Problems from the Glendale Sectional Swiss '96: Answers

Today's panelists: Curt Hastings, Ed Davis, Roberto Scaramuzzi, Rolf Kühn, and Web Ewell

All IMPs, short matches

  1. favorable, you hold

     S:Axxx H:J10xx D:Kxxx C:J

    CHO RHO YOU LHO
    1NT (12-14) Pass 2C: Dbl
    2H: Pass?

    Do you bid 2C:? What now?

    CURT
    I rate game to be fairly hopeless. I agree with 2C: and will pass now.
    ED
    3H:... inviting justified because opponent has values in clubs
    ROBERTO
    I would certainly bid 2C:. No call other than pass suggests itself now.
    ROLF
    Pass - I won't try for game at favorable. I would if vulnerable.
    WEB
    Hand looks like an initial pass at IMPS, although I'd try 2C: at matchpoints. Also a pass the second time, now that you've managed to improve the contract.
    JEFF AT THE TABLE
    3H:.
    CONSENSUS
    Pass.
    WINNING ACTION
    4H:. Partner has  S:xx H:AQ9x D:Qxx C:Axxx. Everything sits well so game makes.
    JEFF UPON REFLECTION
    This is worth a game try because partner rates not to have secondary values in clubs. It might even be better than that; opposite the perfect dog-minimum, game was making, albeit a little luckily. What fascinates me about the hand is that at the other table, the auction went 1C:-1H:; 2H:-3H:; pass. If this hand is worth an invitation on that sequence, why isn't it after a weak NT? Wouldn't everyone invite after 1C:-1H:; 2H:? I certainly would.

  2. both red, you hold

     S:AJxx H:AQxx D:QJ C:9xx

    LHO CHO RHO YOU
    PassPass2S: Pass
    Pass2NT Pass?

    CURT
    3NT. I realize I may not make this, but red at IMPs, I don't see any real alternatives.
    ED
    Don't need 26 HCP to make 3NT on this hand, e.g.,  S:xx H:xx D:KTxxx C:AKxx; I don't think this is close with a 500 bonus for game within reach. [Phooey...I got the vul wrong. It was white on red. I don't think it matters, though. --Jeff]
    ROBERTO
    It's close between passing and 3C:. At MP's I would pass for sure. Here it's not as clear, but I'll pass anyway.
    ROLF
    I'll bid 3C:. Once in a while they might bid 3S: [He redoubled 3C:. --J]
    WEB
    3NT. I doubt 2S: was a psych, just weak. If they're silly enough to lead a spade, this should be easy. Partner probably has Kx. [I think Web is confused about the auction. --Jeff]
    JEFF
    3NT
    JEFF AT THE TABLE
    wasn't there
    CONSENSUS
    3NT
    WINNING ACTION
    3NT. It makes easily vs.  S:10xx H:J10 D:A10xx C:KJxx. Yes, partner is loony. This time, however, he got lucky. Sort of. 2S: is down 3 or 4 for the same 400 with no pressure on partner.
    JEFF UPON REFLECTION
    I think 3NT is clear once one thinks of it.

  3. both red

    S: K9xx
    H: xx
    D: Jx
    C: AKQ8x    		S: AJx
    H: Kx
    D: AKQxx
    C: 109x

    Our auction went:

    WestEast
    1C: 2D: (strong)
    2S: 2NT
    3NT Pass

    a) apportion the blame for missing the good slam

    CURT
    60% west. I think west ought rebid a minor at his 3rd turn.
    ED
    West should have bid 3C: over 2N... 8 lashes (out of 10 max.). This hand is worth much more than 13 HCP. East made an excellent choice of 2D:... otherwise the auction gets quite uncomfortable.
    ROBERTO
    100% to West. East did a good job of describing his hand, but West did not appreciate that his hand, while a HCP minimum, was gold, with a source of tricks and a solidifying diamond card. Having said that, I think that this is a hard slam to get to, since it depends on locating the partial fits in both minors.
    ROLF
    It seems to me about 30:70. [Rolf hates strong jump shifts. --J]
    WEB
    3NT looks inexcusable.
    JEFF
    no one any blame. I don't see how to get there.
    CONSENSUS
    about 70-30 W:E.
    JEFF UPON REFLECTION
    No change.
    b) how would you bid these hands?
    CURT
    I would bid starting
    WestEast
    1C: 1D:
    1S: 2H:!
    3C:

    (1D: didn't deny majors) Now east is probably worth a slam try, and the need to play NT from his side argues for wheeling out black and hoping. I realize this will lead to some hopeless slams, but that's how I would go at the table.

    ED
    WestEast
    1C: 2D:
    2S: 2NT
    3C: 3D:
    3NT 4C:
    5NT 6NT
    ROLF
    They do not fit into our system very well:
    WestEast
    1C: 1D:
    1S: 2H:=4SFG
    3C: 4C:=RKCB
    4NT (2KC+C:Q) 5D:=Relay already thinking about the Post-Mortem
    5S: (S:K not H:K) 6NT (after 5S: you know at least that 6N has play)

    Actually we cannot avoid the slam after bypassing 3NT. I admit that 3NT is a clear alternative to 4C:, especially as you know that 6C: surely is not a good contract (due to the H:K) and 6D:/NT are unclear.

    ROBERTO
    WestEast
    1C:2D:
    2S:2NT
    3C:4C:
    4D:4S:
    6NT
    WEB
    I get to 3NT. [An honest man! --Jeff]
    JEFF
    1C:-2D:; 2S:-2NT; 3C:-3D:; 3NT. After that, I'd either pass with East's hand or bid 4C:. If the latter, we'd reach 6NT, otherwise not. I'd probably pass.
    JEFF UPON REFLECTION
    It's possible to get to slam on these hands, but my guess is that at the table, very few would.

