MASTER SOLVERS CLUB SOLUTIONS RECEIVED
Your solutions have been received. This copy is for your records.
SOLVER: Kenneth Berg
Sykesville MD
U.S.A.
Your Solutions for the January 2020 Contest
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PROBLEM A: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM B: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM C: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM D: 1 Spade
PROBLEM E: (b1)
PROBLEM F: Double
PROBLEM G: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM H: Spade 2
Thoughts below:
A: 2
I am comfortable with this. If Lho bids 2
and this is passed back to me, I can double. If partner then bids the likely 3
I can convert to 3
. After my 2
he will not be be thinking this is stronger than it is.
Of course there are many ways the auction might go after my 2
B: 3NT
I guess that is pretty much what 3NT shows. A long good heart suit and a reasonable hope that I can take 9 tricks. If I wait until I am sure I can take 9 tricks I will be waiting too long.
C: 3
Firstly, I am not going to try to catch Lho in a psych. Maybe he is, but usually he isn't. Still, this does raise the question of just what partner has for his Pass. With values and hearts he would have raised hearts. With values and both minors he would have made a negative double. It is not completely crazy to think that partner is really pretty broke and than the opponents can make 5m. So maybe passing this out in 1
is right. It's also possible that 3
will be doubled and off 300. Still. Bridge is a bidder's game. But another maxim is that Pass is the most underused card in the game. Which platitude do I go with? I bid 3
. Shoot me later.
D: 1
Yes, there are probably four spades on my right but the auction is not over. I have four spades, I have some values, and 1
might be exactly what partner needs to hear to make him comfortable in rebidding 1NT. And 1NT might well be the right contract.
E: b1, open 1
and, over a 1
response, bid 2
.
This is a change from the b4 I chose before (pun unintended). It's very possible we belong in spades and the 2
rebid is much more likely to get us there than a 3NT rebid.
F: X
The double shows hearts along with support for diamonds. It doesn't show six hearts but I might well have a chance to clarify that later. Even at matchpoints it is sometimes right to play in a minor. For example, if partner ruffs a club playing in diamonds, it not only stops then from taking the club trick, it increases our trick total by one. If I ruff a club playing in hearts, it stops then from taking the trick but does not increase our trick total. And it weakens a trump suit that is a bit shaky.
G: 2
BWS says this commits us to at least the level of 3
. That's ok. If partner bids 2
I will bid 2NT and pard can do what he thinks best.
H:
2
Any lead requires a prayer. Maybe partner has the
J. Could be. As is usual in these lead problems, I can make a case for almost anything.