My impression is that a fit jump shows 4-card support, in which case it would be an odd choice for C.
Disclaimer: I am not up to this, but I want to get in early and learn stuff. I know nothing, like John Snow. Also, I’m way behind the 2023 thread, so here we go.
Oh, and if there is a “correct” answer, well, I’m not looking for it. Just whatever I would do when facing the deal and bidding.
Just see how bad I am at this.
Summary
A. Double is cheapest, though partner might respond with 3D. 2NT is next cheapest, but also invites a long diamond partner.
I’m going with 3C. Specific suit, not no-trump. If partner responds 3D, can respond with 3S, make partner choose “pass” or clubs.
B. Man, he really likes his hearts 7 min, but shy on points (would have jumped to 3H on second bid), probably 13-15, and hates your suits.
No idea which key card I would be asking for --Ace o’Diamonds? – nor how I would ask for it.
You haven’t expressed your point count, except to keep bidding – you might stop now with 6-12, but your Q-H might actually be worth something, putting you at 20. Slam is in the cards. 6H and be done with it.
C. 3H and be done with it. Yeah, diamonds look great, but how do you get to it without looking like a strong hand, which you are not? Could Double, being coy: “Choose another suit.” 2NT? Also coy, but he might pass that. Trying to get partner to either choose right or describe how great his Hearts are.
D. Battle of who goes down the least, I think. Partner is no help. Can you goad them up to 5D? I think (b) does this. Or, they double you.
E. Partner has 5 diamonds, 2 or fewer spades. Diamonds is the better fit. Your club singleton is valuable, heart doubleton is valuable, but not enough for any more than 3D.
F. Clearly Partner wants a gab-fest here. 2NT seems to be asking for more info about your hand, as you’re going to play hearts unless NT is in the cards. Downside is that he bid that first, and you have the points. What does 3D tell him? Why would you bid a minor after bidding both majors? I think it should tell him that you have the A-Diamonds. Should tell him all he needs to bid game or beyond.
G. OK, you’re going to jump in to ruin this pre-empt at the risk of dropping vulnerable points. Partner has 14 or fewer points, some spades else he would have doubled. Likely to have diamonds. Double is the cheapest bid, shows you have 0 or 1 spades, pick a suit and we’ll talk.
H. False-4th the 2Clubs, tricking declarer to miscount them (maybe it will work). Or 5H, assuming heart strength in West, the dummy.
A Pass. Close among double, pass, and 2S. Double is probably better than 2S. I can try a cheeky 3N over 3D and try 3S over 2N-3C-3D (showing 4+S and long clubs, since 3C limited my hand). But with partner passed and some of my queens of questionable value, passing looks best.
B 4D. Since 5H would ask for a diamond control, this shows one. Only partner knows the internal quality of his trumps, so only he should be bidding keycard.
C. 4H. I can’t stop short of game, so 3H is out. I can’t set a force, so 3S is out. 4D is very tempting, to help partner out over 4S from them, but AK-empty plus only three-card support is too many flaws.
D Pass. Too much of a chance no one can take 10 tricks in any contract.
E 4C Game before slam, so this asks partner to pick a strain. If partner has SQ or SQx, we may take the same 10 tricks in spades and diamonds.
F 3S. BWS isn’t clear on whether 2N was forcing. I need to make some sort of try, and this seems the least ambiguous. I suppose 4D would be an alternative. This should be A or K since I could have bid 4D last round to show shortness.
G Double (planning to bid 4H over 4D). 4C seems self-defeating when 4H is the likeliest game. And defending could be our last plus. Obviously, if I were not a passed hand, I would pass, and that merits consideration here, too.
H H10 (or C2). C2 is not to be deceptive, but in case RHO has five of them and partner has 9x or J9. On this auction though, I am inclined toward the H10 as I expect dummy to be 4423 or 4432 and RHO to be 2155 or 3154
A) Dbl
B) 4D
C) 4D
D) Pass
E) 3D
F) 3D
G) Pass
H) Club 7
A. Pass
B. 4 hearts
C. Pass
D. C2: dbl then 5C. But except for c1, not sure what is best
E. 3 spades
F. 6 hearts. Not seeing any good way to investigate intelligently
G. 4 clubs. Tempted by 4 hearts, but this seems better
H. Spade 9
A B C D E F G H
procrastinator
oirg
SW P 4H P C2 (Dbl; 5C) 3S 6H 4C S9
Klaymen
ST
BTDT Dbl 4D 4D A (P) 3D 3D P C7
NN
veni vidi vici P 4D 4H A (P) 4C 3S Dbl H10
Leading
I’ve only posted one set of questions in this thread, so why do we not have 3-way agreement on a single problem?
Deadline is Nov 30, 11:59 PM eastern time
January guesses:
A. Double
B. 6N
C. 3H
D. Pass
E. 3S
F. 3D
G. 4C
H. Spade 9
A B C D E F G H
procrastinator
oirg Dbl 6N 3H A (P) 3S 3D 4C S9
SW P 4H P C2 (Dbl; 5C) 3S 6H 4C S9
Klaymen
ST
BTDT Dbl 4D 4D A (P) 3D 3D P C7
NN
veni vidi vici P 4D 4H A (P) 4C 3S Dbl H10
Leading A (P)
Finally a leader on one.
P
4NT
4H
P
3S
4H
P
hT
A) Dbl. Simply too strong to pass, and with four good spades, ya gotta be in there.
