with 3 votes on A. If VVV wants to break the now 3-way tie on A, I’ll go with that. Otherwise still planning for 4S on A, but will consider if anyone else wants to indicate a second choice or comments in favor of something, I’ll consider it. But you only have until about 8PM eastern time.
PROBLEM A: 4 Spades PROBLEM B: 4 Clubs PROBLEM C: 3 Spades PROBLEM D: 2 Clubs PROBLEM E: 4 Diamonds PROBLEM F: Double PROBLEM G: Double PROBLEM H: Diamond 10
A B C D E F G H Total
procrastinator 4S 100 4C 100 3C 100 Dbl 90 4H 100 4S 50 Dbl 100 SK 90 730
oirg P 0 Dbl 30 P 10 2C 100 4D 50 5S 90 3D 80 D10 80 440
SW 4D 90 4C 100 3C 100 2C 100 4D 50 4S 50 2N 90 D10 80 660
ST 4D 90 4C 100 3S 70 2H 90 4D 50 5S 90 Dbl 100 D10 80 670
BTDT P 0 4C 100 3S 70 Dbl 90 4D 50 Dbl 100 P 60 SQ 90 560
NN 4S 100 4C 100 2C 0 2C 100 4H 100 Dbl 100 Dbl 100 D10 80 680
veni vidi vici 4C 70 Dbl 30 3S 70 2C 100 4D 50 Dbl 100 3D 80 D10 80 580
Submitted 4S 100 4C 100 3S 70 2C 100 4D 50 Dbl 100 Dbl 100 D10 80 700
4S 100 4C 100 3C 100 2C 100 4H 100 Dbl 100 Dbl 100 C10 100
4D 90 Dbl 30 3S 70 Dbl 90 4D 50 5S 90 2N 90 SK 90
4C 70 P 10 2H 90 4S 50 3D 80 SQ 90
P 0 2C 0 3C 0 P 60 D10 80
Thanks to my electing to submit 4S on A (and even more importantly to procrastinator and NN for voting for 4S), our consensus scored 700, the minimum to make the honor roll. The only individual score which would have made it is procrastinator’s 730, which would tie for 8-14.
A B C D E F G H Total
procrastinator 4S 100 4C 100 3C 100 Dbl 90 4H 100 4S 50 Dbl 100 SK 90 730
oirg P 0 Dbl 30 P 10 2C 100 4D 50 5S 90 3D 80 D10 80 440
SW 4D 90 4C 100 3C 100 2C 100 4D 50 4S 50 2N 90 D10 80 660
ST 4D 90 4C 100 3S 70 2H 90 4D 50 5S 90 Dbl 100 D10 80 670
BTDT P 0 4C 100 3S 70 Dbl 90 4D 50 Dbl 100 P 60 SQ 90 560
NN 4S 100 4C 100 3C 100 2C 100 4H 100 Dbl 100 Dbl 100 D10 80 780
veni vidi vici 4C 70 Dbl 30 3S 70 2C 100 4D 50 Dbl 100 3D 80 D10 80 580
Submitted 4S 100 4C 100 3S 70 2C 100 4D 50 Dbl 100 Dbl 100 D10 80 700
4S 100 4C 100 3C 100 2C 100 4H 100 Dbl 100 Dbl 100 C10 100
4D 90 Dbl 30 3S 70 Dbl 90 4D 50 5S 90 2N 90 SK 90
4C 70 P 10 2H 90 4S 50 3D 80 SQ 90
P 0 2C 0 3C 0 P 60 D10 80
Corrected score for NN, consistent with what he presumably would have chosen had he been entering the contest. Initially he was scored a 0 for 2C on C, which is what he had e-mailed to me. When entering the contest, you cannot chose an insufficient bid. So presumably he would have bid 3C, getting 100 for the problem and 780 for the month. Not only our highest score, but would have won the honor roll, since the highest official scores were 4 people with 760.
