This is a set that is really making me squirm. I thought last month was bad, well to me, this is worse (except for the lead problem).
Problem A: 5
Partner only has three cards in the rounds; not a good time for NT. I have my max, and that max will be useful for partner's holdings. On to game and hope that partner has an ace or well-placed Kx(x) in his short suits.
Problem B: 3
I wish I could bid a stopper asking 3
, but RHO beat me to it. Without a stop myself, I cannot bid 3 NT, but I do have two bids before I get that high. Hearts are out with only doubleton support, but 3
might be the impetus for partner to show a stop. I really hate lead problems - oops, too soon for that phrase. Well, vul at imps, I really need to try to get to game, and I am not yet convinced that 5
is our spot.
Problem C: 3
It feels like a slight underbid, but the benefit is that I haven't gone past 3 NT yet. If my hearts and spades were reversed, it would be easy to bid NT; if it were ♠ 6 ♥ 10 8 3 ♦ A K Q ♣ A Q 7 6 5 2, it would easy to go with the Moysian heart fit. But I don't have those options.
Problem D: Dbl I am not so wildly distributional that I must bid my hearts, and I do have defense if partner has a trap pass. My fear is partner will bid diamonds, and I won't know whether to pass or bid my hearts. At least if I pass, I can contribute an honor.
Problem E: 4
I take the hint. The hint did say forcing.
Problem F: 5
The auction says to me that we either have the values for slam, or very close to it. The heart Jx says to me that even if we have the values, we may still have two losers off the top. My concern is what message is being conveyed with the various 5-level bids; 5 NT probably should show the heart control and a choice of slams, 5
I think shows the heart control and is closer to a quantitative choice of slams, and 5
, while no longer providing a choice, is asking for a heart control to go forward. Todd/Joe/Jack, perhaps you could tell us where you agree or disagree the meaning of those three bids?
Problem G: 3
This feels like a bit of an underbid. 2 NT is a bit better on the values and shows the stop, but I worry about the source of tricks without partner providing help with the RHO's hearts. Dick is right that a third heart would make the NT bid better.
Problem H:
7 Which diamond should not matter, so I could not resist 4th best. It sounds as though declarer only cared about the
K, otherwise another relay could have clarified further. If they need to set up spades, they have a nasty surprise in that they never had enough trump to deal with my four. If they need to set up hearts, a trump lead may make it difficult by screwing up the timing. I don't have a second choice after a trump.