Problem answers from the Queen Mary Regional 2/96

Panelists: Curt Hastings, David Milton, Ed Davis, Rolf Kühn.
  1. IMPs, short matches, both vul, you hold

     S:AQ109x H:xx D:Axxx C:xx

    CHORHOYOULHO
    PassPass2S:4C:
    Pass4H:All Pass

    4C: = H:+C:

    What's your lead?

    Curt
    trump
    David
    I am going to lead the D:A. Don't ask me for a reason.
    Ed
    H:... no second choice.
    Rolf
    D:A - let's take a look at the dummy and partner's peter first.
    Jeff at the table
    S:A
    Winning Action
    none. 4H: is frigid
    Consensus
    none
    Jeff upon Reflection
    I like an attacking lead against good two-suiters. Partner is not going to get in a whole lot, so we need to beat the hand in one of two ways: either slow club/trump tricks, or the tap. I think the latter is more likely, but it's hard to say. Partner neither doubled (making a trump lead probably best) or bid 4S: (with S:Kxxx, he'd probably do that) so bidding inferences probably cancel each other out. If you lead a spade, which? The S:A is probably best, but I have a sneaking admiration for the S:Q. If declarer has the king, but not the jack, and dummy is void, he might ruff and the hand will fall apart. The odds of this' happening are pretty slender, but wouldn't it be a coup?

  2. IMPs, short matches, no one vul, you hold

     S:AQxx H:--- D:KQxx C:AQ10xx

    YOULHOCHORHO
    1C:1H:1NT2H:
    2S:?Pass3C:1Pass
    3D:?Pass3NTPass
    ?

    1 2NT is all bad hands
    ? Do you?

    What now?

    Curt
    4C: [He notes "4C: should be forcing." --Jeff]
    David
    4C:. I want to hear partner cue bid if he can. [He notes "4C: should be forcing." --Jeff]
    Ed
    I've described my hand so I pass. For all I know partner could have three H: stops and D:xx(x), e.g.  S:xxx H:AJT9 D:xxx C:KJx. I can hardly take 3C: as desire to play in a high level club contract since 2N is out with good values and 3N is out with two or three little diamonds.
    Rolf
    Pass - I've shown my hand. Partner showed a double stop.
    Jeff at the table
    Pass
    Winning Action
    get to 5C: or 6D:, not 3NT. Partner has  S:Jxx H:Kxx D:A10xx C:Jxx.
    Consensus
    None.
    Jeff upon Reflection
    Pass seems obvious to me. I have shown a good hand with very few hearts. Partner bid 3NT. I'm supposed to overrule him?

    I think 2NT probably ought not be lebensohl here, but it fits the rules we have, so it was on without prior discussion.

    How would you really bid this hand?
    Curt
    don't like it, but can't think of anything better
    David
    I would probably splinter 4H: over partner's 3C: bid.
    Ed
    Yes to 2S:, yes to 3D:.
    Rolf
    All actions seem reasonable. No objections.
    Jeff at the table
    seemed reasonable at the time.

  3. MPs, no one vul, you hold

     S:AK9 H:Q83 D:Q87654 C:A

    a) dealer, playing 15-17 NTs, what's your action?

    Curt
    i dont open this 1NT, since my 6-bagger is going to be tough to establish without serious help. so 1D:.
    David
    I open 1D: with my regular partner. I have been playing 2D: as a constructive weak 2 bid as described in the Aces Scientific book (8-12) can have two stoppers outside. Therefore, the auction 1D: - 1any - 2D: shows a decent hand. [Cop-out...--Jeff]
    Ed
    What is the point of a).? 1NT is a sick bid on this hand.
    Rolf
    1D: -- I see no good reason to open a strong NT.
    Jeff at the table
    not an issue
    Consensus
    1D:. Unanimous
    Jeff upon Reflection
    This would have been much nastier if the hand had been a tiny bit better, say D:A or D:K instead of D:Q. In that case, I'd open it 1NT. This hand is a happy 1D: followed by a raise of 1H: or 1S:. Beef it up a little and that's enough of an underbid that I think we'd see some 1NT openers. I would.
    b) playing 10-12 NTs, your auction begins 1D:-1H:; ?
    Curt
    2H: over 1H: regardless of NT range.
    David
    It depends on what kind of values that 2H: shows. Playing 11-14 NTs, our 2H: raise shows about 15-17 dummy points, and this is what I would probably bid. [It doesn't, playing 10-12. --Jeff]
    Ed
    The rebid after 1D:-1H: is interesting. [...which is the point of (a). Giving yourself "interesting" bridge decisions isn't normally winning style. --Jeff] 1S:, 2D: and 2H: are all possible. This hand is not worth its HCP count. 1S: is kind of pointless as it doesn't necessarily lead to solving anything and more likely to cause a problem. I don't like 2D: since partner will start thinking along the lines of multiple D: tricks in NT. 2H: is the only bid I like. [K&R says it's worth 14.95. The program agrees with Ed, but just barely! --Jeff]
    Rolf
    1S: -- 2D: might give partner a real problem. 1S: seems to be the most flexible bid receiving a honest rebid by partner.
    Jeff at the table
    2H:
    Winning Action
    2H:
    Consensus
    2H:
    Jeff upon Reflection
    I figured a lot of the panel would bid 1S:; it's the MSC answer. I don't see what it'd gain. A straightforward 2H: has the virtue of being more encouraging than any other minimum rebid. I like it. Besides, this hand is a great dummy for hearts. I can easily imagine the 4-3 fit's playing a trick better than notrump.
Jeff Goldsmith, jeff@tintin.jpl.nasa.gov, Feb. 29, 1996