rainbow@ihuxe.UUCP (10/19/83)
A lot of these bids were difficult to judge and I'm sure everyone will have
gripes about one or two hands. Hopefully no one takes the results too
seriously and better luck to all in bidding contest 3. Congradulations to
those of you who somehow managed to do well.
There were 14 entries. Average score was 48(out of 60). Median score was 47.
The top six scores were:
1)53 sdcrdcf!pmontgom
2)52 Lynn Finley(via rayssd!sgm)
2)52 Ed Rizy(via rayssd!sgm)
4)49 hogpd!jrrt
4)49 sdcrdcf!lmeck
4)49 rayssd!sgm
In the following discussion, comments marked by a * are from the "experts",
by a + from the contestants(you), and by a - if they are my own. Note that
there were so many responses that I found it easier to sum them up as part
of my comments most of the time.
**************************************************************************
hand 1 10-4D(3)-1 : 10 points for 4D, 3 experts bid it
VUL: NS 9-3N(2)-1 : 9 points for 3NT, 1 contestant bid it
matchpoints 8-3S(2)-3 : 2 experts bid 3S, 3 contestants did
S:A6-JT94-AK753-J7 7-dbl(0)-3 : as above
auction: 6-3D(0)-4
s w n e 5-5D(0)-2
1D P
1H 3C P P
?
--This comes down to bid what you have and bypass 3NT or bid what you think
your partner has and risk losing seven club tricks off the top. A couple of
experts saw a compromise bid of 3S. However that can lead to plenty of
confusion, so most experts preferred a simple honest bid of 4D, bypassing
3NT. The experts who did bid 3NT defended themselves on the basis that,
after all, its only matchpoints. 3D is a definite underbid. 5D is a definite
overbid. No expert recommended a negative/takeout double or even commented
on it. I can only assume its because all of them play penalty doubles in
this auction. Probably because if the opponents know you cant double them
on the 3 level, they will make life miserable for you by constantly bidding
there. Another possibility is the use of support doubles in this auction.
Unfortunately this leaves me with a very subjective decision on the relative
merits of a dbl(takeout) with respect to the other bids. I know there will
be disagreements with my opinion so flames are unnecessary.
**3S: If partner bypasses 3NT I'll correct to 5D
**3NT: Since East didnt raise clubs, I'll assume partner has a club stopper.
**3NT: Even if this is the wrong bid, maybe West wont want to lead away from
his club holding.
**4D: Its the best descriptive bid available.
***********************************************************************
hand 2 10-6C(3)-3
VUL: none 9-5C(1)-3
matchpoints 8-4N(0)-2
S:7-9- -AKQT9865432 0-4C(1)-0
auction: 0-3C(1)-0
s w n e 7-dbl(1)-2
1NT 6-2N(0)-1
? 5-2C(0)-1
4-pass(0)-2
--Yes indeed, this hand actually occurred. Unfortunately its impossible to
say whats the best way to handle this hand. Consequently its somewhat unfair
I agree. You could have a lay-down slam as well as the opponents. However
most of the experts tend to agree that the higher you bid immediately the
less room the opponents have to give information to each other to determine
their best/optimum contract. So take a view and bid it. But there was also
a tendency for the experts to try to "operate" and underbid originally in
the hope of eventually getting doubled in 5C. Against good opponents I dont
see that happening though. 4NT asking for aces has its merits since you'll
play 5C if partner has none. Unfortunatly this bid to me means unusual for
the minors! But it does succeed though in preempting the auction
even if your partner misinterprets the bid.
**dbl: maybe it will go rdbl-pass-pass
**6C: West will be under great pressure no matter what his holding.
**********************************************************************
hand 3 10-2C(3)-6
VUL: none 9-3S(2)-3
imps 8-3C(1)-3
S:Q97-AKJT5-84-AK2 0-2N(1)-0
auction: 7-3H(0)-1
s w n e 6-4S(0)-1
1H P 1S P
?
