Between S9 and HT, I prefer the S9. We need 5 tricks, either 3 clubs and 2 diamonds (my hope) or 2 spades, 2 diamonds, and an entry to partner’s hand (trick 5). Two heart leads through dummy might get us three heart tricks. There’s a chance that we can switch to hearts in time if I start with clubs or spades. Starting with hearts seems less flexible.
H: Spade 9
Submitted:
PROBLEM A: Double
PROBLEM B: 4 Notrump
PROBLEM C: 4 Diamonds
PROBLEM D: (a)
PROBLEM E: 3 Spades
PROBLEM F: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM G: 4 Clubs
PROBLEM H: Spade 9
I was convinced by the consensus on some of these, but I found the arguments for 3D on F and S9 on G quite unconvincing.
On F, a 3D bid asks partner to preempt the auction with 4H. This wouldn’t have been so bd last round as then it would have shown some extras. I’m not sure the 5 level is safe over 4H this time. 3S is unambiguously a slam try (and I will be happy to pass 4H after it). It is also directly below the suit where I have no control.
H If partner has five good enough spades and an entry, he’d’ve bid 1S over 1H. He is quite likely to be 5=4=2=2 with most of his points in hearts. And if his spades are Qxxxx, I hardly want to guess them for declarer. The C and D bidder is strong and the H bidder is weak. This is one of those auctions where leading dummy’s suit often works out well.
A B C D E F G H Total
procrastinator Dbl 100 4D 100 4D 100 C1 (D60 4D 90 4H 0 4C 100 H10 60 610
oirg Dbl 100 6N 0 3H 40 A (P)100 3S 100 3D 100 4C 100 S9 60 600
SW P 40 4H 0 P 0 C2 (D90 3S 100 6H 70 4C 100 S9 60 460
Klaymen P 40 4N 90 4D 100 A (P)100 3S 100 4H 0 P 40 H10 60 530
ST Dbl 100 4N 90 4D 100 C1 (D60 3S 100 4N 70 P 40 H10 60 620
BTDT Dbl 100 4D 100 4D 100 A (P)100 3D 50 3D 100 P 40 C7 100 690
NN Dbl 100 4N 90 4D 100 C1 (D60 3D 50 3D 100 4C 100 S9 60 660
veni vidi vici P 40 4D 100 4H 70 A (P)100 4C 80 3S 0 Dbl 80 H10 60 530
4Sigma Dbl 100 4N 90 4D 100 C2 (D90 3S 100 3D 100 3N 70 S9 60 710
Submitted Dbl 100 4N 90 4D 100 A (P)100 3S 100 3D 100 4C 100 S9 60 750
Dbl 100 4D 100 4D 100 A (P)100 3S 100 3D 100 4C 100 C7 100
P 40 4N 90 4H 70 C2 (D90 4D 90 4N 70 Dbl 80 C2 100
4H 0 3H 40 C1 (D60 4C 80 6H 70 3N 70 H5 70
6N 0 P 0 3D 50 4H 0 P 40 S9 60
3S 0 H10 60 Fortunately our consensus score was considerably better any individual, tying for 12-19 on the honor roll. The honor roll required 710, 4Sigma’s score, which would have tied for 51-57.
My vote for P on C was surely a typo (in my original vote post, which got transcribed into the spreadsheet. I probably intended 3D, but possibly 4H or even conceivably 3H. Don’t remember. It wouldn’t have been for 4D.
I am surprised 3NT did not do better on G, and that it got only 5 panelist votes (and 9% of solvers).
The problem with 3N on G is that it may garner a 5D call from partner, which double is much less likely to do. (The problem with double is that partner might pass, which seems like a smaller challenge in that it might be survivable.)
3S getting a 0 on F was really annoying. I had been convinced to change some of my other votes, (I doubled on A and bid 4D on C and 3S on E), but 3S seems very logical on F, and the winning choice of 3D seems crazy (to me); I will be interested to see the reasons when the magazine comes out.
A I think I should pass. What are some reasonable constructions for partner’s hand? Axxxxxx AKQJ xx --? What else? This is matchpoints, so partner should be more prone to putting the opponents to an opening lead guess than at IMPs.
B Pass. First instinct was Double. If it comes back to me P-1S-P, I will bid 1N. The main concern is when opener freely repeats his diamonds and then partner bids 2S. But the kicker is that their minor outranks mine, their major outranks mine, and it’s both vul at matchpoints. Let’s just hope they are in the wrong suit and belong in spades.
C 2H. Honor-x is a raise in a pinch, and I’m a little too good for 2S. We can get to NT later if it’s right.
D 3C. Vul or at matchpoints I think I’d blast 4S. Here I will try to stay low when we have lots of D losers.
E Pass. This is a classic. Balancing them into spades is a bad idea. Not close.
F 3S I guess, but 6H is a close second. I’m way too strong to just jump to 4H. So I can cue first. Or I could blast 6H (5H will be misinterpreted) to protect my AQ combos from the lead.
G 3D. 2S and 4C also have appeal, but 5C seems a more likely game than 3N, and a max with no D wastage is the key.
H HQ. He’s unlikely to be trying to run hearts when I have three honors, so this should get me on a path to the maximum set.
A) Pass. Partner has a void, probably in clubs, so my hand has not improved.
B) 1NT. I don’t need a stopper when I balance 1NT. Only a point strong, and better than 1H, I think.
C) 2H. All bids are flawed. At least this cuebid shows a good hand, unlike all the other plausible choices.
D) Pass. 4-4-4-1 hands are overrated, and the singleton in partner’s suit does not improve our prospects.
