Unlucky? Or Pathetic?

Some problems from the Long Beach regional:
  1. Matchpoints, favorable, you hold

     S:AKQJ109 H:AQJ2 D:Q54 C:---

    CHO RHO You LHO
    PassPass1S: Dbl
    Pass2C: ?

  2. Matchpoints, favorable, you hold

     S:K752 H:Q765 D:A63 C:J9

    CHO RHO You LHO
    1S: 2NT 4S: Pass
    4NT Pass5H: Pass
    6H: Pass?

    5NT by partner would have been for specific kings.

  3. IMPs, long matches, both vulnerable

     S:Q2 H:QJ765 D:J54 C:A83

    CHO RHO You LHO
    1S: Dbl ?

  4. IMPs, long matches, both red

     S:Q6432 H:Q10x D:KJ9 C:AQ

    You Partner
    1S: 3D:*
    ?

    * 3D: shows either

    1. A limit raise in spades with length and strength in hearts, or
    2. a 4333 hand, 12-15 HCP, with notrump orientation and stoppers

    Now, 3H: asks which; 3S: = a, 3NT = b.
    After 3S:, we can ask about hearts.
    3S: is to play vs. a), will hear 3NT vs. b)
    3NT is to play vs. either.
    4S: is to play vs. either.
    Others are slam tries.

    After 3H:-3S:, 3NT would be Mathe.

  5. Matchpoints, unknown opponents

    S: K9872
    H: K4
    D: KQJ6
    C: A4
    S: Q
    H: A1065
    D: A1087
    C: 10832

    1S:-1NT (semiforcing); 2D:-2NT; 3NT

    T1: C:5-A-Q-2
    T2: C:4-K-3-7
    T3: C:6-8-9-S:2
    T4: C:J-S:7-S:6-C:10
    T5: S:J-8-3-Q
    T6: D:7-2-K-9
    T7: D:Q-H:7-8-3
    T8: D:6-H:9-A-4
    T9: D:10-5-J-S:4

    a) Do you approve of the bidding?
    b) Do you approve of the play so far?
    c) What now?

  6. IMPs, long matches, both red, opposition good but indifferent defensively

    S: xxx
    H: Jx
    D: A8xx
    C: 108xx
    S: AKx
    H: Kx
    D: QJ9x
    C: AK76

    2NT-3NT.

    T1: S:2-x-Q-A
    T2: C:A-9-x-x
    T3: C:6-J-x-x
    T4: S:x-x-10-x
    T5: S:x-x-x-x
    T6: D:Q-x-x-K
    T7: H:x-K-A-x
    T8: H:Q-x-x-x
    Declarer took one more trick, -500.

    On a scale of 0 (Pathetic) to 10 (Unlucky), was declarer unlucky or pathetic?


Answers
Jeff Goldsmith, jeff@tintin.jpl.nasa.gov, March 6, 1998