--Here the experts are of the opinion that an underbid once in a while in imps
shouldnt hurt because partner will bend over backwards to give you another bid
if at all possible. 2C is the most flexible bid in that it leaves the best
chances to find the right spot. Some experts commented as did some contestants
that they would have opened 1NT just to avoid this situation.
**2C: if this is passed out, we probably havent missed a game.
**3H: the lack of a sixth heart could be fatal, so this bid is ruled out.
**3S: if partner has good spades, this bid will work out fine.
**3C: Since you have to make a strong bid, this lies the least.
**2N: describes strength of hand perfectly.
--4S: Partner could have as much as ten points and this would still be an
overbid if he has poor spades.
***********************************************************************
hand 4 10-4D(2)-1
VUL: both 9-4S(3)-7
imps 8-5D(1)-3
S:AJT4-AKT73-A-Q85 0-4H(1)-0
auction: 7-3N(0)-2
s w n e 6-6S(0)-1
3D P
3H P 3S* P
? (*)-no prior discussion on the meaning of this bid
--Partner has just invented a bid at the table and now expects you to
figure it out. One thing the experts agree on is that partner just
showed second round contol in spades. But thats all they agreed on.
Some thought it was a singleton in support of hearts. Others thought
it was the KS with various lengths.
**4S: This is probably our best game opposite Kxx
**4D: Cue-bid since hearts is our agreed upon trump suit
**4H: sign-off, slam is unlikely
**4D: put the ball back into partners lap; You've told him about your
decent hand, let him place the contract.
**5D: it should have some play even at worst.
*******************************************************************
hand 5 10-2N(5)-1
VUL: both 0-2S(2)-0
imps 9-3C(0)-2
S:KQT9-732-Q-86532 8-3H(0)-3
auction: 7-4H(0)-1
s w n e 6-pass(0)-7
1D P
1S P 2H P
?
--If this were matchpoints(as a similar problem from the last quiz), you
might grit your teeth and pass, hoping for the best. But at imps you have
to tell(also this time your hand isnt as bad as the previous one) a lie
and take another bid to protect your partner even if it means going down.
6S could be cold not to mention various game contracts. Funny, but last time
almost no one passed yet this time with a better hand and at imps, half the
people did.
**2NT: shows a weak hand without anything else to say.
**2S: KQT9 is more like a five card suit than five to the eight is a stopper
--3C: This does give partner another bid to describe his hand.
--4H: overbid
--3H: makes it impossible to play 3NT when its right
++2N: most pessimistic bid available
*********************************************************************
hand 6 0-heart(2)-0
VUL: both 10-club(1)-5
imps 9-diam.(1)-2
S:KJT976-QT-952-KQ 8-spade(2)-7
auction:
s w n e
P 3D X
P 5C P 6H
P P P
your lead?
--The first thing that should occur to you is that despite your partners
vulnerable preempt, LHOs jump response to a double, and RHOs monstrous
bid, you've got a lot of stuff, 11 high card points. The slam bidder
cant be bidding slam based on much of a club fit with partner, so what
does he need? Well, maybe all he needs is a ruff. Indeed, the hands
were AQx-AKJTxxxxx-void-A opposite xx-xx-Kxx-JTxxxx.
--spade leaders hoped to set up a trick in that suit to cash when in with a
club before the clubs will be set up(but the odds are heavily against
partner having a spade honor and in all liklihood gives away a trick if
not the contract)
--diamond leaders are dutifully leading partners suit for lack of anything
better to do(but if a diamond trick is cashing, it will not go away. So
theres no rush and you now have a chance to find something better)
--club leaders are hoping dummy has AJTxxx of clubs with no side entry
and declarer having two small(a reasonable deduction and this will
cut off declarer from dummy preventing him from ducking one round
and setting the suit up)
++KC: force the issue if dummy has no other side entry. Declarer must now
guess whether or not to take the heart finesse without any information.
++diamond: partner can lead a spade back if he has the AD putting declarer
to the test before he has a chance to try to set up the club suit via
ruffs.