E) Pass. I suspect the opps have a spade fit. I’d rather pass them out in 1m than 1M, but this seems more likely than 2D to lead to a plus score.
F) 3NT. 4H is an extremely close second choice.
G) 2NT. This is a good hand, albeit with a poor diamond stopper, which is one of East’s suits.
H) HQ. 100% safe, SJ is a close second choice. Deception could be useful, but I don’t think it would matter. There is a decent case for leading a diamond (probably the J), if you want to go for the big bucks, but I’ll settle for +100.
A) Pass
B) 1NT
C) 2S
D) Pass
E) Pass
F) 4H
G) 3N
H) Heart Queen
A. P. Partner suggesting a 6S contract. Nothing about our hand is close to extraordinary enough to bid
B. 1N. Seems obvious. Perhaps an extra HCP, but poor intermediates and no sure diamond stopper
C. P. Not even remotely tempted to cue bid with only Jx in spades. 1NT is the only bid I would consider
D. 3S, but could easily go along with either VVV’s 3C or NN’s pass (preferring P between those two)
E. 1N. Thought this one was obvious, but see I’m alone so far
F. 4H. In retrospect there is a lot of merit to NN’s 3NT. And yes, there could be a slam, but it’s pretty darn remote
G. 2N. Got to try for the vul game
H. DJ. How can I be in the minority on this? Surely declarer thinks he has a reasonable chance of 13 tricks just based on his hands, so his diamonds are stiff A. This should beat him at least 2, and a lot if we can run diamonds.
A B C D E F G H
procrastinator
oirg
SW P 1N P 3S 1N 4H 2N DJ
Klaymen
ST
BTDT P 1N 2S P P 4H 3N HQ
NN P 1N 2H P P 3N 2N HQ
veni vidi vici P P 2H 3C P 3S 3D HQ
4Sigma
Leading P 1N P HQ
I really don’t want to submit the HQ on H. To me it is clearly not the right lead, unless declare has lost his mind. (OTOH, there is some evidence declare has lost his mind, since at rubber bridge there is trivial difference between 7NT and 7H or 7C making, even if he would get honors for 7NT. Whatever declarer might be thinking, I like the diamond lead.)
February guesses:
A. Pass
B. 1N
C. 2C
D. 3C
E. 1N
F. 3N
G. 2S
H. Heart queen
From NN by e-mail
A B C D E F G H
procrastinator
oirg P 1N 2C 3C 1N 3N 2S HQ
SW P 1N P 3S 1N 4H 2N DJ
Klaymen
ST
BTDT P 1N 2S P P 4H 3N HQ
NN P 1N 2H P P 3N 2N DJ
veni vidi vici P P 2H 3C P 3S 3D HQ
4Sigma
Leading P 1N P HQ
A. Pass, not close to moving.
B. 1 heart. Considered 1NT.
C. 2 spades. Temped by 2C, but too likely to end in a 42 fit (assume 2C is non-forcing).
D. Pass.
E. 2 diamonds.
F. 4 hearts. Seems obvious, not sure what I am missing.
G. 2 hearts. Perhaps too much, but 3NT makes opposite the club ace and a heart ace underlead, so taking an aggresive call.
H. Diamond jack. Assume RHO has ten hearts to the AK and three bare aces. Diamond 6 might get the queen from partner, so will try the jack. Even if RHO has lost his mind and this gives up a trick, still have the contract set assuming the diamond ace is on my right.
H
I see you haven’t submitted yet.
I’ll change my vote on F to 4H and on H to DJ
A B C D E F G H
procrastinator P 1H 2S P 2D 4H 2H DJ
oirg P 1N 2C 3C 1N 3N 2S HQ
SW P 1N P 3S 1N 4H 2N DJ
Klaymen
ST
BTDT P 1N 2S P P 4H 3N HQ
NN P 1N 2H P P 3N 2N DJ
veni vidi vici P P 2H 3C P 4H 3D DJ
4Sigma
Submitted P 1N 2H P P 4H 2N DJ
Nothing had 3 votes on C or G. Choosing 2N, the only choice with 2 votes, on G shouldn’t be too controversial. Since I was not in favor of either of the two 2-vote choices in C, it can’t shouldn’t be too controversial that I broke that tie in favor of the one I like better, which is 2H, since partner did overcall in the suit, and we might have a game on power.
Good think VVV reminded me I needed to get the submission in, or I might have forgotten it.
A B C D E F G H Total
procrastinator P 100 1H 90 2S 80 P 100 2D 90 4H 100 2H 100 DJ 100 760
oirg P 100 1N 100 2C 100 3C 60 1N 100 3N 80 2S 0 HQ 50 590
SW P 100 1N 100 P 20 3S 0 1N 100 4H 100 2N 0 DJ 100 520
Klaymen
ST
BTDT P 100 1N 100 2S 80 P 100 P 80 4H 100 3N 60 HQ 50 670
NN P 100 1N 100 2H 100 P 100 P 80 3N 80 2N 0 DJ 100 660
veni vidi vici P 100 P 50 2H 100 3C 60 P 80 4H 100 3D 90 DJ 100 680
4Sigma
Submitted P 100 1N 100 2H 100 P 100 P 80 4H 100 2N 0 DJ 100 680
P 100 1N 100 2H 100 P 100 1N 100 4H 100 2H 100 DJ 100
1H 90 2C 100 3C 60 2D 90 3N 80 3D 90 HQ 50
P 50 2S 80 3S 0 P 80 3N 60
P 20 2N 0
2S 0 Our Submitted 680 just missed the honor roll. 690 tied for 47-61. Procrastinator’s 760 would have tied for 5-6.