  4. unfavorable, you hold

     S:KJx H:Kxx D:8xxx C:KQ9

    Playing Bergen Raises (all of them) what do you respond to 1S:?

    CURT
    1NT
    ED
    1N, then 3S: over 2C:, 2N over 2D: and 4S: over 2H:
    ROBERTO
    Isn't this a clear 1N, followed by 3S: hand? Why is this a problem?
    ROLF
    I choose the usual path via a forcing NT and rebidding 3S:.
    WEB
    1NT forcing. If partner doesn't pass, I'll bid 4S:.
    JEFF AT THE TABLE
    2C:
    CONSENSUS
    1NT
    WINNING ACTION
    2C:. Partner has  S:A109xx H:QJxx D:KQx C:x. It's hard to make 4S: as the cards lie, but 3NT has play, particularly on a non-club lead.
    JEFF UPON REFLECTION
    1NT. I wonder why I forced to game. Even red at IMPs, this isn't good enough opposite one of my openings. If, however, I choose to force, 2C: has to be the best bid. It led to a good auction: 1S:-2C:; 2H:-2S:; 2NT-3NT.

  5. none vul, you hold

     S:AKQxx H:Axx D:xxx C:QJ

    LHO CHO RHO YOU
    1C: 1D: Pass1S:
    Pass2D: Pass3C:
    Pass3D: Pass?

    Overcall style is 8+, standardish and freewheeling. What's your plan? Is 3D: forcing? Is your call?

    CURT
    3H: to probe for best game.
    ED
    1S: wasn't forcing the way I play. I would start with 2C:, follow with 2S: over 2D: and bid 3N over 3D: unless 2C: was doubled. [1S: wasn't forcing at their table, either. 2C: would certainly have been doubled. --Jeff]
    ROBERTO
    I would say 3C: forced to 3N or 4D:. I'll bid 4D: now.
    ROLF
    4D: -- as I chose such a (IMO strange) sequence, I give partner another chance to pass or bid 4S: or bid 5D:.
    WEB
    Bid 3NT and pray they don't take the first 5 club tricks? [Six. --Jeff]
    JEFF AT THE TABLE
    it was an opponent's problem. He passed.
    CONSENSUS
    1S: was a gross error. We should have bid 2C: the first time. I concur.
    WINNING ACTION
    get to 5D:, which is easy vs.  S:xx H:Kxx D:AQJ10xx C:xx. 4S: makes, too.
    JEFF UPON REFLECTION
    This overcall style is hopeless. At least in The Overcall Structure, while you have to cater to partner's having garbage for a one-level overcall, you don't have to worry about his having a very good hand, so the response structure is centered around preemption and getting out low when advancer has a rock. In OS, 1/1 advances to overcalls are nearly forcing. That has to be better than "West Coast Standard light overcall style." I can see playing 2/1 responses as nonforcing, but 1/1s should be forcing.

  6. favorable, you hold

     S:x H:xxx D:K98xx C:AJxx

    Partner You
    1C: 1D: (up-the-line style)
    1NT (13-16) ?

    What's your plan?

    I blew this one, too. I forgot to mention that it's not possible to play 2C:.

    CURT
    Club partial
    ED
    Since partner shows 4+ clubs, 2C: looks just right. Partner might continue bidding with a maximum and then I will also.
    ROBERTO
    If the opponents promised to stay silent, I would bid 2C:, the most likely making contract. Unfortunately, that may help them find their 9-card spade fit, so I'll just pass. Partner should have the firepower to score this up. If not, we'll still win 3 IMPs vs. 2S: making 3 at the other table.
    ROLF
    If 2C: is a kind of checkback I'll try 3C: to show my hand.
    WEB
    2C: to play (unless partner corrects to 2D:). At matchpoints I pass 1NT.
    JEFF AT THE TABLE
    get to 3C:.
    WINNING ACTION
    Pass. Partner had  S:Axxx H:KJx D:AQx C:xxx. I have a little sympathy for 1NT, but not much.

  7. none vul, you hold

     S:A H:95432 D:xxxx C:10xx

    Partner opens 2NT (19-20). What's your plan?

    CURT
    I'll transfer to 3H: and be done. If partner superaccepts I'm happy.
    ED
    3C:. If partner bids 3D:, I'll bid 3S: (Smolen). The advantage of this is that
    1. we get to fool the opponents (always a fun thing to do)... holding good S: they might lead a trump vs 4H: to stop S: ruffs in the short hand which should be good for us.
    2. this auction may stop a S: lead if we end up in 3N
    3. we can get to 4H: if partner has four of them
    4. If they double 3C: and partner bids 3D:, we have found a home
    5. it will stop partner from making genius decisions in the future since it is clear that there is already one lunatic at the table
    [I thought *I* was nuts. This is a new one for me---psyching after partner's strong 2NT opening. Cool. --Jeff]
    ROBERTO
    My guess is to transfer to hearts, then pass, unless partner superaccepts.
    ROLF
    I transfer to H: and try to get it for 3H:.
    WEB
    Transfer to 3H: and pass.
    JEFF AT THE TABLE
    transfer to hearts and pass if partner does not superaccept.
    CONSENSUS
    transfer and stop.
    WINNING ACTION
    force to game. Partner has  S:xxx H:AKxx D:AKxx C:AJ. The red suits are 2-2 and 10 tricks were easy.
    JEFF UPON REFLECTION
    Everyone thought partner should superaccept. I'll buy that.
I guess this is enough for a one-day event
Jeff Goldsmith, jeff@tintin.jpl.nasa.gov, Oct. 18, 1996