It’s Your Call August 2018 Results

Problem 1

• Roy Banner: 3D – should show values and tolerance for partners suit.. if no tolerance then pass.
• David Todd: 3C – 3C, partner has a good hand to overcall 2H so I hope p has a spade stopper for 3nt, things could get ugly as pass may be the winner, we have enough that partner will make 2H AND ANY BID BY US COULD LEAD TO A MINUS, still, the game bonus for 3NT and 4H is worth pursuing.
• Bob MacDonald: Pass – if west has bid weakly partner will bid again, otherwise west will bid again
• Mike Dorn Wiss: Pass – Game is unlikely and I am neither a fan of bidding to hear my own voice nor playing poker at the bridge table.
• Ernie Tradewell: Multiple bids – The smallest lie.

Problem 2

• roy banner: 4D – can you set 3h on this hand? hard to do..
• David Todd: Pass – Pass. I can only guess what is right, maybe 3H is our best spot
• Bob MacDonald: 3S – can support either minor but should show spades just in case partner has 2
• Mike Dorn Wiss: 5D – East has not jumped to a H game so does not hold 5; therefore partner is likely to hold a dubby H more than a dubby S and I am not considering a S contract at all. My minor holding is platinum and even if partner holds the worst AQxxx(x),KJTxx(x) and there can be 3 top losers, in that case 5D is likely a good save.

Problem 3

• roy banner: 4C – we should have a slam if we can communicate.. lets bid the 4th suit and see where we get to …
• David Todd: 3N – 3NT, everyones favourite contract, we could have enough for a slam or game goes down.
• Bob MacDonald: 4C – We should be in game, 3NT is not acceptable, partner can bid 4H and I will pass.
• Mike Dorn Wiss: 4C – With 17 opposite 10 to a bad 12 I’d like to be in a game somewhere despite the apparent misfit, but 3NT is not a likely game as it requires both a perfecto running H’s and also the SJx with the ace on my left for it to be an entry. With that H holding and the CQ partner would force to game, not invite. If partner has a one loser suit – AQJTxx or KQJTxx and a C quack he will rebid 4H and I am content. Further, he could still hold a 4 card C suit to the Q with a pointed J (or two) and 5C may be our spot. Also from his viewpoint my hand may be 4=x=y=z unbalanced with anywhere from 0-3 H’s and 4-7 D’s, so 4C patterns me out and shows the 5th D; now he may prefer a D contract with a 3 card fit as well. 4C covers the bases.

Problem 4

• David Todd: 1N – 1NT. ok, 4 hearts to the 8 isn’t a stopper but it is only 1NT, no other bid is better
• Bob MacDonald: 1N – Hate 4 rags as a stopper, but too many points to pass
• Mike Dorn Wiss: 1N – At the one level 8 fourth is enough of a “stopper”. I require a 4th D to bid 2H as a limit raise. Should 1NT get floated I’m happy, and should anybody bid at the 2 level I’ll be happy to support D’s later at the 3 level.

Problem 5

• roy banner: 1H – pass any response, the auction should not be over yet.. W is sitting on S
• David Todd: 2C – 2C. don’t want to bid the wrong 3 card major. 1NT is too much.
• Bob MacDonald: 1N – must bid, refuse to choose a major with these rags
• Mike Dorn Wiss: 2C – Doh…