B) 4NT. No other 4-level bid supports hearts while being forward going, and stiff Q is darn good.
C) 4D. More often four hearts and five diamonds, but this seems clear. This hand strongly resembles a recent club hand I saw, and 4D would have been the winner.
D) c1. Torn between c1 & c2. Too good to pass. I suppose if I get doubled in 4H, that’s when I pull to 5C.
E 3D. Maybe I’ll get lucky and pard will bid 3S. Or maybe opps will balance in with 3H!
F) 3D. Too good to stop trying for slam
G) 4C. Sorry, heart suit…
H) S9. Passively aggressive.
A B C D E F G H
procrastinator
oirg Dbl 6N 3H A (P) 3S 3D 4C S9
SW P 4H P C2 (Dbl; 5C) 3S 6H 4C S9
Klaymen P 4N 4D A (P) 3S 4H P H10
ST
BTDT Dbl 4D 4D A (P) 3D 3D P C7
NN Dbl 4N 4D C1 (Dbl; P) 3D 3D 4C S9
veni vidi vici P 4D 4H A (P) 4C 3S Dbl H10
Leading 4D A (P) 3S 3D 4C S9
We now have a leading choice on 6 of 8, though only one choice has 4 votes.
From ST e-mail
A B C D E F G H
procrastinator
oirg Dbl 6N 3H A (P) 3S 3D 4C S9
SW P 4H P C2 (Dbl; 5C) 3S 6H 4C S9
Klaymen P 4N 4D A (P) 3S 4H P H10
ST Dbl 4N 4D C1 (Dbl; P) 3S 4N P H10
BTDT Dbl 4D 4D A (P) 3D 3D P C7
NN Dbl 4N 4D C1 (Dbl; P) 3D 3D 4C S9
veni vidi vici P 4D 4H A (P) 4C 3S Dbl H10
Leading Dbl 4N 4D A (P) 3S 3D 4C ?? S9 ??
Sweet Tooth gives us a leader on the two previous leaderless ones, but created ties on two other. Perhaps procrastinator will vote. Pending that, and pending any other comments, I’ll suggest that 4C is leading on G, since 4 of 7 chose not to pass out 3 spades, and that the S9 is leading on H, since it would be ST’s choice at matchpoints and since VVV expressed doubt about H10 (even though S9 would not have been his second choice)
A. Double. A good partner won’t bid diamonds.
B. 4 diamonds. I think this is a slam try in hearts.
C. 4 diamonds. Would prefer 4-5 in the reds, but gotta bid what you are dealt.
D. c1 (double, then pass)
E. 4 diamonds.
F. 4 hearts. I am assuming 2NT was NF?
G. 4 clubs. No clue.
H. Ten of hearts
A B C D E F G H
procrastinator Dbl 4D 4D C1 (Dbl; P) 4D 4H 4C H10
oirg Dbl 6N 3H A (P) 3S 3D 4C S9
SW P 4H P C2 (Dbl; 5C) 3S 6H 4C S9
Klaymen P 4N 4D A (P) 3S 4H P H10
ST Dbl 4N 4D C1 (Dbl; P) 3S 4N P H10
BTDT Dbl 4D 4D A (P) 3D 3D P C7
NN Dbl 4N 4D C1 (Dbl; P) 3D 3D 4C S9
veni vidi vici P 4D 4H A (P) 4C 3S Dbl H10
Leading Dbl 4N ? 4D A (P) 3S 3D 4C H10
Perhaps 4Sigma, being consulted by e-mail, will break the tie. As one of two people not voting for 4D or 4N, my second choice would be 4N. But if oirg’s second choice would be 4D, we still are stuck without 4sigma’s input.
Now if oirg chimes in with 4N but 4Sigma thinks 4D, it will still be a confusing situation, but I would go with 4N as the definite preference among regular voters.
On B, I’m closer to 4N than 4D between these two options. Perhaps 5H is the right bid.
From 4Sigma via e-mail
BTW, I don’t think 3NT on G showing a 2-suited hand is defined as such in BWS. Conceivably that would be considered standard when the reopening hand passed originally.
A B C D E F G H
procrastinator Dbl 4D 4D C1 (Dbl; P) 4D 4H 4C H10
oirg Dbl 6N 3H A (P) 3S 3D 4C S9
SW P 4H P C2 (Dbl; 5C) 3S 6H 4C S9
Klaymen P 4N 4D A (P) 3S 4H P H10
ST Dbl 4N 4D C1 (Dbl; P) 3S 4N P H10
BTDT Dbl 4D 4D A (P) 3D 3D P C7
NN Dbl 4N 4D C1 (Dbl; P) 3D 3D 4C S9
veni vidi vici P 4D 4H A (P) 4C 3S Dbl H10
4Sigma Dbl 4N 4D C2 (Dbl; 5C) 3S 3D 3N S9
Leading Dbl 4N 4D A (P) 3S 3D 4C ??
I’m hoping BTDT will break the tie on H. Otherwise I will go with H10, as 4Sigma is no longer a regular, even though I continue to think the S9 is best, with thoughts much like 4Sigma’s.
Thinking further, though it’s surely too late to try to drum up support for it, it makes almost no sense for 3NT by a passed hand to be natural here. I won’t be surprised to see several panelist votes, quite possibly even a majority for 3NT.